8 Micro Four Thirds Lenses That Will Help You Create Stunning Images

Last Updated on 09/24/2019 by Mark Beckenbach

There are some stunning Micro Four Thirds lenses available, and they’re capable of producing fantastic images.

The Micro Four Thirds system doesn’t get much love these days, and that’s a shame. This platform is a firm favorite of many thanks their smaller size and overall performance. Micro Four Thirds lenses from Olympus and Panasonic are stellar  too, and sensors found in these cameras are no slouches. They have proven time and time again that they can hang with some of their bigger cousins when paired with the right glass. Here’s a quick look at some of our favorite Micro Four Thirds lenses and what we think they excel in.

Depending on where you go and who you listen to, Micro Four Thirds is supposedly dead. But that is not the case at all as Mirrorless M4/3 cameras like the Olympus OM-D EM 1 II with upgraded 3.0 firmware that puts it on par with the EM1X, and the newer photography focused Panasonic G9, show that support for this platform is alive and well. You can’t forget gems like the Olympus Pen F either. The new 20 Megapixel sensors in these cameras can produce really stunning images when in the hands of a competent photographer and paired with great Micro Four Thirds lenses.

All of the Micro Four Thirds lenses we have chosen for this list are stunning. They produce razor-sharp images with excellent contrast and nicely saturated colors. They focus ridiculously fast, are easy to use, and most are weather-sealed. Check out some of our favorite Micro Four Thirds lenses and what we think they excel in below.

 

Portrait Photography – Olympus 45mm F1.2 PRO

 

Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Fast f1.2 Aperture
• Excellent manual focus control
• Quick and accurate AF
• Weather resistance
• Excellent build quality

Cons

• Price: you can get a lot more lens for the same money (or less) in other systems
• Weight: the lens is a substantial chunk of glass on most Micro Four Thirds cameras

Buy now ($999): Adorama

 

Everyday Shooting – Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4 Power OIS

 

Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Weather sealing
• Fast-focusing
• Image stabilization
• Sharp image quality

Cons

• We wish it were a constant aperture. That would be true innovation

Buy now ($797.99): Adorama

 

Photojournalism and Sports – Olympus 40-150mm F2.8 PRO

 

Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Excellent build quality
• You get an 80-300mm f2.8 lens in the size of a standard 24-70mm f2.8 from other manufacturers
• Very sharp wide open
• The retractable lens hood is very convenient

Cons

• Focusing ring can be accidentally switched back for manual focusing

Buy now ($1,299): Adorama

 

Pro Tip: We talk about cleaning your lenses a lot, but it’s for a good reason. Clean glass is happy glass. There is nothing worse than getting back home after a shoot to find that all of your images have dirt and dust spots all over them. Take the time to wipe down the body and the front and rear elements of your lenses before every use. If you see something on the glass during a shoot, take care of it. At least twice a month give all of your gear a thorough cleaning. Your equipment will last longer if you do. To prove you don’t need an expensive kit to clean your gear, this one has everything you need, and it’s dirt cheap.

 

Travel Photography – Olympus 12-100mm F4 PRO

 

Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Fairly compact
• Feels nice in the hand
• Switch for manual focus
• Image stabilization that works with the sensor
• With the OMD EM1 Mk II, it’s almost impossible to get a blurry shot from camera shake
• Sharp
• Nice colors
• Fast autofocus capabilities

Cons

• Nothing that we can say objectively

Buy now ($,1,49): Adorama

 

Landscape and Architecture – Panasonic 7-14mm F4

 

Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Exceptional image quality
• Pretty compact size
• Fast-focusing
• Built-in lens hood
• This lens made the sensor on the Panasonic GH3 deliver colors that popped

Cons

• Distortion, but you have to just accept that with a lens like this
• Can’t attach a front filter to the lens; video users will need to spring for a matte box

Buy now ($797.99): Adorama

 

Street Photography – Olympus 25mm F1.8

 

Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Super sharp wide open and stopped down a tad
• Small and light
• Fast-focusing performance in various lighting situations
• Smooth bokeh

Cons

• We wish it were a tad faster to f1.4

Buy now ($249): Adorama

 

Pro Tip: The beauty of Micro Four Thirds lenses and the cameras they work with is the overall size and weight of the package. You can get a ton of reach from significantly smaller glass, and the weight of the camera bodies won’t pop you out of place. This also means that you can carry smaller camera bags too. You can fit a ton of Micro Four Thirds gear into a small messenger style bag like the Tenba Cooper 13″ Slim, and you can pick it up at a reasonable price too.

 

Wildlife and Birding – Olympus 300mm F4.0 IS PRO

 

Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Great colors
• Sharp image quality
• Nice bokeh
• Incredible build quality overall

Cons

• Pretty expensive

Buy now ($2,349): Adorama

 

Documentary Photography – Panasonic 15mm f1.7

 

Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Super sharp
• Beautiful bokeh when you get it
• Build quality that puts Olympus lenses to shame
• Super small
• The aperture ring is so pleasant
• Superfast focusing on Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras

Cons

• We didn’t have a single major problem with this lens

Buy now ($547.99): Adorama