Olympus 25mm 1.8 or Panasonic 20mm 1.7?

tehkei wrote:

Trust me if i could afford the 15mm I would get it. But I would feel a bit silly having a lens costing twice as much as my little EPL6. lol

Not in my opinion. If you plan to stay with m4/3 investing in good glass is a smart thing to do. If your camera isn't limiting you skip a new camera and use the money to buy a good lens. The body will be replaced in time but the lens will stay. Says the guy who places a 75mm f/1.8 on his E-PL5

Edit: typo

Ref: « Basically, pressing the lens mount button while a lens is mounted brings any lens attached to focus at infinity.»

!!!! I have been using my G3 for more than 4 years and never knew that trick! Could be useful for some night shots when focus can be iffy. Just goes to show an old dog can always learn new tricks...

It doesn't exist and is unlikely to exist but given the number of threads about the 15mm vs 17mm or 20mm vs 25mm, I wouldn't mind seeing a short range prime zoom.

Imagine a 15-25mm f1.8

I could replace three primes with that.

Street heaven. 

peppermonkey wrote:

tehkei wrote:

Looking for a multipurpose, street/walking around lens. I currently just have the E-PL6 kit lens, the 9mm fisheye body cap lens and the Olympus 45mm 1.8.

I mainly shoot product photography such as toys, figures etc.. 45mm works fine for isolating the figure from the background. but not great when I go out and do tourist type shooting. the 9mm fisheye is way too soft for me and mainly used to play around with filters. Kit lens is ok but I prefer the faster primes.

I bought the 45mm first instead of a normal prime mainly because I thought I was gonna get a 25mm for 99 dollars since that will most likely not happen, now I'm scrambling to look for a normal prime to take on vacation this march.

Which ever one you prefer, get the lens that's closest to matching it.

For me personally, probably would pick the Panny 20mm. Amazing lens and it's just wide enough for street, for me. Just a more versatile lens I think. Mind you, I say this even while my PL 25mm 1.4 is mostly stuck on my camera semi-permanently. Course, that's mostly because I'm not much of a street photographer and currently I'm taking more indoor portraits, people photos...err...rather 95% new born photos

BTW, the 20mm is slow to focus compared to others but I haven't had much problems with it. But for street AF may be a problem...but then again you can zone focus so you don't have to bother with AF at all. http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/35325465 Mind you, this only works on Panasonic bodies as far as I can tell. Basically, pressing the lens mount button while a lens is mounted brings any lens attached to focus at infinity.

I use the 45mm as a portrait lens and as many people have mentioned the 25mm might be too close to the 45mm. I'm starting to consider the 17mm 1.8 more and more specially after everybody said the Panasonic lens is slow to focus.

The Olympus 25mm and 45mm are close in terms of quality, but the focal lenghts are very different from each other ("normal" vs short telephoto).

coorsleftfield wrote:

What about the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 ? It's cheaper than the Olympus. Seems like it should be in the list of options here.

well I did order that lens back on 11/26 and I'm still waiting for something that may never come...

Mistajolly wrote:

It doesn't exist and is unlikely to exist but given the number of threads about the 15mm vs 17mm or 20mm vs 25mm, I wouldn't mind seeing a short range prime zoom.

Imagine a 15-25mm f1.8

I could replace three primes with that.

Street heaven.

If its anything like the sigma 18-35mm 1.8, I would buy it in a second.

Both are fine lens. You will not regret buying either one.

I used the 20/f1.7 more because it is more compact, and because it is Really very sharp, although slower in AF in low light.

To the OP:  The Panasonic 20 f1.7 is one of the great lenses of all time, despite complaints about slow AF in low light.  I suspect Leica had a hand in designing it, since picture appearance and quality is right up there with 35 and 50 Summicrons.  I do not have the Oly 25 but the recently advertised $99 25 f1.8 is not even close to the 20.

The Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 is an excellent lens, but it has been reported to be slow in focusing and to exhibit some banding on certain Olympus cameras. The EPL6 is one of those cameras. It might do better with a newer OMD version or the new Pen F.

I use both brand lenses, and my experience is that some Olympus bodies (my own EM5, and probably your EPL6 too, since they use the same sensor) are not designed to correct for the CA and purple fringing that some Panasonic lenses can produce. This is pretty easy to correct in post processing, but you can avoid it completely by buying a very similar Olympus lens.

Again, this is my own personal view. For street shooting, 20mm or 25mm is too wide. I much prefer 17mm, or even the wider 14mm lenses. If I didn't already own the 14mm and 17mm lenses, I would rush out and get the PanaLeica 15mm f/1.7, which is a superb lens by all accounts. Superb, but pricey!

The 17mm f/2.8 really is an underrated lens. It really renders well, especially outdoors and in good light. But it is disappointing indoors, with less than perfect light. I sold off my copy and replaced it with the 17mm f/1.8, which I find generally more useful, even though not as compact.

If you want a 50mm equivalent lens, then the Olympus 25mm f/1.8 is hard to beat. Based on the few reviews I have seen for the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7, it doesn't score as well. The major issues were corner sharpness and build quality. But it still is a very good lens. At $99 it is a real bargain, at $250.... not so much.

If you are on a tight budget, the Olympus outlet store has refurbished 25mm f/1.8 lenses available for around $319. They don't have any right now because they sold them all out on their recent President's Day 20% off sale. If you aren't in a hurry to get that lens, just bookmark that site and keep watching it. Some more will turn up.

Good luck!

Marty4650 wrote:

The Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 is an excellent lens, but it has been reported to be slow in focusing and to exhibit some banding on certain Olympus cameras. The EPL6 is one of those cameras. It might do better with a newer OMD version or the new Pen F.

I use both brand lenses, and my experience is that some Olympus bodies (my own EM5, and probably your EPL6 too, since they use the same sensor) are not designed to correct for the CA and purple fringing that some Panasonic lenses can produce. This is pretty easy to correct in post processing, but you can avoid it completely by buying a very similar Olympus lens.

Again, this is my own personal view. For street shooting, 20mm or 25mm is too wide. I much prefer 17mm, or even the wider 14mm lenses. If I didn't already own the 14mm and 17mm lenses, I would rush out and get the PanaLeica 15mm f/1.7, which is a superb lens by all accounts. Superb, but pricey!

The 17mm f/2.8 really is an underrated lens. It really renders well, especially outdoors and in good light. But it is disappointing indoors, with less than perfect light. I sold off my copy and replaced it with the 17mm f/1.8, which I find generally more useful, even though not as compact.

If you want a 50mm equivalent lens, then the Olympus 25mm f/1.8 is hard to beat. Based on the few reviews I have seen for the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7, it doesn't score as well. The major issues were corner sharpness and build quality. But it still is a very good lens. At $99 it is a real bargain, at $250.... not so much.

If you are on a tight budget, the Olympus outlet storehas refurbished 25mm f/1.8 lenses available for around $319. They don't have any right now because they sold them all out on their recent President's Day 20% off sale. If you aren't in a hurry to get that lens, just bookmark that site and keep watching it. Some more will turn up.

Good luck!

From what everybody has been saying in this thread. I decided to get the Olympus 17mm 1.8. I played around with my kit lens yesterday and I tend to gravitate towards the wider end of the spectrum. I've also thought about getting the Panasonic leica 15mm, but on my EPL6 the aperture ring is useless and I think I would rather have the manual focus that the 17mm features. So I'll save up for a little bit and get the 17mm. thanks

I have both the Olympus 25mm f/1.8 and the Olympus 17mm f/1.8, and the later gets used a lot more than the former lens does. Both are excellent lenses, but I just find the focal length more useful. It has become my "most used lens."

It is great for street shooting, landscapes, and group portraits. It is a good choice for event photography too. It is very useful for travel photography. And it works pretty well for interior shots in poor lighting.

I think you made a wise choice.

tehkei wrote:

coorsleftfield wrote:

What about the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 ? It's cheaper than the Olympus. Seems like it should be in the list of options here.

well I did order that lens back on 11/26 and I'm still waiting for something that may never come...

I don't know where you live but the thing seems to be available "in stock" from the Camera Store in Calgary (Stampede country):

http://www.thecamerastore.com/9449-Panasonic-Lumix-G-25mm-f1-7-ASPH-.aspx

Good luck...

PS: I still think the PL 25mm F1.4 is the one to have, used if possible.

PSCL1 wrote:

To the OP: The Panasonic 20 f1.7 is one of the great lenses of all time, despite complaints about slow AF in low light. I suspect Leica had a hand in designing it, since picture appearance and quality is right up there with 35 and 50 Summicrons. I do not have the Oly 25 but the recently advertised $99 25 f1.8 is not even close to the 20.

Finally - an honest assessment from a purchaser of the Panasonic 25/1.7.

To the OP: Olympus 25/1.8 like the 17/1.8 renders differently than 20/1.7 (I have all three lenses). Difference is the 20/1.7 has a smoother more restrained look that is really nice for landscapes, for instance, less so for shots of people or street scenes. The Olympus lenses are a bit punchier. The 25/1.8 is as sharp or nearly as sharp as the 20/1.7 and the 17/1.8 is not that far behind. The 25/1.8 is the most contrasty of these lenses - most people really like its rendering. In terms of AF performance and appearance the two Olympus lenses blow the 20/1.7 out of the water.

As far as which to buy listen to your "uncle" Marty. I put those parts I strongly endorse in bold:

Marty4650 wrote:

The Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 is an excellent lens, but it has been reported to be slow in focusing and to exhibit some banding on certain Olympus cameras. The EPL6 is one of those cameras. It might do better with a newer OMD version or the new Pen F. [. . .]

Again, this is my own personal view. For street shooting, 20mm or 25mm is too wide [he means too narrow]. I much prefer 17mm, or even the wider 14mm lenses. If I didn't already own the 14mm and 17mm lenses, I would rush out and get the PanaLeica 15mm f/1.7, which is a superb lens by all accounts. Superb, but pricey!

[. . .] If you want a 50mm equivalent lens, then the Olympus 25mm f/1.8 is hard to beat. Based on the few reviews I have seen for the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7, it doesn't score as well. The major issues were corner sharpness and build quality. But it still is a very good lens. At $99 it is a real bargain, at $250.... not so much.

If you are on a tight budget, the Olympus outlet storehas refurbished 25mm f/1.8 lenses available for around $319. They don't have any right now because they sold them all out on their recent President's Day 20% off sale. If you aren't in a hurry to get that lens, just bookmark that site and keep watching it. Some more will turn up.

Good luck!

Edit. to the OP - you made a good decision.