Micro Four Thirds Macro Lens Shootout on Olympus OM-D E-M5! Panasonic Leica 45mm f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit ASPH vs Olympus 50mm f/2 ED vs Olympus 45mm f/1.8 ED

2012-08-01 • SEND FEEDBACK |
Related: Leica, Leica DSLR, Leica Elmarit and Elmar, Leica Lenses, Leica M, Leica medium format, Leica S 45mm f/2.8 Elmarit-S ASPH, Leica S Typ 006, medium format, Olympus, Olympus Lenses, Olympus M.Zuiko, Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8, Olympus M.Zuiko 50mm f/2 ED Macro, Olympus M4/3, Olympus mirrorless, Olympus OM-D E-M5, Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, Panasonic, Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8

I am relentlessly attacking the “what are the best lenses for Micro Four Thirds” challenge as my coverage of that format grows (rapidly). I want to know which lenses are great, which are good, and which are to be ignored.

In my review of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 in my Guide to ALLVIEW, I’ve a comparative review of three moderate telephoto lenses, two of which are macro lenses.

Three contenders. One world-class winner revealed.

• The Panasonic Leica 45mm f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit ASPH for Micro Four Thirds is a compact macro lens. It is larger and heavier than the Olympus 45/1.8, but somewhat smaller and lighter than the Olympus 50/2 ED.
• The Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/2 ED is a Full Four Thirds macro lens (requires MMF-3 adapter on Micro Four Thirds).
• The Olympus Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 is a Micro Four Thirds lens which is tiny and lightweight. It is not a macro lens, but focuses quite closely.

Actual pixels

Panasonic/Leica 45mm f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit, Olympus Zuiko 45mm f/1.8, Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/2 ED macro