M.Zuiko 17mm F1.8

Reviewer verdict

Across 24 YouTube reviews, the Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm F1.8 earns an Index score of 3.9/5, ranking #19 among Lenses. Reviewers most often praise its build quality, autofocus, image quality, while the most common criticisms concern build quality, image quality.

Praised for its incredibly compact and lightweight design, this lens is a perfect companion for travel and street photography. Its durable, all-metal construction provides a premium, tactile feel that belies its small size. The versatile 34mm equivalent focal length is ideal for a wide range of subjects, from landscapes to environmental portraits. Performance is a key strength, with a bright f/1.8 maximum aperture enabling excellent low-light shooting and creative depth of field control. A standout feature is the unique manual focus clutch, which provides a satisfying, mechanical feel with hard stops and a distance scale for precise manual control. Combined with fast, silent autofocus and great overall image quality, it represents fantastic value for Micro Four Thirds shooters.

A primary drawback for many users is the lack of weather sealing on the original model, limiting its use in inclement weather. Optically, while good, it's not flawless; reviewers frequently mention softness in the corners and visible chromatic aberration when shooting wide open at f/1.8. Achieving optimal edge-to-edge sharpness often requires stopping the aperture down to f/4. Other common complaints include the lens hood being an expensive, separate purchase and the absence of in-lens image stabilization, making it entirely dependent on a camera's in-body stabilization system. Some also find its rendering a bit flat compared to competitors.

Analysis based on 24 YouTube reviews (3h 24m of video) with 250 pros and 99 cons extracted.

Pros (250)

Cons (99)

Review sources

• Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f1.8 Review for Video (with Panasonic Gx80 / GX85) and Cinematic Test Film by The Budget Filmmaker — 15 pros, 8 cons
• Olympus 17mm F1.8 / great all around prime lens / full review, tests, photo samples, my opinion 10 pros, 11 cons
• Olympus 17mm 1.8 Long Term Review. Is It Still Worth It? (2018) 14 pros, 6 cons
• Improve Your Photography with the Olympus 17mm f/1.8 Lens by My Photo Journey — 15 pros, 5 cons
• A Look At The Olympus 17mm F/1.2 Pro Lens for Micro Four Thirds Cameras by David Thorpe — 15 pros, 5 cons
• Olympus 17mm F1.8 Lens Review by Big G Video — 15 pros, 4 cons
• How Good Is This Popular Lens? Olympus 17mm f1.8 (In-Depth Review) by Aperture Atlas — 12 pros, 7 cons
• Olympus 17mm f/1.8 review - the sweet spot for 35mm equivalent in Micro Four Thirds by Roger in Finland — 14 pros, 4 cons
• Olympus 17mm f/1.8 Review by Darren Miles by Darren Miles — 16 pros, 1 cons
• Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm F1.8 - EW-M1718 by RadCameraMan — 10 pros, 7 cons
• OM System new 17 mm F 1.8 Mark 2. Is it better than the Olympus original? Micro four thirds lens. 10 pros, 6 cons
• 10 Years Later, Olympus 17mm F1.8 Still Worth Getting? by Peter Forsgård — 10 pros, 5 cons
• Micro Four Thirds Shooter Must Own Prime - Olympus 17mm f1.8 12 pros, 3 cons
• New M.Zuiko 17mm & 25mm f1.8 Mark II, the PERFECT STORM - RED35 Preview by RED35 — 11 pros, 4 cons
• Olympus 17mm 1.8 video and photo samples review by Average Guy Problems — 11 pros, 3 cons
• Review - Streetfotografie-Objektiv Olympus m.zuiko 17mm f1,8 10 pros, 3 cons
• Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm F1.8 Unboxing [ 4K UHD ] (English) by janundseinekamera — 8 pros, 5 cons
• are OM System's NEW f1.8 primes worth the upgrade? by Micro Four Nerds — 8 pros, 4 cons
• Olympus 17mm f/1.8 lens review | top 3 reasons to get this lens by Jamal Mortimer — 7 pros, 2 cons
• Olympus Photo-experience 99 Zuiko 17mm lens by Derek Forss: OM System Ambassador — 6 pros, 2 cons
• unboxing - OLYMPUS 17mm F1.8 for m4/3 6 pros, 1 cons
• OM SYSTEM 17mm & 25mm F1.8 II Lenses | Weather sealed to keep up with your travels and adventures by London Camera Exchange — 7 pros, 0 cons
• Olympus 17mm F1.8 Is Fantastic by Matti Sulanto — 6 pros, 1 cons
• YONGNUO 17MM F1.7 REVIEW - Better Than Olympus 17mm F1.8? by Robin Wong — 2 pros, 2 cons

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