the BEST-WORST micro four thirds lens ever made

[@dylandubeau]

My best/worst lens is probably the Lumix 12-32. Pancake ✅Weirdly sharp. ✅ good range ✅ somehow has OIS ✅ but no manual focus ❌ have to extend/open it to use it ❌ and plastic lens mount (why?!) ❌. Great video as usual!

[@Bbbbbb-zr2yg]

I would say its my worst/worst lens... Very disapointing, a frustrating range, a lot of image distorsion at 12mm, and plastic... not fantastic. Quickly sold and replaced by the 20mm pancake.

[@StephenStrangways]

The early versions sold with the GM cameras have metal lens mounts. Later versions have plastic lens mounts.

[@flcon16]

​@@Bbbbbb-zr2ygI've been using this lens for like... 7 or 8 years and it never registered to me that it doesn't have manual focus. With the smaller sensor, slower aperture, and the fact that I'm usually using it pretty wide.... The DOF is so deep and the AF is so good that I don't think I've ever had a moment where I thought I might need to focus manually or where I've gotten back and disappointingly missed focus. But interesting... You can actually put the GX85 in manual focus mode with it and tap the screen to have AF lock in. This is probably the time I'd be most interested in using MF with this lens anyway... I know my distance to subject and just want to lock it in.

[@Weechoo]

Our first copy died as well. Feels comforting to know that others have this problem too. I ordered one more from MPB, and I bought maximum warranty (I think 3 years) for a little extra pound. Just in case. I tried to replace the snapped ribbon, but I couldn't find a place on the internet where I could buy the exact same one.

[@marksieving7925]

The ribbon problem is more common than you think. The first 9-18mm lens I bought from MPB came dead on arrival, though I was able to exchange it for a working version. A pretty high proportion of users have reported the problem.

[@doscheid]

One more vote for the ribbon problem here 😢

[@StephenStrangways]

I tried to buy this lens used three times: first one didn't work at all, second one didn't work once you zoomed more than halfway, third one worked perfectly for two days and then stopped working completely.

[@ste4803]

Mine also has this problem. As much as I love it’s optical performance, I am reluctant to buy it again.

[@MichaelMann-xn2zu]

Same here, with my 9-18. Suddenly it showed a failure while zooming. I loved the 9-18 very much before that day. I replaced it with a 12-100 for travel and meanwhile with a 8mm fish for the ultra short end.

[@Leptospirosi]

Ribbon problems are common on Every extendable lens: it is just in the nature of a plastic ribbon, mechanically connecting two parts that move away from each other. This is not a Pro lens and should not be bought for years if daily usage. Still, it can last years as a backup lens that take the occasional shot when wide is needed. I had Olympus, Fuji, Canon and Lumix lenses failing fir the same ribbon problem.

[@tremaincheerful4189]

I agree 100%. This lens is a wonderful way to bring ultra wide ability along with you in a super light and affordable package. Paired with the Oly 12-100 f4 pro, I'v3 got incredible coverage for travel or street, landscape, and nearly anything I'll find to photograph.

[@SkylerKing]

I had the 9-18mm for years. I never had any issues with it. It's not perfect, but it is so versatile and useful in so many circumstances while being so small and lightweight. I was happy with it.

[@TigerPaw193]

As always, this was a wonderful video, Emily! I love the little Oly 9-18. And the locking lever isn't an issue for me because I regularly use the manual 14-42 kit zoom, which has the same "feature." 9-18, 14-42, and 40-150: Oly kit zooms all, and all are really light weight, sharp, and yield beautiful images. As for the OM rebranded version, I suspect the only thing that has gone up is not the quality, but just the price. For those of us who do not need or cannot afford the top-of-the-line OM 1 models, OM has been rather a disappointment. There's the OM 5 that didn't inherit the newer, cleaner OM 1 menus. And as for the OM 10, oh that's right, there is no OM 10.

[@buggersofoz]

Agree, I'm still stuck on EM1.2, but don't have anything wider than 12-200mm Oly, 14mm F2.5 Panny or 17mm F1.8 Oly... it seems very much like OM-5 was very advanced development of the E-M5 mk IV, hence it didn't even get USB-C from the TG-7... such a shame that Olympus doesn't implement the AI AF across the range like Canon from R7, R10, R50 all the way down to R100. It would be great to have OM-10 with some of the features from OM-1 (animal AF), but of course not its sensor or speed (FPS, buffer etc).

[@Koji-888]

Super light. + Super small. 💁🏻‍♀️ Feels great in your hands. + KEEP it in your bag. Btw. It has a warmer tone which I love. The Laowa, and Lumix are cooler.

[@sbeckmesser]

I have both the 9-18 and the 8-25. The 9-18 is more fun, especially for stills taken with a smaller camera body (the Pens up to the OM-5 or Panasonic GX9). But the 8-25 is incredibly versatile, especially for serious video productions. Here, having a 50mm equiv reach comes in very handy. But is too heavy for handheld vlogging. In that case I'd use the 9-18 or the exquisite Pana/Leica 9mm prime.

[@kophotograph1803]

I really love my 9-18mm. Bought it for a really good price. The other Ultra Wide lenses were way more expensive and I am very pleased with the results. And I really dont mind the plasticy build. In fact it feels robust. I really whish it would have Weather Sealing. Its a really big drawback for example for photographing waterfalls. I use it mostly for travelling. Its pretty much glued on my tiny Lumix gx80, as its really versatile in focal length and the tiny size. For the price, the size and the very good results its a nice piece of gear in my bag.

[@80janitor]

Good video as always. Just wanted to mention that the lever is only needed to retract the lens, it can be opened just by turning the zoom ring. I tended to open/extend my copy when I would take the camera out of the bag and leave it open/extended all day or until I put it away again.

[@WRCzATL]

I've had mine for about three years now, and use it constantly. No issues. If it breaks, I'll buy another.

[@stephenbrasure4331]

And going back and editing old files is definitely a wonderful process. For me, I know so much more about post processing than I did not that long ago, and with today's software, you can end up having an amazing shot that you didn't know you had. I'm soooo glad I switched to shooting in raw mode long ago!

[@LebronPhoto1]

I purchased the 9-18 early on when I was using the original OMD EM5, sometime in 2013 or early 2014. It is a great lens and we still have it. It is currently part of my wife's kit. I personally wanted to go wider and experimented with using 7.5mm fisheyes before eventually settling on the Panasonic 7-14.

[@gregfeeler6910]

You are right on with your recommendation of this lens. I've used the Olympus 7-14mm f2.8 PRO and love the speed, the ultra-wide angle views, and the excellent PRO image quality, but I was always nervous about the exposed front element and it was very inconvenient to not be able to use conventional filters. I recently bought the 8-25mm f4 PRO on sale and find it's a really versatile focal range with no front element worries, and has the ability to use the same 72mm filters which fit some of my other lenses. However, it's not an inexpensive lens. Using an ultra-wide lens, especially one with as good an IQ as this 9-19mm OM System/Olympus, can be so much fun and help you create such interesting images that narrower lenses can't do,. You can find some really good deals on the Mark I version and I think you owe it to yourself to give one a try, if you haven't.

[@alexeiheintz7350]

I bought this nice lense for trekking in Himalayas in winter 2019. It has a perfect focus range for this kind of huge dense landscape structures.

[@RogerBenno]

My no.1 travel lens. Used with an epl10. For low light or more compact use a Panasonic 1.7 pancake. With this combination it fits in a jacket pocket. Great walk around system. Because of lenses like these is why you hardly see DSLR cameras any more when on vacation. They appear ridiculously large in comparison

[@stnrck64]

I also have two of these but only use one if weight and size is really important. I prefer to carry my Olympus 12-45mm f/4 and Pana/Leica 9mm. Obviously a lot more money but I’ve got 50mm and 90mm equivalent to work with for all the situations where I don’t need super wide angle. For street photography though it’s a very handy lens.

[@jimcoon]

Love your content. I bought the 9-18 8 years ago to shoot interior real estate video on my GH3. I still use it today on my GH5 and G9II. It is extremely easy to manual focus.

[@hauke3644]

This was my first real mft wide-angle lens and I used it happily for several years. I never struggled with the extending tube, that's an easy 2-fingers game. When the Laowa 10mm came out, I switched, since that isn't as bulky (yes!), optically better and offers some background blur possibilities because of f/2. Additionally I have other super-wide lenses which I hardly use because the small one is always there. In this sense I can really recommend the 9-18 for anyone being on a budget. Pair it with the 25mm and 45 primes and you have a really great kit!

[@gordon3988]

Hmm I expected you to be vlogging from Osaka…maybe on an S9! I’m hoping Pan has sent you and you can prompt them to do a similar small mft. Great video as always! Loved that photo in the slot canyon!

[@havikhobbies]

Bought the 9-18mm then sold it 3 months later! Nothing wrong with the lens we just didn't get along. It is very sharp and awesomely versatile, but wasn't going to achieve what I needed. I replaced it with the Oly 12mm f2 and for me that's a keeper!

[@TigerPaw193]

And that's one reason micro four-thirds is so awesome. We are spoiled for choice! It would be nice, though, to have some videos about the Oly 12mm f/2. The f/1.8s (17mm, 25mm, and 45mm) are talked about a lot. The 12mm, not so much. Wouldn't that make a great Micro Four Nerds video--hint, hint, Emily?!?! 🙂🙂🙂 📷

[@havikhobbies]

​​@@TigerPaw193 The lenses are definitely the best part of the micro four thirds system, Sharp and compact! Oly 12mm f2 lens is a little beast, fast with beautiful colors. I don't think it gets much attention because the focal length overlaps with many other nice zoom lenses and it's only 2mm wider than a typical kit lens. But as an affordable fast 24mm equivalent prime its tough to beat IMO.

[@dingoeatswolf3663]

Bought the 12mm f2 lens shortly after acquiring the 17mm. I thought I needed the matching pair since the lenses are lovely crafted pieces, but I’ve rarely used it as I bought the 12-40 pro not long after. Now I’ve added the 9mm Lumix to the collection the oly 12mm rarely gets a gig….but I love the feel and look of it that I can’t bare to part with it. Might be the time now to make the effort to get out and use it 😁

[@alexwade9921]

I owned one of these and loved it. I agree with you in that I hardly ever took it off the camera. I transitioned through a Panasonic 7-14 which I never grew to like that much (flare), then moved on to the Pana Leica 8-18 which is optically superb. It’s like a bigger better sharper version of the 9-18 but a bit wider too. Sadly bigger and heavier though. It also passes the ‘real life’ test of hardly ever coming off the camera. I’d buy the 9-18 again if I was looking for a super light travel setup. It’s perfect with the smallest of Olympus bodies.

[@estraume]

For my walk around photo trips in town or in the woods, I use the OM-1 with the 12-40/2.8 most of the time, and bring the Pan-Leica 100-400mm for wildlife photos. So since I already have a lens with zoom range down to 12mm, I decided to buy the 9mm f/1.7 two weeks ago to get some background bokeh for closeup wide-angle photos. I only need to bring those three lenses when I go for a walk.

[@TITAOSTEIN]

This really is a lovely lens. I would like the new version to be weather sealed. I often end up choosing to bring the Leica 9mm (also lovely), exclusively because of the seal. On long trips I tend to take the Leica 9mm, the Oly 12-100, the Leica 100-400mm, the Oly 20mm f1.4 and the Macro 60mm. For fast and small: 9-18+12-50+75-300

[@patricklouis1583]

I've had this great lens for 4 years and really enjoyed it. I was also using the 14-42 EZ pancake lens, but finally much less because it' s not wide enough and I don't like the electric zoom. Then I bought a second camera with the lumix 12-32 kit lens and I realised that 12 mm was wide enough for my practice. It's also smaller and the unlocking is easier. I sold the 9-18 for a very good price and have no regret.

[@stephenbrasure4331]

I believe this is the second video you have done on this lens, and it just may motivate me to get out my copy of the lens and actually use it. I bought it several years ago and must confess that it has barely been used. I really must do something about that! So thanks for another motivating review.

[@jbvertexx]

The 9-18 has got to be one of the most under-appreciated lenses in the system. It's a gem. The build quality is much better than it looks in the pictures, and you can't beat the size/weight while still getting superb results. I bought the 8-25 pro last year, and will use that when I absolutely need either the extra reach or the weather sealing. But I still find myself using the 9-18 much more often. An OM-5 with the 9-18 and the Pana 35-100 f4-5.6 is going to be my kit this summer for an extended backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where low carry-weight is top priority. This after I lugged around the OM-1 and 8-25 last year. It's just super frustrating though that they didn't upgrade the new version with weather sealing. Had they done that, I would have bought it twice as well.

[@Centauri27]

I agree! It was sooo lazy of OMDS to not at least weather seal the Mk II version of this lens. And I agree that the build quality is pretty good for being all plastic.

[@GLu-qc6vn]

Perhaps we'll meet in the Sierra this summer, identifying one another by the OM-5 and this lens we'll each be carrying! I haven't decided yet whether to bring the Pana 35-100, or the 14-140 II, as I did in Nepal a couple months ago. (I liked its weather sealing.) I also had the 12-32 lens, which I used the most. So tiny. - Gary

[@markwiemels]

Super photos! Thanks for putting this on my radar.

[@billgow04]

love this little gem !! always in my bag...

[@HughRaine]

I have the 14-42. Not a fan of the lock! And it seems to turn a different way to my Nikon and Lumix lenses if I remember correctly. I do like the blue ring, though... I bought a wrist strap to match!

[@crimlarksSteve]

I had never considered that lens, but after watching your video I think I'll have to pick one up. It will flesh out my tiny micro 4/3 lens set nicely. You've taken some great pictures with that lens!!!

[@skfineshriber]

Welcome to Utah! Some days you can go skiing at Snowbird in the morning and enjoy a round of golf in the afternoon in Salt Lake. It’s only a 20-30 minute drive between.

[@chodgetx]

Learning to love this lens. Headed to Liverpool from Dallas in 3 weeks. Any recommendations for places to shoot, and the best Beatles tour?

[@Jarrych83]

I've had great experiences with olympus plastic lenses. It literally sounds creaky if I zoom with video, but the 40-150 is amazing and I greatly enjoy the tiny size and weight of the 30mm macro. Those two have made up my hiking kit, as I don't often find myself wanting a wide lens while hiking and camping. Just the places I'm going, at least. Regardless, the quality of both of those lenses feels "sturdy enough" and the optical quality is amazing. The zoom in particular has unreal micro contrast and captures the most subtle details in light. The macro is good for macro, but also a good length for general photography and has a bit of character. Trends toward darker darks and makes that contrasty woods photos really vibrant.

[@marktaylor8659]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts. I like the focal range, however for me, I'd ruled out this lens for the specific reason of the locking/unlocking button which is also on the kit lens. I bought the 14-42 EZ pancake lens just to get away from that button issue and on my PEN F it looks and works great. The only issue I've had with the EZ lens is the hood I purchased doesn't allow the lens cap to be on at the same time, so it's either the hood or the cap. This probably just as much a hassle as the button on the kit lens, so I'm in a bit of a quandary for my next step.

[@garycasey7986]

I bought my 9-18mm sometime around 2015/16. I would not be without it. My hiking/travel kit is the Olympus 14-150mm and the 9-18mm. For hiking I take my E-M1 ii and for travel, my E-M10 iii. Over the years I have upgraded every M43 lens I own to a better version with the exception of the 9-18mm. M.O.O.N. That spells great lens! 😉

[@huwalban]

Well, then I've been unlucky too - I am on my second version of this lens for exactly the same reason as you, and I didn't use my first copy anywhere near as much as you did. Take it easy out there.

[@FieldingSmith]

This was the 2nd m43 lens I ever bought, back when I was in Japan to go with my GF1 + 20/1.7. Sold it many moons ago.

[@buggersofoz]

Darn! You made me wanna buy this again... after your last video I ordered it... twice from a local camera store (Ted's in Oz) for AUD300, but it was out of stock both times! Then I read about the ribbon cable problem (including in the comments below this video) and gave up. Went looking for Lumix 7-14mm instead.... but missed one eBay auction for AUD350 and that was it, hardly anything at $600 or below... still looking, passed on a few sub $300 9-18 though, so maybe I should start considering them again and roll the dice 😜

[@gebauzchris]

I think the ribbon cable problem is actually quite common. I bought a 2nd hand one that had that problem within a few days - thankfully the company I bought it from had a 10 day warranty for 2nd hand items so I returned it and got another on that worked without issue.

[@pauldaniels921]

Now you’ve gone and done it! Loving your reviews by the way👍👍 Was convinced to get this lens for my Pen f, you convinced me to get that to, along with a few other reviews so it’s not all your fault and I love this camera❤️. But I’ve just watched your review of the LUMIX 9mm f1.7. Looking at these two for some nice landscapes maybe Aargh. Which one to chose now

[@pauldaniels921]

Hi Emily, so would your choice be the lumix prime or the Olyzoom , and is there much difference in size please? Oh, and why on earth haven’t OM made a wide prime to go alongside the 17, 25, and 45mm f1.8s? That would make a nice little kit👍👍

[@molybdnum]

I've moved away from m43, but using the tamron 20-40 2.8 on FF makes me wish I had picked up this lil R2-D2 long ago. It really covers a great useful range for my style.

[@Centauri27]

Thanks for rekindling my interest in this lens, Emily! I used it extensively in my early m4/3 days, but it's languished as I got seduced by the PRO lenses. It really is sharp and compact, and perfectly sized for Micro Four Thirds. (And about your sponsor, it appears that MPB doesn't want to do business with Canadians for whatever reason. 😐)

[@paolodamiani3278]

I've had this lens for over 12 years. No problems. Light, relatively sharp, super compact. No ribbon issues. If you can't remember to extend the the lens then that's a training issue. Everyone whines over the size of current M43 glass. Well, this little gem has been around for years. Only recently have I loaned it to a friend because I got a good deal on the Lumix 7-14 f4 giving me a signicant gain on the wide end but it is bigger and heavier, but not objectionably so.

[@GLu-qc6vn]

I can echo what you express, that training can overcome the lens extension forgetfulness. I have this lens too, but I got abundant training recently on the Lumix 12-32 lens during a trek in Nepal recently. Simply extending the lens and retracting it hundreds of times across 3 weeks ingrained some muscle memory for me. I find I can more naturally handle the 9-18 lens now too, even though the mechanism is a bit different. A few times on my trek, I practiced deploying and retracting the 12-32 10-30 times in a row, while concentrating on the turning direction and feel. A bit like practicing dance moves.

[@asafbadiri5078]

Love your video's . keep on the good work and keep your smile 💯

[@RobertoOrtizFalagan]

I love this lens. I've had it for many many years and it is part of my 3-lens kit.

[@rogermuggleton8127]

I have had the Oly 7-14 for a few years, it is a nice lens but a bit big! The 8-25 was released a year or so after I bought the 7-14 and I've thought about a swap! But it's not much smaller, although I'd be happier taking it out as a single lens.

[@AguilaDeOnix85]

My favorite best worst was my Olympus 75-300. Some of favorite outdoors shots came off that guy.

[@HenkWalks]

Bought the first version in 2010 for almost 500 euro. Only used it occasionally, and the mechanism broke. Had it repaired, but it broke again, I think I finally got also the problem it was not connected to camera. It is somewhere in a box for many years already and I will never buy one again. I think the lumix 9mm is a much better option, the other focal lengths is mostly covered with any of the standard zooms.

[@Media-oq9ux]

I own it and I like it, as do many reviewers. The lock is a fair trade off for size and quality.

[@stuartcarden1371]

Thanks for the review Emily. I'm currently saving up for this lens. Even though it's quite cheap compared to other lenses, unfortunately real life has to come before photography (boo!) - But when it's here my basic/cheapskate setup will be complete! An E-PL10 (my eyes don't react well to EVFs), the 9-18mm, the 25mm f/1.8 and the 40-150mm kit lens. Like I said, very cheap and cheerful but it's amazing what you can get for not a lot of money these days 🤯 (if you don't mind plastic lol)

[@dazsly]

Thanks for the reviews

[@busydadscooking001]

Would you say it's sharper than the 12-32 kit? It sure looks like it. I'm on the fence if I should get a wide prime next, or something like this. Don't usually have much use for such a wide angle, but sometimes when traveling vistas present themselves ...

[@HugoVarvoglis]

Great video, with some drama at the beginning with the falling lens but you convinced me, I'm gonna buy it 😁

[@julianhughes6511]

I have the M.Zuiko 9-18mm and it is excellent! I use it on Lumix GX80, GX8 and G80. It doesn't have OIS like Lumix zoom lenses but it doesn't need it. It is sharp, contrasty and flare resistant and it packs down really small. It is not weather sealed and that is, in my opinion, its only deficiency. This complaint about plastic? It's nonsense. Plastic is an excellent material when used properly. The zoom and focus on this lens are super smooth. There is metal where it matters: the lens mount. I like that the zoom ring is made to resemble a brass focus ring on a vintage lens. This M.Zuiko looks so much like my old Minolta 35mm F2.8 MC Rokkor that it's like a tribute act to 1960s lenses! This complaint about its size and the button? When the lens is at its most compact and you mount it on the camera body you can fully extend the lens in the same action. It is as quick as a lens which is not collapsible.This is when it might matter! Putting it away? Who cares if it takes one second more? I bought mine used from mpb for a very good price. It was the cheapest non-broken one they had. In the product pics I could see that the glass was clean but the item was a bit grubby but without dents or dings or scratches. I bought it. I spent a few minutes with cotton buds and wipes and the whole thing now looks pristine, like new. It's my favourite lens until it rains!

[@EnerGeezerSquirrel]

I find it's not just the passage of time evolving one's perspective, the software capabilities also evolve over time. If the RAWs are "only" a few years old then the tools will have less impact on novel interpretations than photographers' changing skills, but files older than a decade or so can often be processed in ways previously difficult or impossible. Strangely enough, I spent most of yesterday playing with files from an old folder on a forgotten drive, and here you are "today" suggesting just that! Maybe Jung was right...

[@tomaszstramel3594]

The non-pro Oly lenses render nice images. I sometimes like them better than those coming out of the pro lineup. The latter, in conjunction with the default camera image processing algorithms, tend to over-sharpen all contrasting pixels (I know, I know, this can be addressed and mitigated either by adjusting relevant settings in-camera or in post-processing, but still...) making any image look as if it started as a pencil drawing and the colors were applied on top.

[@juliette-mansour]

Oh wow, I’m the first! 😂 Thanks Emily, I have been away from Olympus since 2011 when I used the E-P2 for street. I just picked up the EM-5 mark i (thanks to you!) just to play around with. I have nothing but Panasonic lenses so needed a good suggestion. I don’t mind the quirks and I’m cheap! I’m mainly a 28 mil shooter, FF but wanted to have a good all-arounder. Appreciate this! 😊

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

I have the Olympus and Panasonic kit lens the 14-42 and I really do like them a lot. I also have pro lens and those are my wedding lens. But for going out and having fun most of the time I rather just take the kit lens. No one can really tell if they are taken with the kit lens or the pro lens really. Sure there could be some giveaways if you really know how to examine a image. But for the most part people can't tell.

[@Leptospirosi]

Where I always commend Olympus over Panasonic is in CA control: the 9-18 is not perfect, but is on another planet from the horrors of the 7-14 from Lumix. It is nit a kit lens either: it might be cheap now but it commended a 600€/$ price when Olympus was in the camera business. I got mine 8 years ago, used and heavily discounted for about 400€ on Ebay

[@joerama]

Beautiful photos! The fiddlliness of the barrel is definitely a stumbling block with this lens, but the 18mm (equivalent) starting wide range and light weight are fantastic for vlogging. My runner-up would be the Olympus (or OMDS) 14-42mm F3.5-5.6. A kit lens, also tiny and all plastic. Takes beautiful pictures shooting far above its weight class. I have heard of quality issues, but my copies are all strong. The weakness of the lens is in its construction: the zoom barrel eventually (with heavy or long use) comes unglued, killing the lens even though its otherwise fine. Definitely a BEST-WORST lens!-)

[@evenhandedcommentor6102]

I have both the 7-14mm f/2.8 olympus and the panasonic 8-18mm lenses. Yeah, they weigh more than the oly 9-18mm, but they are sharper and cover more territory. The Panasonic is sharp edge to edge at 8mm. The Oly isn't so sharp at 7mm edge to edge, but I can do focus stacking with it. The 9-18 is too limiting for me. It's a hard NO.

[@beeryye]

You talked about how the lens is quite plastic fantastic and that made me curious how it compared to some of Nikon's Z lens lineup. Particularly the APS-C DX lenses some of which even have plastic mount "hard"ware. Have you had any experience with Nikon's recent budget offerings? Even some of their S lenses ain't nuthin to write home about build-wise. Curious how they compare.

[@nikoforu]

I prefer the bigger ultra wide zooms on m43. Particularly the 8-25 F4 Pro. The little 9-18mm made a whole lot sense 15 years ago. It still does. But personally, if I were starting over, and looking for something ultra wide and small, I'd just get the Panasonic 9mm f1.7 instead .

[@StevenHorwatt]

I have kind of a love-hate relationship with this lens. I've owned a used copy since 2016 and it has held up well. I hate-hate-hate the lever. I have other collapsible lenses, and I much prefer the sort that just require a little extra twist to expand them (like the Panasonic 12-32) to those with a locking lever. Other than that, it's been a very economical workhorse lens for me. I don't really use it as much the last couple of years, because I now own the Olympus 12-45 f/4 pro, which is wide enough for most occasions, and I also bought the Panasonic 9 f/1.7, which focuses quite a bit closer, has a much wider maximum aperture, and is still quite lightweight and compact (and has a bit of weather sealing). The prime is obviously more limited, but since I'm usually carrying the 12-45 I'm usually only switching lenses to go ultrawide, and the 9 is perfect for that.

[@bigbarkingdog2010]

Great review. Thank you.

[@alexarna]

Something about this lens always makes me think of R2D2 whenever I see it

[@IvoTichelaar]

From now on, me too!

[@pascualsurfer1764]

Thank you for this new video ! The subject talk to me : next mounth i will cross France from Bordeaux to Marseille on my byke. For this trip i'm looking for 1 camera and 1 lense. The 9-18 mm lense is great but for this trip i would be too limited (only wide angles...). I want something more versatil maybe the pana 14-140 mm. For the camera it will be the pana gx9 (compact and stabilized) or a recent acquisition the samsung nx500 (with a 16-50 mm), it's not m4/3 but the pictures are realy great. I still have 3 weeks to make a choice...

[@GLu-qc6vn]

I took the pana 14-140 II trekking in the Himalaya recently, along with a couple other lenses. Unlike the Mark I version it's weather sealed, as is my camera, so I had a good all-rounder lens-camera combo for rainy days. It's not easy to identify the Mark II lens, and about 25% of the lenses on ebay identified as such are actually Mark I's and not sealed. Googling led to a couple web pages that delineated the differences carefully. If you only take one lens, I'd suggest a super-zoom. The lens I used most was the tiny pana 12-32, which weighs only about 3 ounces, and would also pair well with the GX-9.

[@pascualsurfer1764]

@@GLu-qc6vn Thank you for the feed back !

[@LeBironzilla]

The ribbon issue seem to be a out going thceme with that lense. You know the worst? OM system do still sale the old lens on they web site.... With a small disconts on it.... I personaly use the 9mm Panasonic and I will think it is a worthit replacement, as my main lens will be a standard zoom range.....

[@rasmuswi]

I believe "lens not attached" is a fairly common way for the ceapest Olympus lenses to die. IIRC It happened to a 14-42 lens I used to have too.

[@marceloguarini7695]

Since I got the 8-25mm f4 pro it has become mi number 1 lens.

[@fabrice8552]

I got mine in 2012, no ribbon pb but I lost the olympus logo on the cap... we miss small weather sealed MFT lenses... I don't think we will get them now

[@thewheelieguy]

I like the 12-50 f3.5-6.3(?) which was released just before the E-M1 so 2013 I think.

[@flcon16]

"Best-worst" for me would be the 12-32 Lumix. It's... Not great, but I've probably taken more photos with it than any of my other lenses... It's just so easy to leave on my GM5 or GX85 and works for like 90% of situations. I can also completely forget about it in a coat pocket while walking around with a prime, and switch to it when I need something else. Like the 35-100 variable, it just brings so much to the table by nature of being small. I've been looking at a wide angle for M43, but I'm thinking of just going with the 9mm 1.7. it's small, fast, weather sealed, accepts filters, and is fairly reasonably priced. You lose the zoom functionality, but I think I can live with that.

[@WaddyMuters]

My best/worst lens has to be the lumix 20mm 1.7. Gorgeous lens super small, perfect for street photography. But it’s loud and slow, why does it have to be so loud and slow? Because it’s old? Wish they would update that banger.

[@video-carl]

entertaining video with wide appeal :) I wonder if time will show if the OM version has a better ribbon-cable design?

[@drontng]

Hi. Great video. Still waiting for panaleica 9mm f1.7 review for astro, milky way timelapses, e.t.c. I already have zuiko 12mm f2, but not sure if I need to switch it to 9mm. Thanks

[@iandrury1542]

I've had one for ages and love it despite its' "problems" .

[@thedarkslide]

Concur with Emily. Get the old Olympus version of this lens while it's still available at its used prices. This is a limited time opportunity to get your hands on such a versatile lens that weights almost nothing in your camera bag.

[@EstelonAgarwaen]

one of the best plastic fantastic lenses in my collection is the 25mm 1.7. just works great.

[@mikeg2916]

I am about to trade my Olympus macro lens for the 9-18mm lens from MPB, of course!!!!😃

[@dedclownsRfunny]

How does the Oly 7-14 PRO compare to this lens for astrophotography? I have the PRO version which is fantastic, but it’s soooo heavy that I only end up using it for Astro so it’s not very versatile for me

[@alanneilson6811]

It was the first lens I bought after getting my first mu43 2011 and still going strong yes it "plastic fantastic" Yes it is a definitely up for the best / worst award ❤️

[@AMissile]

How well does it handle night skies at 9mm? I picked up a used copy a couple months back and it hasn’t seen much use but I’m kicking myself for not grabbing it on my way out the door to shoot the northern lights last weekend.

[@Martin-nu6ym]

The 9-18 is one of my favorite lenses for infrared photography. No hot spots.

[@philpkhouse1097]

Great little wide zoom lens... ultimate mistake of OM to not make the mk2 weather sealed!

[@edwin_ac]

Hi, may I ask, when you say rectilinear at 9mm, are you referring to the jpeg, or the raw file? Thanks.

[@AP-RSI]

1:45 Not really... I use on my old Olympus E-PM2 PEN Mini the Olympus Body Cap 9mm F 8.0 and if you have a stable stand or use a tripod, you will get better pictures (in good weather) than you think!

[@secondc0ming]

The Canon EF-S 9-18mm with an adapter is a pretty decent lens and can be had cheap (I got mine for £90 on ebay)

[@Jimmyageek]

9mm f1.7 is selling for 300 usd

[@android-hy3pp]

link please

[@FilmRepair]

That facial hair is……

[@zepps46]

Emily thank you for your vids they are fantastic, I have a question I have recently sold my 2 older Olympus cameras and ordered a new Panasonic G9 Mk2, I have only 1 Olympus lens left I want to keep which is the 75-300 mk2 will this be ok with the new Panasonic G9 2. Regards Alan W.

[@lindamarx1256]

The cable problem is actually very common with this lens, which is the main reason I haven't gotten it... yet.

[@nojo1099]

The Laowa 6mm is the smallest wide for mft. I believe it’s also not a fisheye.

[@c.augustin]

I had it, wasn't that impressed - but I'm no fan of the very short end focal lengths, I'll rather have a 12-200 mm zoom with me (well, this one is still on my wish list ;-)). But yes, this is an interesting lens, and the only missing feature is weather sealing (as is missing with nearly every other affordable and light-weight lens option).

[@hauke3644]

Meanwhile my 9-18 went to MPB. I've been a happy customer there for some years, until recently. Not anymore, but I won't lay out details here in public.

[@keiththewheelman]

my favourite best worst lenses for micro 4/3 are the 9mm f8 body cap, the panny 14mm f2.5 and the 30mm f3.5 macro

[@busydadscooking001]

Aw man, this looks like it's about 250$ on eBay in Us, more from the resellers. Wonder what it was yesterday lol. I also see a lot of 9-18s for Olympus Four Thirds mount .. which would be a disappointing mistake to make, hehe

[@kacperki3896]

what about comparison to lumix 7-14 f4?

[@cbbleston]

A bit off the topic for this channel, but how did you get into half-life on 0:42

[@chodgetx]

I really like your videos but now I’m wondering if my iPhone 15 might do just as good a job as my OMD-M5 iii. I’d be interested in your thoughts.

[@MicroFourNerds]

Shooting raw on micro four thirds is 10x better than anything a phone can do. You can definitely get decent photos with a phone, but the sensor in even a micro four thirds camera is much bigger.

[@chodgetx]

@@MicroFourNerds thanks, I’ve done some comparison shots and I think my issue may be either a lens that’s too soft or perhaps some motion that’s creating blur. I’ll get a better lens and see if this helps. Also we’re headed to Liverpool and the Cotswolds in September (from. Dallas). Maybe we’ll see you wandering with your 4/3rds.

[@Koji-888]

Are you taking all things into consideration. Or only sharpness and HDR. 🤷🏻‍♀️ My iPhone 15 is “clinically perfect” for those 2 things, and always in my pocket. But if I’m walking around doing art, slowing down, enjoying myself.. my Olympus M43.

[@j2thebee]

Much prefer the new edits, lets the lens character shine 👍