Olympus's original pancake prime for MFT — 34mm equiv at f/2.8 in body-cap dimensions.
The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/2.8 launched in 2009 as one of the first pancake primes for Micro Four Thirds, providing 34mm equivalent. At just 22mm thick, it barely protrudes from the camera body — a truly pocketable prime.
Optically modest — sharp in the centre from f/4 but soft at the edges. The f/2.8 aperture is adequate for low-light use. Autofocus is functional but not fast. The 34mm equivalent perspective is useful for everyday and street photography.
Micro Four Thirds mount with 37mm filter thread — very small. Weighs just 71g. No weather sealing. No stabilisation. Minimum focus distance 25cm. Metal mount with plastic barrel. Compact, discreet design.
Available used very cheaply. The Olympus 17mm f/1.8 is dramatically better with faster aperture and superior optics. This original pancake was groundbreaking for MFT compactness but optically limited. Still useful where absolute minimum size is the priority.