Olympus has just unveiled a refined version of a fan favourite: the M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8 II lens. This new iteration builds upon the legacy of its predecessor, offering Olympus and OM System camera users a compact, high-quality prime lens perfect for everyday photography and videography. The updated lens boasts improvements in autofocus speed, making it even more responsive and ideal for capturing fleeting moments. It’s a welcome upgrade for street photography, landscapes, and general-purpose shooting.
Beyond the enhanced autofocus, the M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8 II promises the same excellent image quality that made the original a popular choice. With its fast f/1.8 aperture, photographers can expect beautiful bokeh, exceptional low-light performance, and the ability to isolate subjects effectively. The lens is also known for its sharpness and minimal distortion, producing crisp, detailed images. Available now, it’s a compelling choice for those seeking a versatile and reliable prime lens, offering a classic 34mm equivalent field of view (on a 35mm camera) and a fantastic price point. Considering its broad appeal, it’s certain to become another must-have accessory.
Sigma have also announced the 11x zoom 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC. This is an extremely compact package giving you 35mm equivalent of 28.8-320mm on a Canon 20D or Rebel. As a user of the 18-125mm I can say that this certainly interests me as a possible replacement – Sigma manage to squeeze more quality into that zoom factor than seems possible. Let’s see if this even wider range can follow up on that.
An interesting super-wide zoom from Sigma is the 10-20mm with HSM focusing. Always the tricky area for APS-C cameras, getting down to a 35mm equivalent of 15 or 16mm is a welcome addition to the lens selection.
Potentially interesting new macro from Canon, but EF-S only: Canon EF-S 60 mm F2.8 macro lens. DPReview