Handling and Features
Performance
Verdict
Specification

This new ultra wide to wide standard 8-18mm lens has a useful “35mm equivalent” of 16-36mm. Designed for Micro Four Thirds (MFT) format cameras, it is reviewed here using the 20mp Panasonic Lumix GX8 camera body. Carrying the prestigious Leica name, let's have a look to see if it lives up to that stature in terms of performance and how it handles in practical use.

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Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Asph Handling and Features

The quality of finish is not in doubt, the controls of the lens all being as smooth as silk in operation. If we start at the front of the lens, the first interesting feature is the deeply recessed front element. Although the lens moves in and out whilst zooming, it is totally enclosed in an outer casing. This means the actual physical length of the lens does not change. There is a standard 67mm filter thread, plus a bayonet fitting for a very well made lens hood. The hood has a locking catch.

Moving along the barrel, we reach the manual focusing ring. This is electronic in operation and has a firm but smooth action. As a wide angle zoom has plenty of depth of field the use of manual focus is not the easiest option, but whatever focusing aids a camera can provide will make it a little more viable. For this review, the AF system was crisp and efficient and the need for manual focus was never felt.

The zoom ring has an equally pleasant feel and the various focal lengths are marked clearly, with the engraving being of very high quality. Closer to the camera body, there is just the one AF/MF switch. We then reach the electronic mount, which has additional water resistance in the form of a rubber sealing ring. The whole lens is “dust-proof and splash-proof”, fast becoming almost a required feature for any outdoor use.

Nano coatings are used and the lens construction comprises 15 elements in 10 groups. This includes 1 Aspherical ED (Extra Low Dispersion), 3 Aspherical, 2 ED and 1 UHR (Ultra High Refractive Index) elements. There is a 7 bladed diaphragm with a rounded design to the blades.  

Focusing is silent, down to 0.23m (9.06 inches), a maximum magnification of 0.12x. Weight is a reasonably light 315g. This is a varifocal zoom, meaning that the lens should be refocused after any change in the zoom setting.

With no depth of field scale, no distance markings and the bare minimum of controls, the lens abdicates control of most parameters to the camera. The interface is clear and with the GX8 it offers an efficient way of working. It is interesting that although the maximum aperture varies with focal length, from f/2.8 to f/4, the minimum aperture remains a constant f/22. This is probably a wise choice as diffraction will soon set in with such a small format as MFT, taking the edge off sharpness at those smaller apertures.

It is, without a doubt, a very useful lens, with a commendably wide 8mm making quite a difference compared to the more usual standard zooms. The long end of 18mm encompasses the traditional wide standard, 35mm in full frame terms. This makes the lens a candidate for street photography. It may be a little wide for conventional portraits, but very usable for environmental shots of people.

Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Asph Performance

The resolution tests make for some impressive reading. At 8mm, centrally the lens shows outstanding sharpness from f/2.8 to f/4. It is excellent at f/5.6 and f/8, very good at f/11 and, as diffraction really starts to kick in, still good at f/16. Results are soft at f/22. The bokeh sample shots show this quite clearly. The edges are excellent at f/2.8 and f/4, very good from f/5.6 through to f/11, good at f/16 but again becoming soft at f/22. It is sensible design to limit that smallest aperture to f/22.

At 10mm, the centre shows outstanding sharpness from f/3.2 to f/5.6 and excellent results at f/8. It is very good at f/11, good at f/16 but soft at f/22. The edges are very good from f/3.2 to f/4, rising to excellent at f/5.6 and f/8, very good at f/11. f/16 is good and f/22 soft.

14mm gives excellent central sharpness at f/3.6 and f/4, outstanding at f/5.6, again excellent at f/8 and f/11. f/16 is very good and f/22 soft. The edges are very good from f/3.6 to f/5.6, excellent at f/8, very good at f/11, good at f/16 and soft at f/22.

Sharpness holds well even at 18mm, where some zooms can become relatively weak in performance. The centre is excellent at f/4, outstanding at f/5.6, excellent at f/8, very good at f/11, good at f/16 and soft at f/22. The edges are very good at f/4 and f/5.6, excellent at f/8, very good at f/11, good at f/16 and again soft at f/22.

The high contrast of the lens also helps the overall crispness of the image and pictures show a real zing about them.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. MTF Charts

It can be difficult to be sure that the output from MFT lenses is not being tweaked by software right from the start, regardless of what we switch off in camera, but in any event we find that CA (Chromatic Aberration) has been closely brought to heel. The results are very impressive. At 8mm there is really very little evidence of CA, nor is there at 10mm. By 14mm control is not quite so perfect, but still, the figures are very low. Likewise at 18mm. Whatever residual CA exists is unlikely to be much of a problem, but could be corrected in software anyway.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. Chromatic Aberration Charts

Complex lenses can be more susceptible to flare and when shooting against the light there is some loss of contrast. Artefacts are quite difficult to observe, just creeping in as the light reflects internally in the lens. It is not a major issue, but when shooting straight into the light a little care is warranted.

Distortion is extremely well corrected, especially for a zoom lens. At 8mm we have -1.4% barrel distortion. By 10mm we find near-perfect drawing, with just +0.01% pincushion distortion. The Pincushion distortion gradually increases as we zoom, measuring +0.06% at 14mm and +0.54% at 18mm. Further software correction can be made, but for most purposes, this won't be necessary.

Bokeh is not perhaps the primary consideration with wide angle lenses, as so much is in focus anyway with the large amount of depth of field. Together with the smaller format, which also results in more depth of field, out of focus backgrounds are not much in evidence. However, such as they are, there is no raggedness and the rounded diaphragm blades would appear to be doing the job well.

Focus is fast and silent, internal in operation so there is no change in lens extension. The AF system locks on every time.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. Sample Photos

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. Aperture range

Value For Money

The Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Asph Lens is priced at £1049, making it the most expensive of the close options available.

The alternatives could be the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO (£999), the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm f/4-5.6 (£479) or the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 7-14mm f/4 (£759).

The new lens does offer a faster aperture than most of these, and more zoom range as well. It also offers a very high standard, so there are a few things to weigh up when considering value for money. It remains a very tempting option, at a price that may initially seem high but may well be justified.

Have a look at more options in our Top 33 Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses, or have a look at the Top 15 Wide-angle Landscape Lenses.

Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Asph Verdict

The Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Asph. is a pleasure to use, but the greatest pleasure is arguably in the outstanding sharpness, giving a real punch to images. The pleasure extends to enjoying fine engineering as well, because there is the high quality of the construction and finish to enjoy for its own sake.

In summary, a lens that lives up to its Leica tag and should serve very well for many years of use.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. Specifications

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