While we found that this lens is a capable performer under the right circumstances, and we love its signature "snapshot" focus ring, there are simply better choices out there for Micro Four Thirds shooters-several of which are actually less expensive. We love the Olympus 25mm f/1.8, for instance.

This has got to be the best m4/3 lens available in the market.

Before buying the Olympus 17mm f1.8, I'd been using the 1st-generation Panasonic 20mm f1.7 as my main lens for over three years. The Olympus is bigger and heavier than the Panasonic, which is not to say that it's either big or heavy (it's perfectly in proportion with my E-PL3 and GF-1), just that...

This lens is a real gem: - Lens construction is first class with it's full metal body. You have to see it in real to really appreciate it. - 34 mm FOV with f1.8 is the best all-around performer I can imagine for the micro 4/3.

Absolutely beautiful and sturdy construction; 34mm FOV with f1.8

Lenshood not included and it's pricey

This lens was a lot better than I expected. When I got the lens I was surprised how well built it was. The silver lens also makes my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera look beautiful, which is always a plus.

Durable; Easy To Use; Reliable

Heavy

The beautifully crafted, all-metal Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.8 is a strong performer in the optical department, offering very good sharpness wide open, and excellent performance when stopped down to f/2.8 or f/4.

This prime is excellent for what it is. It's a fantastic streetshooter and the build quality is what I expected paying the high dollar for it. I love the Oly hood for it, too! Images with it are cleaner compared to the 17 2.8 pancake. It's truest strength is its fast AF speed and quiet motor.

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f1.8 ($499.99 direct) is a fast wide-angle lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras . The image sensors in these cameras are smaller than a 35mm film frame or a full-frame D-SLR, which gives the lens a field of view that's roughly equivalent to a 35mm lens in that format-a...

Very sharp; Fast aperture; Compact; Manual focus clutch system.

Hood not included; Not weather sealed

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f1.8 ($499.99 direct)($339.00 at Amazon) is a fast wide-angle lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The image sensors in these cameras are smaller than a 35mm film frame or a full-frame D-SLR, which gives the lens a field of view that's roughly equivalent to a 35mm lens in that format—a classic wide-angle design. It's incredibly sharp, even wide open, and compatible with mirrorless cameras from Olympus and Panasonic. It's a bit more expensive than the Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM($249.00 at Amazon), which is compatible with EOS M cameras, but is compatible with a wider range of camera bodies. Because of this it earns our Editors' Choice award for wide-angle lenses for compact interchangeable lens cameras. The lens is fairly small, measuring just 1.4 by 2.3 inches (HD). It's a bit heavy for its size at 4.2 ounces, but that's due to an all-metal lens barrel. It has a standard 46mm filter thread and includes a clip-on lens cap, but there's no lens hood incl...

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f1.8 is a fast wide-angle lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras. It's extremely sharp, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Very sharp; Fast aperture; Compact; Manual focus clutch system; Virtually no barrel distortion

Hood not included; Not weather sealed

The Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 is - as of the time of this review - the 4th high-speed prime lens for the micro-four-thirds (MFT) system by Olympus. It is a moderate wide-angle lens thus targeting applications such as street-, landscape- and still-life photography.