during pandemic I felt in love with manual focus. It calms me down than I felt in love with manual shooting, just ISO Auto. Now I'm considering just one lens, the 17mm 1.8 on my em5ii. I am just a hobby photographer.
I replaced my 14-42 EZ when it broke (again) with a used 17mm f/1.8 in near mint condition. Lovely lens; especially on the smaller cameras, it feels just right.
Lovely to see you on the mend Peter . This was an interesting take on an old favourite and it may attract some who might be interested in getting this lens . As a ten year old lens this does seem to have remained relevant for those using the smaller bodies. Thanks Peter
I flip into manual focus whenever auto focus is struggling, or when I need to focus “through” other objects. For example, when my subject is framed through twigs, or railings, or glass, or a grate of some kind. Or if the content in my composition frame has the kind of texture that confuses automatic focus. These are often an important part of the compositions I like to frame. I appreciate lenses and cameras that make it easy to switch in and out of manual focus.
Great video Peter, and I am glad you are getting back on your feet! Back when I shot in 35mm with an Olympus OM-2N, I got ahold of the Zuiko OM 24mm f2.8, as my wide angle lens in my kit. Ever since, I have always sought wide angles wider than the equivalent of 35mm. I got the terrific Zuiko 9-18mm when I was using 4/3, and now use it on my m4/3 E-M1 mk2 with an adapter. That lens covers the range of the 17mm, and more than a year ago, I invested in the Laowa 7.5mm f2.0, which I love, manual focus and all! I am happiest pushing the extremes, I guess.
this and its opposite the 75mm f1.8 are at the top of my list along with the 12mm f2 and absolutely any Pro Zoom. As of recently my passionate hobby is starting to get people to notice and think about hiring me. I will forever continue my escape with my photographic journey but there are focal lengths i will soon need. this 17mm is one of almost necessity. Plus i want it for landscape, night scape, and group portrait.
Glad to see that you're on the mend! I had a look at the metadata filters on my Lightroom library and this lens accounts for around 50% of my shots taken with the PEN-F. I find it a great lens for street photography including street portraits and environmental portraits.
Glad your feeling better, the 17mm F1.8 is a lens I’ve wanted for a long time and had the money to get it and then I watched your video on the OM 1 and the Bluetooth shutter release and you made me spend my money getting them, now I want the 17mm F1.8 again but will have to wait until the fund build back up.
Hi Peter, congratulations for your videos, always interesting and full of reflections, Both the 17mm f/1.8, the 25mm f/1.8 and the 45mm f/1.8, are three excellent pearls, still current today, perhaps uniformed to a single filter size, they will certainly need a good refresh, certain that even the 25mm and the 45mm with the manual focus clutch, metal and weather resistant, wow wow that would be fantastic. Let's say that the new Brand OM System has started a good path with the new 20mm f/1.4, but the manual focus clutch is missing to be a perfect lens.
I too like the manual focus clutch on the 17mm f/1.2. I like the M43 for street, night and vacation. If I need Landscapes I use FF cameras since no crop means wide angle lenses work in FF favor, just like M43 works better for Tele focal lengths.
Your videos keep getting better as the years roll on. You are on a roll! In regard to manual focusing, I have not done so since retiring my Canon TLb from service, and buying a Pentax SF1. There are times when I should manual focus, but my current habit is to be all-in on auto-focus. Street shooting is also one in which I use auto-focusing. Using single area focusing for that. And have gone tighter than 17mm, using a Lumix 30mm as my new go-to lens. If a person wanted something between wide and narrow, the OM 20mm seems like something to consider, but I don't know if it warrants the $800 price tag, nor if it is really a top quality? I got the Lumix 30mm macro for $299. The Olympus 17mm seems over-priced. Take care, Loren
Glad to see you back! Nice lens. It has some advantages (metal, MF, quiet, a bit faster) over my “main” m43 lens, my 10 (12?) year old Panasonic 20mm 1.7 pancake that I still appreciate 😊
Short answer is yes. The 17mm 1.8 is very much worth it even now. It never fails to impress me and 35mm in full frame terms being my favorite focal length it’s perfect. It renders beautiful colors and sharp images. It fits perfect with my black M5 Mark. III with aftermarket grip. Also a lens hood is very useful but not needed as the 17mm handles flare very well. But I add a metal screw on lens hood to protect the front element and to add a little bit of style to the overall package. At $190 USD for a mint condition used one when I bought mine 2 years ago it’s honestly amazing value. I does amazing at night as well. It’s probably my favorite prime lens next to my Leica 25mm 1.4 Mark II and Olympus 45mm 1.8. And I love the fact that Olympus made it out of metal and added the manual focus clutch. Those 2 things are why it’s my favorite MFT prime lens. I can’t speak highly enough and I honestly can’t think of any negatives, only thing is I wish it was weather sealed only because my M5 Mark III is weather sealed.
Thanks Peter. This lens is glued to my EM5mk3. Just love this lens for video as well. I used to have the lumix 20mm f1.7 which I think was sharper and smaller but it was very slow and noisey to focus.
The 17mm 1.8 lens came as a Kit with the Pen-F 5 years ago. When I saw the lens for the first time in real I was very surprised about the small size. After a few shots with my new camera-combo I was absolutely happy with the results. I think the 17mm is a very good compromise between 12mm and the 25mm prime lens. Not too wide and not too close. I don't use the manuel focus very often, but when I do, it's very comfy. I wish you a speedy recovery Peter!
Nice video Peter. I use the 17, 25 and 45 f 1,8 triplet (the Summicrons of Mft) for my Panasonic cameras. Bought a brand new Ep-1 this year ( after your video ), and fixed the 17 mm to it from day one. In manual mode the combination is fantastic for street photography! / Regards Ulf
I used this on my first M43 camera the Pen F ver 1. I never thought it was that good, so now I have the 17mm F/1.2 Prol, the 15mm and 20mm Lumix lenses. Those 2 lenses are light and small, take up only the space of one lens in camera bag. The "big" fast pro lens is on the Em1 MK3. For my tele I have the 75mm F/1.8 handy but not in the bag.
When testing sharpness and flairing in compact Olympus lenses I found that this lens was quite sharp even wide open, but flair was not good. So as long as you don’t have the sun directly against you in the picture, the lens is good. Better sharpness here than in the 12mm at f:2. Also the 25mm had good sharpness at f:1.8.
Yes there is quite a bit of flare. Perhaps I need to get the lens hood. If you like flare egge ts, it can be good. I hears there is chromatic aberration wide open too but I'm an amateur so it's not really much of an issue.
I have this lens and am loving it, especially for indoor photography; the F1.8 essentially negates the need for flashes. Now, in line with the 17, 25, and 75mm, I would like is a big brother ~100-125mm F1.8. I would use this for action outdoor photography when the light is scarce.
Very glad you're feeling better! I rarely use wide angle lenses, except for big scenery shots, because I feel they include too much in the frame and the perspective is farther away. Especially for urban photography. I haven't yet figured out the advantage. I use MF about 90% of the time.
Glad you are back and better Peter. This is an amazing little lens, solid build, good low light IQ, small and the clutch. As you mentioned is the perfect travel companion to a zoom, use the 14-42 EZ with good light and switch to the 17 otherwise. Raynox macro adapters MR150 and/or MR250 also work fine with it. M43 is all about compact size, the 17 f1.8 + 14-42 EZ paired with a PEN or EM-10 have been perfect for traveling.
I've had the 17 for years. I also have the PL 15. Kind of redundant. Doh! I never thought my copy of the 17 was technically that strong. After watching this I went back and looked at some images I've taken with both. I think the 17 has a lot of curvature to the focus field, and things on the edges and corners that are not on the same plane as the focus point appear somewhat soft because of that. But I'm a person who no longer really gives a darn about corner sharpness and vignetting. I don't really want people looking at the corners of my images. I want them looking at the subject. When I look back at images I took with the 17 there is something very appealing about the rendering. My copy of the 15 is definitely sharper than my copy of the 17. But I'm not sure that I don't like the overall rendering of the 17 better. I think I need to go and spend more quality time with it.
Great analysis. I notice the f1.2 lens is much better and on the EM1 mkiii between the fast F stop, 7 IBIS stops and the cameras extra megapixels images are as good as APS-C cameras output..
I am using manual focus more and more. I would rather choose what is in focus than have the Camera do so. I wish all Olympus/OMDS primes had the Manual Focus clutch!
It's a year late and have not read every comment below but just bought one and placed on an EM1 MKII then a EM10 MKIII, a PL10 and an EPM1, I had no idea that focus peaking and magnify is crippled when the manual clutch is engaged. This is exactly when you need these functions. I have not seen this on any M43 review video from the usual suspects. You have to change your cameras workflow to assign buttons. Therefore the manual clutch is no more than a gimmick. Sending back and replacing with the LUMIX 15mm F1.7. For anyone else reading this and not aware, the same crippled clutch affects the 12mm F2. The clutch is only fully functional on the Pro series like the excellent 12-40 F2.8. Unlikely that OM Systems will bring out updated versions of the 12mm and 17mm so wonder how difficult to flash the firmware? The focus peaking and magnify do work when the clutch is not engaged and focus set to manual so should this be possible or does the clutch bypass too many systems?
I like the 17mm f1.8, I have had mine for two years. It is a excellent quality lens. The only downside is that it didn't come with a lens hood and it really needs one because otherwise you can get flares appear in photos with strong sunlight. I got a screw on lens hood from eBay. Thanks for mentioning this lens because it is one of those real m43 lenses, not a huge, expensive lens like those pro lenses.
I love the F1.8 lenses of Olympus because the combination of good image quality and light weight. I always put some F1.8 lenses in my bag in case I needed them for low light situations (streetphotography is my favorite genre). My main lenses are the 8-25mm and 12-100mm F4. Mostly I use manuel focus . I prefocus with the AEL/AF button.
I liked mine very much, tiny and very sharp by f/2,8. On my EM-5 it easily fit in a coat pocket. I like my f/1,2 even MORE! get better, mate. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺🇦🇺
Glad you are on the mend Peter. Really like the 17mm f1.8, perhaps not the best in terms of numerical performance but I like the results (the look) I get from it. I picked up an aftermarket screw-in ventilated lens hood which make it look cool. I use manual focus from time to time, the focus clutch makes it easy. Thanks for the tip on the MCON-P02, did not know it existed, will have to see if I can pick one up one day. Question on the build quality, I think my 17 is an earlier copy, the clutch and focus do not feel too precise (still very usable) are the newer copies better put together? I would assume the image quality would be the same regardless.
I am mostly an Olympus user, for bodies as well as lenses, but this is one of the few exceptions I make. I owned this lens - twice, because I really wanted to like it, and I sold it twice - because it was a huge letdown. The handling is superb, the weight is perfect, it balances well on the camera. But the IQ is subpar compared to other native Olympus lenses. It's soft, and it sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of a bunch of pictures. I don't care that much about IQ in absolute terms, but I hate it when I have inconsistent images in a pile, and consistency is the main reason usually to stick to a brand. Here, the 17/1.8 is the ugly duckling of Olympus prosumer primes. This lens doesn't belong with its siblings. In itself it would already be bad, but I could have lived with it, albeit begrudgingly, if it weren't for the fabulous Pana-Leica 15/1.7. The price is close, build is mostly of the same quality, the FoV is not that much wider, and the IQ is an order of magnitude better. It's not even funny to compare both. But even the nimble Panasonic 14/2.5 is in fact a better value, about as sharp, a tad wider, a couple of stops slower, and so much cheaper. The Olympus 17/1.8 is a waste of money when the competition is that good (and don't get me started on the Olympus 17/2.8 pancake).
I don't agree with this, and you made some weird points like the 14mm is a tad wider - which is true, but what does it mean? Is it better because it is wider? Actually, the Olympus 17mm f1.8 is a good lens, with good IQ and a manual / auto focus mechanism that very few lenses offer in mft (the Pana 15/1.7 does not offer the clutch mechanism either). It is very handy when it comes to street photography, since it is much easier to set it to zone focus / hyperfocal - and set it back to AF with just one move. The problem with the 17/1.8's IQ is mainly the quality control - mine is decentered, but it is not the lens' fault, but a quality control problem. Actually, I find the 15/1.7 a worse value, no matter, how fabulous its rendering is (I am not thrilled by the samples I saw). For me setting the aperture on the lens is not as useful, as the focus mechanism. Of course the best would be to have both on the same lens.
I also love this one. I almost had traded it in - already sent in for evaluation - when I noticed how much I miss it and luckily could still cancel the sale. :-)
Funny - I just bought one a couple months ago. I had one several years ago but never quite got on with it and ended up selling it - and it had been nagging me ever since. Now that I have it again - I feel much more comfortable with the field of view and normally keep the clutch in manual focus position. I just love taking photos with it that way - and it's plenty sharp enough for my purposes. It's a shame they don't have the 25 and 45 with the same design features - the manual focus on the 17/1.8 feels closer to a true mechanical lens than the others and it's just a beautifully made lens. Get better!
This Lens came as a kit with my original EM5 back in 2013. On a trip to Vietnam it was stolen along with the EM5 back in 2014. I am thinking about buying it again this time to put on my aging Pen F. I loved this lens such a brilliant focal length and build.
I shot the "nifty fifty" for decades, but I must admit that I rarely shoot a lens of that focal length since I started shooting M43 predominantly and acquired primes of various focal lengths. I do have both the Oly and Panny 25's, but I now prefer either the 20mm or 17mm (M43) for general shooting, 45mm for portrait shooting. Both the 20 and the 17 are "goldilocks" lenses for me: not too wide, not too long, just right.
Merci! Bonne santé et bon courage. I almost exclusively use it manually. 17mm! The depth of field is enormous. F1,8 is enough for me in lower light. Even then, focussing is very easy. Long live the manual clutch! 👍👐😉
I love this lens ! So handy for lower light situations like museums, galleries, restaurants etc. and as a walk around lens in urban areas. My favourite focal length :-) I have now acquired my travel kit : EM5 Mii camera, 14-42 power kit lens, 17mm F1.8, 14-150 zoom, 12-40 f2.8 PRO. Pretty well covers every situation, including subject and weather, I am likely to encounter on a European trip :-)
I use manual focus on my Panasonic G9 a lot more than my EM5 III, mainly because Olympus has much better AF, but also Panasonic has better manual focus (by necessity).I also like firmware 2.5 update on some Panasonic lenses, they've updated the firmware to be able to select linear focus and select how much "throw", so you can adjust from 90 degrees to 410 degrees. I works on many but not all Panasonic lenses. I never have gotten used to the manual focus being dependent on how fast you turn the focus ring.
I have the 23mm fuji lens which is their equivalent of this. First prime I've ever bought but I've been enjoying it deeply. Such a nice FF equivalent focal length in terms of versatility.
Thanks for the Re-review of the 17mm Peter. It's the least used one in my bag. Having real difficulties with the focal length. Somehow it doesn't feel right to me. Was considering already replacing it (and the pana 25mm f1.7)with the 20mm f1.4. I will give it a try and use only the 17mm for a foto walk. Let's see whether I get used to it. When I need the f1.8 I need water resistance so changing to the 12-40mm f2.8. 🤷♂️
Peter, saw this, and as we go to hiking in south Germany next days I pack the 12-40, and I added the 17mil, too. Should use it more. I have the Sigma 16mil, great lens, but you know the difference to the Oly 17mil.
Interestingly, since I have the OM-5, which has a more reliable AF than my EM-10 II. I find myself using manual focus more often. The AF switch, and having one button dedicated for focus peaking... I can't say I prefer one or the other, I switch between them all the time.
This is the only Zuiko lens that I dislike: it has more CA then all the other lens I have (I have a lot), it's not really sharp, compared with 25, the 45 and especially, the 75 and the manual clutch feels both cheaply made, compared with I.e. the 12mm. I also find the clutch mode useless, on this lens, because the rotation is so small to be impossible, for example, to set a usable "area" to pre-focus.
Its an older lens and great for the $$$, but their are better. Look at the Pany 15mm F/1.7 with image stabilization especially if you have a non stabilized older camera. Almost as tight as the 17mm but overall way better.
@@zenjitsuman and yet I think the 15mm is even worse in CA control the the 17. May be I'm oversensitive, but I don't want to waste my time and picture resolution trying to fix a problem with a lens that I paid good money for. The 25mm 1.8 is IMO a much better lense optically, and so is the 12mm
When I started i never used MF or Manual Mode, now about 15years later I use Manual Mode and MF and Prime lenses about 90% of the time, this also has to do with the fact that i almost always shoot macro or landscape.
Unfortunately the 17 mm f/1.8 ist the only non pro lens with focus clutch providing non fake autofocus mode. As I use about ten vintage lenses - very much older than the 17 mm baby - I am used to manual focus. And for focusing rather small objects partially hidden by bigger ones it is a must. Though during the day and with no specific goals I prefer zoom lenses (e.g. the 12-40 f/2.8, 12-100 f/4 and the Panasonic FT 14-150 f/3.5-5.6) but from the evening on the 17 mm together with the 25 mm f/1.8 are my favorite lenses.
Lenses must always be black? no no no! :). Hope you are well on the mend. Thank you for your brilliant videos. So helpful. I love photography and when I was young. (62 now). I obviously loved 35 mm SLR's and hope that the old knowledge will help me now as I go back to photography using the the lens you highlight here
I've been thinking of replacing many of my lenses with the 17mm f1.2 PRO, especially now because OMDS is raising prices in Japan and will probably happen here in Europe too. It's been way too long since the last market crash...
I've been curious about the 17mm 1.8, but I do have the 17mm 1.2 pro already. I use the manual focus clutch a lot on lenses that have it. Only one of my lenses, my Olympus 30mm 3.5 macro doesn't have the focus clutch, and it makes it a lot harder for me to manually focus with it. Sometimes it's hard for me to know where in the focusing range I am. The MF clutch speeds things up a lot for me when manual focusing. I also use manual focus on my Olympus TG-6. For some reason I get much better results with it that way
@@ForsgardPeter I actually got into Micro 4/3 just for the 17 mm f1.2. I love the look of that lens, and it has a look you can't get anywhere else in any other format. My other micro 4/3 lenses followed. I already had a full large format 4x5 system and a full frame miniature format 35 mm system (Nikon FX) with a full set of lenses. Because I have so many other lenses already, it was hard to justify just getting the 17 f1.8, so I never did
Hope you're feeling better! I'm just recovering as well. I recently got an old mint condition OM2 for my birthday. I was interested in the lenses that came with the camera. They are as old as the camera - so almost 50 years old? They are labelled OM System. I didn't realise that although Olympus labelled cameras may not continue to be made - another traditional branding "OM System" continues. I thought it was new. I have a question. One of the lenses has F. Zuiko written on it. What is the difference between F. Zuiko and M. Zuiko and D. Zuiko etc. Many thanks!
Its one of Pana best and is image stabilized. Small, light and sharp, and is not that costly. If you buy it you might like it instead of the 17mm. The view is close 34mm vs. 30mm, and is the sweet spot between a 35mm and a 28mm lens and can take the place of both lenses. Mated to the 20mm Pany lens its perfect pair
It is a 34mm f1.7. You do not change the aperture when talking about equivalence what it comes to light. If you are talking about DPF then yes, it will have the same amount of dof as a 34mm f3.4 lens in FF.
At least I would love to see how you would compare them. I have just ordered the 20mm 1.4. I have the 17mm 1.2 and love its quality. But it is bigger obviously, so I leave it at home often. And the 17mm seems to be a bit too wide for portraits sometimes. And I found the idea pleasing to have a fully weather sealed cam and lens (EM 1 ii) for travel and street photography. So I decided to try out the 20mm 1.4. A bit narrower, weather sealed, but sadly no clutch. I programmed one button on the camera for manual focus instead. But still you do not see the depth of field range as you can see with the 17 1.8. Would this last difference (focus clutch) be a deal breaker for you for street photography, given you would like the 20mm? And would you generally prefer the 17mm over the 20mm as focal length for travel and street?
@@ForsgardPeter it would be fantastic if you did a comparison, also the 20mm F1.4 pro sits between the 17mm F1.8 & 25mm F1.8 lenses, do you need them or does the 20mm cover both, especially for travel? So many options, love your UA-cam videos Peter 🤗
@@lightdive5219 Right no focus clutch and so I go the faster F/1.2 35mm pro. I view Matt Osborne's youtube channel and he is a great portrait photographer, he uses 28, 35 , 40 and 50 mm for portraits very successfully. My take away is if you have a great lens and know how to use it so prospective distortion doesn't make your portraiture distorted you can use any lens that lets you compose how you want.
![Olympus 17mm, 25mm and 45mm F1.8 - [Which One?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DfwnhP0szOo/mqdefault.jpg)
![Olympus 17mm, 25mm and 45mm F1.8 - [Which One?]](/img/tr.png)
![Olympus 17mm vs. 25mm - [Which One Is A Better Travel Lens?]](/img/n.gif)
during pandemic I felt in love with manual focus. It calms me down than I felt in love with manual shooting, just ISO Auto. Now I'm considering just one lens, the 17mm 1.8 on my em5ii. I am just a hobby photographer.
I replaced my 14-42 EZ when it broke (again) with a used 17mm f/1.8 in near mint condition. Lovely lens; especially on the smaller cameras, it feels just right.
Lovely to see you on the mend Peter . This was an interesting take on an old favourite and it may attract some who might be interested in getting this lens .
As a ten year old lens this does seem to have remained relevant for those using the smaller bodies.
Thanks Peter
I flip into manual focus whenever auto focus is struggling, or when I need to focus “through” other objects. For example, when my subject is framed through twigs, or railings, or glass, or a grate of some kind. Or if the content in my composition frame has the kind of texture that confuses automatic focus. These are often an important part of the compositions I like to frame. I appreciate lenses and cameras that make it easy to switch in and out of manual focus.
Great video Peter, and I am glad you are getting back on your feet!
Back when I shot in 35mm with an Olympus OM-2N, I got ahold of the Zuiko OM 24mm f2.8, as my wide angle lens in my kit. Ever since, I have always sought wide angles wider than the equivalent of 35mm. I got the terrific Zuiko 9-18mm when I was using 4/3, and now use it on my m4/3 E-M1 mk2 with an adapter. That lens covers the range of the 17mm, and more than a year ago, I invested in the Laowa 7.5mm f2.0, which I love, manual focus and all! I am happiest pushing the extremes, I guess.
this and its opposite the 75mm f1.8 are at the top of my list along with the 12mm f2 and absolutely any Pro Zoom. As of recently my passionate hobby is starting to get people to notice and think about hiring me. I will forever continue my escape with my photographic journey but there are focal lengths i will soon need. this 17mm is one of almost necessity. Plus i want it for landscape, night scape, and group portrait.
Glad to see that you're on the mend!
I had a look at the metadata filters on my Lightroom library and this lens accounts for around 50% of my shots taken with the PEN-F. I find it a great lens for street photography including street portraits and environmental portraits.
Glad your feeling better, the 17mm F1.8 is a lens I’ve wanted for a long time and had the money to get it and then I watched your video on the OM 1 and the Bluetooth shutter release and you made me spend my money getting them, now I want the 17mm F1.8 again but will have to wait until the fund build back up.
Hi Peter, congratulations for your videos, always interesting and full of reflections,
Both the 17mm f/1.8, the 25mm f/1.8 and the 45mm f/1.8, are three excellent pearls, still current today, perhaps uniformed to a single filter size, they will certainly need a good refresh, certain that even the 25mm and the 45mm with the manual focus clutch, metal and weather resistant, wow wow that would be fantastic.
Let's say that the new Brand OM System has started a good path with the new 20mm f/1.4, but the manual focus clutch is missing to be a perfect lens.
I too like the manual focus clutch on the 17mm f/1.2. I like the M43 for street, night and vacation. If I need Landscapes
I use FF cameras since no crop means wide angle lenses work in FF favor, just like M43 works better for Tele focal lengths.
Nice to see you back! Hope your recovery goes well. And a great way to make your return, looks like an excellent lens.
Thanks.
Your videos keep getting better as the years roll on. You are on a roll! In regard to manual focusing, I have not done so since retiring my Canon TLb from service, and buying a Pentax SF1. There are times when I should manual focus, but my current habit is to be all-in on auto-focus. Street shooting is also one in which I use auto-focusing. Using single area focusing for that. And have gone tighter than 17mm, using a Lumix 30mm as my new go-to lens. If a person wanted something between wide and narrow, the OM 20mm seems like something to consider, but I don't know if it warrants the $800 price tag, nor if it is really a top quality? I got the Lumix 30mm macro for $299. The Olympus 17mm seems over-priced. Take care, Loren
Thanks!
Glad to see you recovering. Thanks for the update and highly informative video.
Glad to see you back! Nice lens. It has some advantages (metal, MF, quiet, a bit faster) over my “main” m43 lens, my 10 (12?) year old Panasonic 20mm 1.7 pancake that I still appreciate 😊
Love the 17mm1.8 in combination with smaller Olympus Camera. Get well soon Peter
Good to see you back. I hope you're back up to full strength and fully recovered soon.
Thanks.
Glad you are getting back to normal this video has opened my eyes to a lens I have never considered.
This lens is my favourite MFT lens for daily use wandering around in my city. I also love manual focus to calm down and take some time for a photo.
Short answer is yes. The 17mm 1.8 is very much worth it even now. It never fails to impress me and 35mm in full frame terms being my favorite focal length it’s perfect. It renders beautiful colors and sharp images. It fits perfect with my black M5 Mark. III with aftermarket grip. Also a lens hood is very useful but not needed as the 17mm handles flare very well. But I add a metal screw on lens hood to protect the front element and to add a little bit of style to the overall package.
At $190 USD for a mint condition used one when I bought mine 2 years ago it’s honestly amazing value. I does amazing at night as well. It’s probably my favorite prime lens next to my Leica 25mm 1.4 Mark II and Olympus 45mm 1.8. And I love the fact that Olympus made it out of metal and added the manual focus clutch. Those 2 things are why it’s my favorite MFT prime lens. I can’t speak highly enough and I honestly can’t think of any negatives, only thing is I wish it was weather sealed only because my M5 Mark III is weather sealed.
Thanks Peter. This lens is glued to my EM5mk3. Just love this lens for video as well. I used to have the lumix 20mm f1.7 which I think was sharper and smaller but it was very slow and noisey to focus.
The 17mm 1.8 lens came as a Kit with the Pen-F 5 years ago. When I saw the lens for the first time in real I was very surprised about the small size. After a few shots with my new camera-combo I was absolutely happy with the results. I think the 17mm is a very good compromise between 12mm and the 25mm prime lens. Not too wide and not too close. I don't use the manuel focus very often, but when I do, it's very comfy. I wish you a speedy recovery Peter!
Nice video Peter.
I use the 17, 25 and 45 f 1,8 triplet (the Summicrons of Mft) for my Panasonic cameras.
Bought a brand new Ep-1 this year ( after your video ), and fixed the 17 mm to it from day one.
In manual mode the combination is fantastic for street photography! / Regards Ulf
I used this on my first M43 camera the Pen F ver 1. I never thought it was that good, so now I have the 17mm F/1.2 Prol,
the 15mm and 20mm Lumix lenses. Those 2 lenses are light and small, take up only the space of one lens in camera bag.
The "big" fast pro lens is on the Em1 MK3. For my tele I have the 75mm F/1.8 handy but not in the bag.
When testing sharpness and flairing in compact Olympus lenses I found that this lens was quite sharp even wide open, but flair was not good. So as long as you don’t have the sun directly against you in the picture, the lens is good. Better sharpness here than in the 12mm at f:2. Also the 25mm had good sharpness at f:1.8.
Yes there is quite a bit of flare. Perhaps I need to get the lens hood. If you like flare egge ts, it can be good. I hears there is chromatic aberration wide open too but I'm an amateur so it's not really much of an issue.
I have this lens and am loving it, especially for indoor photography; the F1.8 essentially negates the need for flashes.
Now, in line with the 17, 25, and 75mm, I would like is a big brother ~100-125mm F1.8. I would use this for action outdoor photography when the light is scarce.
Good to see you back, Peter. Look after yourself. I have this lens (I'm not a pro) and loving it.
Very glad you're feeling better! I rarely use wide angle lenses, except for big scenery shots, because I feel they include too much in the frame and the perspective is farther away. Especially for urban photography. I haven't yet figured out the advantage. I use MF about 90% of the time.
Thanks!
Glad you are back and better Peter. This is an amazing little lens, solid build, good low light IQ, small and the clutch. As you mentioned is the perfect travel companion to a zoom, use the 14-42 EZ with good light and switch to the 17 otherwise. Raynox macro adapters MR150 and/or MR250 also work fine with it. M43 is all about compact size, the 17 f1.8 + 14-42 EZ paired with a PEN or EM-10 have been perfect for traveling.
It took me 5 attempts to get my hands on this lens. It was worth it it's a fantastic lens.
A true Olympus classic this lens is.
Hey I hope your feeling better soon. My travel kit is the EM10 mk ii the 17 and 25mm and 40-150 kit zoom. Zuiko small primes are fantastic.
I've had the 17 for years. I also have the PL 15. Kind of redundant. Doh! I never thought my copy of the 17 was technically that strong. After watching this I went back and looked at some images I've taken with both. I think the 17 has a lot of curvature to the focus field, and things on the edges and corners that are not on the same plane as the focus point appear somewhat soft because of that. But I'm a person who no longer really gives a darn about corner sharpness and vignetting. I don't really want people looking at the corners of my images. I want them looking at the subject. When I look back at images I took with the 17 there is something very appealing about the rendering. My copy of the 15 is definitely sharper than my copy of the 17. But I'm not sure that I don't like the overall rendering of the 17 better. I think I need to go and spend more quality time with it.
Great analysis. I notice the f1.2 lens is much better and on the EM1 mkiii between the fast F stop, 7 IBIS stops and the
cameras extra megapixels images are as good as APS-C cameras output..
I am using manual focus more and more. I would rather choose what is in focus than have the Camera do so.
I wish all Olympus/OMDS primes had the Manual Focus clutch!
It's a year late and have not read every comment below but just bought one and placed on an EM1 MKII then a EM10 MKIII, a PL10 and an EPM1, I had no idea that focus peaking and magnify is crippled when the manual clutch is engaged. This is exactly when you need these functions. I have not seen this on any M43 review video from the usual suspects. You have to change your cameras workflow to assign buttons. Therefore the manual clutch is no more than a gimmick. Sending back and replacing with the LUMIX 15mm F1.7.
For anyone else reading this and not aware, the same crippled clutch affects the 12mm F2. The clutch is only fully functional on the Pro series like the excellent 12-40 F2.8. Unlikely that OM Systems will bring out updated versions of the 12mm and 17mm so wonder how difficult to flash the firmware? The focus peaking and magnify do work when the clutch is not engaged and focus set to manual so should this be possible or does the clutch bypass too many systems?
Great review Peter! Great to see you back on your feet and out doing videos! Stay well!
Thanks, you too!
I like the 17mm f1.8, I have had mine for two years. It is a excellent quality lens. The only downside is that it didn't come with a lens hood and it really needs one because otherwise you can get flares appear in photos with strong sunlight. I got a screw on lens hood from eBay.
Thanks for mentioning this lens because it is one of those real m43 lenses, not a huge, expensive lens like those pro lenses.
Your photo composition is phenomenal.
Thanks.
I love the F1.8 lenses of Olympus because the combination of good image quality and light weight.
I always put some F1.8 lenses in my bag in case I needed them for low light situations (streetphotography is my favorite genre). My main lenses are the 8-25mm and 12-100mm F4.
Mostly I use manuel focus . I prefocus with the AEL/AF button.
Love my 17! I like the 34 eq field of view.
I liked mine very much, tiny and very sharp by f/2,8. On my EM-5 it easily fit in a coat pocket.
I like my f/1,2 even MORE!
get better, mate. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺🇦🇺
Glad you are on the mend Peter.
Really like the 17mm f1.8, perhaps not the best in terms of numerical performance but I like the results (the look) I get from it.
I picked up an aftermarket screw-in ventilated lens hood which make it look cool. I use manual focus from time to time, the focus clutch makes it easy.
Thanks for the tip on the MCON-P02, did not know it existed, will have to see if I can pick one up one day.
Question on the build quality, I think my 17 is an earlier copy, the clutch and focus do not feel too precise (still very usable) are the newer copies better put together?
I would assume the image quality would be the same regardless.
Not sure how early my version is. Very seldom the focusing with these newer lenses is as good as with older manual focus lenses.
I am mostly an Olympus user, for bodies as well as lenses, but this is one of the few exceptions I make. I owned this lens - twice, because I really wanted to like it, and I sold it twice - because it was a huge letdown. The handling is superb, the weight is perfect, it balances well on the camera. But the IQ is subpar compared to other native Olympus lenses. It's soft, and it sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of a bunch of pictures. I don't care that much about IQ in absolute terms, but I hate it when I have inconsistent images in a pile, and consistency is the main reason usually to stick to a brand. Here, the 17/1.8 is the ugly duckling of Olympus prosumer primes. This lens doesn't belong with its siblings.
In itself it would already be bad, but I could have lived with it, albeit begrudgingly, if it weren't for the fabulous Pana-Leica 15/1.7. The price is close, build is mostly of the same quality, the FoV is not that much wider, and the IQ is an order of magnitude better. It's not even funny to compare both. But even the nimble Panasonic 14/2.5 is in fact a better value, about as sharp, a tad wider, a couple of stops slower, and so much cheaper.
The Olympus 17/1.8 is a waste of money when the competition is that good (and don't get me started on the Olympus 17/2.8 pancake).
I've made exactly the same experience as you. I'll stick to the PL15/1.7
I don't agree with this, and you made some weird points like the 14mm is a tad wider - which is true, but what does it mean? Is it better because it is wider?
Actually, the Olympus 17mm f1.8 is a good lens, with good IQ and a manual / auto focus mechanism that very few lenses offer in mft (the Pana 15/1.7 does not offer the clutch mechanism either). It is very handy when it comes to street photography, since it is much easier to set it to zone focus / hyperfocal - and set it back to AF with just one move.
The problem with the 17/1.8's IQ is mainly the quality control - mine is decentered, but it is not the lens' fault, but a quality control problem.
Actually, I find the 15/1.7 a worse value, no matter, how fabulous its rendering is (I am not thrilled by the samples I saw). For me setting the aperture on the lens is not as useful, as the focus mechanism. Of course the best would be to have both on the same lens.
Incredible timing! I received my own 17mm 1.8 yesterday, inspired by your previous videos about it
Great to hear!
Good to see you back, Peter. You'll feel fitter every day. Believe me.
Thanks.
I also love this one. I almost had traded it in - already sent in for evaluation - when I noticed how much I miss it and luckily could still cancel the sale. :-)
Funny - I just bought one a couple months ago. I had one several years ago but never quite got on with it and ended up selling it - and it had been nagging me ever since. Now that I have it again - I feel much more comfortable with the field of view and normally keep the clutch in manual focus position. I just love taking photos with it that way - and it's plenty sharp enough for my purposes. It's a shame they don't have the 25 and 45 with the same design features - the manual focus on the 17/1.8 feels closer to a true mechanical lens than the others and it's just a beautifully made lens. Get better!
Have missed you. Hope your recovery is quick. This is one lens I would like to add to my collection. Seems the perfect all-rounder.
It really is!
This lens is one of my favorites. I put it on my OMD EM5 MKII as my carry around camera. It's also a good one for astrophotography as well.
This Lens came as a kit with my original EM5 back in 2013. On a trip to Vietnam it was stolen along with the EM5 back in 2014. I am thinking about buying it again this time to put on my aging Pen F. I loved this lens such a brilliant focal length and build.
Thank you Peter for your video. I wish you a quick recovery.
Many thanks!
I shot the "nifty fifty" for decades, but I must admit that I rarely shoot a lens of that focal length since I started shooting M43 predominantly and acquired primes of various focal lengths. I do have both the Oly and Panny 25's, but I now prefer either the 20mm or 17mm (M43) for general shooting, 45mm for portrait shooting. Both the 20 and the 17 are "goldilocks" lenses for me: not too wide, not too long, just right.
Merci! Bonne santé et bon courage. I almost exclusively use it manually. 17mm! The depth of field is enormous. F1,8 is enough for me in lower light. Even then, focussing is very easy. Long live the manual clutch! 👍👐😉
Good to see you back, Peter. I bought this lens used three months ago with 260 euros. The first impressions are good, also the MF clutch.
260 is a good deal!
This lens gets the most usage on my part...love the size and quality...I'm looking to get a black color version...
I love this lens ! So handy for lower light situations like museums, galleries, restaurants etc. and as a walk around lens in urban areas. My favourite focal length :-) I have now acquired my travel kit : EM5 Mii camera, 14-42 power kit lens, 17mm F1.8, 14-150 zoom, 12-40 f2.8 PRO. Pretty well covers every situation, including subject and weather, I am likely to encounter on a European trip :-)
I use manual focus on my Panasonic G9 a lot more than my EM5 III, mainly because Olympus has much better AF, but also Panasonic has better manual focus (by necessity).I also like firmware 2.5 update on some Panasonic lenses, they've updated the firmware to be able to select linear focus and select how much "throw", so you can adjust from 90 degrees to 410 degrees. I works on many but not all Panasonic lenses. I never have gotten used to the manual focus being dependent on how fast you turn the focus ring.
HAH! yep lenses should be black, if the 150-400 was black, I would buy one (actually unable to afford it anyway). Hope you feel better Peter! Cheers!
Normally I would agree. The long telephotos are light to keep heat from becoming an issue.
I have the 23mm fuji lens which is their equivalent of this. First prime I've ever bought but I've been enjoying it deeply. Such a nice FF equivalent focal length in terms of versatility.
Thanks for the Re-review of the 17mm Peter. It's the least used one in my bag. Having real difficulties with the focal length. Somehow it doesn't feel right to me. Was considering already replacing it (and the pana 25mm f1.7)with the 20mm f1.4.
I will give it a try and use only the 17mm for a foto walk. Let's see whether I get used to it.
When I need the f1.8 I need water resistance so changing to the 12-40mm f2.8. 🤷♂️
From this video I learned the lenses should be black! :)
Peter, saw this, and as we go to hiking in south Germany next days I pack the 12-40, and I added the 17mil, too. Should use it more. I have the Sigma 16mil, great lens, but you know the difference to the Oly 17mil.
Yep, love that little lens. It’s perfect on my Pen F or EM5ii. Found one used in mint condition for € 250 about 4 years ago.
I ❤️ this lens!!
Happy you are feeling better!!
Thank you!
I use manual focusing during bad light conditions. Sometimes it's neccesary.
Interestingly, since I have the OM-5, which has a more reliable AF than my EM-10 II. I find myself using manual focus more often. The AF switch, and having one button dedicated for focus peaking... I can't say I prefer one or the other, I switch between them all the time.
This is the only Zuiko lens that I dislike: it has more CA then all the other lens I have (I have a lot), it's not really sharp, compared with 25, the 45 and especially, the 75 and the manual clutch feels both cheaply made, compared with I.e. the 12mm. I also find the clutch mode useless, on this lens, because the rotation is so small to be impossible, for example, to set a usable "area" to pre-focus.
I have not really noticed any problems. Lightroom takes care of any problems.
Its an older lens and great for the $$$, but their are better. Look at the Pany 15mm F/1.7 with image stabilization
especially if you have a non stabilized older camera. Almost as tight as the 17mm but overall way better.
@@zenjitsuman and yet I think the 15mm is even worse in CA control the the 17. May be I'm oversensitive, but I don't want to waste my time and picture resolution trying to fix a problem with a lens that I paid good money for.
The 25mm 1.8 is IMO a much better lense optically, and so is the 12mm
I have to get one. Although for everyday shooting I'm impressed with the (2.8?) 17mm too.
When I started i never used MF or Manual Mode, now about 15years later I use Manual Mode and MF and Prime lenses about 90% of the time, this also has to do with the fact that i almost always shoot macro or landscape.
I really want a weather resistant version in this size.
That would be great. It would be nice if OMDS upgraded these f1.8 lenses.
Unfortunately the 17 mm f/1.8 ist the only non pro lens with focus clutch providing non fake autofocus mode. As I use about ten vintage lenses - very much older than the 17 mm baby - I am used to manual focus. And for focusing rather small objects partially hidden by bigger ones it is a must.
Though during the day and with no specific goals I prefer zoom lenses (e.g. the 12-40 f/2.8, 12-100 f/4 and the Panasonic FT 14-150 f/3.5-5.6) but from the evening on the 17 mm together with the 25 mm f/1.8 are my favorite lenses.
Get well soon!
I agree the my clutch is great, I find this lens is sharp and small for a travel lens.
My favorite lens to do street and travel following by 12-200mm
Still my favorite mft-lens!
this looks sharper than all the other 20mm, 14mm lenses …. like a pro lens…. is that so? should i seek them and get this beauty?
It is a good value for money. If you need a 17mm lens for MFT, then this lens is a good option.
Hi Peter. I use this lens on my GX9, it's a great combo for street photography. What is the DOF calculator app you used in this video?
Lenses must always be black? no no no! :). Hope you are well on the mend. Thank you for your brilliant videos. So helpful. I love photography and when I was young. (62 now). I obviously loved 35 mm SLR's and hope that the old knowledge will help me now as I go back to photography using the the lens you highlight here
Thanks. I prefer black lenses. They are not visible to others like shiny silver ones. I like to be as invisible as possible when photographing.
@@ForsgardPeter a black lense won’t make you more invisible , it just won’t imho
hello peter , this one or the sigma 16mm f1.4 for em1 mark II specially for video indoor open at 1.4 ??
Sigma 16mm is a good lens, but have not really tested them side by side. Sigma has some weather sealing and that could be a thing.
I've been thinking of replacing many of my lenses with the 17mm f1.2 PRO, especially now because OMDS is raising prices in Japan and will probably happen here in Europe too. It's been way too long since the last market crash...
I am afraid there will raises on prices in the fall.
Hmmm thinking of picking this up...wondering what the tonality, rendition & micro-contrast are like? I know it's not the sharpest lens in the bag...
It is quite ok, but you are right it is not the sharpest lens. I have had no problems with it.
Get back up to speed ASAP i I have also started to use manual settings during my recent Covid session & intend to do so.
I've been curious about the 17mm 1.8, but I do have the 17mm 1.2 pro already. I use the manual focus clutch a lot on lenses that have it. Only one of my lenses, my Olympus 30mm 3.5 macro doesn't have the focus clutch, and it makes it a lot harder for me to manually focus with it. Sometimes it's hard for me to know where in the focusing range I am. The MF clutch speeds things up a lot for me when manual focusing. I also use manual focus on my Olympus TG-6. For some reason I get much better results with it that way
The only advantage over the f1.2 version is the size. The F1.8 is nice and small.
@@ForsgardPeter I actually got into Micro 4/3 just for the 17 mm f1.2. I love the look of that lens, and it has a look you can't get anywhere else in any other format. My other micro 4/3 lenses followed. I already had a full large format 4x5 system and a full frame miniature format 35 mm system (Nikon FX) with a full set of lenses. Because I have so many other lenses already, it was hard to justify just getting the 17 f1.8, so I never did
p.s. DO A REVIEW ON THE MCON-P02!!! I use it on my 45mm f1.8 for some amazing macro.
I do have it, so why not.
Hope you're feeling better! I'm just recovering as well.
I recently got an old mint condition OM2 for my birthday. I was interested in the lenses that came with the camera. They are as old as the camera - so almost 50 years old? They are labelled OM System. I didn't realise that although Olympus labelled cameras may not continue to be made - another traditional branding "OM System" continues. I thought it was new.
I have a question. One of the lenses has F. Zuiko written on it. What is the difference between F. Zuiko and M. Zuiko and D. Zuiko etc.
Many thanks!
Thanks. Hope you get fully recovered.
Peter, what are you thoughts on this lens versus the Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.7? I know they're not the same focal length but, close.
I have not tested the Pana 15mm f1.7. Cannot not really say anything.
Its one of Pana best and is image stabilized. Small, light and sharp, and is not that costly. If you buy it you
might like it instead of the 17mm. The view is close 34mm vs. 30mm, and is the sweet spot between a 35mm and
a 28mm lens and can take the place of both lenses. Mated to the 20mm Pany lens its perfect pair
Danke!
Thank you very much!
So please clarify: in the full frame reference this would be a 34 f3.6 lens correct?
It is a 34mm f1.7. You do not change the aperture when talking about equivalence what it comes to light. If you are talking about DPF then yes, it will have the same amount of dof as a 34mm f3.4 lens in FF.
Hi sir peter what specific app did you used in measuring the depth of field
iOS app called DOF Finder.
Which app, is it you use for calculating the depth of field?
It is called DOF Finder for iOS.
Is there a cheaper alternative? 😊
Unfortunately no. You might find one second hand.
I’ve just bought the new 20mm F1.4 pro, would be interested in how it compares to the 17mm 1.8 ?
I have not tested them side by side. Both are very good lenses. Maybe I should make on video about those two.
At least I would love to see how you would compare them. I have just ordered the 20mm 1.4. I have the 17mm 1.2 and love its quality. But it is bigger obviously, so I leave it at home often. And the 17mm seems to be a bit too wide for portraits sometimes. And I found the idea pleasing to have a fully weather sealed cam and lens (EM 1 ii) for travel and street photography. So I decided to try out the 20mm 1.4. A bit narrower, weather sealed, but sadly no clutch. I programmed one button on the camera for manual focus instead. But still you do not see the depth of field range as you can see with the 17 1.8. Would this last difference (focus clutch) be a deal breaker for you for street photography, given you would like the 20mm? And would you generally prefer the 17mm over the 20mm as focal length for travel and street?
@@ForsgardPeter it would be fantastic if you did a comparison, also the 20mm F1.4 pro sits between the 17mm F1.8 & 25mm F1.8 lenses, do you need them or does the 20mm cover both, especially for travel? So many options, love your UA-cam videos Peter 🤗
@@lightdive5219 Right no focus clutch and so I go the faster F/1.2 35mm pro. I view Matt Osborne's youtube
channel and he is a great portrait photographer, he uses 28, 35 , 40 and 50 mm for portraits very successfully.
My take away is if you have a great lens and know how to use it so prospective distortion doesn't make
your portraiture distorted you can use any lens that lets you compose how you want.
👌👍👍🙏
👋🙋
And what about the 17mm f/2.8? Hey, when shooting street at f/8, who cares? 😅 And it is so pancaky small 💪
However, it is no longer produced.
I have tested the pancake version of the 17mm. It is quite ok. Unfortunately it is not available anymore.
Get well soon!
Thanks.