*Pana 42.5mm f1.7. Great Lens for the Price*

[Stevie Boy Blue]

Having been a photographer for well over 50-years, many spent using film SLRs before moving to digital bridge cameras back in 2004, I’ve shot images in all manner of genres, with my favourite being wildlife.

Progressively worsening health issues recently forced me to consider using lighter gear on occasion and with it a broadening of my horizons and the potential return to genres of old. (By the way, I’m in no way seeking sympathy here; just telling it like it is, as that is my writing style.)

As an ex-portrait photographer with 10 plus years experience of ‘shooting’ people from the 1990s to mid 2000s, I fancied the idea of dabbling in the genre again. Moreover, as I now much prefer to photograph people in only natural light and with no additional flash (just as I do with all other subjects), the relatively fast lens I’m reviewing here stood out as a primary option for my needs.

For all of about 3-seconds, I did momentarily consider the Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2. But the shock of the astronomical price plus the extra weight difference between that and this Lens put me off entirely. 425g compared to just 130g is significant enough by itself, but £1200 compared to just £299? Come on! That’s not even remotely funny, but it’s surely some kind of Joke. It has to be, but who the heck is laughing? Except perhaps those folks rich enough to buy one, eh? ;-)

Anyway, long story short, I’ve owned and been using my new and comparatively less expensive 42.5 F1.7 for around 6 to 8 weeks and I’m loving the results I’m getting with people portraits, close-up flowers and the occasional compressed landscape/architectural shot.

Admittedly it’s still relatively early days for me to form an overall opinion (I much prefer to use cameras and lenses regularly for at least six months before reviewing them). But for such a daintily small and light lens, I’m thus far really impressed with the results and the pleasing changes in DOF available from F1.7 through to smaller apertures.

I may well update this review or add a part two as time goes on. But up to now, the 42.5mm F1.7 makes for a great accompaniment to my G100 camera. Combined, the set-up appears to have all the photographic creativity I’m ever likely to require from a portrait set-up in a ridiculously light and portable package.

All in all, I own four other Panasonic M4/3 lenses, namely, the 12-32, 12-60, 14-140 and 45-150, all of which I’ve found to punch well above their weight in terms of results and in most cases re build quality and handling for the price I paid. In all these respects, my new, dinky 42.5mm is equally impressive. In fact, unless I’m overlooking something significant that I may discover later, I fail to imagine that in many situations when used side-by-side with the £1200 Leica F1.2 Nocticron alternative, the far less expensive, much lighter and smaller 1.7 wouldn’t hold its own. As I say, for £299, I’m very impressed up to now. If anything changes, I’ll be sure to let readers know in any update.

Below are a few of my image examples. Note that I only shoot fine quality Jpegs, never RAW. I want good results straight out of the camera. For speed of uploading, all have been resized and/or cropped. Otherwise they are as they appeared straight OOC.

Thank you for reading:



















PS: For anyone interested: In more recent years since joining DPR in 2009, I’ve constructed a number of user-reviews intended to give readers some useful insight into my favourite Panasonic products, links for which are supplied below. Please note that I use my time freely and completely absent of remuneration from anyone or any company. If a product impresses me enough, I enjoy spreading the word. I speak as I find and I just happen to like Panasonic cameras and lenses more than any other makes. That is why I buy them – nothing more, nothing less.

G100 Camera: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/65550733

14-140mm M4/3 lens: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/65695092

FZ2000 Review Part 1: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/64288303

FZ2000 Review Part 2: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/66360652

FZ300 Review Part 1: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63244070

FZ300 Review Part 2: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/65012028

Cheers all...

 

[glassoholic]

I agree. It also seems to have something about the rendering that I preferred over the Oly 45 1.8 that I owned... a bit more punch to the colours and more even sharpness wide open across the field. Close focus is superb too.

I owned the 42.5 1.2 Nocticron and it was lovely... but the smaller size and cost of the f1.7 lens is much better value.

I sold all my f1.2 and f1.4 lenses as I got the two PL f1.7 zooms and they are as good or better than the super fast primes were. The two fast zooms are my video and stage show lenses. The little f1.7 and f1.8 primes are my general photography fast options over my f2.8 to f4 zooms, and don't make up much weight to carry.

Pana make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.

 

[pipnat51]

I agree that it's a great lens for the money and definitely underrated.

Looking back at some older photos in LR I hadn't realised how good it's been for a lot of my people shots.

As mentioned, it's very light too.

Money well spent for me.

 

[Stevie Boy Blue]

I agree. It also seems to have something about the rendering that I preferred over the Oly 45 1.8 that I owned... a bit more punch to the colours and more even sharpness wide open across the field. Close focus is superb too.

I owned the 42.5 1.2 Nocticron and it was lovely... but the smaller size and cost of the f1.7 lens is much better value.

I sold all my f1.2 and f1.4 lenses as I got the two PL f1.7 zooms and they are as good or better than the super fast primes were. The two fast zooms are my video and stage show lenses. The little f1.7 and f1.8 primes are my general photography fast options over my f2.8 to f4 zooms, and don't make up much weight to carry.

Pana make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.

On behalf of everyone who will benefit from your experienced comparison with various lenses, I thank you very much for your input here. Interesting to note that you preferred the Panasonic F1.7 over the Olympus 1.8 version. Equally intriguing to me is that you had the Nocticron F1.2, parted with it and kept the far less expensive F1.7.

Overall, a post to be valued by anyone weighing up the pros and cons associated with buying lenses affording similar results in some cases but vast differences in price in others.

For me, though, your last sentence says it all and I 100% agree with you: “Pana (indeed do) make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.”

All I would add is that, unless it’s because this forum’s more wildlife than portrait orientated, I wonder why the virtues of the dinky 42.5 F1.7 lens receive so little publicity here? Hopefully this Review and your comments will help raise its profile – even if only slightly.

Thanks again for posting.

Cheers...

 

[glassoholic]

I agree. It also seems to have something about the rendering that I preferred over the Oly 45 1.8 that I owned... a bit more punch to the colours and more even sharpness wide open across the field. Close focus is superb too.

I owned the 42.5 1.2 Nocticron and it was lovely... but the smaller size and cost of the f1.7 lens is much better value.

I sold all my f1.2 and f1.4 lenses as I got the two PL f1.7 zooms and they are as good or better than the super fast primes were. The two fast zooms are my video and stage show lenses. The little f1.7 and f1.8 primes are my general photography fast options over my f2.8 to f4 zooms, and don't make up much weight to carry.

Pana make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.

On behalf of everyone who will benefit from your experienced comparison with various lenses, I thank you very much for your input here. Interesting to note that you preferred the Panasonic F1.7 over the Olympus 1.8 version. Equally intriguing to me is that you had the Nocticron F1.2, parted with it and kept the far less expensive F1.7.

Overall, a post to be valued by anyone weighing up the pros and cons associated with buying lenses affording similar results in some cases but vast differences in price in others.

For me, though, your last sentence says it all and I 100% agree with you: “Pana (indeed do) make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.”

All I would add is that, unless it’s because this forum’s more wildlife than portrait orientated, I wonder why the virtues of the dinky 42.5 F1.7 lens receive so little publicity here? Hopefully this Review and your comments will help raise its profile – even if only slightly.

Thanks again for posting.

Cheers...

Thanks... the Oly 45 1.8 is a fine lens and launched well before the Pana 42.5 1.7 and rapidly gained a good reputation and popular usage. That, and the Pana usually being priced higher, I think make the Pana a harder sell. The Oly 45 also is regularly included as a "freebie" with Oly camera promotions, so there is usually a good supply of "as new" Oly 45 lenses for sale on Ebay.

Most owners seem to also prefer to buy Oly lenses for Oly bodies, and Pana for Pana cameras, and this forum is probably 75% Oly users, plus Pana is video orientated, so many Pana users favour fast zooms, therefore a Pana 42.5 doesn't get much publicity here. Just my 2c worth.

 

[ahaslett]

I agree. It also seems to have something about the rendering that I preferred over the Oly 45 1.8 that I owned... a bit more punch to the colours and more even sharpness wide open across the field. Close focus is superb too.

I owned the 42.5 1.2 Nocticron and it was lovely... but the smaller size and cost of the f1.7 lens is much better value.

I sold all my f1.2 and f1.4 lenses as I got the two PL f1.7 zooms and they are as good or better than the super fast primes were. The two fast zooms are my video and stage show lenses. The little f1.7 and f1.8 primes are my general photography fast options over my f2.8 to f4 zooms, and don't make up much weight to carry.

Pana make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.

On behalf of everyone who will benefit from your experienced comparison with various lenses, I thank you very much for your input here. Interesting to note that you preferred the Panasonic F1.7 over the Olympus 1.8 version. Equally intriguing to me is that you had the Nocticron F1.2, parted with it and kept the far less expensive F1.7.

Overall, a post to be valued by anyone weighing up the pros and cons associated with buying lenses affording similar results in some cases but vast differences in price in others.

For me, though, your last sentence says it all and I 100% agree with you: “Pana (indeed do) make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.”

All I would add is that, unless it’s because this forum’s more wildlife than portrait orientated, I wonder why the virtues of the dinky 42.5 F1.7 lens receive so little publicity here? Hopefully this Review and your comments will help raise its profile – even if only slightly.

Thanks again for posting.

Cheers...

Thanks... the Oly 45 1.8 is a fine lens and launched well before the Pana 42.5 1.7 and rapidly gained a good reputation and popular usage. That, and the Pana usually being priced higher, I think make the Pana a harder sell. The Oly 45 also is regularly included as a "freebie" with Oly camera promotions, so there is usually a good supply of "as new" Oly 45 lenses for sale on Ebay.

Most owners seem to also prefer to buy Oly lenses for Oly bodies, and Pana for Pana cameras, and this forum is probably 75% Oly users, plus Pana is video orientated, so many Pana users favour fast zooms, therefore a Pana 42.5 doesn't get much publicity here. Just my 2c worth.

 

[Tim Reidy Productions]

thanks for nice post good all around showing.

 

[Hope1943]

Super lens, and you obviously know your way around a camera. Nice shots.

John

 

[Stevie Boy Blue]

I agree. It also seems to have something about the rendering that I preferred over the Oly 45 1.8 that I owned... a bit more punch to the colours and more even sharpness wide open across the field. Close focus is superb too.

I owned the 42.5 1.2 Nocticron and it was lovely... but the smaller size and cost of the f1.7 lens is much better value.

I sold all my f1.2 and f1.4 lenses as I got the two PL f1.7 zooms and they are as good or better than the super fast primes were. The two fast zooms are my video and stage show lenses. The little f1.7 and f1.8 primes are my general photography fast options over my f2.8 to f4 zooms, and don't make up much weight to carry.

Pana make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.

On behalf of everyone who will benefit from your experienced comparison with various lenses, I thank you very much for your input here. Interesting to note that you preferred the Panasonic F1.7 over the Olympus 1.8 version. Equally intriguing to me is that you had the Nocticron F1.2, parted with it and kept the far less expensive F1.7.

Overall, a post to be valued by anyone weighing up the pros and cons associated with buying lenses affording similar results in some cases but vast differences in price in others.

For me, though, your last sentence says it all and I 100% agree with you: “Pana (indeed do) make some great options... the 42.5 f1.7 seems to be very much under the radar of most users.”

All I would add is that, unless it’s because this forum’s more wildlife than portrait orientated, I wonder why the virtues of the dinky 42.5 F1.7 lens receive so little publicity here? Hopefully this Review and your comments will help raise its profile – even if only slightly.

Thanks again for posting.

Cheers...

Thanks... the Oly 45 1.8 is a fine lens and launched well before the Pana 42.5 1.7 and rapidly gained a good reputation and popular usage. That, and the Pana usually being priced higher, I think make the Pana a harder sell. The Oly 45 also is regularly included as a "freebie" with Oly camera promotions, so there is usually a good supply of "as new" Oly 45 lenses for sale on Ebay.

Most owners seem to also prefer to buy Oly lenses for Oly bodies, and Pana for Pana cameras, and this forum is probably 75% Oly users, plus Pana is video orientated, so many Pana users favour fast zooms, therefore a Pana 42.5 doesn't get much publicity here. Just my 2c worth.

Thanks for your possible reasons as to why the Panasonic 42.5 F1.7 appears to be overlooked on here. I’d opt for the fact that considerably more Olympus users visit the forum compared to Panasonic ones as being pretty pivotal.

That said, compared to wildlife-related posts, I don’t see many portrait photos from either Panasonic or Olympus users uploaded to the M4/3rd forum as a whole, so for me that makes the true situation difficult to gauge.

Wildlife undoubtedly abounds here and especially since the most recent OM Systems camera was released. Seems to me that around 80% of the total number of threads opened here since the OM-1 appeared relate to that camera alone, with around 70% of all containing bird and animal photos. In comparison, portrait-related posts are all but non-existent. So, as I say, it’s difficult to say exactly why any portrait lens might be more popular than another.

I understandably see why Olympus camera users choose Olympus lenses and Panasonic camera users stick with Panasonic varieties. I stick with Panasonic myself, not only because many of their lenses are stabilised, but also because I’ve never had cause to complain about build quality and the generally impressive results attainable with any model I’ve used to date.

Although we can only surmise as to the reasons why the 42.5 F1.7 remains under the radar even compared to, say, Panasonic’s own and very popular 14 – 140, there’ no denying that it gets very few mentions here. Is that because this forum as a whole is more Olympus oriented by at least a two-thirds to one third majority of visitors?

Quite possibly it is, but in reality I’d guess we’ll never really know because this forum is arguably too jumbled and difficult to read as it currently stands – at least for me. :-(

Thanks again for your input. I appreciate it.

Cheers...

 

[Stevie Boy Blue]

thanks for nice post good all around showing.

You're very welcome, Tim.

Thank you for posting your thanks. I appreciate your input

Happy shooting to ya,

Cheers...

 

[Stevie Boy Blue]

Super lens, and you obviously know your way around a camera. Nice shots.

John

Thank you very much for the feedback, John. Kind of you to post. I'm very pleased that you liked the images.

Yeah, I have been around cameras for a while, maybe almost for too long... or at least for longer than I care to recall. ;-)

Cheers and all the best...

 

[leorimkus]

I have one and I love it. Macro abilities are great. Although I reintroduced FF into my gear list mainly for photo portraiture - I find 42.5/1.7 excellent for video portraiture. I do remote learning videos for my kids - and 42.5/1.7 is just perfect for "talking head" type of videos.

 

[Stevie Boy Blue]

I have one and I love it. Macro abilities are great. Although I reintroduced FF into my gear list mainly for photo portraiture - I find 42.5/1.7 excellent for video portraiture. I do remote learning videos for my kids - and 42.5/1.7 is just perfect for "talking head" type of videos.

Thanks for your input.

Good to know that you have and love this lens, too. To be honest, I’m not in the least bit surprised that you find it great for your video projects, as indeed I’m led to believe many others also do.

Cheers and all the best to ya...

 

[Stevie Boy Blue]

I agree that it's a great lens for the money and definitely underrated.

Looking back at some older photos in LR I hadn't realised how good it's been for a lot of my people shots.

As mentioned, it's very light too.

Money well spent for me.

An interesting confirmatory reply from you there, pipnat51.

The quoted statement from you that I’ve underlined above is the real standout for me, though. The more I use this lens, the more impressed with it I become for portrait shots. Hence I fully appreciate why you’re rediscovering its value in some of your older efforts.

Thanks for posting...

 

[patticake]

this thread has inspired me. i am renting the 42.5 - it arrives on tuesday, and i can't wait to try it out on my prehistoric E-PM2.

 

[Cruisin66]

Thank again Stevie for a great write up and for sharing such great pictures of this lens. I must get mine back again. I had briefly tried it out for a while then returned it but do have to admit it seemed better overall than the Olympus or the smaller Leica F1.4 version.
Atthe time I was still learning and trying different lens out for my collection and as I mentioned I do not do many portraits specifically but like you have shown it ca be used for other case scenarios. I think it being so small, stabalized and having a fast aperture with a close focusing distance makes it very appealing. I have most been a zoom shooter but slowly have got to learn to use fixed lenses for certain moments.

I much appreciate your effort and time it takes to write and post such a great detailed helpful post like yours. It always motivatesone to get out and shoot, I have to admit we in the Southwest USA do not have to many flowers around, atleast not in my backyard, but we have great landscapes and there some interesting flora and fauna if you get out. It just has been too hot lately or stormy rainy and when you get to places it is normally midday and very bright. I do use CPL filters and am looking to get one with an ND filter. How do you use your filters if you do use any? Also I am wondering if you have tried the Live View Composite mode on the G100 or G90 much yet? I know this is not the theme of the post. In any case I will try and take another try at getting the 42.5 down the line.

Thanks agin for yoor great words and pictures. Have a good rest of the weekend!

 

[brentbrent]

The Olympus 45 f/1.8 was one of the earliest lenses I acquired after getting into MFT 11 years ago, and I liked it a lot. Some years later I acquired the 42.5 f/1.7 as part of a great bundle deal. I shot comparison photos, some of which I've previously posted here, and IMO the image quality of the two lenses was very close.

The 42.5 has closer focus distance and comes with a pouch and lens hood. Since I shoot Panasonic bodies, it also offered DFD focusing and Dual Sync stabilization. So I sold the 45. I think the 42.5 definitely makes more sense for Panasonic shooters, but it's a closer call for those with Oly bodies. Both are small, reasonably priced, and good performers.

Having said all of that, I also own the Nocticron. I bought it at a great price (gray market, I think). Perhaps it's self-confirmation bias, but I think it produces better images. Maybe it's better contrast or color, they just seem to pop more for me. One of the best lenses I've ever owned.

I've kept the f/1.7, however, for its size and weight. I will likely take it on an upcoming vacation and leave the Nocticron at home. Should the OP want to consider a wider fast prime, I recommend the PL 15mm. Costs a bit more, but small and light, and even better than the 42.5 f/1.7 IMO.

--
Brent

 

[Jozef M]

Your conclusion feels a bit double. Why did the "for the price" have to be in the title?
If the lens was more expensive, say twice as expensive, would it still be 'great'?


And as a side note, a photographer who only uses the camera's jpeg engine will never achieve the ultimate image quality that a lens is capable of.


I also think the lens is very good.

Jozef.

 

[buratino]

It is just a great lens for anybody who needs a small universal tele lens. I have it along with Oly 45/1.8 and will keep both.

 

[Stevie Boy Blue]

...I also think the lens is very good.

Jozef.

Glad you like the lens, too. ;-)

Cheers