Would you bother with the 12mm F2, 17mm f1.8 or 45mm f1.8 if you had the 12-40 f2.8 Pro?

Hitherto wrote:

I'll reiterate what I said earlier, would you bother with a lens that weighs the same as some full frame lenses on a system inherently designed for system size/weight advantage. Inherently my answer is no.

The size (and weight) advantage - of the PRO lenses - becomes apparent every time I compare my Newswear vest to that of a friend who shoots Nikon and to the gadget bag of another friend who shoots Canon. It's the bulk and weight of the whole shooting kit to cover more or less the same range that really matters. Mine seems to be about half as big and heavy. IMHO the PRO are relatively small and light for what can do as fast and rugged weatherproofed lenses

Every time I walk into my local brick and mortar store there is a sales representative that tries to sell me the pro lenses, my resounding answer is the same answer every time. "Yeah, no, buddy, not interested." A couple things:

• I use it for size advantage, sorry to reiterate but are you serious or kidding me? By the time you load up an E-M1 with a 12-40 let alone the 40-150 you're in the same weight/size territory as a Sony A7, and then what point is there to be shooting with a system that loses its footprint?

The Sony FF mirrorless cameras are indeed a spectacular technological achievement in miniaturization. But have you tried putting a lens of equivalent range and quality on them? And paying for the - still-not weatherproof - package?

BTW I see little point in using the 45f1.8 or the 12f2 on the EM-1 or even the OM5II. Their slr-shaped bodies with their portrusions and corners make them awkward-to-pocket or quickly slip in-and-out

For me, the advantages of these lenses are only fully realized with smaller, flatter, more discrete bodies like the PL series. When I was trying to shoot discretely, walking the night streets and beaches of Rio, that combination was ideal. For regular, deliberate shooting projects, the PRO line and EM/OM bodies generally work better,

• I want to get close to the stage in a situation where I would be otherwise wrestling with people in a mosh pit environment with a long lens, I whip out my 20mm lens and get the shot.

If I can get that close, then I use the 7-14PRO to allow some really spectacular shots.

• Finally, subject isolation, if all you ever want in the world is F/5.6 that's your choice also, sometimes people want less than F/4.

Agreed. Performances and some portraits are the rare time when I will use the 75f1.8on the EM-1 and OM5II.  This is often alongside the adapted FT25f1.4 "Panaleica" - sometimes alongside the very large but unmatchable FT 14-28f2 zoom and 150f2.

. I have a fairly sound reason why I won't be buying any of the pro lenses, you don't have to agree with me and that's your prerogative also.

Each to his or her own...but there are indeed very good reasons why zoom lenses have become so popular even with "real pros".