45 f1.8 vs 56 f1.4 vs 75 f1.8 for a twin lens do it all

Outdoors - 75 f1.8

Indoors - 45 f1.8

007peter wrote:

What I learned from my recent trip is that:

• what makes sense on paper (Olympus 45/1.8) may not make sense in real life
• Real Life has a way of forcing you to re-consider your own preference in swapping-lens, in telephoto-compression, or in the "LOOK" that you prefer.

YMMV, but for me, I think a longer reach 60mm or 75mm would pair better to my PL 15mm f/1.7.

You said it well above!

Yes, I find 17mm and 75mm pair really well for me for many trips in the past. I am recently added 45mm f1.2 because I have found in certain situations, I need something faster even if it is just very minimal.

Cheers

Po Sen Tsui wrote:

Let's say you are going on a trip with 1 camera body and just 2 prime lens, you don't know what you will encounter, you may be shooting portrait, or landscape, or street, or something else, etc. One of your lens is a wide angle 17mm f1.8, which one of the three (45mm f1.8, 56mm f1.4, 75mm f1.8) will you choose as a second lens to make this combo work the best? In terms of both quality and usability. Thanks!

Probably been said before, but 56mm and 75mm are too long on M43 for general photography. These are specialist lenses. 45mm is great for general photography.

The Sigma 56/1.4 is a superb lens, but (my opinion only) I wish the manual focus ring didn't turn quite so freely.

You already have 17, so 45 is nearly a perfect companion.. Buy 37-46 step up ring, then both 17 and 45 can share CPL or ND 46mm filter, or screwed hood.. This combo is also lightest/cheapest than other combos  in your options.. But I guess you will use 17 most of the time..

I have/had 14,15,20,25,42.5,60,75.. When travel, I pick up 15/25/42.5 as trio combo..

Adielle wrote:

epozar wrote:

56mm has minimal CA (especially against a 75mm lens)
Both are super sharp though

No. The 75mm has much less CA than the 56mm.

Interesting. I basically don't see ANY CA on my 56mm.

Po Sen Tsui wrote:

Let's say you are going on a trip with 1 camera body and just 2 prime lens, you don't know what you will encounter, you may be shooting portrait, or landscape, or street, or something else, etc. One of your lens is a wide angle 17mm f1.8, which one of the three (45mm f1.8, 56mm f1.4, 75mm f1.8) will you choose as a second lens to make this combo work the best? In terms of both quality and usability. Thanks!

None of the above. I'd get Panasonic's 42.5mm f1.7. The unusually close focus capability lets it also serve as a kind of quasi-macro.

Two decades ago, I came to the conclusion that I could do 90% of my work with just 35mm and 85mm primes (for 35mm format). I still think that's true. My third lens would be Oly's 12/2.