m4/3's - Panny 20 or Oly17 any comments please

rhody

rhody

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I'm considering either the Panasonic G 20mm or the Olympus 17mm m4/3 lenses to use on a G1.

Any comments or comparisons from existing owners would be very much appreciated.

The main use will be street photography and some low light situations but I've no idea in the real world how these lenses perform or whether the Panny glass is the same as / better than or worse than the Oly offering.

Or are they so similar its not worth bothering about? Thanks in advance
 
At the wide end of things every MM makes a difference, so take that in to consideration when choosing.
 
I have both. I love the 17mm f2.8, It's sharp and gives the equivalent of 35mm on my M4/3 cameras which is my fave focal length. Good for general walk about.

The 20mm f1.7 is great for street photography and flowers plus general walk about. This lens is SO damn sharp!! A real joy to use. I love them both but for slightly different reasons.

My next lens is going to be the Panasonic / Leica 45mm f2.8 macro, another stunning lens.:thumbs:
 
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The 17mm is generally regarded as being the weakest lens in the prime lineup, Oly's early m4/3 offerings have all been a bit meh. Panasonic on the other hand has jumped in with some very high quality offerings.

The 20mm is a stop and a half (personal moan - why make it a half stop when Panasonic cameras can't adjust in half stops?) faster and performs better, and in reality there is very little difference between the focal lengths.
 
I have the Panny 20mm f1.7 and I agree that it's a good lens, but I think that the Voigtlander 25mm f0.95 shades it for sharpness and overall look and it's faster... manual only though.
 
Many thanks everyone - very much appreciated.

A close call - but for my requirements, I think the Panny just edges it.

Thank you all for taking the time and trouble to comment.
 
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