I was in a big debate as of late. I wanted to jump into the Nex or Alpha line from Sony. Each time I pulled the pre-order trigger on a camera I canceled it in doubt. One of the reasons is because I have a very special place in my heart for Olympus. Boy I am glad I made the choice I did. This Olympus 45mm is what has changed my mind completely. This lens represents a strong commitment from the Micro Four Thirds consortium to provide true photo enthusiasts a well thought out and complete system. Needless to say I am a prime lens fan. I don't remember the last zoom lens I wanted to shoot, of course this is just my opinion. I think Olympus and Panasonic have clearly shown their product is far more mature than the Nex lineup, but that does not mean they should rest easy. Sony has some very compelling tech and if M43 want's to remain competitive there is going to need to be a serious look at sensor quality.
Now onto the lens itself! I was surprise when it arrived how small it was. I had read online about it's narrow and petite form. Honestly I was not prepared for how small it is. Like Steve Huff SAID, it is has far less girth than the Panny 20mm 1.7. The stout build quality also surprised me and while it is not as good as a Leica, Zeiss or even the Olympus 12mm F2, it is very good for it's price point. Part of this may be due to the perceived "density" of the lens because of it's diminutive size. The lens design itself is very well thought out. The focus ring is smooth and in the perfect place. It looks amazing as well.
It features a small 37mm filter thread which should cut the cost of a larger filter by a bit. However this does not really matter as it doesn't come with a lens hood. You have to buy one separately from Olympus if you need it. I needed one. This is perhaps my biggest problem with the lens, which I can handle!
I was a bit concerned at first when I saw there was no black lens option from Olympus a few months ago when this was announced. However, after looking at it on my black GF1 I have to admit I really like the retro look it gives it. In fact, I think I like the silver-lens-on-black-body look better than anything. It reminds me of some old Leitz or Voigtlander lenses, and that of course is ALWAYS a good thing.
I tested the AF outside as well as in the dimly lit studio. The lens is very quiet and snappy in it's performance. I am sure the EP-3 would really make the AF on this lens shine. One of the biggest reasons for buying this lens was AF. I was worried that it wouldn't focus very well with just the strobe's modeling lights in the studio. Contrary to that, it perform admirably. It wasn't absolutely perfect but neither were any of my DSLR systems. I used both face detection and single point AF and both settings worked great.
As a Panasonic user, I wish I had image stabilization. One reason that I am anxiously awaiting the Pen Pro.
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This Item  Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8 (Black) Lens for Micro 4/3 Cameras - International Version (No Warranty) |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $240.18 | $999.99 | $497.99 | $172.73 | $247.99 | $399.99 |
| Delivery | Get it May 10 - 24 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 1 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 1 | Get it May 3 - 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it May 1 - 3 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Auto focus | ||||||
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| Value for money | ||||||
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| Sold By | Ohana-RM | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon Japan | Amazon.com | True Modern Electronics |
| lens type | Standard | Standard | Wide Angle | Standard | Standard | Telephoto |
| compatible mountings | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds |
| lens design | Telephoto | Zoom | Prime | Prime | Zoom | Prime |
| focus type | Auto Focus | Automatic Only, Manual Only | Auto Focus | Auto Focus | Auto Focus | Micromotor |
| minimum focal length | 45 millimeters | 12 millimeters | 9 millimeters | 45 millimeters | 25 millimeters | 45 millimeters |
| max focal length | 45 millimeters | — | 9 millimeters | 45 millimeters | 25 millimeters | 45 millimeters |
| fixed focal length | 45 millimeters | 51471 millimeters | 9 millimeters | 45 millimeters | 25 millimeters | 45 millimeters |
From the manufacturer
Whether you have an OM-D, PEN or any other compatible advanced camera, you’ll benefit from all that the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lens system standard has to offer: compact size, lightweight, more shooting freedom, high image quality and ease of use, to name just a few.
Bright aperture, fast focusing lens
Stylishly designed the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 (90mm*) is a high-power prime lens ideal for capturing people in portrait shots with nice background blur and vivid contrast, thanks to its fast aperture. Apart from being compatible for shooting top-quality films with fast focus capability, it is packed in a compact body featuring a metal-like finish and interchangeable decorative rings to perfectly fit your camera.
*35mm equivalent
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Dynamic depth and defocusingThis fixed focal length lens is particularly effective when shooting portraits – ensuring your subject stands out beautifully against a defocused background with brilliant bokeh effects. The fast 1:1.8 aperture lets you achieve a shallow depth-of-field for your stills and movies. |
High-speed, low noise AFThis lens features the MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) AF linear motor mechanism for fast, quiet and accurate autofocus for both photos and movies. The linear motor technology enables swift start-up and faster movement for superior focusing, so you’ll never miss a shot. |
Good qualityThis feature-packed high-speed portrait lens is ideal for photography in any lighting conditions. It delivers depth and clarity with a great high-end quality and is a must for any enthusiast’s camera kit. |
Superb image qualityThe M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 lens has advanced optical technology and performance for shooting portraits and much more: it excels at capturing shots that really stand out. Perfect rendition of vivid details and rich background blur perfect for stunning images of a wide range of subjects – whatever your assignment. |
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Clear imaging: ZERO coatingThe M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 lens features the advanced ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflective Optical) coating for additional optical performance with every photo and movie. The vacuum deposition coating technique enables even clearer and higher contrast images due to less reflections and ghosting, especially in back-lit situations. |
Bright apertureThe bright 1:1.8 aperture helps you shoot atmospheric shots in low-light situations. Paired with the image stabilization technology in OLYMPUS OM-D and PEN-F cameras, it allows you to shoot hand-held in the most demanding conditions. This aperture also gives you superb shallow depth-of-field performance ideal for stunning, pro-level portraits. |
On-lens accessoriesTake advantage of optional OLYMPUS accessories for your premium 45mm lens. The LH-40B Lens Hood was developed specifically for the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 to keep extraneous light from entering the lens on backlit shots. Fit the PRF-D37 PRO filter to protect your lens from unintentional scratches. With its multi-coated, black rimmed glass it provides a clear view as well as protection. |
CasesThe OLYMPUS quilted cotton case CS-43: a very light camera bag or bag-in-bag style camera protection solution with an internal divider which keeps items in place and prevents them getting scratched. Or choose the dedicated Lens Case LSC-0811 featuring a 3-layer construction – ideal protection for your lens during transportation and storage. |
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Reviews with images
Not a bad choice for first lens
I like to think of prime lenses as guns in a video game's weapon loadout. You need a close range weapon, a good all arounder, and a long range option.This is my 3rd prime lens for my Pen F camera, and follows my 25mm (the all rounder), and my 17mm (my short range spread weapon). The 45mm is creating these crazy artistic shots with total ease I've never managed to get out of the shorter lenses.Portraits in moderate lighting come out sexy. Increase the light and hair and skin take on molten gold tones. Darken it and any trace of green or blue from ambient space gives faces dramatic character.As a paintbrush this is better than any other lens option I have. The trouble of course is that the focal length means space becomes a contradiction. To get farther away I need more space, but then I lose some control over that space.But something about that feels more like art.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2014
*: BlackVerified Purchase
Equivalent to 90mm lens on 35mm SLR (or full-frame DSLR camera). A good addition to the 17mm and 25mm fixed lenses from Olympus.
PROS
Lens is razor-sharp (I think this sharper than the 25mm and a lot sharper than the 17mm) and the autofocus is quiet and very rapid even in fairly dim conditions (on Oly ELP5 and ELP7 bodies). Great for portraits as others have noted. Bokeh is soft and round (see picture) while detail is razor sharp even wide open. A tiny bit of edge softness BUT only at F1.8 stopped to F2.8 this lens is extremely sharp across the entire field. Good contrast, color rendition, and flare is well-controlled (two included photos were shot into the sun).
It is a small lens, good for portability with a few other primes if you are not into zoom. Minimum focus distance is about 19.5". Focus ring is smooth and easy to control in manual focus mode. Lens mount is metal unlike cheaper kit lenses.
CONS
Bit expensive for a plastic body lens. That being said - I have used it a lot for 2 years and everything works fine, so maybe the plastic is adequate.
PROS
Lens is razor-sharp (I think this sharper than the 25mm and a lot sharper than the 17mm) and the autofocus is quiet and very rapid even in fairly dim conditions (on Oly ELP5 and ELP7 bodies). Great for portraits as others have noted. Bokeh is soft and round (see picture) while detail is razor sharp even wide open. A tiny bit of edge softness BUT only at F1.8 stopped to F2.8 this lens is extremely sharp across the entire field. Good contrast, color rendition, and flare is well-controlled (two included photos were shot into the sun).
It is a small lens, good for portability with a few other primes if you are not into zoom. Minimum focus distance is about 19.5". Focus ring is smooth and easy to control in manual focus mode. Lens mount is metal unlike cheaper kit lenses.
CONS
Bit expensive for a plastic body lens. That being said - I have used it a lot for 2 years and everything works fine, so maybe the plastic is adequate.
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