Old and Awesome!!! - The Olympus 17mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens Review.
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- Опубліковано 23 сер 2024
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Olympus 17mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens Review
Introduction:
In the world of photography, size often matters. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an enthusiastic amateur, the appeal of compact gear that doesn’t compromise on quality is undeniable. Enter the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens - a diminutive powerhouse that promises to deliver exceptional performance in a small package. In this review, we’ll delve into what makes this lens a favorite among photographers looking for portability without sacrificing image quality.
Compact Design:
One of the most striking features of the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens is its incredibly compact design. Measuring just a few centimeters in length and weighing a mere 71 grams, this lens is the epitome of portability. Whether you’re traveling light or simply prefer a more discreet setup, the 17mm f/2.8 is the perfect companion for your Micro Four Thirds camera.
Despite its small stature, the build quality of the lens is impressive. Constructed from high-quality materials, it feels robust in the hand and can withstand the rigors of everyday use. The manual focus ring is smooth and precise, allowing for easy adjustments on the fly. Additionally, the lens features a built-in retractable lens hood, further enhancing its compactness when not in use.
Optical Performance:
While size may be the lens's standout feature, it's the optical performance that truly sets it apart. The Olympus 17mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens features a bright f/2.8 aperture, allowing for excellent low-light performance and beautiful background blur. Whether you’re shooting landscapes, street scenes, or portraits, this lens delivers tack-sharp images with vibrant colors and impressive contrast.
Thanks to its 17mm focal length (equivalent to 34mm on a full-frame camera), the lens strikes a perfect balance between wide-angle and standard perspectives. This makes it incredibly versatile, suitable for everything from capturing sweeping vistas to intimate portraits. Whether you’re shooting in tight spaces or expansive landscapes, the 17mm f/2.8 excels in delivering stunning results.
Autofocus performance is swift and silent, making it ideal for capturing spontaneous moments without drawing undue attention. The lens’s close-focusing capability (with a minimum focus distance of just 0.2 meters) allows for striking macro shots with pleasing background separation.
Real-World Usage:
To truly put the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens through its paces, I took it out into the real world. Whether I was wandering the bustling streets of a city or exploring the serene beauty of the countryside, this lens never failed to impress.
Its compact size meant that I could carry it with me everywhere without feeling weighed down, making it perfect for travel photography. The wide aperture allowed me to shoot in challenging lighting conditions, producing stunning images even in dimly lit environments. And thanks to its silent autofocus, I was able to capture candid moments without disturbing the scene.
In conclusion, the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens is a triumph of engineering, combining compactness with exceptional optical performance. Whether you’re a street photographer, a landscape enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates the convenience of a lightweight setup, this lens ticks all the boxes.
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Gear Links:
Cameras:
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Lenses:
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Panasonic Leica 42.5 f1.2 - amzn.to/3N5h7xF
Panasonic Leica 12 to 60 f2.8 - amzn.to/3zglPCW
LUMIX 35 to 100 f2.8 - amzn.to/3TB87CU
LUMIX 12 to 35 f2.8 - amzn.to/3DybEfx
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Nice pictures and colors. would you like to share how to achieve those colors? Thanks!
Hi Grant, this 17mm 2.8 was the first MFT lens i purchased to attach to my Lumix GF1 over eight years ago. I still have the GF1 but the lens is now coupled with my EPL7 as an every day carry. Still a very good lens but I prefer my Lumix 20mm 1.7 which is coupled with my EM5 mkii ( recently acquired bargain camera buy).
If you want to get the full compact camera experience, the 17mm f2.8 is also compatible with the auto-open lens cap from Olympus or JJC. Makes you feel like you're back in the 90's with a compact film camera and all their gimmicks.
I have that one Grant, and it is a gem! You're right about the focal length, a good people and street lens with a bit of purple fringing on Panasonic bodies. Another oldie and goodie that's also an overlooked gem is the M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm f/3.5 Macro. The full 4/3 version and not the Micro four thirds version (however the m43 might be good as well but I think it has more elements and funky corners). the original is one of the cleanest most accurate 4/3 lenses I've used. Super light, inexpensive if you have the 4/3 to M4/3 adapter. It's a good macro lens that makes for some good people, animal technical and scenic images as well.
Micro four nerds says the Olympus 17mm f1.8 lens is one of her favourite lenses for street photography because of focal length, build quality, image quality, price, size and the manual focus clutch. I think your lens is similar.
I am not a lens snob but have experienced a few lenses with really bad corners. The 17 2.8 is not one of them. I think the lens gets a bad rap and is a fine, affordable way to keep things small.
I have that lens. It originally was bundled with the Pen EP-1 back in the day. My original copy is found to be a little underwhelming but picked it up again, recently with the EP-1 body for around $120 US. This copy is better but not as sharp as the Lumix 20mm.
Perfect match for the Pen cameras though!
I moved on from the 17mm 1.8 when I picked up the 20mm f1.4 pro. Looks to be slightly bigger that the 2.8 version but at about $70 more for the 1.8 vs 2.8 I reckon its probably the better option. The metal build of the 1.8 was always something I thought would pair well with the Pen F (though the cost of the Pen F kept me from buying one).
Sometimes I think you read my mind. Love your content buddy, keep on rollin'!
When I saw the title on this edition, I assumed you were talking about me. 🙄
LoL … My Dad would say the same thing!!!
Compared to the Panny-Leica 15, I find the 17 soft.
l love the 17mm. Just added one to use on my E-PL8..It fits in with the small unobtrusive size of Pen Cameras. It is slow to focus by todays standard, but to be fair l don't find that much of an encumberence ..I've just ordered another 'Oldie' the 45 mm f1.8. ..
I have the 14 mm 2.5 on my Pen F. Also a great match.
Interesting you mention the Olympus 17mm F1.8. I know it's more expensive but the build quality is another big step up and the sharpness is amazing. It's not quite as small as the F2.8 though. Great video.
I've got Panas 20 /1.7 - very good, but too slow, Panaleica 15/.7 - all OK, but expensive and quite big. I'd love to get compact and fast lens.
If you like pancake lenses, the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 is even smaller!
I might get that for my GX9 - The collection is growing :)
15mm f8 BCL Olympus…. You wanted small…
I have the LUMIX 14mm f2.5, but really like the focal length of 17mm. Do you think it’s worth the trade?
Nar - probably not
Since I made this comment, I picked up the Oly 14-42mm EZ pancake lens. I am amazed…I took several shot wide open with it and the 14mm f2.5. I honestly can’t tell the difference.
230? thats expensive. I got one a few years back for 60 USd
au dollars
@@grantrobertdavies yeah, i see they are selling at that price now, I don't know why when a few years ago these were under 100 AU Dollars
I got this lens free back when I bought an epl5 camera . It got bad reviews but I thought it was a great little lens and around f6 my copy was super sharp