Panasonic 20mm 1.7 V1 vs V2

I have the panasonic 20mm 1.7 and for the most part I love it. The worst part about it is it's slow focusing. The second worst thing about it is the frequency waves it can put in an image at higher ISO's.

So , what does the Panasonic 20mm V2 bring? Is the focus on par with the other m4/3 lenses?

If I recall correctly, unfortunately, nothing changed other than the color and a bit of shiny plastic surrounding the front element.

I've not upgraded mine, and am waiting to see how the 15/1.7 works out.

There are a lot of threads here talking about the differences (or lack thereof) of the two lenses. I have the v2 and really like the photos that I take with it.

In my test, the two lenses focus equally fast. However, the new lens has somewhat less focus noise, perhaps due to the materials choice:

SphericalAberration said:

If I recall correctly, unfortunately, nothing changed other than the color and a bit of shiny plastic surrounding the front element.

Click to expand...

...v2 is available in cool silver too.

From all I read and hear .. and I've spoken with someone who has one of the V2.. there really isn't that much difference apart from the fact that the V2 probably to many owners just 'looks' better now it is in Black (the band nearest the camera body) instead of that original off-grey sort of colour. I've had the V1 20mm f1.7 for over 3 years ever since I bought it with the GF-1 at the time (when I first got into M4/3). I loved it then, but it was always a bit niggling with the ponderous slow focussing and when I had a great chance to buy the 14mm lens I grabbed it at a very good price. INSTANTLY as I put that on camera I loved it..the focussing (compared to the 20mm) was instant but also the 14mm was SO much more quiet in use AND generally just a nicer lens....so that stayed on-camera for about two years as this sort of FL suits me admirably for the general close-up and 'street-type' pics that I mostly do.

But just quite recently I had another chance of a very good 'buy' on the Oly 17mm f1.8 so I decided to go for it. Wow !..THIS is a lens I wish I'd always had... again for my kind of pics..indeed for any of general type..it is a superbly good lens..most definitely THE best of any I've had in M4/3 and one that I'd suggest anyone who likes this sort of FL to really try it.. A cracker to work with and a cracker in the results I get with it.
Just simply a two-second grab shot in a street-Market scene in town here... literally nothing of note except a down-size.. and literally a two-second "grab".. instant...







--
/eric
Staffordshire, UK

I have the mk I and have no plans to change. I would however assume they took care of the high ISO banding on the mk II. I however do remember running across someone (Tony Northrup??) who said the mk II was less good and advised tracking down a mk I.

lmfmis said:

SphericalAberration said:

If I recall correctly, unfortunately, nothing changed other than the color and a bit of shiny plastic surrounding the front element.

Click to expand...

...v2 is available in cool silver too.

Click to expand...

That's the version I got, looks pretty cool IMO. I figured I'd never have any other kind of lens with a metal body again so I went for shiny!

I can't say I've been bothered by the 20mm's AF and I've used it immediately before and after the 45/1.8 & 14-42 II... Then again, I don't shoot action with it and I came to M43 from P&S and smartphones (and still use both on occasion) so any kind of AF on M43 still seems fast to me.

I'm loving the shots I get from the 20mm, and loving it's size; ironically the first thing my best friend said when he saw it was "whoa, that's a large lens", heh. I guess it looks large in relation to the GF6 to anyone who hasn't had much exposure to ILCs outside of DSLRs.