What's your best rendering M4/3 lens?

[Cafe Racer]

What's the best rendering m4/3 lens you own/owned?

I've always stuck to the compact f1.8, f1.7 primes and variable aperture zooms as I'm less interested in having the larger lenses for M4/3.

I would say my best rendering M4/3 lenses I own/owned are the Olympus 25mm f1.8 and 45mm f1.8. They appear to give richer, deeper colours and contrast, which can affect the overall clarity and look of images, resulting in perceptually better image quality.

Despite this I sold my 25mm lens years ago because it just wasn't a go to focal length for me and I use my 17mm f1.8 most of the time, which doesn't render as nice but still produces fine looking images.

Here's a photo I took with the 25mm f1.8.

Olympus 25mm f1.8 (cropped) uploaded from my phone.

Go ahead and upload an example photo.

 

[ahaslett]

Sort of depends on which aspects of rendering, but 40-150/2.8

Bokeh can be a bit nervous

10/2

Veiling glare in strong backlight can be an issue

and 25/1.4

LoCA wide open needs a bit of care but better than the 20/1.4

Honourable mention for 300/4, 12-45/4 and 8/1.8 (apart from weird bokeh).

A

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

 

[uniball]

Very subjective question. My favorites are my PL15 and P20. Of the lenses I still own, the O25/1.8 sits at the bottom of the lot. Too contrasty, emphasis on the blacks.

 

[Cafe Racer]

Sort of depends on which aspects of rendering,

Absolutely. Whatever you think represents your best.

but 40-150/2.8

Bokeh can be a bit nervous

10/2

Veiling glare in strong backlight can be an issue

and 25/1.4

LoCA wide open needs a bit of care but better than the 20/1.4

Honourable mention for 300/4, 12-45/4 and 8/1.8 (apart from weird bokeh).

A

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

 

[Cafe Racer]

Very subjective question.

Yes it is subjective.

My favorites are my PL15 and P20.

Nice, I had the 20mm f1.7, sharp but not necessarily my favourite.

Of the lenses I still own, the O25/1.8 sits at the bottom of the lot. Too contrasty, emphasis on the blacks.

Interesting.

 

[ahaslett]

Sort of depends on which aspects of rendering,

Absolutely. Whatever you think represents your best.

but 40-150/2.8

Bokeh can be a bit nervous

10/2

Veiling glare in strong backlight can be an issue

and 25/1.4

LoCA wide open needs a bit of care but better than the 20/1.4

Honourable mention for 300/4, 12-45/4 and 8/1.8 (apart from weird bokeh).

A

I’ll go with the 10/2, sun stars tips the balance.

A

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

 

[108]

Olympus 45 f1.2

 

[Cafe Racer]

Olympus 45 f1.2

Nice. I do like the soft bokeh it produces at maximum aperture. I believe Olympus referred to it as 'feathered' bokeh

 

[Cafe Racer]

Sort of depends on which aspects of rendering,

Absolutely. Whatever you think represents your best.

but 40-150/2.8

Bokeh can be a bit nervous

10/2

Veiling glare in strong backlight can be an issue

and 25/1.4

LoCA wide open needs a bit of care but better than the 20/1.4

Honourable mention for 300/4, 12-45/4 and 8/1.8 (apart from weird bokeh).

A

I’ll go with the 10/2, sun stars tips the balance.

Pardon my ignorance, what's a 10/2?

A

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

 

[ahaslett]

• Cafe Racer wrote:

Sort of depends on which aspects of rendering,

Absolutely. Whatever you think represents your best.

but 40-150/2.8

Bokeh can be a bit nervous

10/2

Veiling glare in strong backlight can be an issue

and 25/1.4

LoCA wide open needs a bit of care but better than the 20/1.4

Honourable mention for 300/4, 12-45/4 and 8/1.8 (apart from weird bokeh).

A

I’ll go with the 10/2, sun stars tips the balance.

Pardon my ignorance, what's a 10/2?

A

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

The Laowa 10mm f2 Zero-D MF but electronic aperture.

A

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

 

[SonyX]

What's the best rendering m4/3 lens you own/owned?

not particularly MFT lens, but also with m4/3 mount
Lensbaby

--
Alex

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[Cafe Racer]

• Cafe Racer wrote:

Sort of depends on which aspects of rendering,

Absolutely. Whatever you think represents your best.

but 40-150/2.8

Bokeh can be a bit nervous

10/2

Veiling glare in strong backlight can be an issue

and 25/1.4

LoCA wide open needs a bit of care but better than the 20/1.4

Honourable mention for 300/4, 12-45/4 and 8/1.8 (apart from weird bokeh).

A

I’ll go with the 10/2, sun stars tips the balance.

Pardon my ignorance, what's a 10/2?

A

The Laowa 10mm f2 Zero-D MF but electronic aperture.

Ok Laowa. I didn't know Laowa made lenses with electronic aperture control. I'm thinking of getting the Laowa 17mm f1.8 to hack my G80 video settings but it needs to have no electronic control for it to work. I assumed it doesn't.

 

[John Bean (UK)]

Ok Laowa. I didn't know Laowa made lenses with electronic aperture control. I'm thinking of getting the Laowa 17mm f1.8 to hack my G80 video settings but it needs to have no electronic control for it to work. I assumed it doesn't.

The 17/1.8 is all manual so you're good to go. Its colour balance is a bit odd (too much magenta) and it has a bit of distortion but it is sharp and with pleasantly smooth rendering. Bargain price for such a nice lens.

 

[TheRealYeats]

What's the best rendering m4/3 lens you own/owned?

Go ahead and upload an example photo.

Sigma 56/1.4. I enjoy the Takumar-esque OOF rendering (and no aberrations!)...

 

[Cafe Racer]

What's the best rendering m4/3 lens you own/owned?

Go ahead and upload an example photo.

Sigma 56/1.4. I enjoy the Takumar-esque OOF rendering (and no aberrations!)...

That focus transition looks very nice.

 

[ahaslett]

Laowa also make Cine MFT lenses https://www.venuslens.net/product-tag/mft/

A

 

[brentbrent]

I just really like the look from the PL 42.5 f/1.2.

--
Brent

 

[Cafe Racer]

Laowa also make Cine MFT lenses https://www.venuslens.net/product-tag/mft/

Thanks, I didn't realise that but I don't need a cine lens for what I will be doing, just manual aperture control.

 

[Sam Bennett]

What's the best rendering m4/3 lens you own/owned?

Prior to adopting L-mount for my wide-to-normal work I would have said 17/1.2 (which is still one of my favorite lenses, ever). But for now it would have to be the 45/1.2, with it's feathered bokeh. I use this lens wide open almost all the time and it delivered consistently satisfying results. It will be very hard to let go if I end up going "all in" on L-mount.

--
Sam Bennett
Instagram: @swiftbennett

 

[Cafe Racer]

What's the best rendering m4/3 lens you own/owned?

Prior to adopting L-mount for my wide-to-normal work I would have said 17/1.2 (which is still one of my favorite lenses, ever). But for now it would have to be the 45/1.2, with it's feathered bokeh. I use this lens wide open almost all the time and it delivered consistently satisfying results. It will be very hard to let go if I end up going "all in" on L-mount.

Looks great, thanks for sharing! It certainly seems to deserve it's stella reputation.

--
Sam Bennett
Instagram: @swiftbennett