Does anyone still use Panasonic 20mm f/1.7?

It's an old lens, one of my first lenses, from 2011, I believe. I still enjoy using it. I decided to go out today with it, specifically looking to add to some ongoing architecture projects: interesting buildings, wall art, windows.

I like using it with my GX7 - a small combo that fits easily into an unobtrusive shoulder bag.

Last evening I photographed my lamp.

From today:

An attractive church tower

Local shop

Wall art

Stained glass windows

I'm sure there is nostalgia involved in keeping this lens, but it gives wonderful results!

- Richard

Yes, but I hardly consider a lens from 2011 to be "old."

I just ordered a used but mint one yesterday from Roberts Camera (UsedPhotoPro actually) as the sharpness rating is superb, and I wanted a small, super sharp prime for shots in dark forest environments.

I'll certainly post a shot or 2 this coming weekend, as I'll be taking it back up to the Northwoods with me.

I like your wall art images - there are many works of art on buildings that are interesting, creative, and often many are quite beautiful.

-Larry

richj20 wrote:

It's an old lens, one of my first lenses, from 2011, I believe. I still enjoy using it. I decided to go out today with it, specifically looking to add to some ongoing architecture projects: interesting buildings, wall art, windows.

2011? It ain't THAT old!

I got version 1 in 2011 and version 2 in 2013. Sold version 1 in 2017. Don't use it all that much, but I still have it.

I like using it with my GX7 - a small combo that fits easily into an unobtrusive shoulder bag.

Why put it in a bag? Keep it out and READY!

A rather good lens IMHO, specially on the pancake design and at reasonable cost.

However it has never been on my radar.

I use fast speed lens mainly for low light shooting, that indoor is a large part of it. 20mm is too narrow for my use. I therefore decided on the 15 instead to accompany with the 14 f/2.5.

It's quite popular here. I always have a version II with me as it fits in a corner of the bag, not taking up much space. I sometimes just use only it for a day.

It's a great lens, I love the rendering and focal length, but focusing is really on the slow side compared to newer counterparts. I wish Panasonic came out with a version 3 of the lens with internal focusing. I'd get it in a heartbeat!

I admit i don't use the 20 as much as I'd like. o have both versions and they're equally very good. I don't care about video so its AF doesn't bother me that much. That lens has character for sure.

Oh yes. It was the first MFT lens I bought. Used with the GH1 in... 2009?  Tiny. Sharp. I like it a lot. Looks a bit forlorn on a G9, so I recently got it a smaller body.

Compared to modern lenses, yes, it is rather slow focussing. Didn't bother me in the early days, even the GH1 took forever to be ready for shooting after turning it on. Now I just focus manually.

Not used it since I bought the Oly 17mm f1. 2. Suppose, I should sell it really.

Have settled with the Oly 17 1.2 alongside the 12-40 and 40-150 f2. 8 zooms and that's all I need.

Only thing I might want in the future is a wider angle, something along the lines of the 7-14 2.8 or similar perhaps, for housing interiors.

Have bought and sold lots of lenses but the two pro zooms, bought with my original EM1. 1 are the keepers. The 20 always joined them until the 17 1.2 came along. I like to shoot in all weather's so now my whole kit is weathersealed. Works for me.

I bring it on 4 out of 5 outings – either it is part of a one-lens setup for street shooting, or I have it as the third, larger aperture lens to complement my Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 and Olympus 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD. I love the look it creates: sharp and contrasty. This is the lens I recommend for parents of young kids to just have on their camera all the time, ready to shoot candids indoors. It’s also quite good for shooting 4K in lower light on my E-M1 II, as I tend to pull focus manually or not at all (and so the AF motor noise doesn’t bother me).

The only real drawbacks for me are the slow AF and lack of weather sealing. For those reasons, I have the Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 as an eventual upgrade path. But I’ll probably keep both, even though the focal lengths are fairly close for my shooting tendencies. They both seem to be cult lenses, representative of the MFT system in their own ways.

I have two: the grey v1 I got with my first GF1 in 2009 and the black v2 I got with the GX7 in 2013. I sold the the GF1 and GX7 but kept the lenses. I still use them for 99% of my picures. Lovely FL and lovely IQ.

For the remaining 1% I use the wonderful 15mm/f1.7.  The modest but adequate 14mm/f2.5 stays in the drawer for just-in-case.