Similar situation here - I went through this 2 years ago. I found that 25mm was often way too tight for crowded streets, which made me nervous about missing the scene. * Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ASPH - tiny, but slow AF.
* Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary - fast, but big. Honestly, just make sure to check those AF motors... older glass might let you down, you know?

Ok so, I totally get where youre coming from. About eight years ago, I ditched my heavy full-frame kit for MFT because my back was literally killing me during long street sessions. I spent way too much time obsessing over the 17mm vs 25mm debate, basically buying and selling half a dozen primes until I found what actually worked for candid shots in the wild. For street work, I honestly think the 17mm (35mm equivalent) is the sweet spot. It lets you tell a story with the environment without being too wide. Here's what I recommend after years of trial and error: - Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8: This is the classic "must-have" imo. Its super tiny, all metal, and that manual focus clutch is a lifesaver for zone focusing when you dont want to rely on AF. It's fast enough for low light and discreet as heck.
- Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 ASPH: If you want more "character," this is the one. It has that Leica rendering that just looks... expensive? Plus, the physical aperture ring is a nice touch if youre shooting on a Panasonic body.
- Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 II ASPH: If you prefer a tighter 50mm look, this lens is gorgeous for night shots. It’s a bit bigger but the bokeh is creamy for an MFT sensor. The biggest lesson I learned is that portability usually trumps technical perfection for street photography. If the lens is small, youll actually take the shot instead of worrying about your gear. gl!

adding my two cents, kit balance matters. i compared Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f/1.8 vs Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary. i was worried about bulk, so i chose the cheaper Olympus... maybe check there reviews first!

No way, I literally just dealt with this yesterday. Small world.

Finally someone says it. Ive been thinking this for a while but wasnt sure.

Works great for me

Honestly, just caught this thread and I think we need to look at the current market segment for 'premium compact' primes because basically the traditional 17mm/25mm split is being disrupted by newer optical designs. Before I get into the hard data though, what specific body are you actually shooting on? It really matters for the PDAF vs Contrast-Detect AF performance profiles and whether you can leverage specialized features like Sync IS, you know? If you're looking for that technical sweet spot between the two lengths, you should really analyze the [[OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm f/1.4 PRO]]. From a market research perspective, this lens was designed specifically to fill the gap for street photographers who find 35mm too wide but 50mm too restrictive. It’s a much more modern assembly than the older f/1.8 primes, featuring an IP53 weather-sealing rating and significantly better MTF performance at the edges. It basically gives you that 40mm equivalent 'perfect' normal field of view. It uses a very sophisticated stepping motor for the AF that's virtually silent, which is a huge upgrade over the older gear if you're doing candid work in quiet environments, honestly it’s the most logical investment right now.