The Panasonic 20mm is a classic street photography lens. The new version of the lens could be the best street photography lens for the micro four thirds format. It’s just been leaked on 43 Rumors.

The new Lumix Panasonic 20mm lens has a metal body.

The original lens was so good that it inspired people to move to micro-four-thirds cameras just to be able to use the lens. Craig Mod’s review of the 20mm in the Himalayas was so good that it single-handedly shifted the market for adventurers, anthropologists, designers and street photographers towards m43. The Panasonic campaign with the Guardian for the Lumix GF2 really stepped up Panasonic’s game in terms of street photography.

The new Lumix X 20mm Panasonic f1.7 will have faster focussing, quieter focus motor and is made of metal. The image quality should be as good as the existing 20mm and may be better if the glass has been improved with anti-flare coatings.

The new and old 20mm are close to the same size.

I’m excited about the new lens and it will pair with the Lumix 14mm and Olympus 45mm to form a cheap but amazing three lens kit for street photographers and nomadic urban anthropologists. The new 20mm lens is rugged, compact and discrete. It would be the perfect walk-around lens for a day in a Moroccan back street market, an East London hipster cafe or a small village in Thailand.