kwalsh Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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I own and have shot with the 15/1.7, 17/1.8, 20/1.7 and 25/1.4.
I really never use the 20/1.7. My primes are for shooting our daughter and the AF with the 20/1.7 just stinks in lower light on something moving. I also don't find it small on my GM1 - it is too large in diameter even if it isn't very tall.
The 17/1.8 was a great little lens that stayed on my GM1 for a long time. I like the wider FoV than the 20 for environmental portraits when out places with my daughter (museums, zoo, etc.). The rendering was nothing special but I really don't get the IQ complaints unless people have defective lenses. In fact my first 17/1.8 was decentered the second was quite nice. I find the clutch MF that Olympus puts on the 17/1.8 and other lenses to frankly be useless. I have no interest in a distance scale that isn't accurate enough to be useful especially when we have cameras with wicked fast S-AF and focus lock.
When the 15/1.7 came out I got it and have since sold the 17/1.8. I just really, really like the rendering of the 15/1.7. Yes, sometimes the 15 is too wide but I can crop a bit. Many times the 17 wasn't wide enough and there is nothing to be done in that situation. I do an annual book of photos of our daughter and I'd say nearly 50% of the images these days come from the 15/1.7 on the GM1. I find the aperture dial really nice on the GM1 which is a camera short on controls.
The 15/1.7 rendering is very much like the 25/1.4 and 42.5/1.2 which I both love. In the end though I find that what I usually bring with my GM1 is the 15/1.7 and the 45/1.8 and I don't miss the 25 focal length when out with the GM1. Either I'm trying to get the environment in the shot (15/1.7) or completely exclude the clutter (45/1.8). Indoors at home I find the 25/1.4 a good FoV, just not so much out and about. I've got the 42.5/1.7 and so far happy with it but not enough time shooting to say much compared to the 45/1.8 other than it is at least as nice and has OIS while being just a smidgen bigger.
Anyway, if you are aware of the wider FoV then I'd give my wholehearted recommendation on the 15/1.7. Awesome lens that I just use, and use, and use some more while being very happy with the results.
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