Well, that answered any questions I could think off. I have the f1.8 17mm, 25mm and 45mm and 75mm lenses, also the 60mm f2.8 macro as well as the 7-14mm and 40-150mm f2.8 and 12-100mm f4 Pro lenses in my [rather large] bag at the moment. I had the 300 f4 Pro but had to sell it to finance a number of the others, c'est la vie. I am now going to have save more money[OAP} for this lens,the trouble will be to see which ones will have to go to help with the purchase. I don't do video,as a 70yr old I feel it is a bit late to start on a new journey, so I won't be needing the manual focus clutch. Your review was a delight to watch and I appreciate the time and effort you expended for our benefit. Please take care of yourself over the coming months and I hope we will see you hale and hearty in 2022. Peace.
Photography has no boundary, age or physical limitations. M43 is great as they are more affordable than larger system and their feature sets are great for even disabled photographers can enjoy the hobby all over again. This is why I think M43 is a great platform for all photographers. I am glad you enjoy your hobby and it's never too late to 'see' the world in a way you want to see it!
Happy New Year, Jimmy and thanks for the great evaluation. I just received my OM System 20mm f1.4 yesterday. I have owned numerous Oly and Panny primes since switching to micro four thirds, and to me this is the best of the lot. I don't shoot video, so the manual focus clutch is not an important factor. The optical performance of the 20mm is amazing, and the auto focus is blazingly fast! I foresee this lens remaining on either my PEN-F or my E-M1 III most of the time.
Thanks for another great review. I was looking at the 25mm f1.8 but might now try and stretch the budget to this lens. "Sharp, like Grandpa's knife", love it!
Great review Jimmy! Here in the US, waiting on my order to come in (hopefully by Christmas!). I'm looking forward to the smaller size for walkabouts and keeping the weather sealing like the 1.2 Pro lenses, not that I have any issues with either the 1.2 Pro lenses or their 1.8 Premium counterparts, more like Goldielocks with this one being "just right"! BTW, if you ever make it over my way, I'll set you up with the Beast! It is a true joy to use the 150-400 and even comfortable to walk around with! All the best sir! Cheers!
Cheers Stan. I know what you mean for 'being just right'. I love the new 20mm. I haven't ordered one yet but will certainly do in the new year. Just spent my money for the new Mavic 3 (4/3 sensor) for aerial photography and also upgrade for my filming work. Yes, would love to catch up when I visit US! Hope it won't be long!
I’m in love with this focal length! 25 always felt a bit tight and awkward on MFT, maybe because of the 3x4 aspect ratio. I don’t miss the clutch as I always accidentally push it I actually find it annoying for stills (and for video I can just change to MF in settings). I now own both this 20 and the 25 1.2 and while it’s a hard choice, I think I’m ready to sell my 25mm…
Great review. This lens is an amazing deal. If I didn't have 17mm 1.2 it would be a difficult choice. The focal length is great. I love 17mm, i don't use 25mm. It's hard to believe that the af is faster than 17mm. 20mm has some issues with CA, 17mm has no issues with CA but it can be corrected in lr/dxo so it's not a big deal. The Oly 20mm doesn't have a manual clutch. However, the size and price are unbeatable. I can clearly see that it's better than 25mm which costs twice as much. The only 20mm competition is the panasonic 20mm 1.7, which has a painfully slow AF ,optically is a one class below oly pro and the build quality is incomparable. Conclusion. I will not buy 20mm,.. but I hope my girlfriend will 😉
Hi Jimmy, thanks for your new review of new lens. I bought 17 1.2 by your suggestion between 10-25 1.7 and I love it! I still got the 10-25 1.7 after, but 17 1.2 is really good for doing anything and good image quality. I'm in love with 35mm focal length, 17 1.2 is capable of low light, weather seal, good quality but still in compact size and not heavy weight. I just pick it up everytime I go out for random shooting instead of 10-25 1.7 as it is very big. I love them both.
Hey Jimmy, Do you think you could do a field of view comparison between the 17pro, 20pro, and 25pro? I think people who are considering adding 20pro would find it interesting! Great video and images btw. Keep up the great work!
I hear people complain about this a lot. Also with the 12-45. What I wonder, where do you use the fn switch for then? On my OM-5, the fn switch is configured (by default) to change between c-af and mf. With the button in the middle doing back-button focus when in manual mode. With this, I have no need for a fn button on the lens or the mf-clutch. So I am very curious, where do you use these buttons for when you have these functions on the lens?
Thanks Jimmy! If only the clutch was there I would order it right away for my bmpcc. I don’t understand why they left it out other then cost savings. It cant really be the size argument if you look at the 17mm 1.8 or 12mm f2. Most likely I will still buy one if the price drops to €600.
It's more to do with size I think. The clutch will add a bit of bulk to the overall size of the lens and it will be nearly as fat as the 1.2 Pro, but just shorter. The price will drop when there are more stocks available for sure.
Great Review - all my questions were answered. I was all set to get either the OM 20mm F1.4 or the PL 25mm 1.4 v2. But after a recent outing with my e-m1 MkII and 12-40mm f2.8 zoom I'm still very happy with the performance and feel a high quality macro lense is probably of more value to me as a next purchase. I still have an E-410 with a 25mm pancake for my prime lens fix if I feel the need to go zoom free.
You mentioned filters on 20mm f1.4. I bought 62mm- 58mm step down ring and I can use all filters from 12-40 f2.8 62mm thread. Very convenient if needed.
I really want a walking about prime lens and was hoping this would be the one. But there’s no way I could go back to not having the manual focus clutch ring. Gutted 😞
Love your reviews. One of the few reviewers take more portrait photos, rather than birds, dogs, cats, mammals, blah blah with Olympus/OM Systems cameras and lenses.
Hello thanks for your opinion on this lens. I do have a question, I use the 1x so size and weight are of no consequence to me, but would you trade the 17 1.2 or the 25 1.2 for this one?, or are the others just better?, thank you for your opinion.
I bought this lens on a Black Friday discount deal. That is £75 cheaper than today’s price [Dec 12th 2023] Sold a Sigma Art 19mm f2.8 which I loved for its focal length but was noisy and steppy with its aperture changes and, obviously, was not so bright. Didn’t get much money for that on a different deal. I really like the 20mm M4/3 focal length which substitutes for both a 17.5 and 25mm lens [35 and 50mm full frame equivalent]. The lack of a clutch is of no consequence to me because I set a manual focus group of settings to one of the Custom modes on the dial and it is, in any case, a selectable function on the selective control panel, both ways almost as quickly accessible as using a lens clutch.
I'm sure it's a great lens - but the fact it doesn't have a manual clutch means there is no reason to swap from my Panasonic 20mm pancake which is significantly smaller and lighter, the extra half a stop doesn't mean much to me.
Thanks Jimmy. I liked the photos that you included. I have the 17mm and 45mm, not Pro. I thought of replacing the 17mm as my standard street lens by the new 20mm. But my 17mm has the MC, the 20mm hasn't. At f5,6 or 8, I get a wide depth of field range, which is also clearly indicated on the lens. I trust my eyes and hands more with street photography than AF. With MF, I KNOW that my main subject is in range, whether to the left, middle or right. With AF, I HOPE my main subject will be sharp. In spite of the great quality of the OM S 20mm which I learned from you just now and the great advantage for me of being weatherproof, I will stick to my 17mm. I do not understand OM S. With this focal length/angle, the lens is ideal for distances between 2 and 8 meters. From f5,6, AF is not necessary.
Thanks mate, glad you liked the photos. I think many would miss the MC. But for me, when I shoot stills, I use AF quite often, a lot of the time in CAF. Video, however, is where I want MC for that finite control.
Great review Jimmy. Sounds like I would be using this lens at f2 for astrophotography. A noticeable improvement over the 1.2 lenses that I had to use at f2.8 which was a dying shame since you cannot use the super bright f1.2.
@@costinio3983 Coma and chromatic aberration. In my opinion it is the worst lens from oly 1.2 trio. 17 1.2 is the best (no coma, no CA), second 45 1.2 (it has some problems with CA/ LoCa) I'm not saying that 25mm is a bad lens but in astro oly17 1.2, 75 1.8 and sigma 56 1.4 are much better.
Do you really need to close the 17mm and 45 1.2 to 2.8 aperture? 45 1.2 has some problem with CA, but I have never closed any of them to more than 2.0. 25 mn is a different story.
@@costinio3983 Yes what Kamil said. Astrophotography is extremely demanding of a lens. There is no harder test than to photograph stars. Any imperfection will be glaring obvious.
@@kamilrakowski23 In day time photograph I use the lenses wide open with no issues and I think they are very sharp for that. However stars are a different story. Even Lica and Carl Zeiss lenses need to be stoped down significantly. Stars are an infinite point of infinitely bright light. Any imperfection no matter how slight will show up on them.
Thanks for user review - I have the 17 - 1.8 which is 2/3 of a stop slower - very small and compact - how much better do you think the 20 mm is? Worth and upgrade?
Thanks for watching Joseph. Optically, it's definitely better than 17mm 1.8. Worth is justified if you need the weather sealing and future proofing (if you want to get the next generation cameras with higher res sensors) as it seems the 20mm 1.4 Pro can out resolve current generation cameras.
@@Red35Photography Thanks Jimmy - From you answer can we infer there is going to be a new OM Camera body’s Soon? Hopeful for a new sensor in a body like the OM1 mark III (which is use now). Would love a little better low light sensitivity - i shoot some astrophotographers with it using the 7-14 and get pretty good results when stacking images -
Hi Jimmy. Olympus did not correct CA on Panasonic bodies but only distortion until circa 2017. The PL25/1.4 is actually pretty good on that account so I think perhaps your statement in there is not totally aligned to what the reality is in 2021. In fact that lens has actually less CA than the Olympus 25mm 1.2 pro. The lens in your test here looks very similar to the Sigma 30mm and I would like to see some night shots for an 1.4 lens if you have time. Merry Xmas and best wishes
I currently have the panasonic leica 25mm as my only low light prime, with the rest being the f2.8 zooms and a 75mm f1.8. I was thinking of switching the 25 with a 17mm f1.2 /1.8. Would you feel the 20mm is a better alternative to a 17mm? Tks
I think you will love either 17mm 1.2 Pro or the 20mm 1.4 Pro. I wouldn't swap your 25mm to a 17mm 1.8 as it seems like a downgrade (from a light gathering point of view). So if you are thinking of getting a low light prime, I think you will like the new 20mm. It's a compromise by getting a little wider and yet not sacrificing much of the depth of field you have with your current 25mm 1.4. 17mm 1.2 Pro is a great low light option, which I use almost 80% of the time. But if you want more subject isolation, the new 20mm will give you that.
hey jimmy i was lucky enough to get a 17mm 1.2 lens for free when i bought my em1 mark iii. actually i wanted to buy the new 20mm 1.4 as i like the 40mm equiv focal length and the lens is a bit smaller. but now i am unsure if it makes sense and if the difference would be worth it. how do you find the size/weight of the 17mm 1.2 compared to the 20mm 1.4? cheers and keep up the good work!
I compared this with the Panasonic 20mm. Looks like the Panasonic is sharper at f1.7 than Olympus at 1.4 due to aberrations with Oly. The picture changes once you stop down and Oly looks better. However, considering the size difference I would keep Panny unless speed and the best rendering is the preference.
Thanks mate. yes, it's a preference thing at the end. If one needs weather seal and that 1.4 for low light, then you have a choice. Choices are good :)
For use with the Pen-F I‘ll keep the Lumix 20mm. For more serious or professional jobs and video I have other lenses, including the 25 Pro. The new 20mm sits somewhere between what I need… It really should have the MF clutch, that would make it much more interesting. Even the small 17/1.8 has it…
Yes, the PL 20/1.7 really suits my EP7. I too wish this thing had the MF clutch but I love the focal length so much more than 25mm I will probably get one. And then I want to check out the Voigtländer 29/0.8...
I love my Lumix 20mm f1.7 on smaller bodies. Would be tempted to buy this for faster focus and weather sealing, although I don’t get why there’s no manual clutch. It’s a feature the 17mm f1.8 has, so why ignore it on a pro prime lens?? What they need to do next is update the 17mm f1.8, the 25mm f1.8, 45mm f1.8 and 12mm f2 by retaining the size, giving them all manual focus clutches and making those weather sealed. And throw in a 20mm f1.8 with a manual focus clutch, weather sealing and similar in size to 17mm f1.8 (I would buy that straight away with a pen f mkii that’s weather sealed)
I thought the same as you, I bought this lens and compared it to my Panasonic 20 f1.7 II. It was a disappointment, it is sealed and the focus is fast and precise, but the chromatic aberrations are horrible, and the Panasonic has more contrast and is sharper. I returned it.
Very good review. Jimmy, I would like to wait for a wide angle pro grade prime lenses. Had previously considering the 17mm 1.2. Did not buy it as I don't think it is wide enough. As my first wide angle lenses was a 28mm which my father bought me 40+ year ago. I was happy with the 74 degree for about 20 years until I found I love ultra wide zoom such as 20-35 and later 16-35. So I really love the 7-14 2.8 pro.Then felt it too heavy & use the lighter pana 8-18 2.8-4. But I found that 80% of my recent shoot are on the widest zoom end. Therefore, I would like to have a wide angle pro grade prime lenses which help me to reduce the loading of my camera bag. My dream lenses would be a 8 or at least 12mm 1.4 pro. Which I wish will appear in my lifetime. 😄
Hi Jimmy I’m back tracking watching reviews on the OM 20mm Pro. Two quick questions if you have time. Would you recommend this for EM-1 mk ii, and how does it compare to the older, smaller, cheaper Lumix 20mm F1.7? I’m an enthusiast photographer. Thanks for the review. I rely on you, Rob T, Peter F, and Robin W for OM -Zuiko input. Thanks.
Cheers Neil. I would recommend 20mm 1.7 over this if you are not looking for weather seal lens and want the smaller size set up. they are very comparable in many respects. 1.7 and 1.4 isn't a great deal in reality, unless you are stepping up to 1.2. So, you should be happy with Lumix.
phenomenal video as always. You are so consistent and thorough. I appreciate your insight. Made me feel better about preordering this lens when it listed.
This is one I have been considering as one to keep on the camera all the time, but wished it had been closer in size and weight to the 1.8 by being a 1.4 instead . But that wasn’t to be. My other choice was the pro 1.4 12-45, which is about the same price , but a little too large fir the em10 Mkii . So, should I elect the 1.8 prime over the 20 1.2 was the question and I’m sitting on the fence on that. I wonder if you have any thoughts Jimmy , as you have used those combinations and your thoughts on weather a em10 user she go for this as the one lens to keep fixed to the camera for most situations . Is enjoyed the review and your insights as always . What do others who have watched the video think about the question Jimmy asked - do you stick with the 1.8 prime or opt for the new lens and would that be a good choice when fixed to an en10 body or similar . Let me know please and thank you all in advance of your suggestions .
Thanks Carmen! Yes, I think many were hoping to be smaller, 1.4 may not sound a lot more than 1.8, but in terms of diameter, you can see that Olympus' 1.8 is very similar to Panasonic 1.7 and this new 20mm 1.4 is very similar to PanaLeica 25mm 1.4. It's the physical size needed for the design to work. Can OM make it 'shorter'? Perhaps, but they did op for a very complicated design with lots of very premium elements instead. I am happy with the performance, definitely better than 1.8 brothers (which I also have). Another thing to consider is that this new 20mm is, well, brand new in 2021, while all the 1.8 lenses are quite old. As some other reviews have noted, this new lens out resolves current 20mp sensor, so looks like this lens is designed with future generations in mind. I guess, the question is do you want a lens that you can keep for longer and used in new sensors in the future? If you plan to keep using Em10 ii for longer, the higher resolving power may not matter that much. Weather proofing?, as EM10 ii isn't sealed, so it matters less. So unless future proofing is something you consider, then the new 20mm 1.4 is good, if not, you will be perfectly happy with 1.8 lenses.
@@Red35Photography Thanks Jimmy , those were the same conclusions I came to. In short, the future proofing is justification to acquire it. Since it is a lighter lens and not to big, it may well live comfortably on the em10 Mkii for most trips , packed away in my Billingham digital bag. I hope Santa thinks I have been good ha ha
Great review! I had Panasonic Leica 25mm 1.4 but I didn't like it very much too soft at 1.4 and too much purple fringing. I think this new 20mm 1.4 pro would be a real best buy lens in m43 system
I pretty much have a Lumix 20mm 1.7 mark ii always on my E-P5. Personally, I like something closer to 42 or 44mm (the Pentax 43mm limited is one of my favorite lenses to shoot with even if the K-1.2 is a bit bulky, the 30mm Sigma on the KP APS-C body gives a nice light ~45mm package for a DSLR), so I wish they would have made it a "weird" 21 or 22mm over the 20mm, but that's far from a deal breaker. I generally use either a GX8 or GX85, both aging bodies, but still get the job done, so I usually do use Lumix or PanaLeica lenses. That said, I do own the E-P5 and E-M5.2, along with a few of the common Oly lenses (17mm, 25mm, and 45mm). I just wish a solid fast enough for me constant aperture (f/2.8 would be great) zoom that covered my preferred range of around 28-135mm FF/35mm equivalent would come out from OM or Panasonic. I love my 12-60 panaleica lens, it pretty much does this job entirely, but a constant f/2.8 version from either of the two would be great. I used to be a prime only shooter but treating something like the 12-60 as a bag of primes saves time if it gets the job done. I'm getting an OM-5 with either the kit 12-45 f/4 or the body and a used 12-40 f/2.8, I just would really like that extra bit of range.
Hi, I currently have a pen-f that I love and 2 objectives sigma 30mm 1,4 and the 45mm 1,8 olympus. As a budget I have 1300/1700 Euros and I am looking for one or 2 "definitive" objectives for the meantime (later you will see) that are capable of doing different types of photography ranging from weddings such as portraits even in low light, football matches mainly during the day and occasional landscapes.I am looking for objectives that are unique as compactness, performance and versatility compared to all systems photographic (apsc, full, frame etc ...) if I stay in the micro 4/3 I'm interested and I don't see real alternatives to the Om system / olympus 8-25mm, 12-100mm, 20mm 1,4 and last probably also Om lenses 40-150mm f4 or sigma 56mm 1,4. I am confused because if the 20mm 1,4 can replace my sigma 30mm in all ways, even as a bokeh, I would take it with my eyes closed. 12-100mm and these would also be useful for taking medium and long distance portraits of the spouses.If I really have to keep my pen-f with a single lens I would think of the 20mm or 15mm leica or the announced 9mm leica 1.7 ... or also have a second no micro 4/3 body with other lenses also used? Thanks.
Great review Jimmy. How would you say this lens will work as a portrait lens? The sample images you did of the model looked really good. I own a few lenses I use for portraits, but they are all too tight to get anything more head to waist without backing way up. When outdoors in certain situations I get a lot of clueless people walk between my subject and me. I'd prefer to be close and still able to get full length images. Many many thanks for all the insightful videos you do. You do an awesome job.
I totally read you mate. This is why I often use my 17mm 1.2 Pro. This 20mm is a good option as you can get closer to your subject and being a 1.4, you can use it indoor too. Being a new lens also good for future proofing as it seems to out resolve current 20MP sensor. So if the new OM camera has a higher res sensor, you know this lens can perform.
Dang, I’m still waiting to receive mine. It’s my first pro lens. As far as video stuff goes, what lens or lenses do you recommend? For instance, if you had to choose one or two lenses to buy for video work? Also, I’d be interested to see your thoughts on the work of some movie directors such as Spielberg or Tarkovsky. There’s often times when I’m watching movies and I’ll just pause the screen and admire the lighting or framing of a scene. I’d like to see your input on the photographic connection between photography and cinematography, especially because I’d like to be a cinematographer/filmmaker someday. Thank you for your review.
Great review Jimmy. I think this is an important lens for OM System. So here's a question for you, from one wedding photographer to another: do you think the 20mm could replace the 17 and 25 1.2? When the lens was first announced, I thought that I could totally leave two 1.2 lenses at home and bring this one....but while I could see myself rocking the 20mm if I had to, I now feel that there will be times where I want something a touch wider (17) or a touch further (25). I know this will be different of course for every photographer, but how about you personally? Do you think you'll leave your 17 and 50 1.2 at home for weddings and just take this? It sounds like from your review that it's more of a travel, everyday photography lens, than something you would bring to a wedding to replace your 1.2 Pro lenses.
Thanks for watching Jason. A short answer is no. For wedding/work, I wouldn't replace my two 1.2 lenses. They have different characters and use. 20 is good that it's in between, but as I carry two bodies at anyone time, I use both 17mm and 25mm. But for anything else, like street, travel. Oh yes, this will be the one to take instead of both 1.2 lenses. As I have more time to think and work my shots.
@@Red35Photography Yep, what you're saying makes total sense. :) Follow-up question then: OM System comes to you and asks what should their next 1.4 prime be, similar size, weather sealed, etc....what would you personally love to see? I'd love to see a 14mm (28mm FF) 1.4. :) Glad to hear and see that you're feeling better!
Hi Jimmy, it’s Sean in Atlanta! I am wowed by your review and I agree with you that it should’ve had the manual focus clutch. I hope I can ask you this, but what happened to your Ambassador title? Is 0M System working that out or are they giving up on that? Everyone is no longer claiming anything like that anymore including you, Robin Wong, Peter Forsgard, etc. It’s just weird! Sean
Cheers Sean. OM has revamped their ambassador program and I think they will have announcement in the new year. Not sure how things work yet, I am still technically an ambassador, but I am leaving it empty for now and focus on delivering photography content.
Good that you excluded the 150-400 from , because - as i own one - it is by far the best lens done, made, build, designed whatever by Olympus / OMDS for m4/3 and 4/3. No competition. Not even within miles.
@@Red35Photography Well, yes. If you or someone with m4/3 has an interest in nature and wildlife and is able to safe up or finance one, just go brake the card. It’s such a super brilliant lens designed for practical usage. If I would rate the m4/3 and 4/3 - and I used most, my top five from an optical / final image point (ignoring size and AF speed). 1. 150-400 F4.5 2. 150mm F2 3. 300mm F2.8 4. 14-35 F2 5. 45mm F1.2
@@timafken2297 I'm jealous. Did you compare 150-400 to 300f4? A few months ago I bought an almost new 300f4 from a lucky guy who also has 150-400. Of course, one is a zoom and the other is a prime. I've heard that 150-400 is as good as 300 f4 (extremely sharp, no CA, works great with teleconverters) I'm just curious. It's hard to believe that the best zoom can catch up with the best prime.
@@kamilrakowski23 I have the 300mm F4 since it’s release in 2016. it’s great lens, it’s super sharp but isn’t as good in microcontrast and Bokeh. That’s where the 150-400 is far better and also a reason why the 150-400 works better with the MC20 because the 2x shows those weaknesses. The thing about the 150-400 is that’s it has prime performance while being a zoom.
The cutting of PRO lens features (no clutch, no Lfn button) for no good reason makes me worried that the new owners will spend less and lose features to cut costs.
No doubt it is an excellent lens. But I am a little disappointed that it is still bulky compared with the original Olympus F1.8 lenses. Ok, we know f1.4 means a bigger lens, but weather sealing does not add a lot of bulk. My feeling is that Olympus and OM decided a long time ago to make larger lenses because it is easier and pro users like large gear. I think Olympus/OM don't try to make a truly small lens any more. It is a shame but perhaps the profit from pro lenses is such that it makes sense for them. I still dream of an upgraded 9-18 f4-5.6, or perhaps an AF rival to the Laowa 10mm f2. One last thing, Jimmy, will you compare this 20mm with the 12-45 f4? Size and weight it must be similar? Could be interesting 🙂
Having same feelings about the size and the lineup for mft lenses. I think optics can be designed even smaller but quality might be more complex&expensive than on og 35format. 3party lenses needed for this sector but is there market for this any more? Having 2nd hand em1.2 + pro zooms 12-40&40-150 and I wont count on weather sealing after many year usage. Only time will tell. As a non pro i went 2nd hand sony a73 + samyang 35/2.8 and got much better focus and smaller setup. Very happy for results. Found it to be better for vintage lenses with automated mf peaking. Selling all my zuikos and Keep my m43 pro lens for tele end only… I like to shoot stills with mft but fast objects in tight and lowlight is not optimal. Found sony more flexible system for me. For Jimmy. Keep up!
This is a tricky value proposition for me. I own the 25mm 1.2, the 20mm 1.7, the 30mm 1.7, the 17mm 2.8, the 17mm 1.8 (two of them actually), the 25mm 1.4. The size and weight advantage with pro image quality would be useful on my Pen F - but invest that much and paying for weather sealing when the Pen is not? Nah. Too much. For someone owning the 25mm 1.2 like me the 17mm 1.2 is probably the more logical investment. On all the weather sealed bodies, the size advantage of the 20mm 1.4 becomes somewhat less of an advantage with the exception of the E-M5 bodies. All the bodies with the built-in grips can handle the 1.2 primes just fine.
i'm not an OM user, but have been curious. 20mm samples on FLICKR appear razor sharp - medical imaging sharp; even NASA sharp...sharper than Chicago winter wind...are they getting too sharp for everyday use??
To be frank, most OM pro lenses are really sharp. I do, however, reserve some judgements when viewing images on FLICKR or other socials, they can be further sharpened by users. If you haven't used any OM/Olympus lenses before, you should try one to see :). But to answer your question, sharpness can only be evaluated by the ultimate usage. If one's image need to be enlarged, then sharper lenses will do better. If you find too sharp, you can always "unsharpened' the image.
haha just my way of doing things. The main content has ended and the last bit is usually some personal last words I want to talk about the video or hinting what comes next.
@@Red35Photography OK I understand but I am used like many others to the ending being the ending and then moving on. It was pure chance really that alerted me to the further content. I rather think a lot of people proberly miss your postscripts.
This looks like a great little lens and would make a wonderful walk around lens. However, given the lenses I already own, it would be hard for me to justify buying this lens.
Yes it's hard right? Quite a few comments are expressing the same. But I guess it depends on one's needs. I am keeping all my 1.2 pro lenses because I need them for work. Yet, for my walkaround, this could be the one to replace my older 1.8 lenses.
Hi Jimmy -- the initial announcement and accompanying video got me interested in 20mm as a focal length for my M43 bodies. But the lens still is not available. In the meantime, I purchased a second hand Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 which has had heavy use over the last month or so -- most recently on my Pen F body. Getting great results -- need to reassess whether there is sufficient incremental value in the OM System lens to justify a further 20mm purchase. I understand supply chain issues, but OM would be well advised not to announce a new lens too far in advance of availability. In my case, this may have cost the company a sale!
I thought oabout getting this lens after seeing other reviews. I also saw reviews of the Olympus 35mm f1.2 pro. So, there were things this lens didn't have like the M/AF clutch and the faster f1.2 aperture. I looked at the images online and found a used excellent copy on Evay of the F1.2 pro on ebay. I figured that with the 35mm I could take a couple of steps closer and get a 40mm look. But also I think 35mm is just more useful indoors.
I don't think this lens is pro level. Purple fringing , no clutch and no lens function button. Don't like the way om solutions are watering down the pro features.
@@Red35Photography It didn't show for me either. I had to navigate to your channel page to find it. Wouldn't have known it was out if I hadn't seen it mentioned in a forum. Very odd.
@@donniebrosco84 This is weird but beyond my control, it's TH-cam I guess... just make sure the bell is on I guess if not, try turning off and on again.
![OM System M.Zuiko 20mm f1.4 Pro - [Hands On!]](/img/n.gif)
I really like the composition, focal length, and colors in this video! The skin tones and white balance are especially pleasing.
Well, that answered any questions I could think off. I have the f1.8 17mm, 25mm and 45mm and 75mm lenses, also the 60mm f2.8 macro as well as the 7-14mm and 40-150mm f2.8 and 12-100mm f4 Pro lenses in my [rather large] bag at the moment. I had the 300 f4 Pro but had to sell it to finance a number of the others, c'est la vie. I am now going to have save more money[OAP} for this lens,the trouble will be to see which ones will have to go to help with the purchase. I don't do video,as a 70yr old I feel it is a bit late to start on a new journey, so I won't be needing the manual focus clutch. Your review was a delight to watch and I appreciate the time and effort you expended for our benefit. Please take care of yourself over the coming months and I hope we will see you hale and hearty in 2022. Peace.
Photography has no boundary, age or physical limitations. M43 is great as they are more affordable than larger system and their feature sets are great for even disabled photographers can enjoy the hobby all over again. This is why I think M43 is a great platform for all photographers. I am glad you enjoy your hobby and it's never too late to 'see' the world in a way you want to see it!
Happy New Year, Jimmy and thanks for the great evaluation. I just received my OM System 20mm f1.4 yesterday. I have owned numerous Oly and Panny primes since switching to micro four thirds, and to me this is the best of the lot. I don't shoot video, so the manual focus clutch is not an important factor. The optical performance of the 20mm is amazing, and the auto focus is blazingly fast! I foresee this lens remaining on either my PEN-F or my E-M1 III most of the time.
That was an excellent presentation Jimmy. Thank you 😊
This has become one of my favorite lenses of all time.
Thanks for another great review. I was looking at the 25mm f1.8 but might now try and stretch the budget to this lens. "Sharp, like Grandpa's knife", love it!
Great review Jimmy! Here in the US, waiting on my order to come in (hopefully by Christmas!). I'm looking forward to the smaller size for walkabouts and keeping the weather sealing like the 1.2 Pro lenses, not that I have any issues with either the 1.2 Pro lenses or their 1.8 Premium counterparts, more like Goldielocks with this one being "just right"! BTW, if you ever make it over my way, I'll set you up with the Beast! It is a true joy to use the 150-400 and even comfortable to walk around with! All the best sir! Cheers!
Cheers Stan. I know what you mean for 'being just right'. I love the new 20mm. I haven't ordered one yet but will certainly do in the new year. Just spent my money for the new Mavic 3 (4/3 sensor) for aerial photography and also upgrade for my filming work. Yes, would love to catch up when I visit US! Hope it won't be long!
I’m in love with this focal length! 25 always felt a bit tight and awkward on MFT, maybe because of the 3x4 aspect ratio. I don’t miss the clutch as I always accidentally push it I actually find it annoying for stills (and for video I can just change to MF in settings). I now own both this 20 and the 25 1.2 and while it’s a hard choice, I think I’m ready to sell my 25mm…
how much we talking?
@Cory Kurth DM’d ya there
Nice to see your photos Jimmy. Great work!
Great review. This lens is an amazing deal.
If I didn't have 17mm 1.2 it would be a difficult choice. The focal length is great. I love 17mm, i don't use 25mm. It's hard to believe that the af is faster than 17mm. 20mm has some issues with CA, 17mm has no issues with CA but it can be corrected in lr/dxo so it's not a big deal. The Oly 20mm doesn't have a manual clutch. However, the size and price are unbeatable. I can clearly see that it's better than 25mm which costs twice as much. The only 20mm competition is the panasonic 20mm 1.7, which has a painfully slow AF ,optically is a one class below oly pro and the build quality is incomparable.
Conclusion.
I will not buy 20mm,.. but I hope my girlfriend will 😉
Hi Jimmy, thanks for your new review of new lens. I bought 17 1.2 by your suggestion between 10-25 1.7 and I love it! I still got the 10-25 1.7 after, but 17 1.2 is really good for doing anything and good image quality. I'm in love with 35mm focal length, 17 1.2 is capable of low light, weather seal, good quality but still in compact size and not heavy weight. I just pick it up everytime I go out for random shooting instead of 10-25 1.7 as it is very big. I love them both.
Hey Jimmy,
Do you think you could do a field of view comparison between the 17pro, 20pro, and 25pro? I think people who are considering adding 20pro would find it interesting!
Great video and images btw. Keep up the great work!
Top notch review. Thank you. Hope you’ve been well.
The lack of focus clutch kinda ruined it for me. I was expecting all Zuiko Pro lenses to have the MF clutch.
I hear people complain about this a lot. Also with the 12-45.
What I wonder, where do you use the fn switch for then? On my OM-5, the fn switch is configured (by default) to change between c-af and mf. With the button in the middle doing back-button focus when in manual mode.
With this, I have no need for a fn button on the lens or the mf-clutch. So I am very curious, where do you use these buttons for when you have these functions on the lens?
Thanks Jimmy! If only the clutch was there I would order it right away for my bmpcc. I don’t understand why they left it out other then cost savings. It cant really be the size argument if you look at the 17mm 1.8 or 12mm f2. Most likely I will still buy one if the price drops to €600.
It's more to do with size I think. The clutch will add a bit of bulk to the overall size of the lens and it will be nearly as fat as the 1.2 Pro, but just shorter. The price will drop when there are more stocks available for sure.
Great Review - all my questions were answered. I was all set to get either the OM 20mm F1.4 or the PL 25mm 1.4 v2. But after a recent outing with my e-m1 MkII and 12-40mm f2.8 zoom I'm still very happy with the performance and feel a high quality macro lense is probably of more value to me as a next purchase. I still have an E-410 with a 25mm pancake for my prime lens fix if I feel the need to go zoom free.
I am glad you enjoyed the review mate.
You mentioned filters on 20mm f1.4. I bought 62mm- 58mm step down ring and I can use all filters from 12-40 f2.8 62mm thread. Very convenient if needed.
Well, I will get rid of my 17 mm and 25 mm F 1.8 to buy this one! Seems to be a great lens, and weather sealed. Wow! Thank you for the review, Jimmy.
Cheers mate, yes if you have a weather-sealed body, this will be a good match, and also faster too!
I was thinking of selling my 17 and 45mm 1.8 lenses too...
I really want a walking about prime lens and was hoping this would be the one. But there’s no way I could go back to not having the manual focus clutch ring. Gutted 😞
Love your reviews. One of the few reviewers take more portrait photos, rather than birds, dogs, cats, mammals, blah blah with Olympus/OM Systems cameras and lenses.
A very helpful, practical review. Thanks!
…it’s lovely, really want one. Close to perfect, who would have thought. It? A great review
For fringing on Lumix Leica DG 25mm 1.4... I just used UV filter and the fringing was mostly corrected.
Great review Jimmy! Stay safe!
Thanks Caitlin! Glad you enjoy the video :)
Hello thanks for your opinion on this lens.
I do have a question, I use the 1x so size and weight are of no consequence to me, but would you trade the 17 1.2 or the 25 1.2 for this one?, or are the others just better?, thank you for your opinion.
Thanks Jimmy
I bought this lens on a Black Friday discount deal. That is £75 cheaper than today’s price [Dec 12th 2023] Sold a Sigma Art 19mm f2.8 which I loved for its focal length but was noisy and steppy with its aperture changes and, obviously, was not so bright. Didn’t get much money for that on a different deal. I really like the 20mm M4/3 focal length which substitutes for both a 17.5 and 25mm lens [35 and 50mm full frame equivalent]. The lack of a clutch is of no consequence to me because I set a manual focus group of settings to one of the Custom modes on the dial and it is, in any case, a selectable function on the selective control panel, both ways almost as quickly accessible as using a lens clutch.
I'm sure it's a great lens - but the fact it doesn't have a manual clutch means there is no reason to swap from my Panasonic 20mm pancake which is significantly smaller and lighter, the extra half a stop doesn't mean much to me.
Is the Panasonic a pancake or it extends when the camera turns on? Like those stup1d kit lenses?
@@cristibaluta it's a pancake
Thanks Jimmy. I liked the photos that you included. I have the 17mm and 45mm, not Pro. I thought of replacing the 17mm as my standard street lens by the new 20mm. But my 17mm has the MC, the 20mm hasn't. At f5,6 or 8, I get a wide depth of field range, which is also clearly indicated on the lens. I trust my eyes and hands more with street photography than AF. With MF, I KNOW that my main subject is in range, whether to the left, middle or right. With AF, I HOPE my main subject will be sharp. In spite of the great quality of the OM S 20mm which I learned from you just now and the great advantage for me of being weatherproof, I will stick to my 17mm. I do not understand OM S. With this focal length/angle, the lens is ideal for distances between 2 and 8 meters. From f5,6, AF is not necessary.
Thanks mate, glad you liked the photos. I think many would miss the MC. But for me, when I shoot stills, I use AF quite often, a lot of the time in CAF. Video, however, is where I want MC for that finite control.
It's very tempting, but the lack of focus clutch and the chromatic aberration makes it a difficult decision.
Great review Jimmy. Sounds like I would be using this lens at f2 for astrophotography. A noticeable improvement over the 1.2 lenses that I had to use at f2.8 which was a dying shame since you cannot use the super bright f1.2.
May I ask why you had to stop down the 1.2s that much?
@@costinio3983 Coma and chromatic aberration. In my opinion it is the worst lens from oly 1.2 trio. 17 1.2 is the best (no coma, no CA), second 45 1.2 (it has some problems with CA/ LoCa) I'm not saying that 25mm is a bad lens but in astro oly17 1.2, 75 1.8 and sigma 56 1.4 are much better.
Do you really need to close the 17mm and 45 1.2 to 2.8 aperture? 45 1.2 has some problem with CA, but I have never closed any of them to more than 2.0. 25 mn is a different story.
@@costinio3983 Yes what Kamil said. Astrophotography is extremely demanding of a lens. There is no harder test than to photograph stars. Any imperfection will be glaring obvious.
@@kamilrakowski23 In day time photograph I use the lenses wide open with no issues and I think they are very sharp for that. However stars are a different story. Even Lica and Carl Zeiss lenses need to be stoped down significantly. Stars are an infinite point of infinitely bright light. Any imperfection no matter how slight will show up on them.
Hey Jimmy, if you could shoot only two lenses for environmental portraits, would this be in the running? Would the second be the 40-150 f2.8 Pro?
Thanks for user review - I have the 17 - 1.8 which is 2/3 of a stop slower - very small and compact - how much better do you think the 20 mm is? Worth and upgrade?
Thanks for watching Joseph. Optically, it's definitely better than 17mm 1.8. Worth is justified if you need the weather sealing and future proofing (if you want to get the next generation cameras with higher res sensors) as it seems the 20mm 1.4 Pro can out resolve current generation cameras.
@@Red35Photography Thanks Jimmy - From you answer can we infer there is going to be a new OM Camera body’s Soon? Hopeful for a new sensor in a body like the OM1 mark III (which is use now). Would love a little better low light sensitivity - i shoot some astrophotographers with it using the 7-14 and get pretty good results when stacking images -
hi Jimmy, would this lens would replace the 17mm and 25mm f1.2 pro for your work?
Hi Jimmy. Olympus did not correct CA on Panasonic bodies but only distortion until circa 2017. The PL25/1.4 is actually pretty good on that account so I think perhaps your statement in there is not totally aligned to what the reality is in 2021. In fact that lens has actually less CA than the Olympus 25mm 1.2 pro. The lens in your test here looks very similar to the Sigma 30mm and I would like to see some night shots for an 1.4 lens if you have time. Merry Xmas and best wishes
Cannot wait for this!
Cheers mate!
Thanks Jimmy! Fringing is not because of chromatic aberration - it’s about sensor.
hope you will get the 150-400 Bazooka soon from OM, and don't forget to test portrait with Saori and Zoha
Your best so far!
I currently have the panasonic leica 25mm as my only low light prime, with the rest being the f2.8 zooms and a 75mm f1.8. I was thinking of switching the 25 with a 17mm f1.2 /1.8. Would you feel the 20mm is a better alternative to a 17mm? Tks
I think you will love either 17mm 1.2 Pro or the 20mm 1.4 Pro. I wouldn't swap your 25mm to a 17mm 1.8 as it seems like a downgrade (from a light gathering point of view). So if you are thinking of getting a low light prime, I think you will like the new 20mm. It's a compromise by getting a little wider and yet not sacrificing much of the depth of field you have with your current 25mm 1.4. 17mm 1.2 Pro is a great low light option, which I use almost 80% of the time. But if you want more subject isolation, the new 20mm will give you that.
hey jimmy
i was lucky enough to get a 17mm 1.2 lens for free when i bought my em1 mark iii. actually i wanted to buy the new 20mm 1.4 as i like the 40mm equiv focal length and the lens is a bit smaller. but now i am unsure if it makes sense and if the difference would be worth it. how do you find the size/weight of the 17mm 1.2 compared to the 20mm 1.4?
cheers and keep up the good work!
I compared this with the Panasonic 20mm. Looks like the Panasonic is sharper at f1.7 than Olympus at 1.4 due to aberrations with Oly. The picture changes once you stop down and Oly looks better. However, considering the size difference I would keep Panny unless speed and the best rendering is the preference.
Thanks mate. yes, it's a preference thing at the end. If one needs weather seal and that 1.4 for low light, then you have a choice. Choices are good :)
Nice review. Thank you. How good is it for portrait?
I'd buy it, but I have 14, 15, and 20mm lenses already, and 15mm PL is a very good lens.
Looking forward to this .
Thanks John. Hope you enjoy it!
For use with the Pen-F I‘ll keep the Lumix 20mm. For more serious or professional jobs and video I have other lenses, including the 25 Pro. The new 20mm sits somewhere between what I need… It really should have the MF clutch, that would make it much more interesting. Even the small 17/1.8 has it…
Yes, a clutch would've made this lens more attractive.
Yes, the PL 20/1.7 really suits my EP7. I too wish this thing had the MF clutch but I love the focal length so much more than 25mm I will probably get one. And then I want to check out the Voigtländer 29/0.8...
I love my Lumix 20mm f1.7 on smaller bodies. Would be tempted to buy this for faster focus and weather sealing, although I don’t get why there’s no manual clutch. It’s a feature the 17mm f1.8 has, so why ignore it on a pro prime lens?? What they need to do next is update the 17mm f1.8, the 25mm f1.8, 45mm f1.8 and 12mm f2 by retaining the size, giving them all manual focus clutches and making those weather sealed. And throw in a 20mm f1.8 with a manual focus clutch, weather sealing and similar in size to 17mm f1.8 (I would buy that straight away with a pen f mkii that’s weather sealed)
I thought the same as you, I bought this lens and compared it to my Panasonic 20 f1.7 II. It was a disappointment, it is sealed and the focus is fast and precise, but the chromatic aberrations are horrible, and the Panasonic has more contrast and is sharper. I returned it.
Very good review. Jimmy, I would like to wait for a wide angle pro grade prime lenses. Had previously considering the 17mm 1.2. Did not buy it as I don't think it is wide enough. As my first wide angle lenses was a 28mm which my father bought me 40+ year ago. I was happy with the 74 degree for about 20 years until I found I love ultra wide zoom such as 20-35 and later 16-35. So I really love the 7-14 2.8 pro.Then felt it too heavy & use the lighter pana 8-18 2.8-4. But I found that 80% of my recent shoot are on the widest zoom end. Therefore, I would like to have a wide angle pro grade prime lenses which help me to reduce the loading of my camera bag. My dream lenses would be a 8 or at least 12mm 1.4 pro. Which I wish will appear in my lifetime. 😄
In comparison with panasonic 25 mm F1,7, is it an idea to exchange my panasonic for om 20 mm F1,4?
Hi Jimmy I’m back tracking watching reviews on the OM 20mm Pro. Two quick questions if you have time. Would you recommend this for EM-1 mk ii, and how does it compare to the older, smaller, cheaper Lumix 20mm F1.7? I’m an enthusiast photographer. Thanks for the review. I rely on you, Rob T, Peter F, and Robin W for OM -Zuiko input. Thanks.
Cheers Neil. I would recommend 20mm 1.7 over this if you are not looking for weather seal lens and want the smaller size set up. they are very comparable in many respects. 1.7 and 1.4 isn't a great deal in reality, unless you are stepping up to 1.2. So, you should be happy with Lumix.
phenomenal video as always. You are so consistent and thorough. I appreciate your insight. Made me feel better about preordering this lens when it listed.
It looked pretty good on the PEN F in your video. How did it feel on it? Thanks for the review.
Yes it feels great, the lens has a good balanced feel when mounted on slim bodies like PEN-F or EM5 III
I don't know how much was down to the lens and how much was down to you, but you took some great pictures there, Jimmy. 👌
It's all the lens hahaha
It’s a good lens, this and the pan-cake zoom make a good compact kit
This is one I have been considering as one to keep on the camera all the time, but wished it had been closer in size and weight to the 1.8 by being a 1.4 instead . But that wasn’t to be. My other choice was the pro 1.4 12-45, which is about the same price , but a little too large fir the em10 Mkii . So, should I elect the 1.8 prime over the 20 1.2 was the question and I’m sitting on the fence on that. I wonder if you have any thoughts Jimmy , as you have used those combinations and your thoughts on weather a em10 user she go for this as the one lens to keep fixed to the camera for most situations .
Is enjoyed the review and your insights as always . What do others who have watched the video think about the question Jimmy asked - do you stick with the 1.8 prime or opt for the new lens and would that be a good choice when fixed to an en10 body or similar . Let me know please and thank you all in advance of your suggestions .
Thanks Carmen! Yes, I think many were hoping to be smaller, 1.4 may not sound a lot more than 1.8, but in terms of diameter, you can see that Olympus' 1.8 is very similar to Panasonic 1.7 and this new 20mm 1.4 is very similar to PanaLeica 25mm 1.4. It's the physical size needed for the design to work. Can OM make it 'shorter'? Perhaps, but they did op for a very complicated design with lots of very premium elements instead. I am happy with the performance, definitely better than 1.8 brothers (which I also have). Another thing to consider is that this new 20mm is, well, brand new in 2021, while all the 1.8 lenses are quite old. As some other reviews have noted, this new lens out resolves current 20mp sensor, so looks like this lens is designed with future generations in mind. I guess, the question is do you want a lens that you can keep for longer and used in new sensors in the future? If you plan to keep using Em10 ii for longer, the higher resolving power may not matter that much. Weather proofing?, as EM10 ii isn't sealed, so it matters less. So unless future proofing is something you consider, then the new 20mm 1.4 is good, if not, you will be perfectly happy with 1.8 lenses.
@@Red35Photography
Thanks Jimmy , those were the same conclusions I came to. In short, the future proofing is justification to acquire it. Since it is a lighter lens and not to big, it may well live comfortably on the em10 Mkii for most trips , packed away in my Billingham digital bag. I hope Santa thinks I have been good ha ha
@@carmenfissenden2530 Quickly write a letter to Santa, I've written mine, let's hope Santa grants my wishes ;)
@@Red35Photography
Already posted lol
Great Jimmy I got to get me one of them.
Great review! I had Panasonic Leica 25mm 1.4 but I didn't like it very much too soft at 1.4 and too much purple fringing. I think this new 20mm 1.4 pro would be a real best buy lens in m43 system
On wich camera?
@@andresgonzalezcerdalatam2714 I own Panasonic 25mm on e-m10 MK2 and e-m1 mk2
I pretty much have a Lumix 20mm 1.7 mark ii always on my E-P5. Personally, I like something closer to 42 or 44mm (the Pentax 43mm limited is one of my favorite lenses to shoot with even if the K-1.2 is a bit bulky, the 30mm Sigma on the KP APS-C body gives a nice light ~45mm package for a DSLR), so I wish they would have made it a "weird" 21 or 22mm over the 20mm, but that's far from a deal breaker. I generally use either a GX8 or GX85, both aging bodies, but still get the job done, so I usually do use Lumix or PanaLeica lenses. That said, I do own the E-P5 and E-M5.2, along with a few of the common Oly lenses (17mm, 25mm, and 45mm). I just wish a solid fast enough for me constant aperture (f/2.8 would be great) zoom that covered my preferred range of around 28-135mm FF/35mm equivalent would come out from OM or Panasonic. I love my 12-60 panaleica lens, it pretty much does this job entirely, but a constant f/2.8 version from either of the two would be great. I used to be a prime only shooter but treating something like the 12-60 as a bag of primes saves time if it gets the job done. I'm getting an OM-5 with either the kit 12-45 f/4 or the body and a used 12-40 f/2.8, I just would really like that extra bit of range.
Is the Panasonic a pancake or it extends when the camera turns on? Like those stup1d kit lenses? I need something small for my e-p7
I was hopin to see some vlogging action with it hahaha
hahah yeah, 20mm is a little too tight for vlogging.
Hi, I currently have a pen-f that I love and 2 objectives sigma 30mm 1,4 and the 45mm 1,8 olympus. As a budget I have 1300/1700 Euros and I am looking for one or 2 "definitive" objectives for the meantime (later you will see) that are capable of doing different types of photography ranging from weddings such as portraits even in low light, football matches mainly during the day and occasional landscapes.I am looking for objectives that are unique as compactness, performance and versatility compared to all systems photographic (apsc, full, frame etc ...) if I stay in the micro 4/3 I'm interested and I don't see real alternatives to the Om system / olympus 8-25mm, 12-100mm, 20mm 1,4 and last probably also Om lenses 40-150mm f4 or sigma 56mm 1,4.
I am confused because if the 20mm 1,4 can replace my sigma 30mm in all ways, even as a bokeh, I would take it with my eyes closed. 12-100mm and these would also be useful for taking medium and long distance portraits of the spouses.If I really have to keep my pen-f with a single lens I would think of the 20mm or 15mm leica or the announced 9mm leica 1.7 ... or also have a second no micro 4/3 body with other lenses also used? Thanks.
Looking forward to this. I hope you mention the CA that other reviewers have noted.
Yes, you will see and I did talk about it :)
Great review Jimmy. How would you say this lens will work as a portrait lens? The sample images you did of the model looked really good. I own a few lenses I use for portraits, but they are all too tight to get anything more head to waist without backing way up. When outdoors in certain situations I get a lot of clueless people walk between my subject and me. I'd prefer to be close and still able to get full length images. Many many thanks for all the insightful videos you do. You do an awesome job.
I totally read you mate. This is why I often use my 17mm 1.2 Pro. This 20mm is a good option as you can get closer to your subject and being a 1.4, you can use it indoor too. Being a new lens also good for future proofing as it seems to out resolve current 20MP sensor. So if the new OM camera has a higher res sensor, you know this lens can perform.
Dang, I’m still waiting to receive mine. It’s my first pro lens.
As far as video stuff goes, what lens or lenses do you recommend? For instance, if you had to choose one or two lenses to buy for video work?
Also, I’d be interested to see your thoughts on the work of some movie directors such as Spielberg or Tarkovsky. There’s often times when I’m watching movies and I’ll just pause the screen and admire the lighting or framing of a scene. I’d like to see your input on the photographic connection between photography and cinematography, especially because I’d like to be a cinematographer/filmmaker someday.
Thank you for your review.
Uuuuuuuuuuu
I have this lens and I love it, but the chromatic aberrations on it are probably too noticeable for a pro grade lens.
Great review Jimmy. I think this is an important lens for OM System.
So here's a question for you, from one wedding photographer to another: do you think the 20mm could replace the 17 and 25 1.2?
When the lens was first announced, I thought that I could totally leave two 1.2 lenses at home and bring this one....but while I could see myself rocking the 20mm if I had to, I now feel that there will be times where I want something a touch wider (17) or a touch further (25).
I know this will be different of course for every photographer, but how about you personally? Do you think you'll leave your 17 and 50 1.2 at home for weddings and just take this?
It sounds like from your review that it's more of a travel, everyday photography lens, than something you would bring to a wedding to replace your 1.2 Pro lenses.
Thanks for watching Jason. A short answer is no. For wedding/work, I wouldn't replace my two 1.2 lenses. They have different characters and use. 20 is good that it's in between, but as I carry two bodies at anyone time, I use both 17mm and 25mm. But for anything else, like street, travel. Oh yes, this will be the one to take instead of both 1.2 lenses. As I have more time to think and work my shots.
@@Red35Photography Yep, what you're saying makes total sense. :)
Follow-up question then: OM System comes to you and asks what should their next 1.4 prime be, similar size, weather sealed, etc....what would you personally love to see?
I'd love to see a 14mm (28mm FF) 1.4. :)
Glad to hear and see that you're feeling better!
@@jasonwrites9186 I would hope to see 12mm 1.4 actually
@@Red35Photography 100% 👍
Hi Jimmy, it’s Sean in Atlanta! I am wowed by your review and I agree with you that it should’ve had the manual focus clutch. I hope I can ask you this, but what happened to your Ambassador title? Is 0M System working that out or are they giving up on that? Everyone is no longer claiming anything like that anymore including you, Robin Wong, Peter Forsgard, etc. It’s just weird!
Sean
Cheers Sean. OM has revamped their ambassador program and I think they will have announcement in the new year. Not sure how things work yet, I am still technically an ambassador, but I am leaving it empty for now and focus on delivering photography content.
@@Red35Photography i’m glad to hear that! But it’s just weird not hearing you say that at the beginning of the video. Thank you!
Good that you excluded the 150-400 from , because - as i own one - it is by far the best lens done, made, build, designed whatever by Olympus / OMDS for m4/3 and 4/3. No competition. Not even within miles.
Man, I am so envy those who have the beast. At some point, I will own one, just not right now :)
@@Red35Photography Well, yes. If you or someone with m4/3 has an interest in nature and wildlife and is able to safe up or finance one, just go brake the card. It’s such a super brilliant lens designed for practical usage.
If I would rate the m4/3 and 4/3 - and I used most, my top five from an optical / final image point (ignoring size and AF speed).
1. 150-400 F4.5
2. 150mm F2
3. 300mm F2.8
4. 14-35 F2
5. 45mm F1.2
@@timafken2297 I'm jealous. Did you compare 150-400 to 300f4? A few months ago I bought an almost new 300f4 from a lucky guy who also has 150-400. Of course, one is a zoom and the other is a prime. I've heard that 150-400 is as good as 300 f4 (extremely sharp, no CA, works great with teleconverters) I'm just curious. It's hard to believe that the best zoom can catch up with the best prime.
@@kamilrakowski23 I have the 300mm F4 since it’s release in 2016. it’s great lens, it’s super sharp but isn’t as good in microcontrast and Bokeh. That’s where the 150-400 is far better and also a reason why the 150-400 works better with the MC20 because the 2x shows those weaknesses.
The thing about the 150-400 is that’s it has prime performance while being a zoom.
The cutting of PRO lens features (no clutch, no Lfn button) for no good reason makes me worried that the new owners will spend less and lose features to cut costs.
How is CA on Panny bodies?
Lack of manual clutch is deal breaker forme. At least, OM should have physical AF/MF switch.
No doubt it is an excellent lens. But I am a little disappointed that it is still bulky compared with the original Olympus F1.8 lenses. Ok, we know f1.4 means a bigger lens, but weather sealing does not add a lot of bulk. My feeling is that Olympus and OM decided a long time ago to make larger lenses because it is easier and pro users like large gear. I think Olympus/OM don't try to make a truly small lens any more. It is a shame but perhaps the profit from pro lenses is such that it makes sense for them.
I still dream of an upgraded 9-18 f4-5.6, or perhaps an AF rival to the Laowa 10mm f2.
One last thing, Jimmy, will you compare this 20mm with the 12-45 f4? Size and weight it must be similar? Could be interesting 🙂
Having same feelings about the size and the lineup for mft lenses. I think optics can be designed even smaller but quality might be more complex&expensive than on og 35format. 3party lenses needed for this sector but is there market for this any more?
Having 2nd hand em1.2 + pro zooms 12-40&40-150 and I wont count on weather sealing after many year usage. Only time will tell.
As a non pro i went 2nd hand sony a73 + samyang 35/2.8 and got much better focus and smaller setup. Very happy for results. Found it to be better for vintage lenses with automated mf peaking. Selling all my zuikos and Keep my m43 pro lens for tele end only… I like to shoot stills with mft but fast objects in tight and lowlight is not optimal. Found sony more flexible system for me.
For Jimmy. Keep up!
yeh
This vs 75mm 1.8. Which is the bigger and heavier?
75mm is bigger and heavier.
This is a tricky value proposition for me.
I own the 25mm 1.2, the 20mm 1.7, the 30mm 1.7, the 17mm 2.8, the 17mm 1.8 (two of them actually), the 25mm 1.4. The size and weight advantage with pro image quality would be useful on my Pen F - but invest that much and paying for weather sealing when the Pen is not? Nah. Too much.
For someone owning the 25mm 1.2 like me the 17mm 1.2 is probably the more logical investment. On all the weather sealed bodies, the size advantage of the 20mm 1.4 becomes somewhat less of an advantage with the exception of the E-M5 bodies. All the bodies with the built-in grips can handle the 1.2 primes just fine.
i'm not an OM user, but have been curious. 20mm samples on FLICKR appear razor sharp - medical imaging sharp; even NASA sharp...sharper than Chicago winter wind...are they getting too sharp for everyday use??
To be frank, most OM pro lenses are really sharp. I do, however, reserve some judgements when viewing images on FLICKR or other socials, they can be further sharpened by users. If you haven't used any OM/Olympus lenses before, you should try one to see :). But to answer your question, sharpness can only be evaluated by the ultimate usage. If one's image need to be enlarged, then sharper lenses will do better. If you find too sharp, you can always "unsharpened' the image.
will try 14-45 f4 and see how i like it...first oly since om3 was stolen in about '95...thanks forr the videos!!
9mm, 20mm, 56mm are killing m43 combo
Why do you play the closing credits way before the end of the video. Seems very odd.
haha just my way of doing things. The main content has ended and the last bit is usually some personal last words I want to talk about the video or hinting what comes next.
@@Red35Photography OK I understand but I am used like many others to the ending being the ending and then moving on. It was pure chance really that alerted me to the further content. I rather think a lot of people proberly miss your postscripts.
This looks like a great little lens and would make a wonderful walk around lens. However, given the lenses I already own, it would be hard for me to justify buying this lens.
Yes it's hard right? Quite a few comments are expressing the same. But I guess it depends on one's needs. I am keeping all my 1.2 pro lenses because I need them for work. Yet, for my walkaround, this could be the one to replace my older 1.8 lenses.
Hi Jimmy -- the initial announcement and accompanying video got me interested in 20mm as a focal length for my M43 bodies. But the lens still is not available. In the meantime, I purchased a second hand Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 which has had heavy use over the last month or so -- most recently on my Pen F body. Getting great results -- need to reassess whether there is sufficient incremental value in the OM System lens to justify a further 20mm purchase. I understand supply chain issues, but OM would be well advised not to announce a new lens too far in advance of availability. In my case, this may have cost the company a sale!
I thought oabout getting this lens after seeing other reviews. I also saw reviews of the Olympus 35mm f1.2 pro.
So, there were things this lens didn't have like the M/AF clutch and the faster f1.2 aperture. I looked at the images
online and found a used excellent copy on Evay of the F1.2 pro on ebay.
I figured that with the 35mm I could take a couple of steps closer and get a 40mm look. But also I think 35mm is just more
useful indoors.
They are both great lenses and can be very different at the same time. There is, however, a significant difference in price (new RRP of course).
Stop making video on Olympus/OM gears. Otherwise I will buy one of their camera!
Good luck to you Jimmy. My mom took her 3rd SAFE AND EFFECTIVE and now she is dust in the wind.
8:00 "Forget me being an ambassador..." Uh, not as long as you keep calling an f/1.4 MFT lens "ultra-fast."
20mm is such an odd focal length. Give me the 17mm or 25mm focal length any day.
That lens is huuuuuuuuge compared to panasonic 20mm f1.7.
The size is a big no for me, its ridiculous.
I don't think this lens is pro level. Purple fringing , no clutch and no lens function button. Don't like the way om solutions are watering down the pro features.
This video did not show up on my subscription list
That's weird, did you turn on the bell?
@@Red35Photography It didn't show for me either. I had to navigate to your channel page to find it.
Wouldn't have known it was out if I hadn't seen it mentioned in a forum. Very odd.
Same thing with me
@@donniebrosco84 This is weird but beyond my control, it's TH-cam I guess... just make sure the bell is on I guess if not, try turning off and on again.
@@Red35Photography i already did so
Nothing on the 20f14 is PRO, it just unreasonable expensiv
A 40/2.8 FF-eq lens for $799? 😂😂😂
Quite a disappointing first lens for OM System. No Fn Button, no focus clutch. Chromatic abberration. May as well buy a Panasonic lens.
Ridiculous. The Lumix 20mm F1.7 is much cheaper, smaller, lighter, excellent IQ and only 1/3 stop slower.
Could replace my 17mm 1,8 and 25mm 1,7.
Size looks quite similar to the 12-45.
Is that so?
It's smaller than 12-45mm