Review of the 20mm f/1.7 on an om-d em-1

Hi all,

I recently picked this lens up for a skiing trip, and I wanted to share my experiences in case anyone else was thinking of using it for something similar.

I wanted a camera that could fit into a winter coat pocket comfortably, wouldn't be too bulky in case I fell while skiing, and would give me better quality than a compact.  I've been on the mountain too many times when there are beautiful panoramas to take and been constrained to an iPhone that inevitably washes out whites or blacks (or both).  I had been considering a fuji x100t and a ricoh grii, then realized that all the features I liked on both were already on my om-d em-1.  I just needed a lens, and the 20mm f/1.7 is definitely cheaper than either the fuji or the ricoh.

Quality-wise, the lens is definitely there.  Here are some shots:

Thomas on the mountain, about to start training

On the mountain

I didn't take any shots that immediately stood out to me as being fantastic and worth printing; I'm chalking that up to both my unfamiliarity with the lens and not seeing anything particularly worth shooting this time.  But the other problem lies in the focus; each of the above photos took about a second to focus, despite there being more light there than anywhere else I've been.  I took five versions of that second photo, and four of them were out of focus, despite using the touch-to-focus functionality and the focus point being on her jacket.  Very frustrating, and there are several shots of my son that are just blurred messes.

Low light is OK-- again, so long as the subject isn't moving faster than the focus can allow.

Strategic considerations

All in all, I was very glad to go back to using my 25 mm lumix 1.5 and my 75 mm mm 1.8 primes.  I'll still use it when I need the camera to fit into the jacket pocket, but frankly, those other two lenses are just much better performers, both in terms of speed and quality.  I haven't used the fuji or the ricoh, so I can't say if they're better in terms of speed and focus accuracy, but this particular camera/lens combination was not a joy to use.

I've given up on the Pana 20mm on my E-M1 and E-M5ii because of the slow focus. I have the Pana 15 and Oly 17, they are absolutely fine. Just a shame they are a little larger, but they are still reasonably compact.

Yeah, I figure I might have to sell this one off or relegate it to the dust heap.  My dp2q performs about as well speed-wise, but the images are _far_ better.

Sorry you didn't like the 20 . I wouldn't use it on such skiing-snowy mountains pics like yours . For me it's not a daytime lens, I think it is a great lens for stills if you're in no hurry focusing-wise and it's great for interior, blue hour and night shots , where its sharpness and contrast really shine . i don't use it on the em10 though, it looks like the truepic VII and the lens don't like each other ( I understand the Em1 has also the truepic VII ? ) . On the em5 and truepic VI it's fine .

Ah, so you're suggesting that the functional issues I'm having could be a software problem?  I'd love to have the thing work better, and if there'd be a way to ask for a firmware update to get more performance, I'd be all about it.

I see its utility as a lens for the darkness, but only if the subject isn't too mobile.  Even so, if I'm in that situation, I might switch to the 25mm 1.4, as it's both faster to move and has a wider aperture.

The only reason I took it to the bright skiing was for the shape; ie, that it fit into my pocket. If the 25 had, then I probably would have just stuck with that one...

108 wrote:

Sorry you didn't like the 20 . I wouldn't use it on such skiing-snowy mountains pics like yours . For me it's not a daytime lens, I think it is a great lens for stills if you're in no hurry focusing-wise and it's great for interior, blue hour and night shots , where its sharpness and contrast really shine . i don't use it on the em10 though, it looks like the truepic VII and the lens don't like each other ( I understand the Em1 has also the truepic VII ? ) . On the em5 and truepic VI it's fine .

It works fine for me.  People indoors under natural light and a good walkabout lens.  No problems on the EM1.

mmr wrote:

Ah, so you're suggesting that the functional issues I'm having could be a software problem? I'd love to have the thing work better, and if there'd be a way to ask for a firmware update to get more performance, I'd be all about it.

I see its utility as a lens for the darkness, but only if the subject isn't too mobile. Even so, if I'm in that situation, I might switch to the 25mm 1.4, as it's both faster to move and has a wider aperture.

The only reason I took it to the bright skiing was for the shape; ie, that it fit into my pocket. If the 25 had, then I probably would have just stuck with that one...

I'm not suggesting that your problems are software related . Slow focus with the 20 is slow focus, and from what I know doesn't have anything to do with the processing . I'm a jpeg shooter and feel that the trupic VII as found in the em10 ( and em1 ) does "exacerbate" sharpness, contrast and noise from the 20 , simply put I don't like the result that I find harsch , although I set sharpening -2 , contrast -1 and noise filter off , whereas with the em5 I find the output pleasing . You might say just shoot raw, that's true, but then I have found the raw files on the em10, although of good quality, to be as plagued with sharpening and noise reduction as the jpegs, albeit somewhat less . But now another em1 user here just stated he was happy with the combo, so my viewpoint is entirely subjective

Same with me the combo works pretty well, slow focus yes but accurate 90% and I use it when I'm not in a hurry.

At last! Someone has got more cameras and lenses than I do!

JohnnieT wrote:

At last! Someone has got more cameras and lenses than I do!

Do you mean me or kbouk?

We don't even get close to some of the collectors around DPR!

You might consider the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5...... even smaller yet and mine is a little faster than my 20mm.....though I really like the 20mm and the results from it....

HornOUBet wrote:

You might consider the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5...... even smaller yet and mine is a little faster than my 20mm.....though I really like the 20mm and the results from it....

I have too many lenses at 14mm and about that aperture!  Gets worse if you count FoV and my non MFT kit.

It does sound like a good lens but the anti GAS treatment is working so far.

Andrew

Hmmm. Sure the 20/1.7 is not the fastest-focusing lens in my collection, but generally speaking it doesn't take anything like a second to focus on my GX7. Most of the time I am not conscious of any delay sufficient to be really obvious or annoying. Although I accept I am mostly not taking action shots.

Hi

I have used this lens a lot on my (past EM5, EM10) and EM10 mkII. I dont seem to use it on my EM1 beacuse it suits the EM0 mkII better, but really I find the focussing OK. Mostly I do use it at night and indoors just because as another poster said it really shines in those environments. I prefer the Oly 17mm f1.8 when out and about during the day because of the wider FL mainly, but also the better AF.

I will take the 20mm out with the EM1 sometime during the day soon, because I am curious now.

Time to make it just a hair bigger to accomodate a real AF system, and weatherseal it. Make it look like a slighly wider, more squat version of the PL15, sell it for $349 and watch it fly off the shelves.

Yes!

JohnnieT wrote:

Yes!

So what do you think should be next on my wish list?

A

Osa25 wrote:

Bhima78 wrote:

Time to make it just a hair bigger to accomodate a real AF system, and weatherseal it. Make it look like a slighly wider, more squat version of the PL15, sell it for $349 and watch it fly off the shelves.

But it does have a real AF system. Can they make an internal focusing version - yes But the one in this is good

And if they made a new PanaLeica version with the specs you are talking about it would cost double your desired price.

Sorry but I don't understand the gripes. This lens, for the size and quality of optics, is one of the little gems that make M43.

TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE!!!!