Yongnuo YN17MM F1.7M Review

This Yongnuo 17mm f/1.7 is a weird little lens. It's got a great aperture and surprisingly good close-focusing chops, but its optical performance is just okay. The one thing to know is this: if you're a Micro Four Thirds shooter who wants a cheap, fast prime for casual portraits or creative close-ups, it's a fun option. But if you need sharp corners or a versatile walk-around focal length, you'll be disappointed.

What surprised me was the macro performance. It lands in the 95th percentile for close-focusing, which is wild for a cheap prime. You can get right up on small subjects and that f/1.7 aperture gives you a nice, soft background. The autofocus, however, is exactly what you'd expect for the price—it's fine in good light but hunts a bit in lower contrast situations. It's not slow, but it's not confidence-inspiring either.

At around $178, it's a decent value if you specifically want its strengths. You're paying for the aperture and the macro-like performance, not for optical perfection. For the price, you get a fun, fast lens to play with.

The most direct competitor is the Panasonic Lumix 20mm f/1.7 II. It's more expensive, but it's sharper, has a better focal length (a true 40mm equivalent), and is much smaller. The Yongnuo wins on price and close-focusing. If you want a zoom, the Panasonic 14-140mm is way more versatile but much slower (f/5.6 at the long end). The Yongnuo is for when you want a fast aperture on a tight budget and don't mind some optical compromises.

This is a niche pick. I can only recommend the Yongnuo 17mm f/1.7 if you're on a strict budget and you know you'll use its close-focusing capability. For most people, saving up for the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 or even the Olympus 17mm f/1.8 is a better long-term investment. This lens is fun, but it's not an essential part of your kit.