Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45 mm F1.8 Lens, Fast Fixed Focal Length, Suitable for All MFT Cameras (Olympus OM-D & PEN Models, Panasonic G-Series), Silver

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The Olympus 45mm f1.8 is a surprisingly compact lens even for the Micro Four Thirds standard. Measuring 56mm in diameter, 46mm in length and weighing just 116g, it’s beaten only by pancake lenses on size and weight. Indeed it’s only 56mm at the rear end to support the standard Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Beyond the mount, the barrel tapers down to a narrower diameter for the rest of the lens. This thing really is tiny. Obviously it doesn't matter how a lens feels to use if the image quality is indifferent. From a technical point of view, I've been more than happy with the results I've been getting from the 45. Even at F1.8 it is sharp enough to give plenty of detail in subjects' eyes. Just as importantly, at sensible working distances, it gives a usefully shallow depth of field on the Four Thirds format and renders out-of-focus regions rather pleasantlyin the samples I've shot so far. Obviously all this will be covered in more detail in the forthcoming lens review but the noises coming from the testing studio are similarly positive. I would say that this is a lens worth considering if you have a Panasonic camera and can make use of the optical stabilisation. Otherwise, the Olympus 45mm is still a valid lens and you can find it for less money. The Nocticron is aimed at a professional audience and I would only consider it if you shoot portraits for a living. The specular highlights of the PRO lens at f/1.2, in addition to being larger, take on a distinctive “cat’s eye” shape, especially at the edges of the frame. When both lenses are set to f/1.8, the fastest aperture they share, the differences are less evident. Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.2 PRO at f/1.2 Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.2 PRO at f/1.8 Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 at f/1.8 Falloff of illumination towards the corners is very well controlled, especially so for a fast aperture lens. At f/1.8 the corners are only 0.76 stops darker than the image centre and visually uniform illumination is achieved at f/2.8.

Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.2 PRO vs M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 – The Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.2 PRO vs M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 – The

I know a lot of new parents that find photography as a way to capture and share their new life experiences. Lots of friends have suddenly gotten very interested in photography, even at a low level just to capture their day to day moments with their newborns. A large dslr doesn’t fit in a diaper bag and becomes one more burden to carry. An em10 or Pen-F, or especially the EPL7 or 8 become a perfect choice. Paired with the 45mm you have an amazing portrait setup with minimal size. It takes very little space at all and weighs virtually nothing compared to usual camera setups. And no iphone 7 portrait mode will yield the same results. Especially when it comes to control. Pair that with a 17mm or 12mm prime and you have a fantastic travel kit with pro level results. Live performanceThe minimum focus distance of the two lenses is identical (50cm) while the maximum magnification is just a little higher on the 1.8 lens (0.1x vs. 0.11x). Together with the Panasonic 14mm and 20mm pancakes, this makes the almost perfect travel kit - high quality, light, and affordable. There are no other functions on the body of this lens such as control buttons, manual focus clutch or a focal distance scale. It’s a very simple design. So what’s inside the Panasonic lens to make it so much larger? Well, it has a more complex optical design with 14 elements in 10 groups compared to nine elements in eight groups on the Olympus. The more complex design of the Panasonic is in some part required for its macro capabilities and optical stabilization, but don’t forget the Olympus is optically brighter. In terms of build, the extra weight of the Panasonic lens inevitably lends it an air of greater confidence, but I having carried both for several months around the World I don’t believe it’s any stronger, and neither sport any kind of weather-sealing. Its size is a crucial selling point, too. Unlike other mirrorless formats, where the cameras may be small but the lenses are still chunky, Micro Four Thirds lenses can be positively diminutive –because they have a much smaller image circle to cover. So if you want a truly lightweight or portable lens, the Olympus f/1.8 primes are what mirrorless was made for.

Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Review | Sharp Portrait Lens - Shotkit

But that is about it as I find the lens sharp at every aperture, fast to AF, and the color rendition is very good as well. I mean, I just sat here and said it was part of the “Holy Trinity” of Micro 4/3 glass, so not many complaints that I have found. Putting aside its fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, the lens offers very little in the way of features. There is no distance scale, DoF marks, focus limiter or optical image stabiliser on board. The latter won't really be a problem for users of Olympus' own digital PEN cameras, all of which boast a sensor-shift anti-shake mechanism, but Panasonic owners should be aware that this is a non-stabilised lens. The only control on the lens barrel is the focus ring, which isn't mechanically coupled to the moving lens elements but still feels very nice and natural in use. As the Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens has an internal focusing mechanism, the length of the lens barrel does not change and the filter thread does not rotate on focus. The Olympus 45mm f1.8 M.ZUIKO Digital Lens is a short-telephoto prime designed for Micro Four Thirds compact system cameras. With its equivalent range of 90mm on a 35mm film camera and large f/1.8 aperture, the lens is ideal for a variety of applications, including portraiture, interior work, low-light shooting, and everyday snapshots. There is a light amount of chromatic aberration present in images shot at wide apertures - it's noticeable at ƒ/4 and below, mostly in the corners and only in areas of high contrast. The effect is magenta-blue fringing, and it's probably only visible by viewing 100% crops. By ƒ/5.6, the effect is almost negligible. Also related to the f/1.2 aperture is the fact that you can work in very low light conditions without worrying about excessively high ISO values or low shutter speeds. This isn’t to say that f/1.8 is unacceptable for low light work but f/1.2 certainly does provide some added latitude in these situations.if you've got even the slightest doubts, forget it, this is the best M4/3 lens out there. the price is just silly for the optical quality.