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OMD: Can I take the same pictures with the 12mm f2.0 and the 17mm f1.8 ?

Started Nov 27, 2012 | Discussions thread
The Jacal
The Jacal Senior Member • Posts: 1,273
Re: No.

BingoCharlie wrote:

The 12mm is too wide for portraits. Your subjects won't like the distortion, and you'll get a bunch of extraneous peripheral detail in your shots.

17mm is equivalent to a 35mm FF lens, which has been used by photographers for decades as a "standard" walkaround length. It's still a bit wide for portraits, but much better than the 12mm.

Consider the PL 25mm instead. It will give you great portraits, but will still be wide enough to take environmental shots if you choose.

Even the 25mm is pushing it a bit, you won't be able to get a 'proper' head and shoulders portrait. It's better more to the environmental end of portraiture.  For portraits you need at least 80mm equivalent. Like the Oly 45mm (90mm eq) or get an old manual 50mm lens, cheap and good.

Jon.

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