OM System M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F 1 8 II Review | 54 Data compared

The OM System 17mm f/1.8 Mark II is a highly compact, 120-gram prime lens featuring a 34mm full-frame equivalent field of view, making it a functional choice for everyday, travel, and street photography. The primary upgrade in this second-generation refresh is the addition of IPX1-rated weather sealing, providing dust and splash resistance that pairs excellently with sealed camera bodies like the OM-3. Additionally, it gains a ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) anti-reflective coating to minimize flare and ghosting. The physical build has also been tweaked by removing the manual focus clutch mechanism, which allowed OM System to shave off a few grams and slightly decrease the overall length of the lens. Optically, the Mark II utilizes the exact same optical formula as its predecessor, resulting in an identical performance profile with distinct strengths and weaknesses. On the positive side, the lens delivers fast autofocusing, decent sharpness, and a bright f/1.8 maximum aperture ideal for capturing moments without being intrusive. On the downside, it is not a top-tier performer for maximum sharpness, it produces noticeable purple and green fringing in high-contrast...

The OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II is a long-awaited Micro Four Thirds update that shares identical internal optics and exceptional image sharpness with the original 2012 Olympus version, but changes its exterior features significantly. The main pros of this new iteration are the inclusion of five internal weather seals for dust and moisture protection, a bundled lens hood, and a highly compact, discreet build that is actually 8g lighter than its predecessor. Center sharpness shines even at the maximum f/1.8 aperture, making it an excellent 35mm-equivalent tool for street, reportage, and environmental portrait photography. However, this redesign introduces several key cons, most notably the total loss of the original's signature manual focus clutch and physical distance scale, which removes the ability to easily zone focus. The lens is also slightly longer by 2.1mm and features a new bayonet mount, meaning older legacy lens caps like the metal LC-48 will no longer fit. Furthermore, it is currently only available in a black finish and users are advised to test it before buying for video, as the optical system historically carried...

The OM System M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.8 II is a compact, lightweight Micro Four Thirds prime lens that offers a moderately wide 34mm full-frame equivalent focal length, making it ideal for street, documentary, and everyday photography. This updated version retains the same sharp optical formula as its decade-old predecessor but introduces crucial IPX1-rated weather sealing to protect against dust and moisture. It features an anodized aluminum barrel, extremely snappy and quiet autofocus, and a surprising ability to focus closer than its official 9.8-inch specification, allowing for enhanced close-up versatility. The lens delivers excellent resolution when stopped down to f/2.8-8 and exhibits strong resistance to flare. However, the addition of weather protection brings a noticeable design compromise: the highly praised manual focus clutch from the original lens has been removed. In its place, the new electronic focus-by-wire system feels loose and touchy, making critical manual focus difficult to nail. Optically, the most significant drawback is prominent longitudinal chromatic aberration (LoCA), which shows up as heavy purple and green fringing in blurred background areas and cannot easily be edited out. There is...

The OM System M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.8 II is a highly compact, lightweight "short stack" prime lens designed for the Micro Four Thirds system, delivering a moderately wide 34mm full-frame equivalent angle of view ideal for street and documentary photography. This second-generation update maintains the exact same optical formula as its decade-old predecessor, which means it continues to render clear, highly detailed photos with a background-blurring f/1.8 aperture and features an incredibly snappy, quiet autofocus mechanism. The standout upgrade is the addition of robust weather sealing with an IPX1 drip resistance rating, providing added durability for outdoor shooters when paired with a sealed camera body. Furthermore, testing revealed an unadvertised advantage: the lens can actually focus as close as 6 to 7 inches, outperforming its official 9.8-inch specification to offer enhanced close-up versatility. Despite earning an Editors' Choice award, the lens does introduce some notable design compromises and optical drawbacks. To accommodate the weather-resistant gaskets, OM System removed the beloved physical manual focus clutch from the original version. Instead, it relies on a focus-by-wire electronic control system that feels loose,...

The OM System M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.8 II is a compact, lightweight Micro Four Thirds prime lens that delivers excellent image sharpness, rendering clear and detailed photos across its range, particularly between f/2.8 and f/8. Boasting a moderately wide 34mm full-frame equivalent angle of view and a bright background-blurring f/1.8 aperture, it serves as a highly versatile optic for street, documentary, and daily slice-of-life photography. A major upgrade over its predecessor is the addition of IPX1-rated drip protection, providing robust weather sealing when paired with a compatible sealed camera body. Furthermore, its autofocus is exceptionally quick, quiet, and reliable, locking onto subjects instantly. The lens also surprises with its close-focusing capabilities, achieving a real-world magnification closer to 1:7.7 rather than its advertised 1:12.5 specifications. Despite these strengths, the mark II iteration introduces specific design and optical trade-offs. To accommodate the weather-resistant gaskets, the highly praised manual focus clutch from the original version has been removed. This results in a manual focus ring that feels loose and touchy, making critical manual adjustments difficult compared to the prior model. Optically, the lens...