{"id":11368,"date":"2019-03-07T21:02:52","date_gmt":"2019-03-07T21:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.apogeephoto.com\/?p=11368"},"modified":"2019-03-07T21:02:52","modified_gmt":"2019-03-07T21:02:52","slug":"best-micro-four-thirds-lenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.apogeephoto.com\/best-micro-four-thirds-lenses\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"theThe best Micro Four Thirds lenses combine precision optics, rugged build, and ease of use, to provide a light-gathering tool that is every bit as good as the state-of-the-art camera its attached to. To be sure, the recipe for good photography is roughly just one part equipment to two parts photographer. And expensive gear won\u2019t automatically guarantee good photos. But just as equally, even the most talented of photographers would struggle to produce anything of real worth if shackled with substandard tools. <\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the image sensor in your camera, it\u2019s the glass on the front that will have the greatest influence upon the quality of your files. Modern optics are generally excellent, so in all likelihood, the kit lens that came with your camera will do a good enough job in most cases. <\/span><\/p>\n

But when it comes to photography, many of us strive for more than just \u201cgood enough.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

With the unstoppable rise of the Micro Four Thirds format, there\u2019s now an enormous range of lenses available for users in most focal lengths. These can vary in quality from the decidedly mediocre to the truly excellent. But if you\u2019re considering investing some serious money in new glass, you\u2019ll want to be sure that any lenses you add to your collection genuinely offer a significant step up in performance over those you already own. <\/span><\/p>\n

But what are the most important points to consider when choosing a new lens? And which are some of the best Micro Four Thirds lenses available right now? Our guide answers all.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Important Factors to Consider When Selecting the Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sharpness<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you are serious about your photography, image sharpness will be paramount. Even the very best lenses tend not to be uniformly sharp across the entire image area, nor throughout all aperture settings. But while some degree of fall-off in sharpness and detail towards the corners or edges of the frame is to expected, the less evident this softening of the image is, the better it will be for your photography. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even if there is some loss of clarity at the extremes, the center of the frame must be tack-sharp at as many aperture positions as possible. Most lenses will deliver a sharp center of the image at moderate diaphragm settings – say between f\/4 and f\/11 – but only the best can maintain this level of precision and detail at much wider apertures such as f\/1.8. <\/span><\/p>\n

While the sharpness and detail provided by a lens are undoubtedly of primary concern, there are also several other important factors you should consider when choosing the best Micro Four Thirds lenses for your needs. <\/span><\/p>\n

Optical Defects<\/b><\/h3>\n

Cheaper lenses can often suffer from various optical problems that will be detrimental to your photography. Thankfully it is easy to fix issues such as barrel distortion, ghosting, color fringing, and other aberrations post-production. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, this can be time-consuming, and depending upon the seriousness of the issue, fixing the problem may also degrade the quality of the image. What\u2019s more, lens flare is more difficult to remove and can be a real problem when shooting against the light using an inferior lens. <\/span><\/p>\n

While it\u2019s likely that no lens will be 100% free from potential problems of this kind, the best lenses get pretty close. Be sure to research a lens for any potential problems in this area before making your final choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bokeh<\/b><\/h3>\n

The word <\/span>bokeh<\/span><\/i> refers to how a lens renders out of focus areas of a photograph. Although matters of aesthetics are always somewhat subjective, most people agree that smooth, swirly, rendering of the background is more attractive than when out of focus areas are bitty and busy, or when defocused objects exhibit double edges. <\/span><\/p>\n

A typical scenario where bokeh tends to be very noticeable is when shooting a portrait of someone against a background of trees using a shallow depth of field. Depending upon the lens used, the interplay of light, leaves, and branches can either be rendered in a way that is visually very pleasing, or more harsh and distracting. <\/span><\/p>\n

Another classic case would be when photographing an urban area at night, with street lights, car headlamps, and neon in the background rendered as pretty colored circles. With a really \u201cgood\u201d lens, these points of light will be perfectly round. However, another lens may render the same lights as polygons – the number of sides depending on the number of diaphragm blades in the lens, with a greater number of blades making for a smoother, more rounded shape.<\/span><\/p>\n

The differences between one lens and another in this area are often quite subtle. And yet a lens that produces attractive bokeh can contribute to a much more appealing final image. <\/span><\/p>\n

Naturally, if you shoot everything with the lens shut down to f\/16 all the time, this is not something you will be overly concerned about, as almost all your photos will be entirely in focus from background to foreground. But those who will spend a lot of time shooting at wider apertures will definitely want to check out the bokeh qualities of a lens before deciding whether to purchase it or not.<\/span><\/p>\n

Focus<\/b><\/h3>\n

Autofocus must be fast, silent, and accurate. There should be no \u201csearching\u201d – where the lens becomes confused and starts stuttering backward and forward looking for a point to focus on. Most modern lenses tend to perform pretty well when in single shot mode, but AF problems are more evident during continuous shooting or video situations. <\/span><\/p>\n

This means that, in assessing the autofocus of a particular lens, you shouldn\u2019t merely shoot off a few single shots of a static subject and decide that the AF performs well. To be sure that a specific lens is up to the task, you\u2019ll need to put it to the test under more demanding conditions: ideally by shooting many images of a fast-moving subject in continuous AF mode.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many of the best Micro Four Thirds lenses now come with a snap-select ring for quickly switching between auto and manual focus – without the need to remove the camera from your eye. Just pull the ring back, and it will now function as a control for manual focus. <\/span><\/p>\n

In reality, most such lenses offer only a <\/span>simulation<\/span><\/i> of manual mode (i.e., the focus is still functioning electronically). However, the very best are nonetheless extremely smooth and tactile to use. Many even provide focus stops at the extremes, making for much more satisfying manual operation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Not all manufacturers currently offer these features though – with some still just providing an AF\/MF selection switch on the side of the lens barrel. So be sure to do your research here too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aperture<\/b><\/h3>\n

If shooting in low-lighting conditions is a priority for you, you\u2019ll favor wide-aperture lenses capable of capturing the greatest amount of light in the shortest time possible. Indeed, beyond optical image quality, the faster maximum aperture is probably the most common reason why a photographer might decide to trade in their entry-level lens collection for something more costly. <\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, aperture doesn\u2019t only determine the amount of light hitting the sensor, but also dictates depth-of-field. This means that a fast-aperture lens will be useful for many photographers beyond just insomniacs. If you ever shoot portraits, \u201cfood porn,\u201d or other still-life photos, you\u2019ll likely also appreciate the shallower depth-of-field afforded by a fast lens.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the other end of the spectrum though, there\u2019s also minimum aperture to consider. Most modern lenses go to f\/22. However, some offer no more than f\/16. Clearly, if you are in the habit of shooting landscapes, then you\u2019ll want to purchase a lens that offers the smallest aperture possible to gain maximum depth-of-field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Build Quality<\/b><\/h3>\n

It should go without saying, but if you shoot fairly regularly, a solid, metal-bodied lens with weather sealing will always prove to be a better investment over time than a poorly made, plastic-bodied, el-cheapo. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even some modern plastic lenses can be very durable though. The only way to get a true idea of how sturdy and hardwearing a lens might be is to get it in your hands and feel just how heavy and solid the thing is. <\/span><\/p>\n

If it feels cheap and poorly made, well, it\u2019s probably exactly that. Such a lens might be fine for those who only shoot in the studio, and fairly infrequently at that, but for anyone who subjects their equipment to a more punishing working life, it will probably be worth paying more for a lens that inspires greater confidence in this department.<\/span><\/p>\n

Convenience and Ease of Use<\/b><\/h3>\n

You should take all of the above points into serious consideration. But no matter how impressive the images produced by a particular lens may be, don\u2019t overlook the fact that you will need to feel comfortable using this lens day in, and day out. It doesn\u2019t matter how sharp or fast a certain piece of gear is if in the end, it spends most of its life sitting unloved on the sideboard because it\u2019s too big, heavy, or inconvenient to carry around when out shooting. <\/span><\/p>\n

While lenses are often highly complex feats of engineering on the inside, as far as user controls go, they tend to be rather simple on the outside. Having said this, some lenses are more straightforward than others, and the usability of a lens can massively improve by the addition of just one or two extra controls. Or even simply by tweaking the design of the most basic controls – such as the focus or zoom ring – for more pleasurable and tactile operation. <\/span><\/p>\n

For example, although the addition of LCD menus to modern cameras means that a physical aperture ring is no longer necessary for changing aperture, it can nonetheless be a very useful thing to have all the same. As can the ability to quickly choose between auto or manual focus modes by means of a \u201cpump action\u201d focus ring. <\/span><\/p>\n

Also, manufacturers are increasingly including custom buttons on the side of lens barrels. These allow the user to assign whichever preset function they choose, for faster control. Be sure to check out these features when comparing otherwise similarly specced lenses.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Six of the Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses Available Today<\/b><\/h2>\n

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f\/2.8 Pro <\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Olympus<\/a><\/p>\n

The Olympus 12-40mm f\/2.8 PRO<\/a> offers the equivalent of a 24-80mm focal length in the full-frame 35mm format, making it an excellent general purpose lens for everyday photography requirements. Indeed, for many shooters, 12-40mm may be all they ever need: zooming from a wide angle, through a standard point of view, up to portrait length. And with a relatively fast continuous aperture throughout, you\u2019re basically covered for most regular shooting situations – even if in quite low light. <\/span><\/p>\n

Although the 12-40mm f\/2.8 is not exactly tiny, its a nice little handful of a lens, and discrete enough not to attract too much attention when out shooting. On top of which, it\u2019s very solidly built, comes with a degree of weather sealing, and is even freeze-proof. <\/span><\/p>\n

For further protection, the bundled lens-hood features a very secure locking mechanism, more or less guaranteeing it won\u2019t fall off. What\u2019s more, you can throw the whole lens in your bag without needing to remove the hood, as the clever design of the lens cap permits you to use the two together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shooting with the lens is highly intuitive and enjoyable. Particularly worthy of mention is the snap focus ring, for switching between AF and manual focus modes. When pushed forward, autofocus functions as normal, but pull the ring back and you immediately have full manual control. <\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a custom function button, allowing you to assign a preset of your choice for quick access. These features combine to make for a very tactile and convincing shooting experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Image quality is superb, and the lens creates beautiful circular bokeh, making it also a great choice for video work. The Olympus\u2019s nearest comparable competitor is probably the Panasonic 12-25mm f\/2.8. While optically the two lenses are similarly excellent, autofocus is superior on the Olympus, and it also allows you to get in closer to the subject than with the Panasonic, making it better for macro shots. <\/span><\/p>\n

The only area where the Olympus lags is that it has no built-in image stabilization, whereas the Panasonic features very good O.I.S. If this a concern for you, you\u2019ll need to use the Olympus with a camera body offering some degree of onboard stabilization. <\/span><\/p>\n

F\/2.8 is fast, but admittedly not <\/span>that<\/span><\/i> fast. And if you were to go for prime lenses rather than a zoom, then you could likely gain yourself an extra stop or two of light. However, you\u2019d also need to carry at least three lenses around with you rather than the single Olympus. And for most shooting situations f\/2.8 will be plenty fast. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately then, the selling point of the Olympus 12-40mm f\/2.8 PRO<\/a> is a winning combination of convenience, speed, and image quality. An all-purpose, all-weather, and all-terrain lens that is particularly suited to events, travel and street photography. And as it also offers among the very best quality results of any zoom lens in the M43 format right now, if your budget can only stretch to a single piece of glass, it should probably be this one.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n \n Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro Lens, for Micro Four Thirds Cameras <\/a>\n
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