Outstanding value!

Skipper494 wrote:

$350 here in Ontario.

I've got mine for slightly less than 600 PLN here in Poland (Not via standard retail channel, though.) and I still think it was a bargain for quality (both build & image) and usefulness of this lens.

Also it's an odd focal length, rather short for portrait and too long for street or general use.

This is a platitude. It's 70mm FF equivalent, the long end of the common 24-70mm FF zooms.  I ensure you that it can be creatively used not only for portraits.  Even when used for portraits, it gives a nice touch which makes them stand out from the ones you can find in each professional photographer's portfolio and every corporate address book.  For example, this lens gives very slight perspective compression, which combined with low f-stop and at a certain distance allows you to do a "semi-portrait" of a person from the waistline up - it focusses on a person whilst proving some context because the surroundings are defocussed, yet still recognisable.

How often do most of us take portraits? I take one maybe once a year.

I can't tell for yourselves, but I do take portraits quite often.  A trait of family photography, perhaps

I find the 30mm pancake far more useful. If the 45 was a macro, that would be great. As it is, the 60 macro wins for portrait and macro use.

To each his own.  30mm has horrible AF when compared to the 45mm, which makes me miss these precious moments; it is also too narrow for the street (I feel more comfortable at 20mm there.).  60mm is too expensive for me (2000+ PLN) and it's more than 3 times heavier than the 45mm, which makes the camera/lens combo not portable anymore (Portability is key for me.).

All in all, 45mm is a nice piece of kit and I'm happy that I bought it despite it being "an odd focal length" etc.  If you only feel comfortable when shooting at 35mm, 50mm and 135mm FF equivalent, you loose lots of fun IMHO.  The point I'm trying to make here is not to offend anyone, but to encourage people to experiment with this little but excellent lens.