Review on 📸 Capture Stunning Wide Angle Shots with the Venus Laowa 17mm f/1.8 Lens for MFT Mount - A Must-Have for Photographers by Michael Moulton

I already have an E-M1 II with original ZUIKO lens from 7mm to 100mm. This is my main system. I need a light and small system that I can take with me everywhere. I bought an E-M5 II demo camera a few weeks ago and wanted a 35mm equivalent focal length lens that would give decent optical performance. I set a budget of $250. I first looked at a used Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.7 and 20mm. 15mm is over my budget, 20mm is not that wide. I was also cautious about the Olympus 17mm f/1.8, as I've heard its optics are good but a step below the others. Later, I kind of remembered seeing this LAOWA lens somewhere. I researched online, there weren't many reviews but the ones that existed made me feel it was good enough for my purpose and the price was more than reasonable. This price may seem suspicious to some, but I have faith in technology products "Made in China". So I bought it. It arrived well packaged. Made with high quality, the aperture click is firm, the focus ring is smooth but does not play. The surface finish of the lens barrel appears to be of good quality. The lens hood is a little tighter than I expected. When attached to my E-M5 II it looks beautiful, I just want to take it off to take a picture. The lens is manufactured in the Chinese province of Anhui, where the China University of Science and Technology is located. This is one of the best universities in China. If I understand correctly, the company that made this lens has something to do with the university. Sharpness in the center of the lens is on par with the Panasonic 15mm f/1.7, the edges are a little blurry but more than acceptable. The instructions for the lens say it has a special coating to quell flare, it works well in that regard. But actually I like lenses with a certain flare. It adds to the feel of the image. I'm not a bokeh expert, but I think it looks good. The only disadvantage of the optics is the barrel distortion. Don't get me wrong, that's by no means an exaggeration, but it's noticeable if you happen to be photographing horizontal parallel lines. In terms of optical performance, the $149 price point understates its merits. From my experience with many other low-cost tech products made in China, I know that they work well in their main function (optics in this case), but there will be some trade-offs. with user experience. For this lens, this is the focus distance scale. Another reported the same problem. The range scale is not calibrated, so infinity is not infinity. If your workflow depends on a distance scale, this is a big disappointment. Acceptable for me.