Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60 mm F2.8 Lens, Standard Zoom, Suitable for All MFT Cameras (Olympus OM-D & PEN Models, Panasonic G-Series), Black

Product Information

The M.Zuiko 60mm doesn’t offer any form of image stabilization, but as long as you’re using a recent Olympus camera, that’s okay; Olympus builds its top-of-the-line stabilization right into the bodies, so that you never have to worry too much about handholding at high magnifications or in low light.

Despite the use of plastic, I don’t doubt the lens’s durability. In particular, theweather sealing is advertised as dust-proof and splash-proof up to IP53, meaning extensive protection against dust and splashing water. It’s the same rating given to the rugged OM-1 itself. By comparison, I’ve used my M.Zuiko60mm f/2.8 for years of intense conditions. It doesn’t appear to have an official IP rating, yet has held up better than any of my other lenses. The new 90mm f/3.5 should improve on it even further. From now on, everyone who has used, or continues to use, full-frame or larger format for capturing subjects that benefit from a deep depth of field, especially landscape and macro subjects, is an incompetent ass who’s in dire need of both re‑education and new camera gear. See, the Velvet 85 allows you to create a soft-focus “glow,” where your subject appears all soft and dreamy, like this: In a lot of ways, this lens is perfect for insect photography; you get 1:1 magnification, very sharp optics, even at f/2.8, and a nicely built barrel. Usually, I don’t use the full power of the lens because 1:1 magnification is often overkill for my subjects. That’s why many of the sample photos in this articles are close-up photos rather than “true” macro photos with 1:1 magnification or greater. In any case, it’s a highly practical lens, and a great performer, as you’ll see in a moment.That’s why I recommend more serious macro photographers work with an effective focal length of at least 70mm. If you’re going to photograph insects, you’ll want to be able to shoot at 150mm or longer; otherwise, the working distance may be too short to get close to your subjects. Select a Lens With a Wide Maximum Aperture In a lot of ways, it’s the ultimate “starter” lens for macro photography beginners; you’re not paying for the 60mm f/2.8, but you still get 1:1 (and beyond) close-up capabilities in a compact, well-made body. So, to sum it up, the M.Zuiko 60mm macro is really the best macro lens for Micro Four Thirds right now. It’s the only option for an autofocusing macro lens that can achieve a 1X magnification at a reasonable working distance. Normally, having just one lens option to choose from isn’t ideal – but here, it’s not an issue because the lens performs so well anyway. DC-G9 + OLYMPUS M.60mm F2.8 Macro @ 60mm, ISO 250, 1/250, f/11.0 Conclusion

As with most photographers, there is always some new lens I desire, whether telephoto, wide-angle, or something in between. However, I have always been satisfied with my Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm Macro. Even though there are some other macro lens options for Micro Four Thirds shooters, none of the others strikes me as a better choice. I have posted a few different posts specifying how I do this (especially with the MC-14), but I wanted a single post about the process that makes it possible for the MC-20. The only reason I would suggest to look elsewhere is if you are looking for a super macro lens that grants a higher reproduction ratio than 1:1, in which case the Venus Optics Laowa 50mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro is worth a look. The Leica Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH is a high-quality lens if you don’t mind the shorter working distance. Finally, adapting lenses is also a possibility if you have unusual requirements. While I really do recommend you focus manually for macro photography, the M.Zuiko 30mm offers nice autofocus capabilities, which means it can successfully double as a street photography lens, a portrait photography lens, or a walkaround lens–and the latter makes a lot of sense, given how small and light this lens really is. As you continue to narrow the aperture, the Velvet 85 will become sharper and sharper–until you eventually can’t tell the difference between it and other conventional macro lenses on this list.So if you can, get a lens with an f/2.8 maximum aperture. Make Sure Your Lens Is Capable of Capturing Plenty of Detail

This lens provides a great combination of great optical performance, lightweight, compact design and value for money. One thing to watch out for is chromatic aberration; this manifests as fringing in high-contrast parts of your photo, and is easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Generally, it’s possible to remove CA in Lightroom or Luminar, but it’s always better to avoid it whenever possible. The problem, however, is that the Samyang 100mm f/2.8 offers no autofocus capabilities. This means that you’ll have to focus manually, even when working with moving insects. Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all about the best macro lenses for Olympus cameras–and you should be able to find the perfect lens for your needs!Though bear in mind that you may still get a little of the Velvet glow in the corners of the frame, even at higher apertures.) Previously, I have been working for years with the OM System M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 macro lens. At 1:1 magnification, this lens manages a working distance of 8.3 cm / 3.3 inches from the tip of the lens. Although this may sound almost as good as the new 90mm f/3.5 Macro, it’s a bit of an illusion. For lighting purposes, the 90mm lens is far easier to use with an on-camera speedlight, because the lens itself is longer. In other words, it has a much bigger “flash to subject” distance than a shorter macro lens. This offers more room for a larger diffuser, which improves the quality of my light substantially. How does this compare to the M.Zuiko60mm f/2.8? Below is a comparison photo from f/14. To my eye, it looks worse than the f/22 image above! I find this performance very impressive by the 90mm f/3.5, especially considering that the M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 was, before now, my sharpest lens. OM-1 + OLYMPUS M.60mm F2.8 Macro @ 60mm, ISO 200, 1/200, f/14.0 Measuring just 82mm x 56mm, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro is surprisingly small and lightweight for a telemacro lens featuring a maximum aperture of f/2.8. On distant subjects, I actually found that the OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO outperformed my old M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 macro in focus speed, especially in brighter conditions. However, at close focusing distances, the 60mm lens was faster – probably because it didn’t need to examine the whole range from 2:1 to wider magnifications.

How to read our charts The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges. Averaging them out gives the red weighted column. The most obvious comparison is the M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 macro, which has a maximum magnification of 1x and has served me well for several years. Although it’s certainly not a 90mm 2x macro lens, it will get the job done for most subjects. Additionally, the Panasonic 45mm f/2.8 also offers 1x magnification, although it has an even shorter working distance. When I was using this lens at moderatemagnifications – say, 1:2 or 1:3 – I felt luxuriously distant from my subject. This made it less likely that I’d scare my subject, and most of all, it gave me a lot more flexibility with my lighting equipment. At1:1 magnification and even 2:1, I felt I had enough space to light my subject effectively.By the way, you’ll also want to grab a macro lens with true 1:1 magnification (or as close as 1:1 as you can get). This will ensure that you can capture highly-detailed images of your subjects, and can even get some creative, abstract-style images. Go For a Lens With Nice Manual Focus Capabilities