Panasonic 25mm f/1.7 m4/3 quick test

Kinja'd!!! "Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
12/20/2015 at 21:16 • Filed to: None

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My new Panasonic 25mm f/1.7 micro-4/3 lens came today, Sunday, because I guess the post office delivers things on Sundays now. I did a quick shakedown with it by taking yet another in a long line of cat photos. Seems to work alright!

Full photo info:

Olympus E-PL5
Panasonic 25mm f/1.7
ISO 1600
1/25 sec
f/1.7
RAW conversion in Adobe Camera Raw

After this very very short quick test, I’m pretty happy with the results.

This is replacing in my lineup a Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 that I had bought used for super cheap (for that lens), but it decided it no longer wanted to focus. I sold it for parts on the mu-43.com forums for half what I paid. The guy I bought it from had thrown in a Tiffen circular polarizer, which I of course kept. Overall I did ok on that deal.

The 25mm f/1.7 is physically longer, but not as wide diameter, as the 20/1.7. It’s lighter and the plastic is more plasticky. The lens mount is metal. It comes with a lens hood that stores on the end of the lens. The big plus is it has a modern, quick/silent AF motor unlike the slow/noisy one on the 20/1.7.

So for impromptu low-light family and cat snapshots with sharp subjects and blurry backgrounds, the 25/1.7 works quite nicely.


DISCUSSION (8)


Kinja'd!!! yitznewton > Textured Soy Protein
12/20/2015 at 21:18

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“I am not okay with this”


Kinja'd!!! bob and john > Textured Soy Protein
12/20/2015 at 22:15

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CAAATTTTT

I like cats


Kinja'd!!! ToyDeathbot > Textured Soy Protein
12/20/2015 at 22:21

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Man, that lens sure looks good!

How well does the autofocus perform in low light? I still have a Panny 20/1.7 and it always fails to focus whenever there isn’t enough contrast (like flat walls).

Also what made you pick this over the Olympus 25/1.8?


Kinja'd!!! Textured Soy Protein > ToyDeathbot
12/20/2015 at 22:35

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AF is quick and accurate in low light. Well, at least it seemed like it was in the very short time I’ve played with it in my living room with a couple lights and the TV on, at night.

I picked this lens mostly because of price. It was $100 over Black Friday/Cyber Monday but I waffled on getting it then. Ended up paying $142. I believe the Olympus 25/1.8 is a good deal more.


Kinja'd!!! ToyDeathbot > Textured Soy Protein
12/20/2015 at 22:46

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Where did you get it from? I’m going to pick up some stuff when I go to murica since everything around here is overpriced. Right now, there’s only a $50 difference at B&H.


Kinja'd!!! Textured Soy Protein > ToyDeathbot
12/20/2015 at 23:00

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I got it from BuyDig.com, but they don’t appear to have it anymore. Cameta Camera has it for $139 at the moment. In the $100-150 range it’s a no-brainer, IMHO. I’m just kicking myself for not jumping on it at $100 when I had the chance.


Kinja'd!!! Master Cylinder > Textured Soy Protein
12/21/2015 at 10:38

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Nice. Most of my shots are of my cats, too, mainly ‘cause they’re already in the house and I’m lazy. I need to get out and take more photos of things that aren’t cats.


Kinja'd!!! Azrek > Textured Soy Protein
12/21/2015 at 13:02

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Human, when you turn your head I am totally defiling this tree behind me!!