Great review, tells it like it is, calmly and clearly. No stupid baseball cap on backwards, no talking too fast and too loud and no trying too hard to be funny. Good job.
Great comparison and great video. I bought the Lumix 20mm (silver model) in 2014 to use with my Olympus OM-D E-M5 MK1 and, since then, it has been my most used lens. I simply adore it and the focal length is ideal for 70% of my shooting. The AF is slow, but over the years I've learnt to overcome it. Love this lens. And the images taken with it on my Olympus are a. Not only that, but the silver lens looks soooo sexy on my silver OM-D E-M5.
It's very hard to find videos so good like this. Direct to the point, precise comparisons... I normally cant watch comparisons videos without jumping from minute to minute, yours was different. Thanks!!
Well done, clearly articulate set of values to judge each lens by. I have both lens on a Oly E-M5 mkII and completely agree with your evaluation of the two lens. Basically I find I'm using the Pano 20mm for occasions where the "look" is important and not speed. The Oly 17mm Is on the camera more than the Pano 20mm especially for those often "grab-it" and shoot scenarios. I'm moving to more Street photography and the Oly 17mm will be the choice here for it's speed and the use of the "clutch" (love it!) for manual setting. I've also discovered to my surprise that I like the Pan 20mm ( 40mm equivalent in full frame) more than the Oly 17mm ( 34mm equivalent full frame) small difference but pleasing all the same. On my Oly E-M5 mkII I like the "feel" (slightly warmer) and "look" (a tad richer) of the Pano 20mm to my Oly 17mm. I'm going to work on a series of street and landscape shoots in B&W to see if there is any difference between the two lens. Thanks for the good and thoughtful review.
not a problem i'm glad you enjoyed it! I definitely agree the 17mm colors is more subdued compared to the 20mm and if you care about absolute sharpness the 20mm is the way to go. but gosh if the 20mm just focused as quick as the 17mm that would still be on my camera today! let me know if you see any differences in your black and white work i'd love to see what you find out!
Funny. I found the Olympus a tad warmer. And slightly less contrasty. Both a plus for me. Maybe it depends on Quality control. Or if your version is from China, or Vietnam. 🤷🏻♀️
Excellent, well thought-out, organized presentation. Good sample images as well. Thanks for the effort you put into this video. It helps with my decision.
I prefer the wider look of the 17mm and although the 20mm is sharper and images look more saturated... I don’t know lol! I guess I just like the less constrasty look on the 17mm + I have a crush on Olympus’ bokeh- don’t ask lol
@@KimCruz1 Exactly. You used the word “clinical” in the video. Totally agree. I like some character and warmth. Sharpness is overrated. I’ll just use my iPhone 15. Maybe I’m getting old. Some of my Fujifilm lenses are too damn sharp. Haha. 💁🏻♀️
Even your philosophical arguments between the two is backed by sound reasoning, while excluding for the most part, choices based on whims and prejudices. If you do make a personal choice, it is still based on your needs, which is street photography and the fast focusing capability in order to capture the shot. I like that. For my situation, already in possession of the "pancake," the question being whether the merits and price of the Olympus warrant an upgrade based on my photographic needs. I would say no. Nevertheless, your clip does substantiate the drawbacks of the pancake, and stimulates thought on how to do a work around (such as manual zone focusing), for that known focusing issue on the Panasonic. Thanks Kim for the clip.
thanks i'm glad you liked it! honestly, i just wish the two lenses fused together, the 20mm form factor and image quality, with the 17mm focusing! i think panasonic tried to do that with the 15mm 1.7, but that one's a bit too wide for my taste :/
I remember when MFT first came out, they were basically selling the 20mm lens with a free Panasonic camera lol. People were buying kits just for the 20mm and selling the bodies all over the place till the GH3 came out, which people then started using for video. The 20mm became a hot lens ever on.
If you look in the metadata you will find the Panny 20 is a Leica. Leica lenses come from a tradition of reportage where a very sharp lens is wanted, this is designed into the lens; seven elements in five groups. Olympus have a reputation for portrait where a softer lens is desirable (think Bailey). Panasonic bodies generally have better colour rendition, colour authenticity, than Olympus despite often using the very same sensor. There is a violet stripe often seen on a yellow pansy flower that Olympus cannot see but Panasonic will reproduce. This will be down to the camera engine rather than the lens. I have several Olympus and Panasonic cameras collected over the years, which one I'll chose to use is often down to haptics. The Panny 20 gets so much use I have two of them, likewise two Panny PZ14-42. The advantage of both, haptics again, is they're pancakes, so on a smaller body (like E-PL7) can be dropped into a pocket. If you're shooting video, vlogging, you really do want a Panasonic back because Olympus lack the heat sink and cannot sustain long video shooting. You might get 12 minutes out of the E-M5ii before the video turns purple, whereas the GH4 will shoot video all day. Panasonic battery consumption is better than Olympus, which is weird because the Olympus batteries are made by Panasonic. The Olympus Body-IS does work well for short duration run and shoot video. For stills though the Olympus Body-IS is perfect for unstabilised lenses like the 20mm, even shooting at a ridiculous 1/5s hand held.
Hey. I was always convinced that the 20mm F1.7 had a Leica look. Can you please point me to the direction in which I can confirm that it is indeed a Leica lens? Thanks
@@jeffslade1892 Ok so I downloaded PhotoMe. Thanks for that. I can't seem to find anything that says "LEICA" specifically. Is there a particular combination or code for Leica lenses that indicate that it is a LEICA?
About to pick up the 12mm Olympus F2.0 for my Pen F. Use this combo in sort of a multi aspect ratio like the Panasonic LX100II does. Because I am always cropping into 16x9, or square and full sensor. I shoot landscapes and streets and mostly post to social media and smaller prints. I loved my 17mm 1.8 very handy focal length.
The Panasonic 20mm 1.7 is one of my most favorite and most used lenses...I'm a guy who spent his youth shooting Konica S2's and Yashica Electros....It feels more natural to me...
Thanks for taking the time to make and post this - it just goes to show how much longer lens reviews are pertinent, versus camera reviews. I really like the clear, concise and well considered presentation & have subscribed.
I have both lenses and both Panasonic and Olympus 20mp bodies. Technically speaking the 20mm is lightly sharper and slower focussing, but this should not detract you from either lens, unless you need them for video. In the end preference is in the eye (litterally) of the owner and it depends on how you usually see things. I think I prefer the 20mm because it's the closer focal to how I see the world, but in your case it could vary. One caveat is that on Panasonic body (I have a GX9) the 20mm can benefit from DFD and improve focussing noticeably: it goes straight near the focus distance and minimize the bumping in and out, while on my Pen F it starts much farther and wobbles quite a bit. on the other way I noticed that Olympus glasses usually focus more confidently on Olympus bodies, especially for video while Panasonic tend to loose the subject more easily. For video 20mm is more clumsy in AF but the linear focussing motor is quite good in MF: this lens does not accelerate focussing when turned faster, which makes it slower to focus but also more tweakable compared to a Panasonic 25mm. Olympus clutch focus mechanism is very secure and allow good control, but the focussing scale is VERY tight so do not expect to confidently pre-focus the lens for street photography
honestly from what ive seen, the 20mm is sharper, like, easily visibly sharper, and i know what you mean about it being closer, it's great for getting up close and personal on env portraits!
Regarding the focus speed, the Panny 20 is an older lens, last firmware update 2009 which improved AF speed, but as it says on the Panasonic update page, "There are 5 cases of firmware update procedures depending on the combination of camera body and lens." which means you may have to run an update with the lens on the Olympus body; the Olympus updater app will do that. This puts the lens characteristics into the camera's lookup tables. It is already loaded in a Panasonic. The motors on the 20 are very fine which, if a trifle slower, allows very accurate focussing. They will usually focus quicker than you can think but if it is focussing on the wrong place use one of the spot focus tools.
All MFT lenses behave differently between Olympus and Panasonic backs. The exposure mode can be critical in getting the shot you want. I change exposure mode on the fly. This is easy to do on one button on a Panasonic but on an Olympus you have to go through the 'Super Control Panel' (SCP), easy enough but more buttons to push. Adjusting the +/-EV and/or the curve can be beneficial, as can hosing the right photo-mode for the occasion; the default Olympus 'i-Enhance' can be OTT. They're not point and shoot cameras, at least not for best results.
i have the 17 f1.8 and it is my most used prime. I just like the focal length, and the manual focus clutch is a great feature - I wish all my lenses had it. Nothing like taking a shot where you have something in front of your subject and the camera insists on focusing on the foreground object - pop the clutch and problem solved! Also, lets not discount the fact that it is such a cool looking lens. I also have to say your videos are great - informative and just the right length. Any chance you will compare the two 12-60 lenses by Panasonic?
Thanks and it's my most used prime too! I was going to go for the pana leica 15mm 1.7 but it was just a tad too wide for me! And I know this is subjective but i completely agree, I love how the 17mm looks! You know, even though the olympus have the focus clutch mechanisms, I find that i rarely need to use it and just use the focus ring without pulling it back. in general i find that olympus lenses tend to have more predictable focus rings than panasonic but that could just be me? as for the comparisons of the 12-60s, i have neither of those lenses! but luckily there are comparisons out there already, I'll link one of my favorites here: th-cam.com/video/XIYQUuYxjwY/w-d-xo.html thanks for stopping by the channel!
I am a fellow TH-camr and a Lumix G9 owner. This video was really interesting because I was choosing between these two lenses. Thank you. I subscribed to your channel and I hope you will grow soon 🙏🙏
I like pancake lenses, but if I was looking for a wider and faster lens, I would go for the Sigma 16mm f1.4. It’s got a wider aperture and field of view compared to both lenses. I also believe it may be sharper. It sits between the prices of the Panasonic and Olympus lens.
Yeah I think the sigma is the sharpest of all the lenses in this range and the only downside is the size and weight.. I've been without the 20mm for years now but I still miss how small it is haha..
When comparing 2 lenses that are that close in sharpness, It can be hard to determine if the difference is due to sharpness or minor variation in contrast. Both these lenses have a reputation for not being great lenses, but reviewers often love them.
Photography gears are just tools. Product shoots are for a different clinical purpose. Being an artist I just need to tell a story. Currently Olympus E-PL7 What lenses do you recommend for < 300. used, that are small and light. 💁🏻♀️
Are you using the newer version on the 20mm, the mark ii? Focusing is fine and pretty fast with me, I'm using and EM5 mark ii. I couldn't justify paying $200 more for the olympus 17mm
yup it's version 2 but the focusing speed of the 20mm version 1 or 2 can't really compare to modern m43 lenses. again, it really depends on what you shoot right? i was missing lots of pictures on the 20mm 1.7ii because my job requires a more photo journalistic style.. loved the 20mm but just couldn't make it work!
I’ve watched several of your videos and this one I hit the sub and bell. Awesome comparison review without any fluff, right to the points and points well made!
hey man you and me both lol! but i realized if you really get into video work and shoot handheld stuff manual focus is doable and many times preferred for technical shots!
I want to see the Panasonic 85mm 1.8 VS the Olympus 75mm 1.8 on the G100 or any Panasonic camera body for that matter...I'm curious if the Panasonic lens performs better on a Panasonic body than the Olympus
Super video and I enjoyed your presentation style. I am looking for a zone focus friendly lens, so the Olympus wins it on that alone. The main sticking point is - I just love pancake lenses ....
Wow - well done. I have both the oly 17 and the 25, to use as my go-to lenses, but I just use the 17 a whole lot more. In fact, it's almost always on my pen-F unless I need to use my zoom.
yeah i tried the 25mm too! just too narrow for how i see things everyday i always end up taking a few steps back lol.. also the 17mm produces great quality and I can't stress enough how cool it feels! also, nice camera with the pen f! I might get one of those if they ever update the current model!
Would you say the 17mm has a more pleasing focal length than the 20mm? I currently own the 20mm but have been thinking of switching because the 17mm has a closer focal length to that of a 35mm full frame equivalent. Not too fussed with focusing speed currently but may require it for more motion portraiture in future.
we tend to get away with 'conventional focal lengths', ie 24, 28 35, 50 (full frame equivalents) etc... but at the end of the day, if i was watching a movie or a video on youtube, i wouldn't say 'damn, that angle of view was amazing (unless it's something uncommon like super super wide, or super super tight)...' the reality is that the 20mm and the 17mm looks exactly the same if you step back with the 20mm, or step forwards with the 17mm, they are that similar... it matters more for you as a shooter, in your mind do you step into a scene and see it closer to a 20mm? or a tiny bit wider at 17mm? I tend to see things wider at 17mm and so that saves me time having to compose. One more way to decide is if in doubt, pick the wider focal length because it's usually easier to step closer to the subject, whereas some areas might be too small to step backwards...
Thumbs up to you, Kim. I just stumbled into your channel tonight and am enjoying your relaxed, BS-free presentations. This video in particular I found very interesting. I`m sort of a traditionalist (ie: stubborn), so was quite surprised by what you pointed out about modern reality. One thing that I don`t remember you mentioning is compactness in favor of the prime. Then again, the kit lens on the camera that I`m considering is the 12-32, which I believe is actually about the same size as the Lumix 20, if not a bit smaller!
haha thanks!! and yeah both of these lenses are super compact, but i think you're right the 12-32 might be smaller folded in! that kit lens is pretty amazing as well, it even has ois inside which both primes lack :O But sadly yes, zooms have made the biggest jump of lenses, besides maybe ultra wide zooms.. the optical quality is outstanding.. i still stand by primes on m43 just because i need the extra light and the shallow depth of field which an f2.8 can't really do as well... so, here's to tradition continuing..! until Panasonic's full frame camera comes along!
Awesom channel man. I had 20mm Pan, but the slow focus did annoy me. I have a GM1 and a 45mm. I can't tell if I should go with the 25mm Oly or the 17mm(for the compactness?)
I do not have the Olympus 17mm f/1.8. I do, however, have the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 and the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7. I prefer the image quality, focal length, and maximum aperture of the 20mm.
I currently have the 25 1.7, would you recommend selling that for the 20mm (because it's a little too telephoto for I do with it), or should I save for the 17mm and effectively have a 35 and 50?
Troy Yoder honestly it comes down to focusing. If you need fast focusing for stills, get the 17mm 1.8, or the sigma 19mm 2.8 as a budget option with less low light capability. But if you don’t need fast focusing, by all means the 20mm is more than good enough!
I'm using a lumix g7 and i use final cut to edit videos. before buying the lumix g7, you need to know: -it's a two year old model -It doesn't have IBIS like a lot of new cameras do, but at it's price point of 450-600 dollars, there's not a lot of good competition for a hybrid camera. -the best part about buying a g7 is that you have a wide variety of lenses at a wide variety of price points (olympus and panasonic share the same format, not to mention the other lenses you can adapt). -last but not least, auto focusing for video is atrocious so you'll need to use manual focus so this is a big deal. if you want to use auto focus for video, i suggest going with a canon 200D (SL2) or any of the other newer canon rebel series with dual pixel AF. however, as a complete package, i think the G7 still delivers more than those cameras. at it's pricepoint, the g7 is hard to beat. only significant downside is that AF for video is slow and unreliable. the canon cameras i mentioned are good too, but their lenses can start becoming really big and the 1080p isn't as sharp as the G7.
Thanks for doing this breakdown! On point and taking real life shooting situations into consideration. The original 20mm was the first lens I bought for my m4:3: amazing, but that focus searching can be painful and for sure cost shots. Hoped v2 would be faster, but it seems not so much.
yeah i was disappointed in the AF performance of v2 as well.. and honestly i wanted it to work so badly because that lens was great optically, and it also looked amazing.. alas i found the 17mm 1.8 later, and it does the job and i love it, but i still think of the 20mm sometimes lol.......
Hey nice to see you back on the channel! I’ve only tested it at the shop, it’s basically a bit too wide for me (to shoot portraits) but if it’s cityscapes it’s great but didn’t test it it’s wide enough for vlogging, but keep in mind it’s not a stabilized lens. Optical quality it’s even sharper than the 20mm and focus speed is FAST.. so basically it’s superior to 17mm and 20mm but I didn’t buy it because it was a bit too distorted for portraits but should be fine for everything else!
This video was exactly what I needed so thank you!! Just a question, is the 20mm the first or the second version of this lens? Because I've heard they've imporved to autofocus in its second version :)
not a problem! the lens I tested was version 2 and honestly from reviews that I've seen it seems like there's been no improvements to AF.. however, version 2 looks nicer? lol.. but if i were to start again today, i'd hunt for a version 1 because apparently it's sharper, and it's going to be more affordable!
Outstanding video, Kim; logical, complete and well organized. I own and love the 20mm. The size, price and performance are great, but I can see that the autofocus speed isn't the fastest. That said, it is the lens that lives on my GX85 more than any other. Question: what camera bodies did you use to compare the two? I suspect the 20mm might perform better on a Lumix body with DFD than on an Olympus body in terms of autofocus speed.
thanks!! i used the panasonic g7 for the comparison! There are still days when i miss the 20mm's form factor and IQ.. even though the 17mm isn't that much bigger, it makes a difference especially if you have a lens hood! however like i said in the video, the AF speed is more important for my work! glad you enjoyed the video though!
@@KimCruz1 Since I have 2 small camera bodies I value small size over autofocus speed. It appears to me that the 20mm focuses faster on my GX85 with DFD vs on my GF6 without it. I have no scientific proof, as I'm not sure how to time such a small interval.
@@datapro007 yeah i think the newer bodies since the G7 and gh4 generation made a jump in af speed... a gf6 with the 20mm is quite a nice setup! i might look into a smaller setup this year!
4:26 In real life, the minimal focus distance is 18 cm for both lenses - in Autofocus mode (tried it yesterday). Of course optical wise you get a bit closer to the object with the longer panasonic lens. With the mechanical focus ring engaged on the Olympus 17 mm on the other hand, it keeps you at the nominal 25 cm minimal focal distance. No way to get closer. But manual focusing on the Olympus lens is a breeze with the mechanical focus ring, compared to the ultra slow, non feeedback electric manual focus ring on the 20 mm panasonic.
@@purpleneonsYou are right! I just tried it - by turnig it super fast - feels like mechanical speed (no limit). But its as fast in electrical Focus position (in Manual Focus mode on the camera) - and it stops moving at all without power from the camera - with and without clutch. When I get into the "mechanical" Focus Ring mode it immediately changes the Lens position according to the distance setting on the ring. They did this really, really well! I was sure its an actual mechanical clutch, but its pure electrical magic! The closer minmal focus distance stays there nevertheless in camera Manual Mode. Seems the manual focus ring simulation has less range on the minimal distance position.
thanks for the review. I was having the same question: which one to choose? I have the lumix 20mm 1.7 combined with the M10 III and want to keep it for the sharpness during still photography.
nice video, I opt for the 15mm 1.7 instead, simply because it distort a little bit more, my kind of photography, besides it looks nice on my em5, but you're right, all subjective
ATT MEE exactly! I mostly need pics of people so I opted for either the 17 or 20 but the 15 pl is also great.. and to think we have a choice of 3 great lenses for a wide/standard lens is just crazy!
I love the 20/1.7, but this seems like a very fair evaluation. The 20mm is pretty slow-focusing compared to many other lenses. The PL 15/1.7 would be a tougher competitor for the Olympus, I'll bet. Panasonic and Olympus were clever in not building the exact same FL and aperture combo lenses, weren't they? :-)
Yeah although I'm surprised at how the 17mm Olympus vs 15mm lumix really compare- outside of slightly different focal lengths the sharpness is actually really comparable, it's really more down to, which one do you like better in terms of looks and brand lol! Btw I sold my 20mm but when I'm out with my 15mm sometimes it feels too long compared to the 20! You wouldn't think it makes much of a difference but if you're out on a long day it's noticeable!
Nice video! I’ve been considering the Panasonic 42.5mm f/1.7 for my portrait photography. Is this a lens you would recommend or are there better options?
zack coak that’s basically my favorite lens! Optical quality is superb, good build quality, and it’s tiny, like really tiny. All the b roll shots of the lenses in this video was made with the 42.5mm 1.7. Made a video about it here comparing it to the kit lens: th-cam.com/video/0GdpktTcQio/w-d-xo.html It’s a bit more expensive than the 45mm 1.8, but it’s stabilized AND it has a much closer minimum distance. I would say having it serve as a portrait lens and a pseudo macro lens is more than enough to justify the cost difference. But I also shoot with a g7 so the extra stabilization helps even more. I highly recommend that lens!
mick m4/3 yup, the only other lens I would invest in if I was super serious about portrait photography is the 75mm 1.8, but it’s such a specialist lens it’s hard to justify the cost!
Question: I have a JVC LS300 and I want to be able to AF with a wide lens. My 35mm Rokinon is not cutting it because it's a manual and I can't record myself... Which one of these two lenses would be better to make a video like this one? Image quality is important. Where I'm talking? Hope to hear from you soon.
soo this comment apparently needed to be reviewed and approved! but found it now.. if you're just looking for a wide lens, I'd pick up the 17mm 1.8.. because it's wider I find it more versatile if you just want it for general things.. if you want it for double duty I'd suggest the 25mm 1.7 for talking heads and b roll (better bang for the buck but not as wide).. and if you want the sharpest of them, get the 20mm 1.7!
Does it matter for the speed of the autofocus if you shoot with the Olympus lens on a Panasonic body, especially for stills? Autofocus speed is quite important to me, but if the Olympus AF gets slower on a non-Olympus body i might as well go for the Panasonic lens...
Noortje hey man as far as I can tell the 17mm isn’t slower on my Panasonic body compared to an Olympus one.. if you have a new Panasonic lens like the g7 kit lens, the 17mm focuses around as fast as that.. the 20mm is noticeably slower but it really depend on if it matters to you!
A compact, but very informative review, thank you! I have had the same question. I loved my MZuiko 17 for its beautiful make and the focusing clutch, but wasn’t satisfied with the image quality. It just lacks detail contrast, visible especially wide open. So I exchanged it for the Lumix 20mm plus the Leica 15mm. Both are optically very good and the Leica is made as good as the 17mm. It’s (auto) focus is up-to-date, too.
Yeah the 15 is quite nice but oddly I like shooting even wider these days ie 24mm so I might look into getting the 12mm 1.4 Leica but it’s way too big and heavy for what I would it use for!
Hauke they said it’s good for the size but heard it’s not particularly sharp (I’m guessing it’s not bad but more like the 17mm oly than the 15mm Leica). But hey who knows honestly I use my phone for a lot of the photos I need unless I need a more ‘exotic shot’ like more telephoto or for more bokeh! The landscape has changed so much in the last couple of years it’s hard to keep up!
Great video, i also was looking a Sigma 16mm 1.4, more or less same price as olympus, better constuction, but a bit bulky, keep looking info to make a choice. I have a begginer camara, olympus omd em10 mark iii.Thanks again for your video!
No problem- I think by almost all accounts the sigma is better than the Olympus and Panasonic offerings ie weather sealing, sharpness etc.. however the sigma falls behind the two only in size and weight but if it's not important for you get the sigma!
ISO performance is determined more by the sensor rather than the lenses. The only part that lenses play in low light capability and noise is the F stop, in which case, an f1.7 on the 20mm, and an f1.8 on the olympus. That's a third of a stop more light in favor for the panasonic but in my experience that's marginal because it's easy to raise the shadows by a third of a stop in post, whether that's in stills or in video. While these are F stops and not T stops, the actual amount of light hitting the sensor between the two lenses is marginal, unlike say, the G7 kit lens and the 42.5mm 1.7. Between the kit lens and the 42.5mm 1.7, the camera meters brighter even with matched f stops, but that's probably more to do with more lens elements in the kit lens vs the prime (speculating now lol). You can find that comparison here: th-cam.com/video/0GdpktTcQio/w-d-xo.html
Well it depends what I’m shooting or if its for video or photo.. in general i would pick a wider lens because it’s more versatile so personally I’d take the 20mm.. but I’d take the 17mm 1.8 or 15mm Leica over the 20mm personally..
yo kim I have the 20mm 1.7 mark 1... Im looking at the 15mm 1.7 you think it would be worth it in terms of focal length..it seems like a very high rated lens
hey man sorry for the late reply- i've been away for a while but trying to make a come back.... the 15mm is great man, but don't think it's going to be miles better in optical quality than the 20mm... from what i've seen, the optical quality is similar between those 2, but the main difference you will see is the focusing speed
@@A1Bokeh never used it, but hear great things about it- just note that it's manual focus only... i wouldn't be caught using that on the street, especially at 0.95 haha!
actually no! but i find the focus ring hard to work with.. even when i spin it fast, it just moves at the same speed which is different from how olympus lenses are calibrated..
Hey man great question, I think part of it is to do with the quality of glass, but a lot of it is to do with coatings. If you take vintage lenses without fancy coatings you'll see that there's less contrast and the lens flares are more 'natural' ie, the flares are exactly what should happen if you point a light source directly into the lens. In new lenses our coatings are super advanced that it can eliminate flares all together.. and yes, change the level of color saturation as well. So I guess at the end of the day, there's a level of quality the glass has to meet (and I think most new higher end lenses aren't too different in this regard anymore), but after that it's really all about coatings, and how the manufacturer wants to 'style' their lens to color the scene. In my experience lumix likes the more saturated, punchy look, Olympus prefers their more toned down 'natural' look. At this point it's personal preference man!
Hi! Can you make a video about how to use tri grid (golden ratio) please. I dont see a lot of how to use tri grid vid on yt that would be nice, thanks !!
oh man if i knew i would! the only video i remember watching about that was from the art of photography right here: th-cam.com/video/a-3zOuqaUBY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TheArtofPhotography it was made a long time ago but it gave me a basic understanding of it, but i wouldn't say I understand it enough to teach it.. i hope this helps man!
The inescapable fact is that the 17mm is soft. I think it is over-rated. I am no pixel peeper. But the real comparison here is with the Panasonic 15mm. Once you experience the crisp sharpness of that lens, you may feel time spent with the 17 is wasted. The 15 is one of the sharpest lenses in M 4/3's land. The real decision here is whether to bite the bullet and spend the long green for the Panny-Leica. Otherwise, I would consider a Sigma over the Oly 17.
Richard Bresden thanks for that yeah I’ve tried the 15mm as well, but I wasn’t comfortable using it for portraits because I was getting to close to people!! The 16mm and 19mm sigma were ok too but they were a bit bulky for me.. I think the 17mm is just what I needed, to each their own I guess
What I learned about comparing the two was that the real advantage of the 17mm was not the angle of view but the layering. If you are trying to compose with deep space, the 17 allows you to construct with foreground and background in a meaningful way. By comparison the additional perspective distortion of the 15mm which reduces the size of the background plane, makes this kind of sandwiching of space far less interesting. I just wish the 17 was sharper.
Richard Bresden yeah I know what you mean the 17mm is just versatile that way but just isn’t as sharp... but if it’s any consolation, my clients have never complained but of course most of my work is in video so take that with a grain of salt!
I owned the 15mm Panaleica for almost a year and in the end I realized I couldn't stand it. It was fast, reliable and extremely sharp but the odd focal length ruined everything for me, something I realized after a trip in Japan: I traded the 15mm with a guy which had an Oly 17mm 1 for 1, even knowing I was at a loss (Panaleica is almost 150€ more expensive) and never once I regret the choice I made. The Oly is so marginally less sharp you won't notice unless you are zooming in, it's fast, it's gorgeously made and over any other consideration, the picture framing is just "Right" for my eyes. Pixel peeping brings you nowhere: there are other aspect of photography which have much more impact.
![Olympus 17mm vs. 25mm - [Which One Is A Better Travel Lens?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ux-AgmR-pfc/mqdefault.jpg)
I had a blast making this review I hope you guys enjoyed it! Make sure to sub to catch the latest content!
Great review, tells it like it is, calmly and clearly. No stupid baseball cap on backwards, no talking too fast and too loud and no trying too hard to be funny. Good job.
Great comparison and great video. I bought the Lumix 20mm (silver model) in 2014 to use with my Olympus OM-D E-M5 MK1 and, since then, it has been my most used lens. I simply adore it and the focal length is ideal for 70% of my shooting.
The AF is slow, but over the years I've learnt to overcome it.
Love this lens. And the images taken with it on my Olympus are a. Not only that, but the silver lens looks soooo sexy on my silver OM-D E-M5.
It's very hard to find videos so good like this. Direct to the point, precise comparisons... I normally cant watch comparisons videos without jumping from minute to minute, yours was different. Thanks!!
Well done, clearly articulate set of values to judge each lens by.
I have both lens on a Oly E-M5 mkII and completely agree with your evaluation of the two lens. Basically I find I'm using the Pano 20mm for occasions where the "look" is important and not speed. The Oly 17mm Is on the camera more than the Pano 20mm especially for those often "grab-it" and shoot scenarios.
I'm moving to more Street photography and the Oly 17mm will be the choice here for it's speed and the use of the "clutch" (love it!) for manual setting.
I've also discovered to my surprise that I like the Pan 20mm ( 40mm equivalent in full frame) more than the Oly 17mm ( 34mm equivalent full frame) small difference but pleasing all the same.
On my Oly E-M5 mkII I like the "feel" (slightly warmer) and "look" (a tad richer) of the Pano 20mm to my Oly 17mm.
I'm going to work on a series of street and landscape shoots in B&W to see if there is any difference between the two lens.
Thanks for the good and thoughtful review.
not a problem i'm glad you enjoyed it! I definitely agree the 17mm colors is more subdued compared to the 20mm and if you care about absolute sharpness the 20mm is the way to go. but gosh if the 20mm just focused as quick as the 17mm that would still be on my camera today! let me know if you see any differences in your black and white work i'd love to see what you find out!
Funny. I found the Olympus a tad warmer. And slightly less contrasty. Both a plus for me.
Maybe it depends on Quality control. Or if your version is from China, or Vietnam. 🤷🏻♀️
Excellent, well thought-out, organized presentation. Good sample images as well. Thanks for the effort you put into this video. It helps with my decision.
Fritz thanks so glad it helped!
I've been considering getting the Olympus 17 mm, so this review was very helpful. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve had both lenses. The 17mm is a great lens, but the 20mm is a great focal length and the images have a nicer “look.”
I prefer the wider look of the 17mm and although the 20mm is sharper and images look more saturated... I don’t know lol! I guess I just like the less constrasty look on the 17mm + I have a crush on Olympus’ bokeh- don’t ask lol
@@KimCruz1 Exactly. You used the word “clinical” in the video. Totally agree.
I like some character and warmth. Sharpness is overrated. I’ll just use my iPhone 15.
Maybe I’m getting old. Some of my Fujifilm lenses are too damn sharp. Haha. 💁🏻♀️
@@Koji-888I liked my XF27 yet sold it, silly me. That lens has certain softness I can't explain but it is soo so good. More organic renderings
Even your philosophical arguments between the two is backed by sound reasoning, while excluding for the most part, choices based on whims and prejudices. If you do make a personal choice, it is still based on your needs, which is street photography and the fast focusing capability in order to capture the shot. I like that. For my situation, already in possession of the "pancake," the question being whether the merits and price of the Olympus warrant an upgrade based on my photographic needs. I would say no. Nevertheless, your clip does substantiate the drawbacks of the pancake, and stimulates thought on how to do a work around (such as manual zone focusing), for that known focusing issue on the Panasonic. Thanks Kim for the clip.
thanks i'm glad you liked it! honestly, i just wish the two lenses fused together, the 20mm form factor and image quality, with the 17mm focusing! i think panasonic tried to do that with the 15mm 1.7, but that one's a bit too wide for my taste :/
I remember when MFT first came out, they were basically selling the 20mm lens with a free Panasonic camera lol. People were buying kits just for the 20mm and selling the bodies all over the place till the GH3 came out, which people then started using for video. The 20mm became a hot lens ever on.
Helgen X oh thanks for the back story I never would've known that!
I’ve been having a hard time deciding which to buy. Thank you for the video! It defiantly helped!
I went with the 17mm.
Paul Turner awesome dude!! I hope you end up loving that lens as much as I do!
If you look in the metadata you will find the Panny 20 is a Leica. Leica lenses come from a tradition of reportage where a very sharp lens is wanted, this is designed into the lens; seven elements in five groups. Olympus have a reputation for portrait where a softer lens is desirable (think Bailey). Panasonic bodies generally have better colour rendition, colour authenticity, than Olympus despite often using the very same sensor. There is a violet stripe often seen on a yellow pansy flower that Olympus cannot see but Panasonic will reproduce. This will be down to the camera engine rather than the lens.
I have several Olympus and Panasonic cameras collected over the years, which one I'll chose to use is often down to haptics. The Panny 20 gets so much use I have two of them, likewise two Panny PZ14-42. The advantage of both, haptics again, is they're pancakes, so on a smaller body (like E-PL7) can be dropped into a pocket.
If you're shooting video, vlogging, you really do want a Panasonic back because Olympus lack the heat sink and cannot sustain long video shooting. You might get 12 minutes out of the E-M5ii before the video turns purple, whereas the GH4 will shoot video all day. Panasonic battery consumption is better than Olympus, which is weird because the Olympus batteries are made by Panasonic. The Olympus Body-IS does work well for short duration run and shoot video. For stills though the Olympus Body-IS is perfect for unstabilised lenses like the 20mm, even shooting at a ridiculous 1/5s hand held.
Thanks for all the info did not know about this!
Hey. I was always convinced that the 20mm F1.7 had a Leica look. Can you please point me to the direction in which I can confirm that it is indeed a Leica lens? Thanks
@@TheophilusCarlos in the EXIF but you'll have to use a full EXIF reader like PhotoME
@@jeffslade1892 thanks
@@jeffslade1892 Ok so I downloaded PhotoMe. Thanks for that. I can't seem to find anything that says "LEICA" specifically. Is there a particular combination or code for Leica lenses that indicate that it is a LEICA?
About to pick up the 12mm Olympus F2.0 for my Pen F. Use this combo in sort of a multi aspect ratio like the Panasonic LX100II does. Because I am always cropping into 16x9, or square and full sensor. I shoot landscapes and streets and mostly post to social media and smaller prints. I loved my 17mm 1.8 very handy focal length.
Perhaps I missed it, but I think you forgot to tell us which camera you used to test these lenses.
hey man sorry for the late reply i've been off youtube for a while!! for this comparison i used the G7!
@@KimCruz1 does autofocus work on the g7 while using the 17mm?
The Panasonic 20mm 1.7 is one of my most favorite and most used lenses...I'm a guy who spent his youth shooting Konica S2's and Yashica Electros....It feels more natural to me...
Great to hear honestly it reminds me a lot of the canon 40mm pancake! But this thing is quite a bit sharper
Thanks for taking the time to make and post this - it just goes to show how much longer lens reviews are pertinent, versus camera reviews. I really like the clear, concise and well considered presentation & have subscribed.
No worries thanks so much! Glad you found it useful!!
I have both lenses and both Panasonic and Olympus 20mp bodies. Technically speaking the 20mm is lightly sharper and slower focussing, but this should not detract you from either lens, unless you need them for video. In the end preference is in the eye (litterally) of the owner and it depends on how you usually see things. I think I prefer the 20mm because it's the closer focal to how I see the world, but in your case it could vary.
One caveat is that on Panasonic body (I have a GX9) the 20mm can benefit from DFD and improve focussing noticeably: it goes straight near the focus distance and minimize the bumping in and out, while on my Pen F it starts much farther and wobbles quite a bit. on the other way I noticed that Olympus glasses usually focus more confidently on Olympus bodies, especially for video while Panasonic tend to loose the subject more easily. For video 20mm is more clumsy in AF but the linear focussing motor is quite good in MF: this lens does not accelerate focussing when turned faster, which makes it slower to focus but also more tweakable compared to a Panasonic 25mm. Olympus clutch focus mechanism is very secure and allow good control, but the focussing scale is VERY tight so do not expect to confidently pre-focus the lens for street photography
honestly from what ive seen, the 20mm is sharper, like, easily visibly sharper, and i know what you mean about it being closer, it's great for getting up close and personal on env portraits!
I just love the image quality of the 20mm especially on a Pana body.
incredible sharpness, one of the best bang for the buck lenses in the system!
Very well put together. Answers a lot of questions Thanks!
Thanks a lot man I'm trying to get another one of these comparisons soon- it might be the last one of this series that I do but should be interesting!
Regarding the focus speed, the Panny 20 is an older lens, last firmware update 2009 which improved AF speed, but as it says on the Panasonic update page, "There are 5 cases of firmware update procedures depending on the combination of camera body and lens." which means you may have to run an update with the lens on the Olympus body; the Olympus updater app will do that. This puts the lens characteristics into the camera's lookup tables. It is already loaded in a Panasonic. The motors on the 20 are very fine which, if a trifle slower, allows very accurate focussing. They will usually focus quicker than you can think but if it is focussing on the wrong place use one of the spot focus tools.
Yup in my use cases still too slow to focus although accurate, but I can see the usefulness in other cases especially when sharpness is a priority!
All MFT lenses behave differently between Olympus and Panasonic backs. The exposure mode can be critical in getting the shot you want. I change exposure mode on the fly. This is easy to do on one button on a Panasonic but on an Olympus you have to go through the 'Super Control Panel' (SCP), easy enough but more buttons to push. Adjusting the +/-EV and/or the curve can be beneficial, as can hosing the right photo-mode for the occasion; the default Olympus 'i-Enhance' can be OTT. They're not point and shoot cameras, at least not for best results.
i have the 17 f1.8 and it is my most used prime. I just like the focal length, and the manual focus clutch is a great feature - I wish all my lenses had it. Nothing like taking a shot where you have something in front of your subject and the camera insists on focusing on the foreground object - pop the clutch and problem solved! Also, lets not discount the fact that it is such a cool looking lens. I also have to say your videos are great - informative and just the right length. Any chance you will compare the two 12-60 lenses by Panasonic?
Thanks and it's my most used prime too! I was going to go for the pana leica 15mm 1.7 but it was just a tad too wide for me! And I know this is subjective but i completely agree, I love how the 17mm looks!
You know, even though the olympus have the focus clutch mechanisms, I find that i rarely need to use it and just use the focus ring without pulling it back. in general i find that olympus lenses tend to have more predictable focus rings than panasonic but that could just be me?
as for the comparisons of the 12-60s, i have neither of those lenses! but luckily there are comparisons out there already, I'll link one of my favorites here: th-cam.com/video/XIYQUuYxjwY/w-d-xo.html
thanks for stopping by the channel!
Thank you for your video! I have found that when 20mm hook up with a Olympus body ,the focusing speed were much much slower than with Panasonic body!
I am a fellow TH-camr and a Lumix G9 owner. This video was really interesting because I was choosing between these two lenses.
Thank you. I subscribed to your channel and I hope you will grow soon 🙏🙏
I like pancake lenses, but if I was looking for a wider and faster lens, I would go for the Sigma 16mm f1.4. It’s got a wider aperture and field of view compared to both lenses. I also believe it may be sharper. It sits between the prices of the Panasonic and Olympus lens.
Yeah I think the sigma is the sharpest of all the lenses in this range and the only downside is the size and weight.. I've been without the 20mm for years now but I still miss how small it is haha..
I would really like to see a detailed as possible comparison between the " color science " of Panasonic vs Olympus .
When comparing 2 lenses that are that close in sharpness, It can be hard to determine if the difference is due to sharpness or minor variation in contrast. Both these lenses have a reputation for not being great lenses, but reviewers often love them.
Photography gears are just tools. Product shoots are for a different clinical purpose.
Being an artist I just need to tell a story. Currently Olympus E-PL7
What lenses do you recommend for < 300. used, that are small and light. 💁🏻♀️
Image quality and usability. Perfect definition. You do a great job .
Thanks a lot!
Are you using the newer version on the 20mm, the mark ii? Focusing is fine and pretty fast with me, I'm using and EM5 mark ii. I couldn't justify paying $200 more for the olympus 17mm
yup it's version 2 but the focusing speed of the 20mm version 1 or 2 can't really compare to modern m43 lenses. again, it really depends on what you shoot right? i was missing lots of pictures on the 20mm 1.7ii because my job requires a more photo journalistic style.. loved the 20mm but just couldn't make it work!
I’ve watched several of your videos and this one I hit the sub and bell. Awesome comparison review without any fluff, right to the points and points well made!
thanks man and sorry for the late reply, i've been away from youtube for the longest time but trying to make a comeback!
Very helpful. Thanks.
I've subscribed. Keep up the good work!
thanks glad you found it useful and hope to put out more content soon!
This is one of the best reviews I have ever seen. New subscriber here; this format is fantastic,
Thanks a lot man actually about to do another one- it's been a while! Trying to get one of the Olympus and the 15mm pana Leica!
Thanks for a great review Kim one thing I find a pain in the ass with the Panasonic is that it doesn't not do continuous focus.
hey man you and me both lol! but i realized if you really get into video work and shoot handheld stuff manual focus is doable and many times preferred for technical shots!
Great video man! well organized and easy to follow. thanks
berniguevara no problem and I’m glad you stopped by!
I want to see the Panasonic 85mm 1.8 VS the Olympus 75mm 1.8 on the G100 or any Panasonic camera body for that matter...I'm curious if the Panasonic lens performs better on a Panasonic body than the Olympus
Super video and I enjoyed your presentation style. I am looking for a zone focus friendly lens, so the Olympus wins it on that alone. The main sticking point is - I just love pancake lenses ....
Wow - well done. I have both the oly 17 and the 25, to use as my go-to lenses, but I just use the 17 a whole lot more. In fact, it's almost always on my pen-F unless I need to use my zoom.
yeah i tried the 25mm too! just too narrow for how i see things everyday i always end up taking a few steps back lol.. also the 17mm produces great quality and I can't stress enough how cool it feels! also, nice camera with the pen f! I might get one of those if they ever update the current model!
Would you say the 17mm has a more pleasing focal length than the 20mm? I currently own the 20mm but have been thinking of switching because the 17mm has a closer focal length to that of a 35mm full frame equivalent. Not too fussed with focusing speed currently but may require it for more motion portraiture in future.
we tend to get away with 'conventional focal lengths', ie 24, 28 35, 50 (full frame equivalents) etc... but at the end of the day, if i was watching a movie or a video on youtube, i wouldn't say 'damn, that angle of view was amazing (unless it's something uncommon like super super wide, or super super tight)...' the reality is that the 20mm and the 17mm looks exactly the same if you step back with the 20mm, or step forwards with the 17mm, they are that similar...
it matters more for you as a shooter, in your mind do you step into a scene and see it closer to a 20mm? or a tiny bit wider at 17mm? I tend to see things wider at 17mm and so that saves me time having to compose.
One more way to decide is if in doubt, pick the wider focal length because it's usually easier to step closer to the subject, whereas some areas might be too small to step backwards...
Thumbs up to you, Kim. I just stumbled into your channel tonight and am enjoying your relaxed, BS-free presentations. This video in particular I found very interesting. I`m sort of a traditionalist (ie: stubborn), so was quite surprised by what you pointed out about modern reality. One thing that I don`t remember you mentioning is compactness in favor of the prime. Then again, the kit lens on the camera that I`m considering is the 12-32, which I believe is actually about the same size as the Lumix 20, if not a bit smaller!
haha thanks!! and yeah both of these lenses are super compact, but i think you're right the 12-32 might be smaller folded in! that kit lens is pretty amazing as well, it even has ois inside which both primes lack :O But sadly yes, zooms have made the biggest jump of lenses, besides maybe ultra wide zooms.. the optical quality is outstanding.. i still stand by primes on m43 just because i need the extra light and the shallow depth of field which an f2.8 can't really do as well... so, here's to tradition continuing..! until Panasonic's full frame camera comes along!
Awesom channel man. I had 20mm Pan, but the slow focus did annoy me. I have a GM1 and a 45mm. I can't tell if I should go with the 25mm Oly or the 17mm(for the compactness?)
i'll reply to your second comment!
Thanks, Kim. Informative, well-paced and entertaining.
Haha thanks glad you stopped by!
That was everything I wanted to know, you just earned yourself a new subscriber!
I do not have the Olympus 17mm f/1.8.
I do, however, have the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 and the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7.
I prefer the image quality, focal length, and maximum aperture of the 20mm.
BEST video I've found that addresses exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks mate
N B not a problem glad you found it useful!
I just bought mine 20mm second hand, but it bothers me that it makes slight noise, when focusing. Does yours?
Awesome vid man! I was actually looking at the 20mm, but you changed my mind!
thanks! honestly it was a bittersweet parting lol.. i still think of the 20mm to this day lol
I currently have the 25 1.7, would you recommend selling that for the 20mm (because it's a little too telephoto for I do with it), or should I save for the 17mm and effectively have a 35 and 50?
Troy Yoder honestly it comes down to focusing. If you need fast focusing for stills, get the 17mm 1.8, or the sigma 19mm 2.8 as a budget option with less low light capability. But if you don’t need fast focusing, by all means the 20mm is more than good enough!
Thanks so much! That helps
not a problem!
Wow! That was a great review - thanks for sharing! :)
no probs glad you enjoyed it and that it helps you out somehow!
What camera do you use to Film yourself ? What software do you use to edit videos ? And what should I know before buying the Panasonic lumix g7 ?
I'm using a lumix g7 and i use final cut to edit videos. before buying the lumix g7, you need to know:
-it's a two year old model
-It doesn't have IBIS like a lot of new cameras do, but at it's price point of 450-600 dollars, there's not a lot of good competition for a hybrid camera.
-the best part about buying a g7 is that you have a wide variety of lenses at a wide variety of price points (olympus and panasonic share the same format, not to mention the other lenses you can adapt).
-last but not least, auto focusing for video is atrocious so you'll need to use manual focus so this is a big deal. if you want to use auto focus for video, i suggest going with a canon 200D (SL2) or any of the other newer canon rebel series with dual pixel AF. however, as a complete package, i think the G7 still delivers more than those cameras.
at it's pricepoint, the g7 is hard to beat. only significant downside is that AF for video is slow and unreliable. the canon cameras i mentioned are good too, but their lenses can start becoming really big and the 1080p isn't as sharp as the G7.
Thanks for doing this breakdown! On point and taking real life shooting situations into consideration. The original 20mm was the first lens I bought for my m4:3: amazing, but that focus searching can be painful and for sure cost shots. Hoped v2 would be faster, but it seems not so much.
yeah i was disappointed in the AF performance of v2 as well.. and honestly i wanted it to work so badly because that lens was great optically, and it also looked amazing.. alas i found the 17mm 1.8 later, and it does the job and i love it, but i still think of the 20mm sometimes lol.......
Nice video! Do you have experience with the Panasonic 15mm F1.7? I was considering it for a wide angle vlogging/street/city photography.
Hey nice to see you back on the channel! I’ve only tested it at the shop, it’s basically a bit too wide for me (to shoot portraits) but if it’s cityscapes it’s great but didn’t test it it’s wide enough for vlogging, but keep in mind it’s not a stabilized lens. Optical quality it’s even sharper than the 20mm and focus speed is FAST.. so basically it’s superior to 17mm and 20mm but I didn’t buy it because it was a bit too distorted for portraits but should be fine for everything else!
Thanks!
Get a Laowa 7.5mm f/2 or Samyang 12mm F/2
City Beautiful i would say its a good lense for photo; but not the Best for videos
Christian Marpuri which one of the fast wide angle lenses would you consider as "good for video"?
This video was exactly what I needed so thank you!!
Just a question, is the 20mm the first or the second version of this lens? Because I've heard they've imporved to autofocus in its second version :)
not a problem! the lens I tested was version 2 and honestly from reviews that I've seen it seems like there's been no improvements to AF.. however, version 2 looks nicer? lol.. but if i were to start again today, i'd hunt for a version 1 because apparently it's sharper, and it's going to be more affordable!
Good to know! Thanks :)
And again, great vids!
Outstanding video, Kim; logical, complete and well organized. I own and love the 20mm. The size, price and performance are great, but I can see that the autofocus speed isn't the fastest. That said, it is the lens that lives on my GX85 more than any other. Question: what camera bodies did you use to compare the two? I suspect the 20mm might perform better on a Lumix body with DFD than on an Olympus body in terms of autofocus speed.
thanks!! i used the panasonic g7 for the comparison! There are still days when i miss the 20mm's form factor and IQ.. even though the 17mm isn't that much bigger, it makes a difference especially if you have a lens hood! however like i said in the video, the AF speed is more important for my work! glad you enjoyed the video though!
@@KimCruz1 Since I have 2 small camera bodies I value small size over autofocus speed. It appears to me that the 20mm focuses faster on my GX85 with DFD vs on my GF6 without it. I have no scientific proof, as I'm not sure how to time such a small interval.
@@datapro007 yeah i think the newer bodies since the G7 and gh4 generation made a jump in af speed... a gf6 with the 20mm is quite a nice setup! i might look into a smaller setup this year!
Many thanks for that comparison. I didn't know that Panasonic is in fact sharper. Now I have a problem :).
4:26 In real life, the minimal focus distance is 18 cm for both lenses - in Autofocus mode (tried it yesterday). Of course optical wise you get a bit closer to the object with the longer panasonic lens. With the mechanical focus ring engaged on the Olympus 17 mm on the other hand, it keeps you at the nominal 25 cm minimal focal distance. No way to get closer. But manual focusing on the Olympus lens is a breeze with the mechanical focus ring, compared to the ultra slow, non feeedback electric manual focus ring on the 20 mm panasonic.
actually isn't Olympus's focus ring also electric and they just made it very "mechanical" in its feel?
@@purpleneonsYou are right! I just tried it - by turnig it super fast - feels like mechanical speed (no limit). But its as fast in electrical Focus position (in Manual Focus mode on the camera) - and it stops moving at all without power from the camera - with and without clutch. When I get into the "mechanical" Focus Ring mode it immediately changes the Lens position according to the distance setting on the ring. They did this really, really well!
I was sure its an actual mechanical clutch, but its pure electrical magic! The closer minmal focus distance stays there nevertheless in camera Manual Mode. Seems the manual focus ring simulation has less range on the minimal distance position.
This was a really professional video, you have a new subscriber here. Nice job.
thanks man glad you liked it- i've been away from youtube for a long time but trying to make a come back!
thanks for the review. I was having the same question: which one to choose? I have the lumix 20mm 1.7 combined with the M10 III and want to keep it for the sharpness during still photography.
No worries I hope this helped!
Wonderful. To the point, fair guidance with a clear explanation of your own slight bias. Subscribed.
thanks man and sorry for the late reply, i've been away from youtube for a while but trying to make a come back!!
good and short review. Very useful !
Very informative, I have the 17mm 1.8 and love it. Thanks for the video.
Paul C Smith Photographer thanks and it’s a cute little lens isn’t it!
nice video, I opt for the 15mm 1.7 instead, simply because it distort a little bit more, my kind of photography, besides it looks nice on my em5, but you're right, all subjective
ATT MEE exactly! I mostly need pics of people so I opted for either the 17 or 20 but the 15 pl is also great.. and to think we have a choice of 3 great lenses for a wide/standard lens is just crazy!
I love the 20/1.7, but this seems like a very fair evaluation. The 20mm is pretty slow-focusing compared to many other lenses. The PL 15/1.7 would be a tougher competitor for the Olympus, I'll bet. Panasonic and Olympus were clever in not building the exact same FL and aperture combo lenses, weren't they? :-)
Yeah although I'm surprised at how the 17mm Olympus vs 15mm lumix really compare- outside of slightly different focal lengths the sharpness is actually really comparable, it's really more down to, which one do you like better in terms of looks and brand lol! Btw I sold my 20mm but when I'm out with my 15mm sometimes it feels too long compared to the 20! You wouldn't think it makes much of a difference but if you're out on a long day it's noticeable!
Thank you for a really great and useful review. 👍
Paul 😎
Very welcome!
Depends on your camera 😉 Pana better on pana, oly better on oly. Lens updates are the judge and jury on this 😊
Nice video! I’ve been considering the Panasonic 42.5mm f/1.7 for my portrait photography. Is this a lens you would recommend or are there better options?
zack coak that’s basically my favorite lens! Optical quality is superb, good build quality, and it’s tiny, like really tiny. All the b roll shots of the lenses in this video was made with the 42.5mm 1.7. Made a video about it here comparing it to the kit lens: th-cam.com/video/0GdpktTcQio/w-d-xo.html
It’s a bit more expensive than the 45mm 1.8, but it’s stabilized AND it has a much closer minimum distance. I would say having it serve as a portrait lens and a pseudo macro lens is more than enough to justify the cost difference. But I also shoot with a g7 so the extra stabilization helps even more. I highly recommend that lens!
Thanks I'll check it out!
mick m4/3 yup, the only other lens I would invest in if I was super serious about portrait photography is the 75mm 1.8, but it’s such a specialist lens it’s hard to justify the cost!
Next, compare either one to Lumix/Zeiss 15mm f1.4? My Pany 20mm focuses OK on my OLy EM10mkI, I am keeping mine.
ah man unfortunately i dont have the leica lumix 15mm.. but if i ever get a copy i'll be sure to make a video!
Will the autofocus work on the g7 with the 17mm
Question: I have a JVC LS300 and I want to be able to AF with a wide lens. My 35mm Rokinon is not cutting it because it's a manual and I can't record myself... Which one of these two lenses would be better to make a video like this one? Image quality is important. Where I'm talking? Hope to hear from you soon.
soo this comment apparently needed to be reviewed and approved! but found it now.. if you're just looking for a wide lens, I'd pick up the 17mm 1.8.. because it's wider I find it more versatile if you just want it for general things.. if you want it for double duty I'd suggest the 25mm 1.7 for talking heads and b roll (better bang for the buck but not as wide).. and if you want the sharpest of them, get the 20mm 1.7!
How can you forget to mention that the Panasonic does not allow AF-C ?
You're right I probably should have mentioned that!
Really nice comparison. Thank you!
Welcome! I'm glad this video is still helping all these years later!
Does it matter for the speed of the autofocus if you shoot with the Olympus lens on a Panasonic body, especially for stills? Autofocus speed is quite important to me, but if the Olympus AF gets slower on a non-Olympus body i might as well go for the Panasonic lens...
Noortje hey man as far as I can tell the 17mm isn’t slower on my Panasonic body compared to an Olympus one.. if you have a new Panasonic lens like the g7 kit lens, the 17mm focuses around as fast as that.. the 20mm is noticeably slower but it really depend on if it matters to you!
What are those speakers?
A compact, but very informative review, thank you! I have had the same question. I loved my MZuiko 17 for its beautiful make and the focusing clutch, but wasn’t satisfied with the image quality. It just lacks detail contrast, visible especially wide open. So I exchanged it for the Lumix 20mm plus the Leica 15mm. Both are optically very good and the Leica is made as good as the 17mm. It’s (auto) focus is up-to-date, too.
Yeah the 15 is quite nice but oddly I like shooting even wider these days ie 24mm so I might look into getting the 12mm 1.4 Leica but it’s way too big and heavy for what I would it use for!
The M.Zuiko 12mm has a good reputation, but I haven’t used it,yet.
Hauke they said it’s good for the size but heard it’s not particularly sharp (I’m guessing it’s not bad but more like the 17mm oly than the 15mm Leica). But hey who knows honestly I use my phone for a lot of the photos I need unless I need a more ‘exotic shot’ like more telephoto or for more bokeh! The landscape has changed so much in the last couple of years it’s hard to keep up!
I could use either of those lenses and they would both work for me.
Great video! I think this will help me a lot 😊
Aced! Coffee thanks glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, i also was looking a Sigma 16mm 1.4, more or less same price as olympus, better constuction, but a bit bulky, keep looking info to make a choice. I have a begginer camara, olympus omd em10 mark iii.Thanks again for your video!
No problem- I think by almost all accounts the sigma is better than the Olympus and Panasonic offerings ie weather sealing, sharpness etc.. however the sigma falls behind the two only in size and weight but if it's not important for you get the sigma!
this man deserves all the subscribers and likes
thanks man!!!
Sharp and nice comparison. I'd like to see what was the comparison with the ISO and noise on low light ;)
ISO performance is determined more by the sensor rather than the lenses. The only part that lenses play in low light capability and noise is the F stop, in which case, an f1.7 on the 20mm, and an f1.8 on the olympus. That's a third of a stop more light in favor for the panasonic but in my experience that's marginal because it's easy to raise the shadows by a third of a stop in post, whether that's in stills or in video.
While these are F stops and not T stops, the actual amount of light hitting the sensor between the two lenses is marginal, unlike say, the G7 kit lens and the 42.5mm 1.7. Between the kit lens and the 42.5mm 1.7, the camera meters brighter even with matched f stops, but that's probably more to do with more lens elements in the kit lens vs the prime (speculating now lol). You can find that comparison here: th-cam.com/video/0GdpktTcQio/w-d-xo.html
1:13 is that Benjakitti park in Bangkok?
If you were to pick one of the Panasonic 20vs 25mm, which would it be?
Well it depends what I’m shooting or if its for video or photo.. in general i would pick a wider lens because it’s more versatile so personally I’d take the 20mm.. but I’d take the 17mm 1.8 or 15mm Leica over the 20mm personally..
My 17mm f1.8 really has really bad noise when using CAF. Is it normal?
Honestly never noticed it coz I always use manual focus and an external mic
@@KimCruz1 Thanks for the reply. In manual mode there would be no noise to be heard.
yo kim I have the 20mm 1.7 mark 1... Im looking at the 15mm 1.7 you think it would be worth it in terms of focal length..it seems like a very high rated lens
hey man sorry for the late reply- i've been away for a while but trying to make a come back.... the 15mm is great man, but don't think it's going to be miles better in optical quality than the 20mm... from what i've seen, the optical quality is similar between those 2, but the main difference you will see is the focusing speed
Kim Cruz ahhh got it. I’d really like to get that voightlander 17.5
@@A1Bokeh never used it, but hear great things about it- just note that it's manual focus only... i wouldn't be caught using that on the street, especially at 0.95 haha!
Kim Cruz haha I hear you man I’m more of a video guy. Looking forward to future videos bro !
@@A1Bokeh thanks man and yeah i get paid for my videos but i also like taking photos haha! hope to upload soon!!
Does the 20mm make a motor noise when you manually focus?
actually no! but i find the focus ring hard to work with.. even when i spin it fast, it just moves at the same speed which is different from how olympus lenses are calibrated..
Thanks for this, Kim.
no problem i had a blast making it, i hope you liked it too!
Keeping my Olympus 17mm...have this lens since new....looks great with my Pen F too...😍😂😂😂
what lens would be equivalent to a 35mm?
The closest one is the 17mm (34mm equivalent)!
How can a lens affect color saturation? Thanks
Hey man great question, I think part of it is to do with the quality of glass, but a lot of it is to do with coatings. If you take vintage lenses without fancy coatings you'll see that there's less contrast and the lens flares are more 'natural' ie, the flares are exactly what should happen if you point a light source directly into the lens. In new lenses our coatings are super advanced that it can eliminate flares all together.. and yes, change the level of color saturation as well. So I guess at the end of the day, there's a level of quality the glass has to meet (and I think most new higher end lenses aren't too different in this regard anymore), but after that it's really all about coatings, and how the manufacturer wants to 'style' their lens to color the scene. In my experience lumix likes the more saturated, punchy look, Olympus prefers their more toned down 'natural' look. At this point it's personal preference man!
Kim Cruz, thank you very much
I think the 17mm is the better focal length. I just don’t get why Panasonic/Leica don’t make one themselves.
@@RogueSplice probably not enough to differentiate it from the Leica 15mm
Thanks bro
I'm going to get the panasonic. Autofocus is no factor for video, and I only got into MFT because of the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K
i think you'll be very happy with the 20mm.. if you care about absolute sharpness, this lens is one of the best!
@@KimCruz1 yes. Let us first wait if BlackMagic delivers on their insane promise
Are they good for street photo
amazing for street photos!
AF speed did it for me. Hello my new 17mm :)
Gerald I hope you end up loving it as much as I do!
Hi! Can you make a video about how to use tri grid (golden ratio) please. I dont see a lot of how to use tri grid vid on yt that would be nice, thanks !!
oh man if i knew i would! the only video i remember watching about that was from the art of photography right here: th-cam.com/video/a-3zOuqaUBY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TheArtofPhotography
it was made a long time ago but it gave me a basic understanding of it, but i wouldn't say I understand it enough to teach it.. i hope this helps man!
thanks for the information man !
no problem sorry i couldn't help more!
i have 25 1.4 so i picked 17... if you have nothing go 20
Great review thanks
thanks man been out of youtube for a while but hoping to make a come back soon!
Great comparison. Thanks.
no worries glad you liked it!
I have Panny 20mm and 14mm primes, they are staying with me for eternity unless If i'd decided to switch system.
the 17mm is one of the best lens i ever used
Me too, one of my favs!
The inescapable fact is that the 17mm is soft. I think it is over-rated. I am no pixel peeper. But the real comparison here is with the Panasonic 15mm. Once you experience the crisp sharpness of that lens, you may feel time spent with the 17 is wasted. The 15 is one of the sharpest lenses in M 4/3's land. The real decision here is whether to bite the bullet and spend the long green for the Panny-Leica. Otherwise, I would consider a Sigma over the Oly 17.
Richard Bresden thanks for that yeah I’ve tried the 15mm as well, but I wasn’t comfortable using it for portraits because I was getting to close to people!! The 16mm and 19mm sigma were ok too but they were a bit bulky for me.. I think the 17mm is just what I needed, to each their own I guess
What I learned about comparing the two was that the real advantage of the 17mm was not the angle of view but the layering. If you are trying to compose with deep space, the 17 allows you to construct with foreground and background in a meaningful way. By comparison the additional perspective distortion of the 15mm which reduces the size of the background plane, makes this kind of sandwiching of space far less interesting. I just wish the 17 was sharper.
Richard Bresden yeah I know what you mean the 17mm is just versatile that way but just isn’t as sharp... but if it’s any consolation, my clients have never complained but of course most of my work is in video so take that with a grain of salt!
I owned the 15mm Panaleica for almost a year and in the end I realized I couldn't stand it. It was fast, reliable and extremely sharp but the odd focal length ruined everything for me, something I realized after a trip in Japan: I traded the 15mm with a guy which had an Oly 17mm 1 for 1, even knowing I was at a loss (Panaleica is almost 150€ more expensive) and never once I regret the choice I made. The Oly is so marginally less sharp you won't notice unless you are zooming in, it's fast, it's gorgeously made and over any other consideration, the picture framing is just "Right" for my eyes. Pixel peeping brings you nowhere: there are other aspect of photography which have much more impact.
Leptospirosi so much more than just sharpness!! Glad you found a lens that you love!!
Great video!! Thanks!!
Lemme get that Hideo Kojima look.
Barber: say no more fam.
bob last lol