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Bridging Tech and Creative Photography
Bridging Tech and Creative Photography
Bridging Tech and Creative Photography
Features

The Essential Budget Lenses For Every Micro Four Thirds Photographer

Anthony Thurston
5 Comments
05/31/2018
4 Mins read
Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Panasonic GH5 announcement product images 5

What are the basics? The essential lenses that every Micro Four Thirds Photographer could use to create their art? 

Photography is a wonderful thing; pick up any camera and any lens and with that you can capture the world, for just a moment, to be preserved as long as the medium which holds it survives. It is a timeless, though under appreciated, a gift to the future. But if you are new to photography, or maybe just new to having a dedicated camera (upgraded from your smartphone, for example), you may be wondering what lenses you need for your new Panasonic or Olympus camera.

Well, it’s just your luck this post is all about that; the essential lenses for your Micro Four Thirds system camera. So, if you’re ready, let’s jump on into it…

 

The biggest rule of photography is that there are no rules. As long as you have captured the image you were attempting to capture, then you did it right – regardless of what some mouth breather screams at you through the clanking of his keyboard echoing off the walls of his mother’s basement. So take the following list of ‘essential’ lenses as some suggestions, because there are many many options out there that you could use to create your art and pursue your passion. These are essential only in that most photographers will find a good use for them in their work.

OK, so with that disclaimer out of the way, let’s get going on this look at the essential lenses that virtually every Panasonic/Olympus photographer should have.

Olympus 25mm F1.8

Yes, if you know anything about photography then this lens being at the number one spot will likely not be a surprise. 50mm lenses are among the most versatile focal lengths commonly available to your average photographer, and on the Micro Four Thirds system 25mm is a 50mm full frame equivalent lens thanks to the inherent 2x crop factor (based on the 35mm spectrum). This lens is affordable, has great image quality and makes an excellent companion to any micro four thirds kit. Alternatively, the [amazon_textlink asin=’B06XC8PTB4′ text=’Olympus 25mm F1.2 Pro’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’28017e83-2d20-11e8-8d9d-9720c87fb36f’] is also highly recommended if you have the budget for it.

[amazon_textlink asin=’B00HWMP0XG’ text=’Get an Olympus 25mm F1.8′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’f0d5ee6a-2d22-11e8-88fa-a1012938f532′] (Read our Review)

 

Olympus 45mm F1.8

85mm is also a hugely popular lens for photographers in general, and with that x2 crop factor previously mentioned, the closest thing to a traditional 85mm lens for Micro Four Thirds is a 45mm lens. The Olympus 45mm F1.8, like the 25mm, is an excellent value and offers a good cost to performance ratio. However, as noted with the 25mm, the [amazon_textlink asin=’B0767NDXY5′ text=’45mm F1.2 PRO’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b9160cef-2d25-11e8-b5de-b50e27805479′] is our recommendation if you have the budget for it.

[amazon_textlink asin=’B00CPLQ7GI’ text=’Get an Olympus 45mm F1.8′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’db21df07-2d25-11e8-afad-11783d7efe7c’] (Read our Review)

 

 

Panasonic/Leica 15mm F1.7

We love ourselves a good 35mm lens, and in the Micro Four Thirds system one of our favorites that is intended to act along those lines is the Panasonic/Leica 15mm F1.7. It is a decent value proposition and you get to pat yourself on the back for owning something with that Leica branding without having to sell your home or use your car for collateral. Similarly to the previous suggestions, the [amazon_textlink asin=’B0767MMV1Q’ text=’Olympus 17mm F1.2 PRO’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’9596df7f-2d26-11e8-b0f9-5f2934689337′] is also another good alternative here if you have the budget.

[amazon_textlink asin=’B00J8H7H48′ text=’Get a Panasonic 15mm F1.7′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4491084a-2d27-11e8-a50e-57a4faf16713′] (Read our Review)

 

 

Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8

Featuring a 35mm-equivilant focal range of 70-200mm, the Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8 is relatively small and light weight compared to any 35mm 70-200mm lens you have ever used. But it also offers great performance and is an excellent choice for those looking for some telephoto flexibility in their Micro Four thirds Kit.

[amazon_textlink asin=’B009CNILX4′ text=’Get a Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’2418e3f9-2d29-11e8-8651-716c125c65a5′] (Read our Review)

—

So, there you have it, our picks for the essential lenses for every Micro Four Thirds (Olympus/Panasonic) photographer. Depending on your specialty you could add or subtract options on this list, for example, a sports photographer likely has little use for the 15mm lens, but has a ton of use for a 200mm+ prime. Alternatively, a wedding or portrait photographer may find this list to be pretty dead on. Landscape or Architectural photographers may want some more width, but the point here is that this is a fairly solid starting point for most photographers.

The moral of the story is to know what you want to shoot and let that guide your decisions when it comes to lens purchases. It makes no sense to go out and buy a lens that you are never going to use, or never going to use to its full potential. So think about what you want, why you want it, why you need it, and how you will use it. If you can’t come up with an answer for each of those questions then chances are you don’t need that lens.

Now go forth and enjoy that new Panasonic or Olympus kit of yours.

essential leica lenses lumix micro four thirds olympus panasonic photographer
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Written by

Anthony Thurston

Anthony is a Portland, Oregon based Boudoir Photographer specializing in a dark, moody style that promotes female body positivity, empowerment, and sexuality. Besides The Phoblographer, he also reviews gear and produces his own educational content on his website.
5 Comments
  1. Guest

    05/01/2019 4:14 am
    Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
    Spot.IM/1.0 (Export)

    Budget? …me too – “The Essential Budget Lenses ” headline is a complete misnomer. So if your earnings depend on it as a professional, then go ahead. But then again, if your earnings depend on it give up M4/3 cameras and realise that due to the pixel density of crop-factor cameras there is really no alternative to a full frame Nikon like the D850 (ask the wonderful professional photographer Steve McCurry – or google him now for his images). So let’s put this right at <£100 / USD $125 per lens. Read on……
    ====
    [1] The Basics, good for 90% of all your images comes first, and it is the Lumix 14-42mm Mk II you need. It is as sharp as any professional lens – it comes as the "kit lens" and is a masterpiece. The Olympus doesn’t come close for sheer lines per mm resolution – and you get in lens OIS too. A bargain! Shoot in JPEG mode and all the distortion correction is applied in Camera – a double bargain !!
    ====
    [2] Portrait time – here you need a wide lens with a shallow depth of field. Central sharpness, yes, but peripheral sharpness, not needed. Now virtually any 50mm F1.7 – 2.0 made in the 1970's – 1980s with a M4/3 adapter will do. (I prefer the SMC Pentax 50mm F1.7 but the choice is as individual as each photographer – go on E-Bay and buy 2 or 3 to try them out. Get the Helios 44m with “swirly Bokeh” if you must!) This gives a 100mm F1.7 portrait lens equivalent with fabulous bokeh opened up. Don't forget to spend £2 / $3 on a telephoto-length lens hood to drop the flare that occurs when we use wider diameter lenses on a crop-factor body. E-Bay and AliExpress have wonderful metal ones at less than my target prices.
    ====
    [3] You will really want a rectilinear ultrawide lens of about 18-19mm full frame equivalent. The 9-18mm Olympus MFT lens is the Go-To for the wealthy – but remember we are on a budget. At my price target there are no alternatives to the full frame 7-artisans 7.5mm f2.8 fisheye on MFT mount. Add the fabulous free DXO-Pro 11 and set the "defishing" slider to 66% and you have a wonderful ultrawide lens with distortion fully corrected good for 8×10 prints. I cannot praise this combination enough. If you have the time, download the free software called “Hugin” which corrects lens distortion AND fixes panaroma overlap images (but takes many more computer keystrokes than the DXO programme to deliver the picture)
    ====

    [4] Nature and landscapes – so then we need a big telephoto 100-300mm equivalent lens: the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-150mm f/4-5.6 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. Lens zoom is on sale at just under £110 on eGlobal's website today – sure, this is the "amateur" version, not the Pro F2.8 one from Olympus currently at £999 on Amazon UK – but with its fantastic resolution in the 100-220mm equivalent range (check out the lines per mm on the charts) it is a stunning and affordable alternative. Pushed to its 300mm equivalent full extension it isn’t bad either. Remember that at this range, a bit of “noise” from 800ASA sensitivity is better than blurring from shake.

    In reality, pay up for a really good stiff and heavy tripod such as a Manfottro or one of its new “generic” Chinese copies if you are seriously into such imaging. Don't use any fancy geared columns or fanncy tripod heads – these only add movement. Remember that you can only have 2 out of 3 of “rigid”, “lightweight” and “inexpensive” until you can afford a £200 / $250 Carbon-fibre tripod – so if it needs a tripod to get the picture, always sacrifice weight to gain rigidity when you are on a budget.

    ====
    [5] now a macro lens: we cannot afford the wonderful Olympus 30mm f3.5 micro 4/3 one – so here's the 4 alternatives:
    ++

    [5A] add a 4+ dioptre 52mm diameter accessory close -up lens to the 14-42mm kit lens and voila – all you ever need for a few pounds/dollars AND you keep the AF and the automatic exposure flash control. That combination fills the frame with a postage stamp. The lens is 8mm deep and fits in the little pocket next to the spare battery in your camera bag.
    ++
    [5B] Do the same with a 4+ dioptre lens to the 50mm legacy lens you have bought already and you have a perfect 200mm equivalent close up lens. Dial in F8 for depth of field, pop up the onboard flash to fill in and the lack of AF and OIS is overcome. Learn which output settings are needed for your flash to be consistent and this is a perfect insect and flower lens.
    ++
    [5C] If you really must have 1:1 ratio – buy the 1980s Manual Focus Vivitar 55mm F2.8 macro from eBay with the appropriate adapter lens mount. Mine was <£50 and is amazing.
    ++[5D] Finally – a bit left field – but there were generic manual focus 28mm f2.8 lenses in the 1980s made by a company called CIMKO (There were sold under a range of brand names such as Clubman, Panagor, Photax Paragon, Ensinor etc) or a similar one made by Cosina (sold as Petri’s, Mirandas, etc…). They we sold with “macro” labels but in reality, only reached 1:4 magnification. For near all we might need 1:4 ratio is plenty good enough. My version was a “Clubman” brand and cost me £5.00, add another £5 for a Pentax K to MFT adapter and you are ready to go.

    ====
    [6] Some fun? Surely out creativity needs a help – so buy a Chinese generic C-Mount 35mm F1.6 lens and a c-mount to MFT adaptor. This will come in at <£20 / $25 on E-Bay. These are tiny in size and light on the pocket – the bokeh swirls and they vignette – but they have "character" that can't easily be added in photoshop. I find they stir creativity.

    ====

    Now – with that spare cash left over – where shall we travel to in this wonderful take our photos?

    Best wishes to you all – Paul C in the UK

  2. Guest

    05/01/2019 4:14 am
    Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
    Spot.IM/1.0 (Export)

    How is the $1267 Pana 35-100 considered a budget lens?

  3. Guest

    05/01/2019 4:14 am
    Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
    Spot.IM/1.0 (Export)

    Exactly. Not to mention the Panasonic 25mm 1.7 cost less and is a f/1.7, the 42.5 has image stabilization and what about “The” lens of M43, the 20mm f/1.7? Reads like an Olympus Fanboy wrote the article.

  4. Guest

    05/01/2019 4:14 am
    Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
    Spot.IM/1.0 (Export)

    There’s a reason the Pan 25/1.7 is cheaper. Bc it’s worse than the Oly counterpart. If it was as good of a lens they wouldn’t sell it for $147 new when the Oly is $400. Also, are you for real with the 1.7 vs 1.8 argument? That’s 1/6th of a stop. Who cares? You can like one better bc of sharpness or IQ, but the aperture difference is negligible. And the Pan 20/1.7 is an excellent lens, but not sure how it’s “the” lens of the system with that slow AF & noisy motor. Lastly, how is it a Oly fanboy article when they recommend 2 Pan lenses & 2 Oly lenses out of 4? Sorry, but all these points are ludicrous.

  5. Guest

    05/01/2019 4:14 am
    Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
    Spot.IM/1.0 (Export)

    What about the Panasonic 25 and 42.5? I had the Olympus 45 but like the Panasonic better. It focuses closer and is just as sharp if not sharper and has IS

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