Sigma 30mm f2.8

The Panasonic 20mm f1.7 has become the lens I use most often when I’m at home or taking pictures of Hannah. The lens is beautifully sharp in the center, works wonderfully well in low-light, and starts-up quickly when attached to the E-M5. I’ve got two issues with the lens though. It focuses somewhat slowly (an issue sometimes when you’re trying to take pictures of a perpetually moving 3 year old girl), and of late, Hannah has become a lot more conscious when a DSLR is pointed in her general direction.

There’s one other prime in the micro four-thirds arsenal that I’ve been eyeing for a year now. It’s the Olympus 45mm f1.8 which costs marginally less than the 20mm, and focuses lightning quick. Thing though is that the focal length is too long for portrait shots across the dinner table or sofa. I might still get that lens at some point, but for the moment, settled with a Sigma 30mm f2.8, picking it up this afternoon at Artworkfoto.

The lens goes for USD199 at Amazon – relatively low for prime lenses – and the price I paid for it was eventually even less than after currency conversion. A real find. The new lens focuses quicker than the 20mm, and while not quite as tack-sharp as the 20mm in the center, is still reasonably good with good resolution. Equally importantly too is that with the longer focal length, I don’t have to step in too close for pictures like these:

This lens isn’t going to replace the 20mm by any measure, but it will certainly be a nice complement to add some variety to the thousands of 20mm shots I’ve taken for the last one year.:)