Hey everyone! I have been shooting with my Lumix GX85 for about six months now, and I am absolutely falling in love with street photography. The small form factor of the Micro Four Thirds system is just perfect for staying low-profile and not intimidating people, but I am starting to feel really limited by my basic kit zoom lens. While it is great for daylight, it really struggles when the sun goes down, and I would love a bit more background blur to help my subjects pop in busy city environments.

I have been doing some research, but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the options available in the MFT ecosystem. I am torn between a few different focal lengths. I know that the 35mm equivalent is the classic street choice, which would lead me toward the Olympus 17mm f/1.8. I have heard great things about its build quality and that manual focus clutch, which seems super handy for zone focusing. However, then there is the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7, which is tiny and sharp but I have read some concerns about the autofocus speed being a bit sluggish for fast-moving subjects.

There is also the Leica 15mm f/1.7, which looks like a dream lens, though it is a bit more expensive than the others. I primarily shoot in busy downtown areas and occasionally at night markets, so having a fast aperture is a major priority for me. I really want something that is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket so I can carry it all day without a bulky camera bag. My budget is around $400 to $500, but I am open to buying used gear if it gets me a better piece of glass.

I would love to hear from those of you who have spent time on the streets with these lenses. If you could only pick one prime lens to leave on your camera for a full day of candid shooting, which one would it be and why?