Olympus 25mm f/1.8 Review

[@neelmistry]

Just received this lens from Amazon. Can't wait to start shooting with it. New to 50mm (equivalent) photography. Currently have the 90mm (e) and 34mm (e). Just the 150mm (e) to go.

[@mp4podcastDOTcom]

Hey Darren I just bought the Olympus 25mm lens. Its a very nice lens. But the one thing I kind of do not like about the lens is that its a bit slippery. I have a small camera bag for walking around. Luckily I was in my house when I dropped my 25mm on a wooden floor. I went to pull out the 25mm and the lens slipped out of my fingers. The lens was pointing up so the bottom lens cap was on the bottom of camera bag. And my fingers gripped the focus ring and when I pulled the 25mm out it just slipped. 25mm only fell about one foot and its still working fine. I read other people diss like the slippery feel with the 25mm and 45mm. On one of the forums someone was thinking of placing hockey take on the focus ring. I might put some rubber bands on the focus rings of both my 25mm and 45mm. Anyway love the channel keep up the great work love your reviews:)

[@ronbradley6725]

Great review of the 25mm f1.8 Olympus micro 4/3. I have the pro 12-40 lens and was jumping between the 25 and 45 as a prime. I think I'll go with the 25! Sad thing is that there are no Olympus stores in Naples area, so looks like I'lll have to order online. Anything i'm missing?

[@JeevesTCW]

Great review Darren and a nice touch to mention Steve Huff's equally great site, Rich.

[@terrywbreedlove]

I just bought this lens for my PEN F based in large part by this review. However after watching this review I was worried about the build quality. Thankfully I was very surprised just how good it feels in the hands. I have no worries about build it is a slid lens at a good price and the images are sharp and contrasty and simply very very good. Very happy owner.

[@adammeloche2947]

Great review as usual...just purchased the omd em5 mkii, and got the oly 25mm & 45mm. Great results and shockingly small lenses.

[@DarrenMiles]

+Adam Meloche Thank you! Couldn't agree with you more, amazing for something so small...

[@sandeepvk]

I finally picked the Olympus 25mm f/1.8 today. Thanks for your review.

[@DarrenMiles]

+Sandeep Krishnan (Sandy) You're welcome! Enjoy, it's a wonderful little lens!

[@sandeepvk]

It's now only $299 :)

[@mrEbraheem]

Darren Miles this or 20mm 2.0?

[@mrEbraheem]

Sorry 12mm 2.0 😂

[@gamestv4875]

This or the 45 mm equivalent for video? Olympus have a 25mm and 45mm of this.Not sure which one is best for video. What should be the difference?

[@nousername34]

I am considering the Olympus EM-10 and the Em-5 ii The major difference for me would be the 40mp high res pictures. But is it that much a difference for the +250 price

[@lawd1996413]

Hey Darren, do you think you could do a settings tutorial for the Olympus cameras? For example which color settings do you use for portraits and what not?

[@emman_rod]

Great reviews man. I love the written summery as well. I am.going to go with the 17mm and 45mm. Now to pick up that overtime for the funds 😂.

[@UKingdom]

Great organized review Darren! This is the first time I've seen any of your videos and I really like the depth, quality, and professionalism at which you do it. My only critique and maybe it's just a necessary byproduct because of the way you organize your reviews is they tend to be somewhat redundant in portions. I think you discussed the concerns of the build quality at least 5-6 times in the video; without the redundancies you probably could have cut the length down in the video by 2-3 minutes without sacrificing any content. Just a suggestion. But overall I really enjoyed it and appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with all of us I wanted to get your opinion. I already have the excellent 12-40 f2.8 Olympus Pro lens so I am now in a situation where I feel to get good subject isolation and highest quality photos I should invest in a prime lens, but am not sure which to get, especially since the 12-40 pretty much does it all and is weather sealed. The 12mm and 70mm are too expensive, and I had the 60mm 2.8 Macro but it was just too much of a telephoto lens to be practical for day to day shooting so I sold it. I have strongly considered the 45mm 1.8 but is it true you would pretty much only use that for portraits because it shoots too far to be practical for anything else? One thing you didn't discuss in the video was how this lens would perform as a portrait lens; it's kind of a weird in between area where it's not wide enough to be useful for street photography/landscapes, and it's not close enough to get portraits from afar. The next lens (not sure you reviewed) I have considered is the 17mm 1.8 which is a little wider and great for Street Photography, but my concern is it's redundant if I have the 12-40mm. What suggestions would you have for a "2nd" lens? Thanks!

[@DarrenMiles]

UKingdom - Thank you very much for the kind words! With a lens like the 25 f/1.8 there's so little negatives to talk about that I found myself repeating myself about that one aspect. But it's important, because the build is certainly a potential downside for what's otherwise an amazing lens.For a second lens, I would get the 45 f/1.8 it's not so narrow that you can't use it for anything else, I kind of like it for the street, because you're not on top of your subject and you get the kind of distance that would make it a great street photog lens. Just my opinion.

[@anofebriano7786]

At first, I was trying to look up any information regarding olympus lenses that I was curious about. Landed here, then a few minutes later, I clicked subscribe! Keep up the good works! Your review has been such an inspiration to me... Please make a review on Olympus 12mm for the next video, Thankss :)

[@DarrenMiles]

What a kind thing to say, thank you very much!

[@Hennie280563]

Hi Darren, great review. I love the way you zoom in on different subjects about the lenses. I just bought the OM-DE M10 yesterday with the pancake 14-42mm. I choose the pancake lens because its an automatic one and doesn't need to be unlocked before actually being able to shoot pictures. What would be a good second lens? I love the review on the 45mm lens but is that a good additional lens?

[@DarrenMiles]

The 45 is an AMAZING lens, especially for the money. You can pick up a used one for under $300 and new, they're just under $400... It also depends on what you plan on shooting with it. At 90mm FF equivalent field of view, the lens does a great job of isolating the subject for a really flattering portrait!

[@Hennie280563]

Darren Miles Thanks for your quick answer :) How about landscape photograp and city scenes with low light conditions?

[@DarrenMiles]

Possibly, if you're far away. But the f/1.8 should be really suitable for a variety of low light situations....

[@Tzadeck]

Thinking about picking this up even though I already have the 17mm 1.8. Hmm...

[@kukuhaldyanto]

Hi, what do you think this lens compared to panasonic 25mm f1.7?

[@danni0510]

kukuhaldyanto both are fantastic :) I think the Oly is slightly better overall but just a hair. Lumix is cheaper. Have fun

[@i_jaysmith]

I just bought the Panny online and was going back and forth between that and the Oly for ages. Think my next lens might be the Oly 45mm though.

[@juanalvarado7794]

The olymous is wayy sexier than the pana 25 1.7

[@stenchlord]

Great review. I love my Oly 25/1.8, I dunno that I'd give it an overall 10/10 though. As you say build isn't that great, I'd personally say it was deserving of an 8/10. Having said that image quality is fantastic and AF is very, very quick, it's a lens I am happy having on my E-M1 90% of the time. The 25/1.8 and E-M1 are such an amazing combo to have at your beck and call. I've got a great arrangement of lenses (12mm f/2, 17mm f/1.8, 45mm f/1.8, 60mm f/2.8) and the 25/1.8 and despite being the second cheapest (45/1.8 was cheaper) it's also one of the best performers. Thanks again for the review, was informative and well presented. EDIT: Might be worth mentioning as well that the lens hood fits on the 60mm f/2.8 Macro. I dunno how useful it'd be but I thought it was kinda nice :D

[@DarrenMiles]

Thank you for the kind words! I LOVE the 25 f/1.8. I don't have the 17 or the 12, but they're on my list.

[@stenchlord]

Darren Miles If you have a choice in the matter, go for the 12/2. Absolutely stunning, there's a reason why it costs as much as it does and it's worth every single penny. I sold my 12-40mm f/2.8 then purchased the 12mm f/2.0 and have not regretted it. Capable of producing amazing shots.

[@richdt]

Nice video and review, thanks for doing it.... I just ordered one!

[@TheArjunsud]

Hello Darren, as a beginner with Olympus EP3 and the 14-42mm kits lens, I can only afford one prime lens, and seems the real choice is between 17mm,25mm, 45mm in the f1.8. Thinking of the 25mm since its gives me decent portrait capability, and with panorama through software, I can also get most of the 17mm benefits. So is the 25 mm a good beginner choice, or is it a neither here nor there kinda lens? Separately, why are the comparable DSLR lenses so much cheaper? I always assumed the micro 43 were more value than DSLR, but seems I am wrong :(

[@KingTut14]

I'm thinkin of buying a lens for indoor portraits. I got my eye on olympus 25mm, but then I saw your 17mm review. what are the differences and which one should I get?

[@addicknchips1]

Love your reviews Darren

[@darrendavenport3334]

Thanks

[@wikan93]

Hi Darren! I have the Olympus E-M10 with the standard lens, M.Zuiko Digital 14-42 mm. Which type of lense will you recommend for long distance shots? Great channel you have!

[@DarrenMiles]

togeir emo Togier, I'd get the 40-150mm f/s.8 PRO if you can swing it - it's amazing. Thank you for the kind words on the channel!

[@Marticulate]

Thanks for your informative videos. Just a tip, maybe consider disabling the continuous auto focus on the camera being used to film. It's incredibly distracting as it hunts around for focus on the product tracking shot and as you're mid sentence. You don't need it anyway as your subjects are static. Set and forget. Thanks for the info.

[@DarrenMiles]

Marticulate - totally agree! At the time of this review, I just bought the 70D and didn't realize that I had it "servo focus" - hence the hunting. In subsequent reviews, this issue does not rear it's distracting head. Thank you for the feedback!

[@codeslacker77]

Which color of the lens matches better on a Silver EM5? The black one or the silver one?

[@ykc8888]

A very informing review, getting right to the point! I like the fact that you give a score for each area of concern, build quality, image quality, etc. Question: I have an Olympus Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 lens. Do I need a 25mm f/1.8? Thank you.

[@DarrenMiles]

Yun - thank you for the kind words! There's no "right" or "wrong" answer to your question. The 17 is about equivalent to a 35mm and the 25 is about the equivalent of a 50mm - both are great. I haven't used the 17, but I hear GREAT things about it. The 50 is a more "normal" field of view - meaning it's similar to what the human eye sees when taking a photo, and a 17 is wider than that. It really comes down to what you plan on using the lens for...

[@stenchlord]

I own both the 17/1.8 and the 25/1.8 and my personal opinion is that it is worth having them both, at least for my needs. The 17/1.8 works fantastically as a street lens or as an indoor lens. The slightly wider field of view really makes a difference if you're in a crowded marketplace/sidewalk or indoors at a convention or crowded bar/restaurant. The 25/1.8 comes in handy when you're looking to isolate your subject and when you want to get in closer without making your subject feel claustrophobic and the resulting image also just has a more natural look to it (whether this is due to the fact that 50mm is meant to be a natural field of view for the human eye or not, I dunno) but unlike the 17mm (35mm equiv.) it doesn't distort proportions drastically. In the end though it depends on the type of photography you wish to use this for. If you're just looking for an everyday lens, the 17mm f/1.8 should be fulfilling that requirement quite nicely. If you're looking for something that will work as an everyday lens while still being able to produce decent portraits then the 25mm f/1.8 might be one to look at. As long as you have the room it performs adequately as a full shot (head to toe), mid shot (head to midriff) or close shot (head and shoulders).

[@marc6652]

Ok, but all of your reviews gives extraordinary marks... Is it useful to have a rating scale going from 0 to 10 ? I am surprised to see that this lens has 10/10 for the image quality. What would be your evaluation for the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM or the Carl Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 though ? For example, I have the Olympus 75 f/1.8 and the Zeiss 135 f/2.8. If I had to rate both I'll give 6 to the 75 and 10 to the 135.

[@notmainstream77]

Nobody care about ur rating tho...

[@NewsIn60Seconds]

Your lens reviews are second to none. I was wondering if a person is able to use a different hood, off a filter thread maybe? Are the filter thread and mount metal on the 25mm (Nikon 58mm f/1.4 plastic threads)? They sure don't make them like they used to.

[@NewsIn60Seconds]

I would love to see a review of the minolta 58mm f/1.2 you had mentioned you had a while back when commenting on the plastic construction of the lens you were reviewing. I personally think there will be great interest in vintage lenses with the proliferation of mirror-less camera technology.

[@DarrenMiles]

Thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate them! The Oly 25 has a 46mm plastic filter thread. I haven't heard about 3rd party lens hoods just yet, but I'm sure they're out there - or will be soon. I do have the Minolta - however, I had it mount converted for my canon's, that said, I can get a simple adapter and put it on the OM-D - that is a great piece of glass and one that I will review in the near future - I've got about 5 - 6 lens reviews in the hopper, its just that these reviews take awhile to produce, edit etc and I work full time as a photographer, but I will get to it eventually.

[@bavideomaker29]

I'm confused as to why you say a fast 50mm equivalent had been missing for M4/3. The PL Summilux 25mm f/1.4 has been on the market for years.

[@DarrenMiles]

I was specifically referring to olympus's line of lenses. I think I mentioned the Pany/Leica 25 f/1.4 a few times in the review and have even reviewed that lens as well. It's great btw!

[@parmindersbedi]

Hi Darren, As always, great review. I am big fan of your reviews. Your reviews have have helped me a lot in deciding for what lens to go for. Thanks Heaps. A quick question, I have the Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens. How does the olympus lens compare to that. Is it worth ditching the panasonic and buying this instead. I understand that Panasonic provides an extra stop of light. Please advice. Thanks.

[@DarrenMiles]

Thank you so much for the kind words, that means a lot!!! There's no "right" or "wrong" answer to your question, it comes down to what you value. The key considerations to me are size, price and f/1.8 vs. f/1.4. I reviewed the Pany 25 f/1.4 back in September, it too is a great lens capable of producing excellent images. My issues with the Pany are; Size - it's a lot bigger than the Oly CA's - not sure if it was just my copy, but I was getting a ton of purple fringing (I posted an example in the review) in high contrast situations - correctable, but it was a LOT of CA's Price, on the higher side for an M43 lens. PROS to the Pany; f/1.4 Focus speed and accuracy Better build quality Both are excellent lenses, and I also understand that Pany bodies recognize the lens and compensate for the CAs in camera... So there may be a bit of that idea of using a Pany lens on an Oly body and vice-versa to get the most out of your lens. Hope that helps!

[@bamsemh1]

Are you using Sony for filming? 🤔 A lot of focus instability 😬

[@resellpanda88]

Darren, great videos! If the price($400) were the same on the following models which one would you recommend? Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 Leica DG Summilux (used) Olympus 25mm f1.8 (new) I have the OM-D E-M5 Thanks!!

[@castawayblues4359]

Hi Darren, Always enjoy your reviews. I do have a question though, when reviewing the PL Summilux 25 f/1.4 you did so using an Olympus body. This seems rather common in reviews, and I'm curious if using native bodies would be a more accurate and fair evaluation? Your opinion? I ask because I shoot PL and a friend shoots Oly. He has the Oly 25 f/1.8 and I the PL 25 f/1.4, and quite honestly the focus speed is identical. And we both agree the image quality of the PL lens/body combo is as good or slightly better. I will concede this is always highly subjective, but we both appreciate contrast and color with good background separation which the PL does amazingly well. Again, I'm just curious as to why so many reviews seem to ignore the native body/lens part of the image equazion. My best, Ron

[@DarrenMiles]

What ends up happening - at least in my case - is that at the time of the review, I only had an Olympus body - However, I now have both and will test each lens on its native system primarily in future reviews. That said, I'm a big fan of the compact size of the Oly - the Pany is much bigger - the difference in focus speed is negligible and the difference in optical quality is also negligible, however, at least with my copy of the Pany, I had a high degree of Chromatic Aberrations (way too much purple fringing) - an easy fix, but just another step in the process. Both are great lenses, what it really comes down to is how much do you value f/1.4 to f/1.8 - judgement call... You can't really lose with either.

[@MrRobStrick]

It's a Tiki Torch Darren. ;-) As always, your reviews are great. Very informative and helpful in my lens purchasing decisions. Thank you. Oh yeah, I subscribed to your channel!

[@NQMediaUK]

Hi Darren, great review as always. Here in the UK the Olympus 25mm f1.8 for some unfathomable reason is priced much higher at £369 or around $618 and in fact is only currently £10 cheaper than the Panasonic 25mm f1.4 which is priced at £379! I have read much about the Pany and its rendering being of the highest quality but wondered if the Olympus is able to match the Pany in this dept? Or if you feel the Pany still produces higher quality images? Appreciate your feedback.. thanks Neil

[@DarrenMiles]

That's crazy! As for which one? They're both great, here in the States the price of the Oly is about 25% less expensive than the Pany ($529 vs. $399). My copy of the Pany had some serious CA issues - many other users told me they hadn't experienced that - leading me to believe that I may have had a bad copy. But apart from the CA, the Pany is sharp, contrasty and really, really fast focussing (so is the Oly.) - so it comes down to build, f/1.8 vs f/1.4 and of course price, which isn't that much of a difference it sounds like for you - the Pany is definitely built better. Maybe you can plan a trip to NYC and pick up the Oly :-) Oh, and the Oly is a lot smaller than the pany - which to me is important if I'm traveling. They're optically very similar - CA's aside.

[@NQMediaUK]

Darren Miles Thanks Darren yes it is crazy and as you can imagine many UK buyers are somewhat bemused at the moment especially as the 45mm f1.8 launched at only £240 or around $400. Just wondered what you feel about the image quality between the 2 lenses (Pany 25mm f1.4 v Olympus 25mm f1.8) though? Any advice as to which output you prefer? Is the Pany's rendering which I have heard is excellent, any better in reality to the Olympus 25mm f1.8? Or are they too close to call?

[@DarrenMiles]

NQ Media Too close to call. Price, Size, Build and f/1.4 vs f/1.8, as for how much those things matter, that's up to you. I don't think you can go wrong with either. Honestly.

[@NQMediaUK]

Darren Miles Thanks Darren.. appreciate your honesty and it look as if it may well be the Olympus then! Especially if the Pany doesn't seem to hold any winning cards like better quality rendering etc..

[@REP96st]

NQ Media WHAT? it holds the best card, as in it let's in More Light! And rendering? Are we really going there? Build quality, one is made in China with cheap plastics and the other is made in Japan with anti glare coating. I smell Olympus bias. Just check Amazon and see where the P/L 25mm is compared to the Olympus 25mm and get back to me.. here's a hint: the P/London is a #1 seller.

[@juneanderson7063]

Hi Darren - Thanks so much for this great review! Very informative! I am wondering now if I should get a 45mm f1.8 or this 25mm f1.8. I'm mostly shooting pictures of my daughters and my family. Which one would you recommend between those two lens? Thanks!

[@DarrenMiles]

Either would suit you well, I personally prefer the 45.

[@juneanderson7063]

Thank you! I just ordered the 45 from Olympus. Happy Holidays!

[@edsmith5754]

Does your Olympus 25mm make a clicking noise when autofocusing during video? Mine does but only during video. Wondering if I have a bad copy?Thanks

[@DarrenMiles]

+Bob Ricer Mine does not, sounds like you may have an issue.

[@WOWTODAZ]

low light is awesome

[@LostInNeverland128]

Which would you prefer as your first and only lens? The 25mm or 45mm? I do portraits, videos and occasional landscapes. Or should I get a zoom lens?

[@DarrenMiles]

+LostInNeverland Tough call - I think I'd get the 45... But the 12-40 is AMAZING!

[@kazooless]

Will you be reviewing the new Panasonic 25mm f1.7 soon? It's price is a steal. I'm wondering if it is a better choice, especially at its price, than the Oly 25mm f1.8.

[@DarrenMiles]

+kazooless It's on my list...

[@kazooless]

+Darren Miles Awesome. Mine arrives tomorrow. Can't wait.

[@costas4287]

If you compare the Olympus 25mm f/1.8 lense with the Panasonic Leica 25mm 1.4 lense which lense would you buy? I have the Panasonic dmc-gf5 PANASONIC micro 4/3 camera.

[@DarrenMiles]

Hey Phillip, This question comes up a lot. Optically and AF wise, they're nearly identical, however the primary differences are price, f/1.4 vs. f/1.8, and size. All in, I'd probably go for the Oly - but both are excellent!

[@screencastmagazine7144]

nice video, do you recommend this lens for 1) documentary work?? and 2) with use on the Panasonic G7. could you also recommend a good variable ND filter for it, thanks

[@bamsemh1]

Btw, I heard some of the 1.8 primes had mf clutch. Did 25mm have it?

[@DarrenMiles]

The 17 and the 12 f/2 have it

[@Flargsh]

Hi Darren, great review! Could I ask, what camera strap is on your OMD? Thanks

[@Avjoti]

One og the best reviews I have ever seen.

[@DarrenMiles]

What a kind thing to say, thank you very, very much!

[@tinaavantis6900]

I have the E-PL7 with the 14-42 pancake lense + the 45 mm lense. Would the 25 mm be a good addition? I love taking pictures of children, but also take a lot of pictures on Holidays. And some video/vlog.

[@analienundercover8207]

should i buy this for my gh5 or sigma 30 1.4 or leica 25mm f1.4 ? Help me

[@ThePaleBlueDot94]

Hi Darren, Love your reviews on the tube. I have a question (and I know it comes down to personal preference or shooting style but...), I am buying my first prime and was thinking what are your thoughts on the 25 v 45mm options? Does one outshine the other in any obvious way, or would I be safe to get either of those lenses as my first venture into primes?

[@DarrenMiles]

+Peter Murrell Thank you for the kind words! Depends what you want to shoot - the 45 is a simply sublime and amazing portrait lens that is optically waaaaay beyond it's price point. It's one of my favorites on the whole system. That said, the field of view is a bit narrow for general use, so if you want to shoot portraits, then jump on the 45, if you want something for more general photography then I would recommend the 25 - which by the way, can used for portraits, but they'll be more for environmental portraiture and not individual portraits (think headshots) like you would use the 45... Hope that helps! Darren

[@ThePaleBlueDot94]

+Darren Miles thank you. Very helpful. The 45 it is. Just that extra bit of push needed to make the choice.

[@imohsam4390]

DO you use automatic mode on those shots?

[@john-reymacatuggal7080]

whats your say comparing to the panasonic 25 f1.4?

[@RoamingDeparted]

Hey Darren i just Subscribed! Great reviews, would this be good for group shots or should i go for the 17mm? i like the price of this one better.

[@DarrenMiles]

+Adam Love I think you could use either, the 50mm equivalent is more to my personal liking for groups, as the 35mm equivalent can get too wide... Thank you for the kind words!

[@3rdGorilla]

going to buy this lens today for $100!

[@imohsam4390]

where ? i can't find any cheaper secondhand... :(

[@eddietang68]

Thanks so much for this review!

[@harisava]

Hi Darren! Thanks for the beautiful and very interesting and helpful review!! I've recently purchased an em-10 and i'd like to purchase a fast μ4/3 lens, as many others who have already posted their thoughts above. I have a question though... My previous camera was a nikon d3100 and i was delighted to have the nifty fifty equivalent the 35/1.8 dx lens. That lens is all plastic but it's image quality is very good while it's price is at 200$. In the μ4/3 system the respective lens is the one that you've reviewed above and as you say it is an affordable lens, but at the same time its price is double the nikon one's. (i don't know if there is something for canon too). Can you assume a reason for the price difference between the lenses? Should we wait more affordable prime lenses for the μ4/3 system in the future?

[@martini_served_here]

κορυφαια οπτικη ποιοτητα (οχι απλος πολυ καλη) σε συνδιασμο με μινιατουρα ...πληρωνεται

[@4gkporter]

Darren says "overflowing with optical goodness". As I become more and more satisfied with my new mirrorless investment (product and trust) reviews like this are truly helpful! Well-spoken Darren!

[@DarrenMiles]

Gregory K Porter Thanks Greg, Olympus has so many great primes, this is just another in a long list of really, really good ones!

[@jamesphan8306]

Thanks for the review, btw, is it sharp when wide open?

[@DarrenMiles]

Bá Phan yes, especially in the center.

[@henriquemeira]

Hello Darren, I have an Olympus OM-D E-M5, M.Zuiko ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ and want to buy a second lens. I am undecided between Olympus 25mm f/1.8 and Olympus 45mm f/1.8. What is the best choice as a second lens?

[@DarrenMiles]

Henrique, it's up to you. If you're shooting "normal" photographs then the 25 may be the way to go as it offers a similar field of view as the human eye's perspective. However, if you're shooting portraits or want to get into portraiture, then I would HIGHLY recommend the 45 f/1.8. Both are really excellent and just gems of lenses. The decision as to which to get should rely heavily on what you plan on doing with it. Hope that helps!!

[@climaxpicture]

Darren Miles thanks Darren, i d ask the same.. cheers from Istanbul!

[@everythingsablur]

Thanks for the review! I already have the Panny 25 and wavered back and forth on switching, but ultimately decided to stand pat as it's still a great lens, a hair brighter, and didn't want to spend more for a marginally better/likely overall equal lens. The new spat of reviews like yours still keep me wavering... :) One minor nit on the review, you seem to introduce the review twice; once at about 38s, and again at about 1:30. Felt like deja vu listening to the first couple of minutes...

[@DarrenMiles]

Thank you for your comments - GUILTY as charged :-) - I always mean to say less at the beginning before I introduce the lens by itself in the second segment, I've made the same mistake on several of my videos... Have to work on saying less in the beginning. Both lenses - the Pany 25 f/1.4 and the Oly are excellent, and you really can't go wrong with either....

[@ttgnam81]

What is your background music? Love your videos.

[@DarrenMiles]

+tim nam Thank you! The song in this video is called "Here it is" by Dan Phillipson, can be picked up at Premium Beats

[@ttgnam81]

+Darren Miles bought the lens because of the great review. and I never knew the copyright free music downloads are that expensive.

[@DarrenMiles]

Yeah, I pay for the license to use the tracks on most of my videos - the ones by Wayne Leinen Jr are because he's a personal friend of mine.

[@josephcastillo1974]

Thanks for the review. I really enjoy your reviews, and I think I've watched this particular one about 10 times now. I currently own the Oly 17mm f/1.8, and I think it's a great lens too. Have you compared the two on your own? Anyway, keep up the good work. Your reviews are polished and I feel like I can trust what you say in your reviews.

[@DarrenMiles]

Thanks Joe! I have not tried the 17, but it's on my list. I just got the 12-40 so that'll be my next M43 lens that I review. Currently working on a review of a lens from the 70's adapted to my 5D3 - that'll be up Friday.

[@ChristianTangoan]

Can you use this lens on a Sony a6000 aps-c?

[@DarrenMiles]

Christian Tango-an Unfortunately not, it will only work on an M43 sensor camera...

[@prodefensiofotografia555]

Do you know if it is mountable and working well on Lumix GF2 btw?

[@DarrenMiles]

Yes, it is mountable, natively. Olympus M43 and Panasonic M43 are natively interchangeable.

[@1DesperateDan]

Hi Darren Thank you so much for great reviews, they are so good to follow ! My name is Dan Puigserver and live in another great place in the world : The stunning sunny Provence ! Ok ! Right now I would love to ask you Darren, your opinion on the two Panasonic-Leica lenses 1/ Panasonic-Leica DG Summilux 25 mm f/1.4 ASPH. 2/ Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 Can't wait for your kind analysis !

[@lucifil]

Darren's actually done a review on the 25mm f/1.4. My view is, if you don't already have a 25mm for m43 and value matters, this Oly is better than the Pana-Leica. That said the pana-leica is 2/3 of a stop faster as well.

[@Steve62Jivatone]

Very helpful - thank you

[@kape06111]

Just subscribed. Great review.

[@DarrenMiles]

Hans Lewinnek Thanks Hans!

[@WhoIsSerafin]

I've had this 50mm for three years now and use it every day for street photography and will have to disagree on the build quality of this lens and the lens hood. That hood has taken a pounding and even forgotten it came with that ring that attaches to the front of the lens.

[@edenjaycollins6055]

If you already have a 45mm f1.8 is there any point in getting the 25mm, whats the difference :)

[@DarrenMiles]

About 20 mm :-). Just keep in mind that the 25 mm 1.8 on a micro 4/3 sensor is equivalent to 50 mm field of view on a full frame sensor. 45 mm is equivalent to 90 mm full frame field of you. So what does that mean? Well traditionally speaking 50 mm is used for general purpose photography for anything from portrait to just general purposes. 90 mm equivalent field of view generally falls more in the realm of portrait photography or headshot photography. Because the longer focal length tends to compress the background and better isolate the subject from distractions.... So there :-)

[@edenjaycollins6055]

Haha thanxs :) so do you think it would be worth buying the 25mm as well :D

[@DarrenMiles]

Depends what you want to use it for - if you like the street and general photography it's a great little lens...

[@arneshsengupta4636]

the 45mm is an incredible lens

[@mmd90]

this or 45mm?

[@DarrenMiles]

Mihai-Daniel Muresan yes :-). Tough call, 45 more for a headshot, 50 more for 3/4 and environmental portraits... depends what you want to do...

[@mmd90]

@@DarrenMiles and if I already have M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14‑42mm F3.5‑5.6 which one would better complement my kit for traveling/portraits

[@DarrenMiles]

@@mmd90 45

[@Dylandrawindog]

are you cold?

[@JulesMoyaert_photo]

Subscribed.

[@immanueluy8060]

I was hoping to get your advice on glass. I'll be picking up an em5 ii really soon, within the week or two. And I'm torn between the 25 mm 1.8 and the 45 mm 1.8. I've used 16-55 kit lenses before from sony/nikon and I have always been going from 25, 35, 45/50. So I'm really undecided. :( I was hoping if I could get your advice on which lens would be best for me. Here are a few shots I capture, hopefully it helps: instagram.com/re.imn/

[@DarrenMiles]

+Immanuel Uy Slight edge to the 45. 25 is more general purpose, 45 is more for portraits. Both are great, but if I had to pick, I'd go with the 45.

[@immanueluy8060]

Fastest response ever. Thank you so much! Loving your reviews!

[@immanueluy8060]

+Darren Miles hey Darren, just another question. In terms of em5 mk1 and mk2 , which one would you purchase right now? Is the mk2 worth the extra 500 price tag?

[@DarrenMiles]

+Immanuel Uy The Mark 2 - the video quality alone is better, not to mention the 1/8000 max shutter speed and hi-resolution shooting... Em5 2 for sure.

[@brandosbloc]

+Immanuel Uy It depends on what type of photography you enjoy I guess? I use the MK II as well with the 45mm and the panasonic 20mm! Don't get me wrong, the 45mm is amazing, but it really is quite a tight lens, and if you are looking for a 1st lens then I think the 25mm is a better choice, or better yet, the 17mm!

[@juanalvarado7794]

$399? LMAO is $199 now. Cant beat that amd thats why m43 is the way to go for me (:

[@oscarm4154]

wow olympus video is so bad :)

[@ArminBravoII]

Is this lens able to be interchangeable with Panasonic Lumix micro 4/3 cameras?

[@DarrenMiles]

Yes! Olympus and Panasonic share the same mount (AF Compatible too!) on their M43 cameras.