It’s crazy. Back when I started with the Panasonic GF1 in 2009, Micro Four Thirds had less than 10 native lenses. And now µ43 has grown to a mature system featuring over 100+ lenses with very little gaps in the lineup. Not to mention the hundreds (if not thousands) of legacy lenses you could adapt. And you can utilize the Speedbooster adapters and gain a full stop of light, or even make your lenses a wider focal length. It’s that ever expanding lineup of sharp, affordable lenses that keeps me on Micro Four Thirds. I’ve already reviewed the Sharpest Lenses for Micro 4/3 and the Best Video Lenses for Panasonic. Today, I’m not only going to combine all that information, but I’ll add much more information that will help you find your next lens for Micro Four Thirds.
Choose The Best Micro Four Third Lens for YOU
Let’s first state that “best” is very subjective. You ever hear your friends argue about which is better, iPhone or Samsung? Canon or Nikon? The list goes on. All arguments I prefer to avoid because to me it’s all personal preference. Some of Chase Jarvis’ (and many others) favorite µ43 lenses are the Voigtlander f0.95 series, but personally, I’d rather have smaller lenses that retain autofocus. But that’s just me. I also state that I tend to prefer primes over zooms. But that’s just me. Everyone has their personal preferences, and this post will reflect that (though I will highlight some alternatives). Feel free to chime in on the comments on what you think are the best micro four thirds lenses and why.
I’m going to jump right into my favorite lenses because that’s what you guys and gals are really looking for. However, I do recommend reading the later sections on “equivalence” and the “characteristics of a great lens” as it can build a lot of context for my reviews. For a preview, take a look at the table of contents, and feel free to jump to your section of choice:
Table of Contents for the Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses
My Favorite Overall Lens for Micro Four Thirds (Prime Lens)
My vote for best overall probably isn’t what you think. But value plays a huge role in my definition of best overall.
I touched on this a few months ago, and my sentiment remains the same. There are two very similar lenses for µ43 that I bestow the “Best Overall” title to, the Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7 and the Panasonic-Leica DG 25mm f1.4. Which one is best, very much depends on you. Let’s start with the pros of the 20mm f1.7… the lens that I started with. Back in the Panasonic GF1 days (2009+) all I had was the 20mm f1.7 and a legacy Canon FD 50mm f1.4.
2023 Update – Panasonic-Leica 15mm f1.7
For me, the new for best overall in order is:
- Panasonic-Leica 15mm f1.7
- Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4
- Panasonic 20mm f1.7
While I still own and love the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 it’s fallen a little out of favor for me because the Panasonic-Leica 15mm f1.7 is a little better at everything, and the price increase is reasonable for what you get.
Plus, and perhaps even more importantly, the 20mm f1.7, because the auto-focus is a little slow, you can’t shoot with AF on burst shooting on newer cameras.
So real quick, before we jump back into the 20mm f1.7, let me talk about my current kit and why I use these 3 the most – as it could help you make a decision.
My Current Faves for Micro Four Thirds
Back when I started photography, seasoned pro Zach Arias told me that you really only need two lenses – something short and something long.
The 15mm f1.7 and 42.5mm f1.2 could really cover most peoples needs for the system.
I also have the 8-18mm f2.8-4.0 mostly for video, my real estate photo & video gigs, and various other ultra-wide needs. Plus it’s cheaper and smaller than opting for eg. a Sony G-Master Ultra-Wide Lens for my Sony’s.
There’s obviously some play here depending on your personal preference, if you want wider, the Olympus 12mm f2.0 is solid. Or maybe you want the Panasonic-Leica 9mm f1.7.
The Panasonic-Leica 42.5mm f1.2 is one of my all time faves, but of your you’re paying the Leica branded premium. I’ve used the Olympus 45mm and 75mm f1.8, and those are great options as well. Staying with Panasonic, the 42.5mm f1.7 is also a good value option.
Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7
- Let’s start with the obvious, the Panasonic 20mm is one of the sharpest lenses on the system, one of the smallest, and packaged with a bright f1.7 aperture.
- 35mm is known to be one of the most versatile focal lengths, and the MFT equivalent of 40mm on the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 is pretty darn close. Perfect for street photography or for stepping back for an environmental portrait:
- It’s not a wide angle, but wide enough to capture a beautiful landscape during the 4th of July:
- And another right across the bridge in Vancouver, WA:
- And while 40mm isn’t quite wide enough for most landscape photographers, if you get a little creative you can capture beautiful panoramas. Flip the camera to a vertical orientation on a tripod, pan and take 5 photos and merge them in-post.
Panasonic-Leica DG 25mm f1.4
Now let’s move on to the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4, and specifically, let’s discuss it’s pros over the 20mm f1.7:
- Though sharpness in the center is quite comparable, the Panasonic-Leica is sharper from center-to-edge than the Panasonic 20mm f1.7.
- The slightly tighter 50mm means you can get away with tighter portraits, and I even like to break that focal length rule for headshots with this lens and the RoundFlash (though for best results checkout my portrait lens recommendations below):
- The aperture is a half-stop faster at f1.4, and makes it a perfect lens for events such as bachelorette parties:
- Auto Focus is faster and quieter.
- It comes with a lens hood (and the fact that it’s square is pretty cool).
Best Lens? Here’s How to Decide…
First think about the lenses you want to acquire. If you want/have the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 or Panasonic-Leica 15mm f1.7 (closer to 35mm equivalent), it might be best to go with the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4 to have a bit more separation between focal lengths. I personally have both, but 95%+ of people will only need one.
I’d recommend the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 over the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4 if:
- You don’t have a pancake lens. Pancake lenses are small, flat, short barreled lenses. If you don’t have one, you absolutely need one (see The Best Pancake Lenses for Micro Four Thirds). MFT is all about size and versatility and having a pancake lens essentially makes your camera jacket pocketable. If you value size over speed (1/2 stop in this case), this is the lens for you. Pair it with one of Panasonic’s latest rangefinder style cameras and you got a compact setup that you can fit in your jacket pocket, perfect for travel photography.
- You’re on a tighter budget. The 20mm f1.7 goes for less than $250 used versus the 25mm f1.4 which is about $400-450 used.
I’d opt for the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4 over the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 if:
- You want something a little more professional. If you’re shooting paid gigs, spend the extra $150 and get this lens. It’s advantages with speed, sharpness and auto focus are well worth it.
- You already have a pancake lens. If this is your smallest lens, you might opt to leave your camera behind more often than you should. The Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4 is not quite pocketable by any means, and if you don’t have a pancake lens I’d honestly opt for that first.
- You’ll be shooting a decent amount of video. The 20mm f1.7 is known for having a slow AF, while the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4 is fast and quiet.
How Much?
Now, a few of you might be thinking, “Are you crazy? What about the Leica Nocticron 42.5mm f1.2 or the Olympus 75mm f1.8?” And that’s a good point. But remember, everyone’s definition of the “best” is different. And while I love the Leica Nocticron and shoot a lot of portraiture, the $1600 price tag is going to keep a lot of people away. And again, since value is a big part of my definition of “best overall”, I’m happy with my aforementioned picks.
You can consider pair the 20mm f1.7 or 25mm f1.4 with a few other good primes. The “Holy Trinity” is a moniker given for a set of three lenses that covers a wide range of focal lengths, usually from wide to telephoto. And it could be primes or zooms. The best Micro Four Thirds lenses could be one of these sets, I started with these “Holy Trinity” of prime lenses:
- Panasonic LUMIX G 14mm f/2.5 ASPH II Lens
- Panasonic Leica DG SUMMILUX 25mm/F1.4
- Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8
3 lenses that you can get for under $1000 today that deliver superb image quality. I later bought (and then sold) the Olympus 75mm f1.8 so I guess you can call that the “Holy Square.” Loved the lens, but it’s mostly for outdoor use, it’s a bit too tight for indoors.
The Best Zoom Lenses for Micro Four Thirds
Recall that I mentioned that I prefer primes over zooms any day, but that preference changes from person to person. With that being said, the following are not only the best zoom lenses, but also Honorable Mentions for the best overall lenses on Micro Four Thirds.
Update: My opinion on zooms have changed in the past few years, especially as I’m shooting more video. And I acquired Panasonic’s “Holy Trinity” of zoom lenses and love them, thoughts below…
A set of zooms only rivaled by the Olympus PRO Series; 7-14, 12-40 and 40-150mm f2.8 PRO. If you’re shooting with a newer Panasonic body, I’d tend to lean towards the Panasonic lenses because that’s the only way you can take advantage of Dual IS and DFD Focus. However, the Olympus PRO lenses cover a wider zoom range and they have a focus clutch. µ43 does also cater to birders, and Olympus has a 100-400mm telephoto lens, and Panasonic has a 100-300mm telephoto zoom lens… albeit they’re on the slow end. Olympus does have a 300mm f4 PRO if you’re really serious about BIF and wildlife.
My Thoughts and How Much?
To me, the reason you’d choose a fast zoom in pretty self explanatory, but I’ll give a brief summary and include a few thoughts from other pros for in-depth reading.
The Best Micro Four Thirds Zoom Lenses by Panasonic
Panasonic 7-14mm f4.0 (Amazon) – I like this lens as a better value, but keep in mind that this lens does not take filters natively. I eventually switched to the Panasonic-Leica 8-18mm f2.8-4.0 and I love it. The perfect do-it-all wide angle lens, and the tele end of the range gets you around the 35mm equivalent.
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 (Amazon) – It’s almost unanimous that this lens is a must have for video, it’s fast and covers a wide focal length – what more can you ask for? It’s the perfect zoom lens. With the version II redesign coming later this month, I’d hit eBay for deals on version 1 if you don’t mind the old look. Check eBay for the latest prices on the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8.
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm f/2.8 (Amazon) – One of my favorite lenses when I started shooting portraiture and headshots, it’s so convenient being able to zoom in and out without having to switch lenses. At about $900 new, this is a solid option for professionals. I wrote a full review for the Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8 here.
A couple of my favorite portraits with the 35-100 f2.8:
You could also add/substitute the Panasonic 100-300mm f4-5.6 if you need that extra focal range.
The Best Micro Four Thirds Zoom Lenses by Olympus
- Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 Pro Lens
- Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro Lens
- Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 Pro Lens
Body vs Lens Stabilization
You might have noted the acronym O.I.S. in the last section, that stands for Optical Image Stabilization and is featured on many Panasonic lenses. Olympus lenses don’t have O.I.S. because later Olympus bodies feature In Body Image Stabilization (IBIS), where the sensor actually shifts as necessary. Sensor stabilization which is much more preferred. If you want to see just how impressive Olympus IBIS is, here is a video stabilization comparison of the Olympus OM-D EM-5 II vs the Panasonic GH4.
Note: You cannot use both Panasonic OIS lenses with Olympus IBIS, it’s either one or the other. Same goes for the Panasonic GX7, the lone Panasonic camera with 2-axis IBIS, you cannot use both IBIS and a Panasonic OIS lens.
This led to the high resolution mode pioneered by Olympus, and now seen on Panasonic and Sony cameras. Where the sensor shifts to capture ultra high resolution photos.
Best Portrait Lenses for Micro Four Thirds
First off, you should understand how different focal lengths effect what a portrait looks like. Photographer Stephen Eastwood visualizes this in his test from 19-350mm (See full size here):
Photographers tend to argue that the ideal portrait lens should lie between 85-135mm (42.5-67.5mm on Micro Four Thirds), I personally believe that it depends on your subject, as no two faces are alike.
But keep in mind that the above test applies to headshots, if you had a wider lens but stepped back for a half body shot – you would see little (if any) difference in perspective. That’s because it’s not so much about the focal length, as it is the distance from the lens to the subject.
There are other situations where you’d want to shoot a little wider, for instance with light modifiers such as the RoundFlash, you’ll want to be a little closer to get the signature ring lighting. This self-portrait is shot at 28mm (56mm equivalent):
Here’s another at 70mm with the Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8:
It’s often subject dependent and I prefer a slightly wider angle for my face at this distance… shoot any longer and my head looks like a dang balloon.
For women though, I’ve found that longer is always better (no pun intended). Here’s a recent portrait with the Olympus 45mm f1.8 (90mm equivalent):
Let’s jump into the list of the best portrait lenses for Micro Four Thirds:
1. Panasonic Leica Noticron 42.5mm f1.2 Lens: Not only is this lens widely regarded as the best portrait lens, but it’s also arguably the sharpest lens for µ43, and it’s consistently ranked as the best overall lens across many different publications. With a 85mm equivalent, and about 1 1/3 more stops of light available than our #2 pick (Oly 75mm) and it has Optical Image Stabilization. Overall, an extremely versatile lens that lives up to the Leica moniker. As a portrait photographer, it was a must have lens for me.
Update: Olympus Pro 45mm f1.2 is now out, and is an alternative for the Best Portrait Lens.
Though at $1600, the casual photographer may want to evaluate other options. We’ve left it off this list, but if you’re in love with the look, the Mitakon 42.5mm f1.2 is regarded as the poor mans Panasonic Leica Noticron, at only $359 it’s quite the bargain. Unless you need that extra light though, I’d take the Olympus 45mm (our #3 pick) over the Mitakon any day.
There’s also the manual focus Voigtlander Nokton 42.5mm F0.95 at $1000. Though keep in mind it’s reported to be fairly big and heavy. At that price, you could adapt a Canon FD 55mm F1.2 SSC for under $300, or $500-1000 if you want the “L” version of the lens. Throw in the Metabones FD to m43 Speedbooster and that could give you another stop of light bringing it under F1. However, having a lot of experience with manual focus lenses, I feel like you miss too many shots focusing. And with faster autofocusing technology, it’s becoming easier and easier to lock in sharp as a tack photos in a split second. Comparing the aforementioned lenses, $1 for $1, the Noticron is the best bet. But if you’re on a tighter budget, checkout our next picks.
Here are some photos with the PL Noticron:
2. Olympus 75mm f1.8 Lens: When this lens was announced, people were knocking it for being a little slow at F1.8 because Canon and Nikon have faster counterparts. But you can’t have your cake and eat it too, people on MFT want smaller, faster, sharper lenses, etc. But you have to deal with a little compromise. The Noticron is bigger, but faster. The Olympus 45mm is smaller, but not quite as sharp. You get the idea. To a lot of photographers, the Olympus 75mm f1.8 is the perfect compromise. And actually, the competitors don’t have faster counterparts. Remember that this lens offers an equivalent of FoV of 150mm f1.8 (f3.6 DoF), Canon and Nikon have $1000+ counterparts at 135mm f2.
Typically, lenses wide are open tend be a little soft. Lenses tend to be the sharpest when stopped down 2 F-Stops from the max. But even wide open, LensTip rated the Oly 75mm at 64LP/mm (lines per millimeter) where 42-45LP/mm is their decency level, rating it among their sharpest lenses for Micro Four Thirds. DxOMark had similar results, ranking it slightly behind only the Noticron.
Pundits argue that the Olympus 75mm can’t quite compare to the Noticron or other brighter lenses in terms of DoF. Those pundits are actually referring about the ability to blur the background, and Olympus 75mm actually has the most flexibility according to background blur calculator HowMuchBlur:
As you can see, after about 7m, the Olympus 75mm has the best ability to blur the background. Here’s a couple examples that illustrate that from a photographer we’ve featured before, Sergei Yurin (shared with permission via Stunning Wedding Photography with Micro Four Thirds):
3. Olympus 45mm f1.8 Lens: This Micro Four Thirds is one of my personal favorite picks for the best value. Under $400, it’s compact and great for traveling lighter… which is a pro for most MFT owners! Utilizing CameraSize, we’ve illustrated the size of each lens featured here. We also added the Canon 5D with their popular portrait lens, the 85mm F1.2 L for scale. Unfortunately, CameraSize does not have the Noticron F1.2 in their database, therefore from left to right is the Olympus 75mm and 45mm, Panasonic 35-100mm, Sigma 60mm and PL 25mm 1.4. For reference, the Panasonic-Leica Noticron a little longer and wider than the Olympus 75mm.
It looks beautiful on the GM series, or any other µ43 camera for that matter. Arguably a more usable focal length than the Olympus 75mm, much cheaper and still rated pretty sharp and it fairs pretty well against the Olympus 75mm and the Noticron 42.5mm with a side by side comparison.
Read my full review of the Olympus 45mm f1.8 here.
Overall, the top 3 portrait lenses have 3 very distinct budgets. Pick the lens that’s perfect for your budget and you can’t go wrong.
Honorable Mentions
Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8 or Olympus 40-150mm f2.8 (mentioned above): These lenses plays within the optimal focal lengths for portraits and beyond. They’re versatile and among the sharpest lenses for µ43 right alongside their little brothers the Panny 12-35 F2.8 and the Oly 12-40mm f2.8. Like I mentioned before, sometimes the optimal focal length depends on your subject, and this lens has the versatility to cater to your needs.
Lastly, Don’t Forget that Legacy Lenses are Perfect for Portraiture
A lot of portrait shooters like to shoot with manual focus, which could make legacy lenses the perfect option. We’ve touched on it a little earlier, I’ve used the Canon FD 50mm F1.4 SSC, samples above (shots of Brenda). You could find this lens for under $100, and the FD to m43 mount is about $30. I picked mine up on Craigslist for about $50, but that’s when I first bought the GF1… since the rise of mirrorless cameras, a resurgence in legacy lenses have brought prices up a bit. But people on Craigslist don’t really know that thus you could still find deals on what people find to be 20+ year old equipment.
See our post on the The Only Legacy Lenses Worth Buying (Best Value), and you’ll know what lenses to look for on Cragislist/Offerup.
Final Tips: Making the Most of Your Micro 4/3 Lenses
I’ll reiterate that you should always invest in lenses, but with that being said the quickest way to see more performance out of your lens is with a better camera body. What you have to decide, is when to upgrade. With my current combo, I have an effective range from 28mm-90mm with three solid native primes. I’m not shooting architecture so I don’t need anything wider, nor am I shooting birds or wildlife thus I don’t need anything longer. Your situation might be different.
Last tip, remember the lens accessories. Lens hoods can reduce flare and increase contrast. Circular Polarizer (CPL) filters are great at controlling the exposure for landscapes, Neutral Density (ND) filters are great for blocking light, allowing longer exposures during the day to get that silky smooth water look from a waterfall, river, etc.
Micro Four Thirds Prime vs Zoom Lenses
I’ll let you know right away that I’m a little biased towards prime lenses. Here are a few reasons why:
- Primes are physically smaller and have faster apertures.
- I see the world in prime focal lengths. I can look at a scene and say, “That’s a great 28mm shot” or 50mm shot, etc. If I had started with zooms, I might see photography differently.
- Primes tend to be sharper, let’s take a look at a LensTip comparison between the equally priced Panasonic 20mm f1.7 and 14-42mm X Vario PZ f3.5-5.6 (~$300) as well as the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 (~$700)
Review Comparisons from LensTip and DxOMark
As you can see, the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 absolutely trounces the equally priced 14-42mm X lens in sharpness with the 20mm reaching MTF values of ~74 versus ~61 on the 14-42mm. It’s also 2+ stops faster and thus will be much better in low light conditions. However, when compared to a premium zoom like the 12-35mm f2.8 which today fetches for about $700, sharpness is about equal at its peak. But, it’s still nearly 2 stops slower than the 20mm f1.7.
With that being said, zooms do have their advantages:
- Versatility. It really comes down to versatility. With the Panasonic 14-140mm or Olympus 14-150mm, you have a superzoom covering a very wide focal range. But it comes at the expense of sharpness and speed. There are however a series of sharp constant aperture zooms from both Panasonic and Olympus that we’ll cover below.
- Some Olympus lenses have an extra function button, such as the the Olympus 12-50mm, which also features an electric zoom you can control through a mobile app. It also has a short focus distance and a macro function button.
- Though zoom lenses tend to be bigger than their prime counterparts, you won’t have to carry as many lenses for different looks.
MFT vs Full Frame Lenses
“Well, Micro Four Thirds can’t match the depth of field of a Full Frame camera”
When talking about depth of field, most people are really thinking about background blur. And background blur is much than a product of depth of field. For example, the Olympus 75mm F1.8 actually has more background blur than the very popular Canon 24mm F1.4 on a full frame camera (with >2m distance between subject and background).
The HowMuchBlur.com website is an excellent tool for comparing background blur on different systems. If you’re away from a computer, a quick calculation you can use is the physical aperture size, and the calculation for that is (field of view divided by aperture).
For a complete comparison, please see our complete guide on Micro Four Thirds vs Full Frame, where we talk more about depth of field / bokeh, image quality, and which is better for video.
The sigma f2.8 trio for primes is by far the best value, i defy anybody to . I would like the Panasonic 42.5 f1.2 but will probably go for the cheaper f1.7. For outdoors, the 14-140mm.
Thanks for the recommendations Zlatan!
The Sigma trio are certainly a good value. I almost opted for the Sigma 60mm f2.8, but with the Olympus 45mm f1.8 is such a good value it’s hard to pass up. It’s only about $100 more than the Sigma.
I have to say that you are right Jay about the speed. I have ordered the 25mm f1.4 for indoor family use, I need the faster shutter speed to catch my infant. People say the 50mm (equiv) is out of fashion but I think its an essential for close. I’ll post some feedback. Btw i got the GX8, its an amazing camera, well worth the money.
Nice! You can also try adding a flash as it freezes motion.
I particularly like some of the older ZD SHG lenses (with an adapter, of course) — big, heavy, and somewhat slower focusing, but something special about the IQ. Deeply discounted on the used market, these are also a good value.
Any particular favorites? The Olympus 35-100 f2 does look attractive! Maybe if it keeps dropping in price I’ll have to give it a try!
Great review thanks, I have the Olympus 45mm and it’s an awesome portrait lens, and I accidentally stumbled across the Lumix 20mm for an incredible price recently. Coupled with my E-M1 it’s giving fantastic results for a pancake. Cheers mate, keep it coming.
Appreciate the kind words! The Panasonic 20mm f1.7 and Olympus 45mm f1.8 can take you a long way!
I have a question I’ve had a hard time researching the answer to…
What 4/3rds lens would you recommend for high “bokeh” in close range? I know the idea for quality DoF is to get some workable distance both between your subject and the camera and between the subject and the background. But what about for shooting indoors when you can’t just stick on your long lens and shoot your buddy from halfway down the street? Like, you’re in a small room and you want the person clearly in focus but not the lamp as out of focus as possible. I’ve been stuck on this for ages, so thanks in advance for any help!
Indoors, I prefer the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4 (as mentioned above). The Olympus 45mm f1.8 is another option, but it’s a tighter field of view. All the fast primes are capable of blurring the background, it’s just how far you want to go. My advice, just try a few out and see what you like.
Thanks! I think tighter field of view is better in small spaces, because you need to substantially blur out something that’s only slightly farther from the camera than the subject, right?
Unfortunately, trying a few lenses is a rich man’s game. In a situation like mine, you buy one lens and it better be the one you need the most because that’s all your money.
Try the Olympus 45mm f1.8, at about $200 used right now it’s a really good deal.
Okay, the 45/ 1.8 just arrived today. I haven’t had time to fully play around and experiment yet, but my initial impression is that it doesn’t work for what I was asking about. In order to get the subject far enough away from the camera that it’s not an extreme close-up of his face taking up 100% of the frame (and eliminating the background completely), the camera and subject have to be pretty much right up against opposite walls. And then you can’t get any bokeh between the person and the background at all.
Hmmm, well we’re talking semantics with regards to how much blur is optimal. Other options are much more expensive (Nocticron, Olympus 75 and Nokton). Play around with the tool HowMuchBlur.com and you can compare and contrast between different lenses and formats.
Okay; I see what you mean that the “high” in “high bokeh” is a relative term. But with the subject’s back against the wall, there’s zero bokeh at all; the background’s in perfect focus with the subject. I’m still playing with it and I think the biggest issue is just that the lens is too long for indoor shooting. I can’t even get a head and shoulders shot from most directions (and it’s not like I’m in a bathroom or closet), and when I can, there’s no room for bokeh.
So frustrating! I it just impossible to get high bokeh at close range? Is that the real issue?
The amount of separation of the subject from the background is a very important factor, HowMuchBlur shows that the Pan-Leica 25mm f1.4 will blur the background a tad more than the 45mm up to about 1 meter, after that the Olympus does better. But the difference is small, though you will have more of a working distance.
At a close distance, there really isn’t anything better than the 42.5mm f1.2 Leica or f0.95 Nokton for Micro 4/3… but it comes at a price. And either of those lenses will about match the bokeh of a full frame Canon 5Dx + 50mm f1.8.
I attached a recent shot with the 45mm shot at f2.2, and here’s one on Instagram with the Olympus 75mm f1.8 https://instagram.com/p/9CCAXXsvI-/?taken-by=m43cameras
Other than that, you can take it further in post with Photoshop tools like field or iris blur.
I’d go for 20mm Panasonic lens. Bokeh guaranteed!
Hi Jay, Great resource here. Thanks. Now you say you can’t use a Panasonic lens with OIS with an Olympus IBIS camera. What happens if you switch off the OIS? Will IBIS work normally?
Yes, it’s either one or the other… and IBIS is preferred.
Though I hear at really long focal lengths, OIS might be better though I can’t confirm. The upcoming Olympus 300mm f4 PRO will be the first Olympus lens with OIS.
So if I use my Panasonic 35-100 I just need to turn off the Power OIS to get the 5 axis IBIS on a new Olympus body? But until the 300mm Pro lens comes out, I can’t have IS if I use any Olympus lens on my GH3? Is IBIS good enough to be a deal breaker when I’m choosing my new body?
Yes, just turn off the OIS to utilize IBIS. And yes, no other Olympus lenses with OIS have been announced, perhaps in the future though as they revealed a Dual IS like patent similar to the Panasonic GX8.
When choosing a new body, Olympus IBIS is world class, but it just depends on what you want to shoot. I started with Panasonic (GF1 then GX1), but the EM5 edged out the GX7 for me. I still use the GX1 though. I’m thinking about a new body as well, but I’d like to keep the IBIS, but I also would like the option for 4k since I want to learn video. The EM1 II and GH5 are likely to bring the best of both worlds, but likely not until later in 2016.
Thanks Jay. I finally settled on second hand GH4 as the only Olympus lens I really need is the 60mm macro and I don’t need IS for my macro work. It’s more important for me to have lens compatibility between my two bodies, the other being a GH3. I will be keeping an eye on what happens with the EM-D line and GH5 in the future as possible upgrades for my GH3. The EM5 ii seems to be too much of a work in progress at the moment but I’m sure the EM1 ii will benefit from the feedback on its ergonomics, layout and new functions.
Hi Jay
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your experiences with m43 and your recommendations, I am a complete novice to photography but love to capture special moments, cut to the chase I bought myself a Panasonic GM1 because of the size, I like the idea of having a pocket rocket literally, couple of days in and I am really happy with kit lens 12-32, seems pretty good, I did buy Olympus 45mm 1.8 but images are blurry, pretty much all of them, I read that this happens with olympus lens on Panasonic bodies, no image stabilisation, my hands are not the best,lol, obviously I want to hold camera at a moments notice and not use tripods etc, how to get round this, is their an easy solution, I also bought the olympus 17mm 1.8, not got to yet but I imagine I will have same issue, appreciate any advice Jay, and thanks again for interesting read,best Paul
Hey Paul,
Shooting handheld a rule of thumb is to shoot at least 1/60 shutter speed. With longer focal lengths, you’ll have to adjust accordingly. I use the at least the same number shutter speed as the equivalent focal length, eg. if I’m shooting at 100mm with my Panasonic 35-100 f2.8, that is a 200mm Full Frame equivalent, which means I’ll be using a minimum of 1/200 shutter speed.
For the Olympus 45mm, that is a 90mm FF equivalent, 1/90 isn’t an option thus you should at least use 1/100 or faster.
There’s a lot more that goes into sharpness, but I’m guessing that’s the problem that you’re running into. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Hi Jay
Many thanks for that, I think this will really help me, I will try more at the weekend and let you know how I get on, If you think there is anything else that might help me I would be interested to know, thanks again Jay
best
Paul
I have a GH3 right now and am waiting for the GH5 to come out. In addition to nature photos, I shoot a lot of indoor concert photos of my daughter’s band. I can usually get quite close to the stage, but the lighting is always wonky in these venues. Plus the band moves A LOT when they perform, so I need the fastest shutter I can get…which is especially challenging in a low light situation. I have the Pan 14mm 2.5 and shot video with it and it worked great in one of these venues, but it’s not quite tight enough for portraits of individual members. I have the 12-35mm 2.8 and the 35-100mm 2.8 too but neither of those produces satisfactory results. I can’t shoot with a flash since it would be too distracting. Can you recommend a lens to try? Thanks in advance!
Hey Jane, with my limited experience with concerts, I’d say bring your fastest lenses. In in addition to the 14mm 2.5, I’d think about adding the 25mm f1.4 and the 45mm f1.8 or 42.5mm f1.7.
You mentioned that the Olympus 45mm would be one of two “must have” prime lenses. If you were limiting yourself to just two lenses what would the other one be? Just curious.
The other would be a shorter prime, my personal faves would be the 14mm f2.5, 20mm f1.7, or 25mm f1.4.
Excellent and informative. As a newbie to m4/3 I entry levelled with an Oly EP6 with kit lens. Realized other possibilities and resurrected a couple of non used collected Contax lenses with mount adapter. Got some good results with Fotga tilt shift and a Nikon 50mm shooting at 1.8. Also matched a clunky Helios with good results .I understand the crop factor thingy but still trying to understand the f stop when using prime lenses from legacy 35 mm systems. Is my 1.8 Nikkor actually that or does it become an f 4.It is not a real big deal as I understand the aperture is kept wide open the blobby bits of bokeh would be the same roundish shape the only variable being the number of petals for the aperture when it stopped down a bit . That would change with the type of lens but those modified ones that are appearing seem fun..not sure if square bokeh is aesthetically acceptable
Your Nikon 50mm f1.8 adapted on Micro Four Thirds will always have a 100mm focal length and have a DoF equivalent of f3.5*. f1.8 is always f1.8 across formats in terms of exposure.
*Unless you’re using a speedbooster.
Jay ..thank you for for a prompt response.. I do like the blur chart….as a subject in its self I think that legacy lenses are fun ..it would be great to create an app comparison chart showing visual bokeh effects using different lenses and modified apertures. .thanks again Jay
Great Review! Thanks a lot! I own a m43 cameras more than one year and I recently bought the GX85, great camera by the way. My lenses line-up are the 2 kit lenses: 12-35 and 35-100, and I invested in the 7-14mm and the 25mm Leica one. Let me tell you that I am in love with the Leica one. I used 95% of the time. It really delivers and with a friend who is into the FF system, when we compare our pictures, he’s impressed 😀
The 7-14mm Panny is less “funny”. When composing, live view shows the distortions and barrelling. But, finally, the end result be it RAW or JPEG is highly enhanced. While some like it, I am a little bit lost during composition,
Anyway, I am thinking about the next lens. I need to choose: the macro looks appealing and the Leica DG 45mm looks sexy. I also would like to increase portrait capacities, so the 42.5mm (typo in the article, it is equivalent to 85mm in FF). So any other suggestion.
By the way, I am not sure to understand the interest of the 12-35mm/f2,8. So can someone explain the usage ?
Thanks again for the complete review and long life to m43 !!!
Yes, I love the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4! Probably my favorite. I just bought the Panasonic 7-14mm though haven’t really put it to much use yet.
I’m using the Panasonic 35-100mm 2.8 for portraiture. If you shoot a lot of macro, the Leica 45mm might be a good option to cover both portraiture and macro.
I do like the Olympus 45mm as a good value lens, though with the GX85 I’d opt for the Panasonic 42.5mm for the Dual IS compatibility.
The Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 will cover the focal length of your current lens, plus some (I believe you mean 12-32mm kit lens), it will be sharper throughout, and has OIS. I’d imagine it’s super versatile for video, I’ve thought about picking it up but I’ll stick with the 7-14mm for wide and the PL 25mm for a normal FoV.
Great and swift answer ! Thanks Jay. I’ll wait for your review of the 7-14mm. I take your suggestion for the Leica 45mm. BTW, the IS on a the GX85 is impressive. I was able to get a sharp shooting of water flowing at 1.4s !!! Without tripod. Of course, need some technique of stability and breath holding !
Great advices, thanks Jay ! Looking forward to more information to improve my technique and unleash the potential of the m43.
Hai, I took EM5 last year. seems good. Enjoyed your comparison of the both EM5 and EM5Mk2. But tones of the images are a little more good with Canon it seems. Skin tone will get a glowing yellow touch with Nikon. OMD seems too original. Is it because i dont know how to get the best, i dont know. still a learner with EM5. Any site or book suggestions to master EM5 ?
Are you shooting in RAW? Because I find with any camera, that correcting the white balance is priority #1 for correcting color issues. Also, Olympus does have a setting that keeps it a little warmer (which I prefer), but you could change that if your preferences differ.
I have almost every one of these Panasonic lenses and a few more. I don’t have any of the Voightlander lenses.
My impressions
7-14mm. Surprisingly useful. I’ve never owned a wide angle lens that wide. I thought I’d use it only rarely, instead I find myself reaching for it frequently. Certainly one of my favorites.
Pancakes. I have them all in a kit with a GX1 and a 35-100mm f/4-5.6. Very compact and versatile. I agree with most of what you wrote. The 20mm is slow focusing. And I wish more of the probes had in lens stabilization. If not Panasonicnerd to match Olympus for in body 5 axis stabilization soon.
Of the 14-35 f/2.8 and arching 35-100. I use the 14-35 constantly. You could get by with just these two lenses, and maybe the 7-14mm. Those three? A better holy trinity.
I have both versions of the 14-140mm–a got a deal on the slower lens–the controls are a little better. I’ll probably sell the slower heavier lens. That one lens will do everything without swapping. Just one lens–that’s the one.
I’d like to try the P/L 14-150mm and have heard it suffers from lens creep.
I have the 100-300mm and it doesn’t seem all that sharp to me which is why I bought the P/L today and plan to sell the 100-300mm.
For primes I bought the 12mm f/1.4 and love it. Hating buying it new because I typically shop around and get great deals on used. Was it worth I it. I have no regrets. It’s fantastic and a jewel so nice I’m afraid to use it on the water sailing with my pancake option. I expect I’ll use it a lot next year in the sailing season for creamy bokeh shots on the boat. I was about to buy the P/L 15mm f/1.7 and decided to go for the speed of the 1.4 aperture lens. Now I don’t see that I’ll ever get a chance to try the 1.7. The optics are superior and since I hate flash, and love bokeh, natural light means wide apertures. Which it my tendency on primes. I would not buy them and stick with zooms otherwise.
I like the 25mm f/1.4 but hate the hood. It’s useful but I use the 14mm more often. All of the Leica collaborations have impressed me. The 25mm is probably a better everyday lens. I have not used it as much since I bought the 14mm. How can I describe the 14mm. It’s much like the 7-14mm zoom. I find I use it more that I expected and it’s a real joy to use creatively– well worth the price.
Now: My favorite lens of all, by far is the Nocticron. It’s sharp, stabilized, focuses the sharpest and fastest of all my lenses. It’s perfect! My favorite photos all seem to be taken with this lens. It’s in a sweet spot for focal length and gives me a taste of the Noctilux I always wanted. I never tried the cheap 42.5mm and 45mm options and have no interest. They may be good lenses and great values but who would chose good when you could have the very best MFT lens made. I’ll gladly take the size hit of the Nocticron give its outstanding optics, bokeh, image stabilization, and focusing speed. Plus it is the sexiest looking lens. Nothing else will ever compare. You should try one. You won’t part with it. I bought mine used for $1090, and you can find them for under $1000 on eBay. Mine was a store demo. I thought wow, maybe I’d like the Voightlandeer 42.5mm. But no, I have plenty of bokeh and the focusing is so fast I could never be as good with the Voightlander. I may try the Voightlander 25mm or 17.5mm, but nothing can take away my love of the Nocticron.
I have only one Olympus lens, the silver 75mm. It’s as sharp as they say but I find it less useful. I’ll spend more time with it mounted all day to explore its potential more. So far it seems like mostly a studio lens. It’s so sharp I’d hate to sell it, but I might if I can’t get more use out of it. Truthfully, the Nocticron and GH4 wouldmy instinctive portrait lens.
I would like to try the fixed 8mm f/1.8 lens. And the new 25mm pro lens, but I’m satisfied with what I have there. It’s not my preferred focal length.
I also have a Rokinon 300mm reflector. It has poor contrast, and it’s cheap and small, such that I’m more likely to bring it with me. And it can do interesting things. It’s probably a good match for my stabilized GH85 while boating to capture distant shots of passing traffic. Fine for bright days as it’s very slow. F/6.3. It will be interesting to compare to the P/L 100-400mm I will probably add it to my GX1 kit.
I have the .64 Speedbooster & Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 combo. I found it hard to focus manually for video and slow and loud on auto focus. I’ll play around with it more but may auction that off too. My problem is many of my subject are very fast moving. I can edit out the blur but need stuff shark and autofocus is important. There may still be a place for this combo. I have yet to try low light situations since I’m not yet comfortable with the lens in daylight. It’s in many ways the opposite to the Nocticron which focuses so fast and well that it make my life so much easier. I can focus on the art and I don’t miss shots. I plan to give myself more time with it and then transition into nighttime video use. If it fills that nitch I’ll keep it.
If I had only one lens it would be the Nocticron. While the GX85 has in body stabilization, the GH4 is like weapon used catnip. A power and irresistible combo.
The last lens worth mentioning are the two power zooms. I bought these for remote operation. I only have one external battery eliminator on the weatherized GH4, and while the lenses are not weatherized like the f/2.8 pair, they have a certain appeal for remote use coupled with a pan and tilt these could follow subjects and allow me a level of remote automation. So far I’ve had a few issues with the controlling of those lenses. The jury is out on whether they will hold up for prolonged use. I hope they do because I’m keenly interested in remote camera operation for a project idea I have.
The only other lenses I’d like to evaluate are the Olympus 40-150mm, 300mm and take inverter, and the 8mm. All of these are interesting, expensive, and not terribly important to me.
Hey Jay, love this comprehensive article! I had a quick question. I am looking for the best mirrorless lens for food photography. I used to shot with a Canon DSLR using the 50mm 1.8 lens and am now using the Olympus 45 mm 1.8 on an Olympus OM-D E-M10 II. Just wanted to get your thoughts on what you think is the best food photography lens or the closest equivalent to a 50mm for the canon dslr? Any help would be MUCH appreciated!! THANKS!
If you were using a crop sensor Canon DSLR (Rebel, 80d, etc), you should be getting a similar result. If you had a full frame Canon DSLR, then you’ll be looking at something like the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4 for a similar field of view.
I see. I was using a canon Rebel so you’re saying the Olympus 45mm should be pretty similar to the canon 50 mm yes? What are the biggest differences between the 45mm and the 25mm Olympus lenses on mirrorless?
Canon would be a full frame equivalent of 80mm FoV (1.6x crop factor), Olympus would be 90mm (2x crop factor). Thus the 25mm would have a 50mm equivalent.
Wide open, the Canon 50mm would be able to slightly blur the background a little more than the Olympus 45mm:
http://howmuchblur.com/#compare-1.6x-50mm-f1.8-and-2x-45mm-f1.8-on-a-0.9m-wide-subject
Hi, I noticed there is a strong preference of Panasonic lenses. Is there any reason for that? I am looking for those ones from Olympus:
Olympus ED 7-14mm 1:2.8 PRO
Olympus ED 12-40mm 1:2.8 PRO
and especially looking for Olympus ED 25mm 1:1.2 PRO. Any experience about this one? A bit price friendly is PANASONIC 25 mm f/1,4 ASPH LEICA, but haven’t read anything about it yet.
I am pretty decided for those two, unless someone has a strong arguments for Panasonic equivalents:
Olympus Premium ED 60mm 1:2.8 Macro
Olympus ED 40-150mm 1:2.8 PRO
All using with Olympus O-MD E-M10, shooting stills, not video.
Thank you for opinion and for a great article.
Panasonic does tend to outscore Olympus on lens sharpness according to LensTip on similar lenses. But it really depends on what you want to shoot. And if you’re shooting on an Olympus body, I totally understand wanting the lenses to match. I shoot with both, so I just look for price/value.
But you can’t go wrong with the Olympus 7-14, 12-40 and 40-150 PRO. In fact, I’d be a little jealous! 🙂
Haha, don’t be 🙂 thank you for quick response. What do you think about the Panasonic 25mm 1.4f leica? Are there any cons why would make sense to buy twice as much expensive Olympus? Water/dust resistance is not a argument this time.
I can’t think of any. I buy and sell a lot of lenses to try different ones out, but I can never imagine parting with that one.
Hi Jay,
I have the Panasonic Lumix GF3 with the kit lens (14-42mm 3.5-5.6) and the 14mm 2.5 lens. I would like to shoot better portraits, under low light (my photos tend to be quite blurry and the high ISO to prevent this produces too much noise for my liking, for travelling and for general photography. This is why thought of upgrading my lens. I was considering the Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm 1.8 (because it fits into my budget & the results – bokeh etc are amazing!!) but I’m deterred by the fact that the lens does not have image stabilization.
Do you think the non IS would affect a lot of my shooting with my Lumix camera? Or should I invest in something equivalent albeit the higher price which is the Lumix 42.5mm 1.7 lens (or any advice on which better suitable lens in my case)? Another dilemma I have is that I prefer the results of the photos taken by other users with the Olympus lens over the Lumix lens (is this because of the settings?).
Any advice? Thanks.
I’ve never thought that lens OIS makes a huge difference – maybe 1 stop? IBIS is the real difference maker. If you’re going to stick with Panasonic after the GF3, I’d probably spring for the Panasonic 42.5mm f1.7 because late generation Panasonic’s have the DFD focusing system that’s currently only compatible with Panasonic lenses.
And remember there’s more to sharpness than the amount of light a lens can let in. Even at high ISO you can get photos sharp as a tack – make sure the shutter speed is set to at least 1/100 for portraiture… I still do that even with IBIS and Dual IS from late gen cameras.
My GF3 does not have IBIS so I guess OIS would help (slightly). After reading more comparative reviews, I think the Panasonic lens would be the better choice in my case too.
Okay I’ll try out with more different settings when I shoot, thanks for the tip and advice! 🙂
Great write up.
I’m new to 4/3, and recently picked up an Olympus 17mm 1.8. Shooting with a Panasonic GX8 and I’m finding the lens to be less sharp than I’d like.
Question is, would going with the Panasonic 15mm prove to be appreciably sharper?
Other option is the Panasonic 12-35mm 2.8. I’m partial to Prime lenses, but that zoom covers a lot of possibilities and is well reviewed. Just wondering if I’m trading away too much in terms of sharpness, auto-focus, and low light shooting? Is it as sharp as the Oly 17mm 1.8?
Thanks!
Hmmm… not sure it would be a huge difference. I like to use LensTip for evaluating sharpness, and wide open the 15mm f1.7 is a tad sharper in the center and edges. Haven’t personally used that lens though, perhaps next on my list.
I like the 12-35mm f2.8 mostly for video with it’s versatility, but I do prefer primes in that focal range for more light, shallower DoF, etc.
Question, I’m kind of a noob but I just picked up a 50mm 1.4 for my micro 4/3 em5 mark ii very crisp and beautiful lens. I understand that he sensor is 2x. But in the view finder and the LCD, should it appear very zoomed in? Doesn’t really make for a nifty 50? Thanks
So, I’m assuming you’re adapting a legacy lens because m43 doesn’t have a native 50mm f1.4. Unless you mean the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4, which would be a 50mm equivalent and a true nifty fifty.
If you are adapting, then it would be a 100mm equivalent… which is a fairly tight focal length.
Which version of the panasonic 20mm f1.7 are you using? I’m debating between ordering the new one (v II) online, or getting the original version for the same price locally. or just saving up for the panleica 25 f1.4. I primary shoot landscapes but would like to try portraits and street photography as well. These are the ones I’ve settled on since I like the wider angle with the large aperture. the only lens I currently have is the 14-140mm f3.5-5.6. It was a good all around lens since I can’t buy new ones all that often. So if forced to get just one for the next few years, which would you go with for an all around lens?
Other than what I said above, if you’re doing a lot more video, I think version 2 is a reasonable upgrade over v1 because of the lens corrections, even if it does sacrifice a tiny bit of sharpness.
Then again, the Leica 25mm f1.4 is an even better upgrade for video, because of a little more light, and faster and quieter focusing.
Just reading this. Couple questions…do you have a preference of which speedbooster to use? And I have the 15mm summilux, 45mm oly, and the sigma 18-35 I use with a plain old adapter…would you recommend a metabones or a different lens to fill in gaps? (I do films and am getting into wedding videos)
Haven’t used any Speedboosters, though the Metabones and Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 is a popular option for many out there. It’s a personal preference thing, the Sigma + Metabones can give you more light, but say the 12-35mm f2.8 would give you Dual IS on compatible Panasonic bodies and better AF.
I’ve even thinking about selling the 12-35 for the Leica 12-60, using that as my versatile lens in good light, and in low light switch to my fast primes.
Lot of good options out there, again, a lot of it weighs on personal preference.
Hi Jay. Hope you are well, I really like what you have to share about all the MFT lens. Very useful and extremely helpful to me, I also love the updates when you try different lens as I find myself trying more lens as well in the pursuit of perfection. After many purchases I have returned to where it all started. Mk1 Panasonic 20mm 1.7 which still delivers excellent results. I wanted to ask Jay if you did try the 15mm 1.7 as I would also like to give it a go, have the option to buy for £280 which is to good to resist. I am very fickle with the lens I buy.keep changing.I love my GM1 which I will always keep.take care Jay.best Paul
That converts to $370 USD, so that would be a pretty good deal. Haven’t had a chance to spend some real time with it, as I think the Olympus 12mm f2.0 fits my needs a little better right now.
But I am the same way in that I buy and sell lenses all the time! When done locally you rarely ever lose money… I’ve actually made money finding lenses for real cheap! 🙂
Thanks for those great articles… surprised not to see the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 in this list somewhere. It’s incredibly sharp, definitely one of the absolute sharpest m43 lenses, seems to have comparable background separation power to the Pana Leica 42.5mm and the Oly 75mm from what I read (I never tried those though) and comes 2 or 3 times cheaper than either. It’s also weather sealed. I’d be really curious to know what you think of that lens.
Haven’t used it – but I’m a big Sigma fan! I’ve had a few Sigma Art lenses on my Sony full frame. I have no doubt that it’s a solid lens.
I do believe it’s designed for for APS-C though, and adapted a m43 mount.
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Thank you for sharing this, I will definitely keep this in mind while choosing lenses.