Whether you're new to the Micro Four Thirds system or a seasoned veteran, there are plenty of lenses available for you. In this guide we've outlined several use cases and made recommendations for the best overall lens for that purpose, along with two others that are worth your consideration.
If you think there's a lens we've missed, please let us know in the comments below.
Best kit lens replacement
Best all-around prime lens
Best portrait prime lens
Best wide-angle zoom lens
Best telephoto zoom lens
Best macro lens
Best travel lens
Best kit lens replacement: Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2. 8 Pro
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The Olympus 12-40mm F2. 8 Pro is a high-end, flexible zoom that covers an equivalent focal length range of 24-80mm. It's not cheap, but optical performance is impressive. It's a reasonable size, too, meaning that it pairs well on most Micro Four Thirds bodies. Its slightly greater reach and manual focus clutch design gives the 12-40mm the edge over Panasonic's 12-35mm F2. 8.
Also consider:
Need image stabilization?
Panasonic 12-35mm F2. 8 II ASPH Power OIS
If you have a Micro Four Thirds camera without built-in image stabilization, the Panasonic 12-35mm F2. 8 does much of what the Olympus Pro lens can, but with the greater confidence that stabilization adds.
More flexible focal range:
Panasonic Leica DG 12-60mm F2. 8-4 ASPH Power OIS
The Panasonic Leica 12-60mm F2. 8-4. 0 covers a very versatile 24-120mm equivalent range. And, while it's not as bright as the Olympus, it offers similarly impressive image quality and greater range in the same sized package.
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Best all-around prime lens: Olympus M. Zuiko Digital 17mm F1. 8
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The 17mm isn't the sharpest lens Olympus makes, but its combination of size, focal length (35mm equivalent), aperture, AF speed and price mean it's still probably our first choice as a do-everything prime.
Also consider:
Larger, but a bit cheaper:
Sigma 16mm F1. 4 DC DN
The Sigma 16mm F1. 4 is arguably an even better value than the Olympus. It's a touch wider, optically stronger and similarly well priced. However, it doesn't have the manual focus clutch of the 17mm and it's significantly larger, which undermines its walk-around appeal.
Money no object:
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 17mm F1. 2 Pro
The 17mm F1. 2 is a part of Olympus's trio of 'Pro' badged primes that really push what the Micro Four Thirds system can do. Impressively sharp, even wide-open, the 17mm F1. 2 lets you extend the performance envelope of your camera without having to switch systems.
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Best portrait prime: Panasonic Lumix G 42. 5mm F1. 7 ASPH Power OIS
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For this use-case, there's very little to choose between Panasonic's 42. 5mm F1. 7 and the Olympus 45mm F1. 8. They're both small, affordable, fast roughly 85mm equivalent lenses, which are ideal for portrait photography. We've opted for the Panasonic here because it'll play nicely with Panasonic's DFD autofocus system, but either is a good choice.
Also consider:
Longer reach:
Sigma 56mm F1. 4 DC DN
112mm equiv. may not sound familiar as a focal length, but it's squarely in the classic portraiture 85-135mm equivalent range. Its longer focal length and fast aperture will give you the option for shallow depth-of-field and a slightly less in-your-face working distance. It's also very sensibly priced.
Money no object:
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm F1. 2 Pro
Arguably the star of Olympus's trio of super-fast 'Pro' primes, the 45mm F1. 2 is designed to give attractive bokeh, as well as shallow depth-of-field. Well built, sensibly sized and capable of stunning image quality, it expands the kinds of portraits you can take and the conditions in which you can take them.
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Best wide-angle zoom: Panasonic Leica DG 8-18mm F2. 8-4 ASPH
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The Panasonic 8-18mm is part of the Panasonic/Leica range of F2. 8-4. 0 zooms, which offer very good optical performance with relatively accessible pricing. The 8-18mm covers a useful 16-36mm equiv. range and does so in a well-built body.
Also consider:
Cheaper option:
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 7-14mm F4 ASPH
The older Panasonic 7-14mm F4 isn't as bright as the Leica co-branded lens, but it's smaller and goes fractionally wider. There's no easy way to fit filters to it, but it's still a useful way to go ultra-wide on Micro Four Thirds.
Money no object:
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2. 8 Pro
Olympus 7-14mm F2. 8 is another of the company's boundary-pushing 'Pro' series. It marries an ultra-wide 14-24mm equiv. range with high-end construction, features such as manual focus clutch, a constant maximum aperture and excellent image quality.
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Best telephoto zoom: Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm F4-5. 6 II Power OIS
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The Panasonic 45-200mm F4. 5-5. 6 II is a sensibly priced tele-zoom, which benefits from the inclusion of image stabilization. It provides an impressive 90-400mm equivalent reach, while maintaining a usable maximum aperture. It's quick to focus, and Panasonic camera users will also benefit from its compatibility with the DFD focus system.
Also consider:
A faster option:
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm F2. 8 II Power OIS
The Panasonic 35-100mm F2. 8 offers the same focal length range as the classic 70-200mm lenses used by many professionals. It's not a like-for-like substitute for those lenses but it has the benefit of being a lot smaller.
Money no object:
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2. 8 Pro
The Olympus offers a significant 80-300mm equivalent coverage, while maintaining an F2. 8 maximum aperture. Its twin focus motors are fast and quiet, and it has a useful clutch mechanism for engaging manual focus. It has a pro-quality build that's fully weather-sealed.
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Best macro lens: Panasonic Lumix G Macro 30mm F2. 8 ASPH Mega OIS
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The Panasonic 30mm F2. 8 Macro is a well-priced, stabilized lens for close-up work that provides genuine 1:1 magnification (meaning that subjects can be rendered actual size on the camera sensor). The 60mm equivalent focal length, combined with a minimum focus distance of 10cm (4. 1") means that at short focus distances you may end up finding the front of the lens is very close to your subject.
Also consider:
Longer focal length:
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2. 8 Macro
The Olympus 60mm F2. 8 also offers true 1:1 magnification, but its longer focal length means this is achieved 19cm (7. 5") away from the subject. And, although the lens is a fraction longer, this still gives more working distance between the lens and your subject (which also makes it easier to light).
Money no object:
Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm F2. 8 ASPH OIS
The Panasonic Leica 45mm F2. 8 Macro essentially strikes a middle-ground between the other two options. A 90mm equivalent field-of-view, compact design and 15cm (5. 9") minimum focus distance gives a good working distance. Lens stabilization boosts its appeal.
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Best travel zoom lens: Panasonic Leica DG 12-60mm F2. 8-4 ASPH Power OIS
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Although we listed it as an alternative to a kit zoom, the Panasonic 12-60mm F2. 8-4. 0 makes a pretty solid travel lens. Its 24-120mm equivalent range will stretch to a wide variety of photographic pursuits, all in a sensibly sized package.
Also consider:
Longer reach:
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm F3. 5-6. 3
If you need a lens that does a bit of just about everything, the 12-200mm is ideal. It has a rather modest maximum aperture but covers an immense 24-400mm equivalent range. We'd go for the shorter F4 though unless you really need the extra reach.
A balance of speed, reach and size:
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4. 0 IS Pro
The 12-100mm F4's 24-200mm equivalent range, combined with a moderately fast maximum aperture, makes it hugely flexible. It's a fairly sizable lens but it has pro-build quality and both excellent image quality image stabilization to justify it.
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2019-7-5 16:00
