OM SYSTEM OLYMPUS M.Zuiko Digital 45mm F1.8 Black For Micro Four Thirds System Camera, Compact Design, Beautiful Bokeh, Bright

There are a number of good reviews for this lens already which cover most of what needs to be said, so I'll just add a quick summary and hit a few specific points.The lens is extremely sharp and performs wonderfully wide open. The bokeh is excellent and creamy smooth. It renders out of focus specular highlights gracefully, no bright rings. AF is extremely fast and micro-four-thirds being a CDAF system it always focuses accurately (in my experience the Canon wide aperture primes often suffer from the PDAF inaccuracy of many Canon bodies). In high contrast edges slightly out of focus wide open there is limited longitudinal CA appearing - very typical of wide aperture lenses and actually very well controlled in this lens.Construction is excellent, though it mounts a bit tight on a one of my bodies. I'll be a little harsh here, but if you are looking for a heavy metal lens I suggest you time travel back a few decades to when high quality plastics didn't exist and manufacturers had no choice but to use heavier metals. I'd also suggest you sell your micro-four-thirds system and buy something heavier if you honestly think metal and weight means quality. The beauty of this lens is that it is very light and small - metal for the sake of metal would be an atrocious design flaw that would serve only to coddle retro-types who think inferior materials with nostalgic value to them equate to quality. This lens is metal where it needs to be and high-impact plastic where it should be. It is designed and engineered for maximum durability at a minimum of weight, not too match someone's horn-rimmed glasses.Comparisons to the EF 50/1.4 are bound to be made. The 50/1.4 is a unspectacular lens of about the same price as the 45/1.8 (though the 50/1.4 was in fact significantly more expensive at its introduction). The 50/1.4 bokeh and rendering is not as nice as the 45/1.8 nor is it as sharp at equivalent apertures. As far as the 50/1.4 having 8 aperture blades to the 45/1.8's 7 blades the 45/1.8 is actually superior as it uses curved blades and the 50/1.4 uses straight blades. Side by side tests at stopped down apertures show the clear advantage to the 45/1.8 with nice circular out of focus highlights while the 50/1.4 is showing octagons. Anyone who as actually used both lenses is likely to be favorably impressed with the 45/1.8. For the slightly higher price the 45/1.8 is definitely the superior lens, though perhaps not by a wide margin.In fact, for the price the 45/1.8 is simply a stunning optic and through many users' experience is comparing well with anything in its price class not to mention many more expensive lenses.As a side note, limited testing with an IR converted body shows this lens works well for IR. It has good transmittance at IR wavelengths and I have not seen any "hot-spot" problems to far. I've tested with both 720nm and 830nm cut-off filters.

Update: 15-feb-2015I left the M43 fray for a stint with a DSLR and have returned, so this is my 2nd copy of this lens. The biggest thing I can do for you is recommend the write-up of this little gem on ePhotozine: http://www.ephotozine.com/article/olympus-45mm-f-1-8-zuiko-digital-micro-four-thirds-lens-review-17667On a recent trip I was shooting on a tripod outside on a fairly dim day and touring the inner confines of an old military fort. Because my exposures were going to be long anyway, I stopped down to f8-f11 for most of my images. To repeat myself - "eye cutting sharpness". Truly amazing images from my trusty GX1.This lens remains one of my all time favorites.*************************************************************************************************************************************************i've been taking pictures for over 30 years and a few lenses stand out. This is one of them.Construction-wise, yes it's plastic. But until or unless someone can prove to me that it matters that it's made out of plastic, I would discount the worries. I don't find it weak or flimsy or suspect in any way. I guess I'd prefer black, but it does have kind of a throw back look to it and being silver has no impact on images.This lens has the most beautiful bokeh I've seen in years. Coupled with it's eye cutting sharpness and excellent contrast I'm just blown away. Reminds me of some old Zuikos and Nikkors from my manual focus 35mm days. Wonderful. And having that f1.8 aperture again is nothing short of splendid, only driven higher by it's excellent optical design. I know fast primes have been out there in DSLR offerings, but since the switch to M-4/3's, these 2 are my first foray.This prime (and the Lumix 20mm) have taken me back to the days of creative DOF and "zooming" with my feet. But this time it's in compact, lightweight heaven. Nothing ever taught me more about pre-visualizing an image and nurtured creativity like leaving the house with a single camera and prime lens.I'm a Panasonic user, so no image stabilization since it's not in the lens, but that's a small price to pay.My only beef with Olympus is the lack of a hood, and the cost to acquire one. It's a beautiful piece, but the $40 price tag seems unreasonably steep.No regrets with this purchase. Nothing but praise for this product.

This lens is nothing short of fantastic. A really good buy with excellent optical characteristics. This lens is fast and sharp with tremendous detail. It is small and compact and is an excellent intermediate portrait lens. I can't recommend this lens highly enough. It's low light capability is just great an on the EM-5 it focuses fast and the images are sharp everywhere. I just wish the 12mm were priced this well, I would have purchased it too. If there is one lens you must have besides the kit lens, this is it. Manual focus works very well on it too. I'm looking forward to the new 75mm 1.8 as if it is anything like this lens it will be great. I just wished they had priced it closer to this one too. It appears to be well made but still light weight and the focus collar is smooth and works very nicely. It is probably focus by wire but it feels mechanical like a good design should.

This is a wonderful portrait lens for MFT, with excellent sharpness, nice bokeh, and very little weight or size. It is becoming a permanent fixture on my E-3. Cannot live without it!