If you could only have one prime...

Bhima78 · Mar 4, 2016

Acts much like a 17mm lens in that it gives you context for your portraits, but it also works better as a landscape lens than a 17mm. Plus, it renders fantastic and is the perfect sized lens on any m43's body.

It can easily be found brand new on Amazon for $400.

It will be "grey" (ie: comes directly from Japan), but you will still have a standard 30-day amazon return policy. Honestly, I have never had an issue with a lens that didn't show itself in the first few days of usage. After that, the only problem to foresee is dropping it which, the warranty doesn't cover anyways.

Chas2 · Mar 4, 2016

VZA said:
which one would you choose? No zooms. Just one prime to handle all of your shooting needs. Don't factor in price.

I've only shot with the 25mm PanaLeica and I'm very pleased with it. I'm just throwing this out there to see whether I should invest in another or just stay content with what I own. Thanks!

...yet. I really like the 20/1.7 but it can be a little tight, and sometimes slow to focus. I have read enough about the Oly 17/1.8 that makes me not want to jump on it. If we could have the 20 optics with the 17 mechanics. I suppose now, it might have to be the 15/1.7 but I feel that FOV to be a bit wide...it the same as my iPhone FOV.

addlightness · Mar 4, 2016

The most natural FOV, minimum distortion, minimum compression, if any at all.

PW M43 · Mar 4, 2016

Industar 69 converted/adapted for M4/3.

Wide open gives artistically blurred corners, stop it down and it's 'good enough' sharp for me, and the images look somewhat like film. Put it on a GF5 and you have a very compact camera which produces images with character.

<... sits back and waits for brickbats ...>

Roberto Angelo · Mar 4, 2016

Would like to try other primes near to this focal length, but hard to justify, since the Panasonic 20/1.7 often manages to surprise me with how good it is.

jeffharris · Mar 4, 2016

VZA said:
which one would you choose? No zooms. Just one prime to handle all of your shooting needs. Don't factor in price.

That's easy.

Voigtländer 17.5mm.

But I prefer two… so, the 17.5mm and Voigtländer 42.5mm. I carry those two most of the time anyway, so it's a no-brainier combo.

SkiHound · Mar 4, 2016

Hard question. Of the currently available lenses probably the 17. Just think it's a very versatile focal length for all around use.

Juan Muchos Jarros · Mar 4, 2016

Ditto. I have both the PL25 1.4 & 20 1.7 and the 20 spends a LOT more time on the camera. Wide enough to be useful at close quarters, long enough to avoid funhouse effects.

Ive vey not used the 17mm, but I suspect it would fall into that same category.

haslo · Mar 4, 2016

The Panasonic 20 f/1.7 was the first prime I owned, and one of the first lenses I owned, too. I think it came after the 14-42 and 40-150 Olympus kit lenses, and the Panny 100-300, all of which I meanwhile sold, too.

I replaced the 20 f/1.7 with the Olympus 17 f/1.8. It's a bit wider, decisively so, and requires different framing - but the main difference to me was focusing speed, mainly indoors and while photographing kids. I kept missing shots with the 20 f/1.7.

PentaxNick · Mar 4, 2016

Just the one, it would have to be the Pentax 35mm f/2.8 Limited Macro on the K3. So sharp and flexible.

If we are talking on m43 (my new Pen-F) then I'd choose the 12mm f/2, even though I've now had a chance to take a picture with it yet. The FoV will allow for cropping where necessary, and I've heard it's a very good lens. Hope to prove this over the coming weeks.

Nick

Mistajolly · Mar 4, 2016

It's a difficult choice, I've got the 17mm, 20mm, 25mm and 45mm.

I've also noticed that no one has mentioned the 75mm.

I think I'd go for the 17mm but with the render qualities of the PL 25mm and size of the 20mm!

drcPhoto · Mar 4, 2016

This is a tough one for me out of my current lenses, but probably my first choice would be my Voigtlander 17.5mm (a favorite and very useful focal length). A close 2nd is my Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 that I use for portraits since I like to do those as well frequently. A 35mm equivalent is overall more useful though and the Voigtlander does that so so nicely.

Dale

Day Hiker · Mar 4, 2016

VZA said:
which one would you choose? No zooms. Just one prime to handle all of your shooting needs. Don't factor in price.

I've only shot with the 25mm PanaLeica and I'm very pleased with it. I'm just throwing this out there to see whether I should invest in another or just stay content with what I own. Thanks!

I love the way this lens renders its images. I also like it because as a young man I truly desired the Olympus OM 24mm f/2 but could never afford it. It its day in the '70s it was an exotic lens. So, when I acquired the µ4/3 equivalent in 2011, I was in heaven.

If I were to pick three in order of preference they would be:

Olympus 12mm f/2
PanaLeica 25mm f/1.4
PanaLeica 15mm f/1.7 (don't own it but absolutely desire it!)

Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

Day Hiker · Mar 4, 2016

PentaxNick said:
Just the one, it would have to be the Pentax 35mm f/2.8 Limited Macro on the K3. So sharp and flexible.

If we are talking on m43 (my new Pen-F) then I'd choose the 12mm f/2, even though I've now had a chance to take a picture with it yet. The FoV will allow for cropping where necessary, and I've heard it's a very good lens. Hope to prove this over the coming weeks.

Nick

The Olympus 12mm f/2 is an excellent lens. Some people say there is a lot of sample variation, so give yours a good test looking at the edges and corners to make sure there is no evidence of decentered lens elements. Mine came in perfection condition in 2011. When you have a good copy, it is sharp, renders nicely, and resists flare.

Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

Karld70 · Mar 4, 2016

Hard to pick one, but that is the one I use the most.

dmanthree · Mar 4, 2016

Just too good.

SkiHound · Mar 4, 2016

I love the 75 but if limited to one focal length it just wouldn't cut it as a general purpose lens for my uses.

bahamot · Mar 4, 2016

Despite its FL, I choose the nocticron purely because of its IQ. Yeah, I wouldn't trade the nocticron with any lense.

Spectre38 · Mar 4, 2016

In order:

1. Voitlander 25 0.95

2. Olympus 25 1.8

3. Panasonic 25 1.4

4. Panasonic 20mm

5. Panasonic 25 1.7

kitsap2 · Mar 4, 2016

I don't have the Voigt, but as long as we're hypothesizing, yeah, that Voigt 17.5mm would be my choice, too!

I knew you'd be making the choice you did, Jeff!

Tom

If you could only have one prime...

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