Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO Lens, for Micro Four Thirds Cameras

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Beyond this, you may find manual aperture rings on some higher-end Panasonic lenses which become redundant on Olympus bodies – you can still adjust the aperture on an Olympus body by using one of the camera control dials, but the aperture ring on the lens is ignored. At the end of this part of the test traditionally we present crops taken from photos of our resolution testing chart, saved in JPEG format along RAW files we used for the analysis above. The 45mm 1.8 is completely usable at 1.8, but I’m surprised at how many people are saying it can compete with the new Olympus 1.2. I’m actually staggered at how ridiculously sharp the new lens is at 1.2 – a whole stop faster than the 1.8! I would normally say that it wouldn’t be a fair comparison to compare a 1.2 lens at 1.2 vs a cheaper lens at 1.8, but the 1.2 actually wins out at these apertures comparatively (you couldn’t say the same for a Canon 1.2 lens vs. a cheaper 1.4 lens for instance). You usually pay for that extra speed but the compromise has never been great results at 1.2 for sharpness traditionally. Let’s not forget that the difference between using a 1.2 lens and a 1.8 lens could be the difference between having to use the ISO which you find unacceptable and one that you do not – ISO 6400 vs. IS 3200 for instance.

The end result though is you’ll need to choose lenses with very small f-numbers if you want to achieve very shallow depth-of-field effects with Micro Four Thirds. Conversely, with a larger inherent depth-of-field, you won’t need to close the aperture as much if you want to get more in focus.Optically the Nocticron employs 14 elements in 11 groups, compared to 11 in 8 on the Voigtlander, 10 in 9 on the Olympus 75mm f1.8 and 9 in 8 on the 45mm f1.8. This makes it the most complex optical design of the group, although it is also the only one with optical stabilisation. It also features some exotic elements including two aspherical, one ED and one UHR element; I’ll see if they have a positive impact in my optical results. There’s a generously-sized manual focusing ring that feels smooth and nicely damped in operation. I’d say it feels similar to the Summilux 25mm f1.4 and slightly better than the Olympus 45mm f1.8, but on my own set of sample lenses, the Olympus 75mm f1.8 focusing ring felt smoothest of all. Used in isolation you’re unlikely to notice the difference, but it is interesting to compare them side by side. I should note the focusing ring on my sample sometimes felt a little scratchy when pulling focus for video – it was rarely an issue for stills, but I could feel it from time to time when constantly turning the ring from unusual angles. don’t shoot portraits on a regular basis but want something better than the kit lens that comes with your camera Currently, two manufacturers drive the platform forward. OM System carries the torch for the now-retired Olympus camera brand. Olympus is still around but is no longer in the camera business. You might still find products with Olympus logos on store shelves, but new releases all have OM System branding.

Fancy putting together a triplet of top-end zooms? How about the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 7-14mm f2.8 PRO, Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12-40mm f2.8 PRO and Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f2.8 PRO, giving you an equivalent range of 14-300mm with a constant f2.8 aperture. Or if you’re willing to sacrifice the constant f2.8 aperture for a smaller and lighter triplet with f2.8-4 apertures, I’m very fond of the Panasonic Leica DG 8-18mm f2.8-4, Panasonic Leica DG 12-60mm f2.8-4 and Panasonic Leica DG 50-200mm f2.8-4, giving you an equivalent range of 16-400mm.

You are not capable to appreciate high quality images, otherwise you wouldn't be asking stupid questions. You take your toy camera, shoot and stitch 6 images, process it wisely, put it on a big 40"+UHD screen and compare it with your regular snapshot. As you see, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45 mm f/1.2 PRO seems to be predestined to break resolution records and indeed, it does so with utter ease. It starts quite tamely because at the maximum relative aperture the MTFs reach 62 lpmm. Still it would be difficult to complain about such a result because you land noticeably above the decency level and it is better than the result of the Olympus 1.2/25. On stopping down the aperture the resolution increases sharply and by f/2.0, f/2.8, and f/4.0 you get brilliant values of 93.1, 96.3, and 92.0 lpmm respectively. Practically each of these could be a new resolution record, imagine that! Of course, the 45mm f/1.8 isn’t without its merits. Because it is so small and light, it is much easier to transport and can suit any Micro Four Thirds body in the range. It is also four times cheaper than the PRO lens, so unless you regularly shoot portraits and require the best quality Olympus has to offer, it (or its sibling within the Panasonic Lumix range) may prove a more tempting proposition.

The Leica Nocticron is a premium short telephoto lens for the Micro Four Thirds system with a 42.5mm focal length and bright f1.2 aperture. When mounted on a Panasonic or Olympus Micro Four Thirds body, it delivers equivalent coverage of 85mm, making it ideal for portrait work or capturing tighter views than a standard lens. The bright f1.2 focal ratio gathers twice as much light as f1.8, making it ideal in low light, while also delivering shallower depth of field effects, again perfect for portrait work. If you’re after a new lens to extend your reach, then there’s no shortage of telephoto zooms available. At the budget-end and designed to complement a kit zoom, I’d suggest either the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 or the Panasonic Lumix G 45-150mm f4-5.6 OIS. These are two of the most affordable lenses in the catalogue and ideal partners for a basic kit zoom on a budget body; if you have a Panasonic body without stabilisation, go for the Lumix G 45-150mm model which has optical stabilisation. If you’d like even longer reach without breaking the bank, I’d recommend the Panasonic Lumix G 100-300mm f4-5.6 II OIS that takes you to 600mm equivalent coverage at a relatively affordable price. If you prefer something a little wider, perhaps for street photography, I can also highly recommend a 17mm prime or thereabouts and again there’s lots of options, albeit at a higher price than the 25mm above; I’m going to suggest either the Panasonic Leica DG 15mm f1.7 or the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f1.8, both in a similar ballpark price-wise; I personally prefer the Leica, but love the more compact size of the Olympus when mounted on a smaller body. The final point in its favour is the weather-sealing, which can come in handy if you frequently work outdoors and already use a professional weatherproof body such as the OM-D E-M1 II. The manual focus ring is also more pleasant to use. 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.

Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO Sample Photos

Some mild chromatic aberration is present in images taken with both lenses up to around f/2.8 on the 45mm PRO and f/4 on the 45mm f/1.8 but it can be easily removed in post production. Lenses like the Nocticron are all about delivering a shallow depth of field with attractive rendering of out-of-focus areas, also known as the quality of the bokeh. A key specification in this process is attempting to maintain a smooth circle when closing the aperture iris control. The Nocticron employs nine diaphragm blades with a circular design – a specification it shares with the Olympus 75mm f1.8. Both are classier than the simpler seven blade aperture of the Olympus 45mm f1.8, although it is at least still a circular shape. Meanwhile the Voigtlander 42.5mm f.095 appears to trump them all with a ten blade system although as I understand it the blades don’t create a perfect circle. There's a pleasing manual focus ring that's the perfect width and has just the right amount of knurling, though this employs a focus-by-wire system that old school purists who prefer mechanical focusing may not be a fan of.

While focusing for stills and video, the lens mechanisms of both lenses are so quiet that you have to hold your ear up to the lens to hear the faint whirring of the motor. Mirrorless technology has grown a lot in the time since. Today's models leapfrog SLRs in autofocus speed and video capabilities. Many, including those at the entry level, feature in-body image stabilization, too. Regulars to Cameralabs will know I’m very fond of putting together groups of prime lenses rather than relying on one or two zooms, and if you’re after shallow depth-of-field effects, this is definitely the way to go on Micro Four Thirds due to the sensor size. A great combo on a budget are the Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f1.7 and the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f1.8, giving you a standard 50mm and short telephoto 90mm at an affordable price. If you have more to spend, consider adding a wider option with the Panasonic Leica DG 15mm f1.7 or the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f1.8, and if you love the standard 50mm length, you may want to swap the budget Lumix G 25mm f1.7 for something nicer like the Panasonic Leica DG 25mm f1.4 or one of the higher-end models. Speaking of which, those with much bigger budgets and higher expectations would be delighted with the Olympus triplet of f1.2 primes: the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f1.2 PRO, Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f1.2 PRO and Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f1.2 PRO. If you’re not worried about having an all-Olympus f1.2 collection, remember the Panasonic Leica DG 42.5mm f1.2 Nocticron too which also has optical stabilisation. Stabilisation is another major selling point for Micro Four Thirds: Olympus pioneered body-based stabilisation (which shifts the sensor) and has long built it into every body. Panasonic more recently adopted sensor-shift technology and now offers it on most new Lumix G bodies apart from the cheapest ones. Both will stabilize any lens you attach, even if the lens doesn’t have optical stabilisation. Panasonic does however sell many lenses with optical stabilisation, partly to support older Lumix G cameras without built-in stabilisation, but also to work alongside newer bodies which do have built-in stabilisation to improve the result.

Leica Nocticron image stabilisation

If budget isn’t an issue, there are many valid reasons to choose the new M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.2 PRO over the 45mm f/1.8. Micro Four Thirds cameras use a different image sensor format than full-frame and APS-C cameras, so you need to do some math to match up focal lengths between the systems. Micro Four Thirds uses a 4:3 aspect ratio. Compared with the 3:2 aspect sensors of competing systems, these sensors don't translate as nicely to wide screens and are smaller in surface area. Olympus E-M5 Mark III With 12-200mm Lens The Nocticron features optical stabilisation to iron-out any wobbles when mounted on bodies without sensor-shift stabilisation, and also boasts fast autofocusing; indeed it’s the brightest Micro Four Thirds lens with autofocus, and the only short and bright telephoto prime I can think of with optical stabilisation. Both lenses perform admirably in terms of sharpness but there is no question that the 45mm PRO has a clear edge over the 45mm, particularly at the fastest apertures. This comes as no surprise given that the 45mm 1.2 belongs to the M.Zuiko PRO category of lenses and is four times as expensive as the 45mm 1.8 at the time of writing. The 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).