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

Product Information

Olympus PEN E-PL7 + Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 (1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO200) (Image credit: James Artaius) Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8: Verdict

From my tests I can confirm the Nocticron at f1.2 gathers exactly twice as much light as it does at f1.8, allowing you to use shutter speeds twice as fast with the same ISO. But when I lined-up exactly the same composition under the same conditions with the Olympus 45mm f1.8, the Nocticron required an exposure one third of a stop slower than the Olympus when both were set to f1.8. I can’t say which one is more accurate than the other, but I can say the Nocticron offers more like a 2/3 stop light gathering advantage over the 45mm f1.8 when both are wide open, rather than the whole stop difference the numbers imply.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. Out of all the lenses on this list, the one I love most is the Olympus 40-150mm F2.8 Pro. While it is large for a micro four-thirds lens, it feels wonderful in hand, is glorious to use, and it produces wonderful-looking images. To match the sharpness of the non-stabilised shot required a shutter speed of 1/20 which only represents one stop of compensation. I was surprised by this result as the view looked quite stable through the viewfinder and I ensured the lens IS priority was enabled on the EM1, but repeated tests saw the same result. I’ll retest with a Panasonic body soon to see if there’s greater potential to be enjoyed. In terms of light gathering power, the f1.2 focal ratio of the Nocticron should in theory gather twice as much light as a lens at f1.8. It’s important to put that to the test though as some designs don’t always deliver what you’d expect. For example while I haven’t tested the Voigtlander myself, I have seen reports describing its light gathering power as being closer to f1.1 when wide open.

Panasonic and Olympus have both done a great job with their kit zooms which all generally deliver very respectable quality for their prices; indeed I’d say for most Panasonic and Olympus owners, I’d recommend complementing the kit zoom rather than replacing it.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. 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 photograph distant subjects like birds, then the best overall option for Micro Four Thirds owners in my view is the Panasonic Leica DG 100-400mm f4-6.3 OIS with its long 200-800mm equivalent coverage and optical stabilisation; I’ve used it on both Olympus and Panasonic bodies very successfully. There’s also the Olympus 100-400mm to compare. If you think you can work with a fixed focal length long telephoto, then also consider the Panasonic Leica DG 200mm f2.8 OIS or Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 300mm f4IS, both of which offer optical stabilisation Here in shot above I see the Olympus 45 f/1.2 winning again. The Bokeh is nicer, the contrast is perfect IMO and it’s the sharpest of the lot. Here you can see the 45 f/1.7 difference with the Bokeh. don’t shoot portraits on a regular basis but want something better than the kit lens that comes with your camera Olympus PEN E-P7 + Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 (1/30 sec, f/1.8, ISO1600) (Image credit: James Artaius) Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8: Build and handling 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.First and foremost is the optical quality, particularly at the fastest apertures. Not only is the PRO much sharper when both are set to f/1.8 but it also outperforms the cheaper lens at f/1.2 – not to mention that you can achieve better subject separation. 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.