What is your favorite fast M4/3 Prime AF Lens?

Olympus 25mm f/1.8. It's sharp, fast, quick AF, focuses close (0.25m), beautiful neutral rendering, it's small & light, won't break the bank, and it comes with a hood!

Didn't read them carefully enough, but rules are meant to be broken!:-)

F.

tkbslc wrote:

I already answered my favorite, but looking at that list of poll options really spells out how awesome mFT system really is. All those lenses and not a single "dog" among them. I could probably take any lens on that list out for a month trial and it could become my new favorite.

Amen to that.

I was formerly a two system user.... M4/3 and Sony SLT. But after a while I felt there was nothing that Sony could do for me that M4/3 couldn't do just as well. So I simplified my life and sold off my Sony SLT camera and lenses. I am now a M4/3 only guy.

It might have been different if I was using full frame Sony FE. But for my needs, M4/3 does everything I want it to do.

Skeeterbytes wrote:

The 75 is my top system prime so long as I ignore my adapted 150/2.0, which technically sneaks in because it has AF. I use it far more than any other prime and it will never be matched by a system lens.

Uh-oh, that's the first legitimate gripe I've seen with the poll answers.  Luckily I don't think there are too many regular users of that fine piece of glass.

My vote might be swayed, all it would take is for someone to get me a Nocticron and a 300 Pro to up the ante.

I guarantee you'll have a harder choice if you owned the 300 Pro.

Cheers,

Rick

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I'm surprised the ole faithful 20mm 1.7 topped the list. It was my favorite, then not, then once I got a Panasonic body for it, it's my favorite AF lens on Panasonic, the Olympus 25mm 1.8 my favorite on Olympus OMD. If I had to pick one that I like on both bodies, I suppose the Oly 25mm 1.8, but if I could only pick one, the 20mm. Great poll.

I voted 45mm f/1.8 because it's the only one I own from the list.

Anyway, it's an awesome lens, the one that will make me always keep an m4/3 body

generikku wrote:

I'm surprised the ole faithful 20mm 1.7 topped the list. It was my favorite, then not, then once I got a Panasonic body for it, it's my favorite AF lens on Panasonic, the Olympus 25mm 1.8 my favorite on Olympus OMD. If I had to pick one that I like on both bodies, I suppose the Oly 25mm 1.8, but if I could only pick one, the 20mm. Great poll.

I expected the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 to top the list. Not because it is "the very best lens" but because it was reasonably priced, it sold in huge quantities and was an extremely useful focal length.

If you remember back, this was the first fast prime for M4/3, and it got rave reviews. Everyone wanted one, and it seems a lot of folks bought them.

And, the reverse is probably true too.

There won't be a lot of votes for the Olympus 8mm f/1.8 lens because it costs a lot, has only been available recently, and is a specialty lens, so not very many people own them. But it might be a really fantastic lens.

Marty4650 wrote:

Bhima78 wrote:

I'm truly smitten with that lens. It works fantastic for so many different types of photography, and works as a great lens for video as well. Plus, of the really small lenses, it is easily one of the best built. I may on a whim sell a lens here or there for something else, but this lens is a gem that will always find a home in my camera bag.

Wow.... I have really been lusting for that lens, so I keep looking for a good price on a used or refurbished one. I think Panasonic hit a grand slam home run with that little gem.

If I didn't already own the 14mm f/2.5 and the 17mm f/1.8, I would get one immediately. I suppose the best solution would be to sell BOTH lenses to finance the 15mm f/1.7.

Marty,

If one day you do decide to purchase it, consider getting it grey market off of Amazon. I got mine for $400 new off amazon. The good thing is that, Amazon still has a basic no questions asked return policy if you somehow got a dud (up to 30 days). I have never had a lens that became a lemon over time, it either came out the box a dud, or it was fine, so I don't really value a warranty on these types of products since... the vast majority of the time you'll notice that problem right away and can return it. Plus, if you drop and break your lens, warranties don't cover that anyways.

Bhima78 wrote:

Marty4650 wrote:

Bhima78 wrote:

I'm truly smitten with that lens. It works fantastic for so many different types of photography, and works as a great lens for video as well. Plus, of the really small lenses, it is easily one of the best built. I may on a whim sell a lens here or there for something else, but this lens is a gem that will always find a home in my camera bag.

Wow.... I have really been lusting for that lens, so I keep looking for a good price on a used or refurbished one. I think Panasonic hit a grand slam home run with that little gem.

If I didn't already own the 14mm f/2.5 and the 17mm f/1.8, I would get one immediately. I suppose the best solution would be to sell BOTH lenses to finance the 15mm f/1.7.

Marty,

If one day you do decide to purchase it, consider getting it grey market off of Amazon. I got mine for $400 new off amazon. The good thing is that, Amazon still has a basic no questions asked return policy if you somehow got a dud (up to 30 days). I have never had a lens that became a lemon over time, it either came out the box a dud, or it was fine, so I don't really value a warranty on these types of products since... the vast majority of the time you'll notice that problem right away and can return it. Plus, if you drop and break your lens, warranties don't cover that anyways.

Thanks for the tip!

Generally speaking, if something works for 30 days, it will probably last for years. A "manufacturing defect" should show up right away. And that is all that warranties cover, as you pointed out.

Which is why I have no problem buying used or refurbished gear.