Hey everyone! I have been shooting with the Micro Four Thirds system for a couple of years now, mostly focusing on street and travel photography. Lately, I have been getting much more into landscape work and I am starting to feel the limitations of my current gear. I really want to capture those expansive mountain vistas and dramatic foreground interest that only a true wide-angle lens can provide.

I have been doing some research, but I am feeling a bit torn between the top-tier options. The Olympus 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro seems like a beast in terms of build quality, but that bulbous front element makes me nervous about using standard screw-on filters without a bulky adapter. On the other hand, the Panasonic Leica 8-18mm f/2.8-4 seems more versatile for filters and has a great reputation, but I wonder if I will miss that extra millimeter on the wide end for those tight compositions. Weather sealing is a huge priority for me since I often find myself out in misty or rainy conditions during my hikes.

I am also curious if anyone still recommends the more compact 9-18mm or if the newer pro zooms are really worth the extra weight and cost for someone looking to make high-quality prints. If you were building a dedicated M4/3 landscape kit today, which wide-angle zoom would be your go-to choice for maximum sharpness and reliability?