Does anyone still use Panasonic 20mm f/1.7?

Anders W wrote:

bs1946 wrote:

When I began selling off my Leica gear and returned to MFT last December, I bought a GM5, then a GX7, and months later a GX9. I also went on a prime lens buying spree and that included a 20mm f1.7 II. The only difference here is that version II has a newer all black metal body and more recent coatings of the lens.

No changes to the coatings AFAIK. Not that it was necessary. No problem with the original ones.

I didn't think so either until I read in one of the forums that Panasonic would use the same current coatings they were using for all their lenses when they made the 20mm VII which were probably updated several times since they released the original 20mm.

Only cosmetic differences between mark I and II.

As far as I know, the interior is unchanged, including the notorious slow and noisy autofocus motor. Since I almost exclusively shoot landscapes and historic colonial houses from the outside, neither issue bothered me and the image quality with the 20mm is excellent. I used it a lot on the GM5 and some on the GX7 but for whatever reason not on the GX9.

The 20mm was actually a perfect match for the GM5, which has the same sensor and processor used in the GX7. However, eventually I got control of myself, stopped buying, and did a major downsizing by selling everything except the GX9, PL 15mm f1.7, and Lumix Macro 30mm f2.8.

Raist3d wrote:

Anders W wrote:

Raist3d wrote:

Anders W wrote:

bs1946 wrote:

When I began selling off my Leica gear and returned to MFT last December, I bought a GM5, then a GX7, and months later a GX9. I also went on a prime lens buying spree and that included a 20mm f1.7 II. The only difference here is that version II has a newer all black metal body and more recent coatings of the lens.

No changes to the coatings AFAIK. Not that it was necessary. No problem with the original ones.

Panasonic did change the coating. If I remember correctly, for less flares.

No mention of new coatings when the lens was announced. See link below:

https://m.dpreview.com/articles/7948008277/panasonic-announces-revised-lumix-g-20mm-f1-7-ii-asph-lens-for-micro-four-thirds

The announcement mentions that the elements are multicoated but that description surely applies to mark I as well and there’s no mention of any changes in this regard, as would surely have been the case if they had indeed equipped the lens with new coatings.

" The new LUMIX G 20 mm / F1.7 II ASPH. lens also features a highly reliable metal mount, and uses multi-coated lens elements that minimize ghosts and flare to further enhance its optical performance."

As I said, nothing about new coatings here. And if they’d been new they’d surely have stressed that.

The lens came with a metal mount from the outset so the description here has nothing to with new things.

Yeah, it's hard to say from that whether it's new or not. But I believe some places mentioned it had a new coating. I am looking to double check.[]--

Not hard. If the coatings had been new, Panasonic would definitely have made a point of in the announcement.

Raist3d/Ricardo (Photographer, software dev.)- I photograph black cats in coal mines at night...
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” - George Orwell

bs1946 wrote:

Anders W wrote:

bs1946 wrote:

When I began selling off my Leica gear and returned to MFT last December, I bought a GM5, then a GX7, and months later a GX9. I also went on a prime lens buying spree and that included a 20mm f1.7 II. The only difference here is that version II has a newer all black metal body and more recent coatings of the lens.

No changes to the coatings AFAIK. Not that it was necessary. No problem with the original ones.

I didn't think so either until I read in one of the forums that Panasonic would use the same current coatings they were using for all their lenses when they made the 20mm VII which were probably updated several times since they released the original 20mm.

New coatings are routinely mentioned in announcements when changes are in fact made (e.g. the Zero coatings of some new versions of Oly lenses). And I wouldn’t take a mention on some forum as reliable info if it wasn’t accompanied by a link to an authoritative source.

Now, as I mentioned, there are no problems with the coatings of the 20/1.7 as far as I know. One early lens which does have such problems though is the 7-14/4, where the coatings on one or more lens elements gives rise to troublesome purple flare when the lens is used on Oly bodies (which have weaker on-sensor UV filters than Pany bodies). Still, I have seen no indication that Panasonic have updated the coatings although it would clearly be in their self-interest to do so. And Panasonic has certainly not made any announcement to that effect.

Only cosmetic differences between mark I and II.

As far as I know, the interior is unchanged, including the notorious slow and noisy autofocus motor. Since I almost exclusively shoot landscapes and historic colonial houses from the outside, neither issue bothered me and the image quality with the 20mm is excellent. I used it a lot on the GM5 and some on the GX7 but for whatever reason not on the GX9.

The 20mm was actually a perfect match for the GM5, which has the same sensor and processor used in the GX7. However, eventually I got control of myself, stopped buying, and did a major downsizing by selling everything except the GX9, PL 15mm f1.7, and Lumix Macro 30mm f2.8.

-- hide signature --

Bill S.
www.flickr.com/photos/wrs1946
“Gear Doesn’t Matter”
- Mattias Burling (Swedish Photographer & Videographer) -

It was my first m4/3 lens and was bought for my new E-M5 ii.  Great all around lens.

richj20 wrote:

sprocket-docket wrote:

Great shots! You're making me nostalgic; I grew up in Glen Avon/Pedley area, haven't been back for many years. Riverside had a lot of charm that I can remember.

A very apt description. Riverside is a photographer's paradise for the one interested in historical architecture.

Did you photograph the Mission Inn? It wasn't one of the original California Missions, rather, the name indicates the Mission Revival Style architecture. Consider a trip to visit and photograph during the Riverside Winter Festival of Lights hosted by the Mission Inn. You can also photograph inside the hotel.

The famous painting of the Charge up San Juan Hill

Shops along one of the walkways inside the grounds.

Another walkway

And yes, I still use the 20mm, in fact it's the only M4/3 lens I have right now besides the 12-32mm that's on my wife's camera. The 20mm is all but glued to my EM5 mark II.

The 12-32mm is my other favorite lens. They make a great combo!

- Richard

I went by the Mission Inn many times, frequented the public library nearby (another honestly pretty cool building), but somehow never went inside the Mission Inn. Always loved it from the outside though. It was largely before I became a photographer, as a kid.

I do, and I agree it is a wonderful lens

And BTW, this lens is still much younger than legacy lenses from begone era.

James Stirling wrote:

Chris Noble wrote:

richj20 wrote:

It's an old lens, one of my first lenses, from 2011, I believe. I still enjoy using it.

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

- Richard

I have kept mine and use it once in a while, but the nostalgia mystique is way out of proportion with the quality of this lens. Yes, I know, some people love the noisy and slow AF. Quite unique .

The "slow AF" mantra from those who love to complain about it Is rather exaggerated It is by a mile my most used m43 lens . I have shot in all kinds of scenarios with with no problem.

You're lucky ;-). Mine is very slow and noisy. Others also have the same problem.

There are many better lenses now for all the uses of this lens, except low light when you absolutely need a pancake. Not a very common circumstance.

Could you point me to a lens that is at least as fast, at least as good optically and of course as small

Is the phrase "except low light when you absolutely need a pancake" that difficult for you to understand?

I forgot I even had this lens....

It's a range I have covered by several other lenses, although at f2.8. I never liked the poor focus acquisition of the lens and lack of IS, along with lack of ibis on my gf3 and g5, so I stopped using it, even though I now have ibis on my other cameras. Plus I prefer the pro zooms.

If I don't go FF in the future now that my shooting criteria has changed, I may go with the 10-25f1.7, which would negate the need for the 20f1.7 lens.

The only prime I occasionally still use is my 45f1.7.

Chris Noble wrote:

James Stirling wrote:

Chris Noble wrote:

richj20 wrote:

It's an old lens, one of my first lenses, from 2011, I believe. I still enjoy using it.

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

- Richard

I have kept mine and use it once in a while, but the nostalgia mystique is way out of proportion with the quality of this lens. Yes, I know, some people love the noisy and slow AF. Quite unique .

The "slow AF" mantra from those who love to complain about it Is rather exaggerated It is by a mile my most used m43 lens . I have shot in all kinds of scenarios with with no problem.

You're lucky ;-). Mine is very slow and noisy. Others also have the same problem.

Lots of “sample variation” here apparently. The question is what varies the most: The lenses or their users/owners. Much is in the eye of the beholder.

There are many better lenses now for all the uses of this lens, except low light when you absolutely need a pancake. Not a very common circumstance.

Could you point me to a lens that is at least as fast, at least as good optically and of course as small

Is the phrase "except low light when you absolutely need a pancake" that difficult for you to understand?

Well, that question is not an answer to the request, is it? Let me add to the request by adding one more requirement: Can you point to a lens as fast, as optically good, as small/light, and about the same focal length?

One of my favorite Panasonic lenses. I keep mine mostly on my GM1 for family snapshots. When I look through family photos, there's a bunch from our phones, but the ones taken with the 20mm on the GM1 really pop out!

richj20 wrote:

Michael Benveniste wrote:

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

OK, in the timeline of photography it's not old! I still have film lenses from the 1980's when I became interested in photography.

But in the MFT timeline back to 2008, it was one of Panasonic's earliest lenses (2009). That is what I was referring to.

- Richard

Its probably allowed to be considered old if panasonic have a version II of it.