Best Macro Lens for Micro Four Thirds (4 Lenses Reviewed & Compared)

Рет қаралды 148,713

Күн бұрын

Review and comparisons of the 4 native macro lenses for micro four thirds: Panasonic 30mm f/2.8, Panasonic Leica 45mm f/2.8, Olympus 60mm f/2.8, & Olympus 30mm f/3.5.
👍 Thanks for watching! Please like, comment, & subscribe.
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Table of Contents:
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0:00 - Intro
0:53 - How We're Grading & Meet the Lenses
1:20 - What Makes a Macro Lens a "Macro" (1:1 Reproduction)
1:46 - The Categories Being Evaluated
2:22 - Panasonic 30mm f/2.8 Unboxing & Features + Dual I.S.
3:18 - Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Unboxing & Features
4:02 - Panasonic Leica 45mm f/2.8 Unboxing & Features
5:04 - Olympus 30mm f/3.5 Unboxing & Features
5:44 - Results & Scores for Build & Features Category
6:30 - Panasonic Leica 45mm f/2.8 AF-S Test
7:32 - Panasonic 30mm f/2.8 AF-S Test
8:28 - Olympus 30mm f/3.5 AF-S Test
9:36 - Olympus 60mm f/2.8 AF-S Test
11:42 - Results & Scores for Autofocus Tests: AF-S for Photo
12:29 - Olympus 60mm f/2.8 - 1:1 Test
13:23 - Olympus 30mm f/3.5 - 1.25:1 Test (1.25x Magnification)
13:52 - Getting to 1:1 Using Electronic Focus by Wire Systems
15:21 - Micro Four Thirds vs Full Frame for Macro Reproduction
16:43 - Panasonic 30mm f/2.8 - 1:1 Test & Handling + Dual I.S.
17:34 - Panasonic Leica 45mm f/2.8 - 1:1 Test
18:20 - Final Scores for 1:1 Ease of Use & Handling Tests
19:52 - Panasonic Leica 45mm f/2.8 Continuous Autofocus Test
20:47 - Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Continuous Autofocus Test
21:41 - Olympus 30mm f/3.5 Continuous Autofocus Test
22:21 - Panasonic 30mm f/2.8 Continous Autofocus Test
22:50 - Results & Scores for Autofocus for Video Tests (AF-C)
23:46 - Music Break While I Take the Test Shots
24:15 - Olympus 30mm vs Panasonic 30mm - Image Quality
26:03 - Panasonic 30mm vs Panasonic 45mm - Image Quality
28:09 - Panasonic 30mm vs Olympus 60mm - Image Quality
30:17 - Olympus 30mm vs Panasonic 45mm - Image Quality
30:47 - Image Quality Results & Scores
31:15 - Adding up the Scores & Calculating Value
31:48 - Prices of the Lenses
32:13 - Final Value Scores
33:02 - Other Considerations to Make Regarding value
33:54 - My Pick for Favourite Micro Four Thirds Macro
34:41 - Quick Notes on Dual Purpose Capability & Final Opinions
36:06 - TL;DW - Final Word & Favourite Lens
🛒 Gear I Use to Make Videos: bit.ly/3RlRmgx
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Products Mentioned:
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Panasonic 30mm f/2.8: geni.us/M1oPtyI
Panasonic Leica 45mm f/2.8: geni.us/rYfG
Olympus 30mm f/3.5: geni.us/el4LeA
Olympus 60mm f/2.8: geni.us/cvzcgm
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Results:
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Build & Features:
1st Place = Panasonic 45mm
2nd Place = Olympus 60mm
3rd Place = Panasonic 30mm
4th Place = Olympus 30mm
Autofocus Single for Photo:
1st = Panasonic 30mm
2nd = Olympus 30mm
3rd = Olympus 60mm
4th = Panasonic 45mm
Ease of 1:1 Reproduction & Handling:
1st = Panasonic 30mm
2nd = Olympus 60mm
3rd = Panasonic 45mm
4th = Olympus 30mm
Autofocus Continuous for Video:
1st = Olympus 30mm
2nd = Panasonic 30mm
3rd = Panasonic 45mm
4th = Olympus 60mm
Image Quality:
1st = Olympus 60mm
2nd = Panasonic 30mm
3rd = Panasonic 45mm
4th = Olympus 30mm
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Music:
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#microfourthirds #macro #lensreview

Пікірлер: 307

@DaveHaynie 2 жыл бұрын

Good video. Just one note: on autofocus, a Panasonic or Panny/Leica lens ought to do better/faster on a Panasonic body because these lenses (or the body) contains the lens characterization data that allows DfD to work. With an Olympus lens on a Panny body it's pure CDAF, which is slower and more likely to hunt.

@Luigiz28 4 жыл бұрын

This was a great video. I was super lucky to buy the Olympus 30mm macro a couple years ago when Olympus was selling the lens for a one day sale at $99! An absolute steal! The crazy thing, it's actually one of my favorite M43 lenses I have. It's sharp, produces great colors, and it can be used as a nice portrait lens. When it comes to macro abilities, it's amazing how much detail you can capture especially when you have appropriate lighting. I'd totally recommend this lens.

@fderive 5 жыл бұрын

something to consider, on Olympus bodies with Olympus lenses you can get in cameras focus stacking and bracketing.

@ActivityPhoto 4 жыл бұрын

Only some of the bodies when coupled with certain lens.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

This video is crazy long! Note to self, don't try and do four lens reviews in a single video... 🤔😱🤓 But anyway, to make it easier for you guys I've added a lengthy, organized table of contents in the description as well as the results. Cheers! 😃

@bennettjoseph9970 5 жыл бұрын

I was fine with the length, thanks a lot for the effort. This is the most thorough review I've come across.

@RobShootPhotos 5 жыл бұрын

Because of it being crazy long, I finally got to see it but worth it. Opened my eyes to the Panasonic. Gosh, I like the field of view of the Panasonic 30mm but like the extra distance of the Olympus 60mm. Great video, maybe I will get both. One thing I have noticed about contrast detect is when you were auto focusing on the interface with the two lights very close to the focus point, it can mess with the auto focus. I've shot a lot of local music concerts this year and notice the camera catches the lights. If the subject is in front of the stage lights and I want to give a neat glow behind him or the light is very close to the focus point it will throw the focus off. I will usually move my framing or tap my focus point to the left or right to something I can focus on that is at the same focus distance. That can be hard to do in low light at f1.7 to get sharp focus, either I step up to a higher ISO and stop down the lens or sometimes I will use manual focus and peaking. Of course stage lights are just a tad brighter than your interface, so I probably rambled for no reason. LOL Was that a crazy long reply for crazy long video? I got some more room to type. Great video, spot on, always educational with good info!

@SpregioCheeks 5 жыл бұрын

is there one comparable to Canon 100mm L series. I don't want to buy a speedbooster, but I love that lens. and not really sure how well that looks with a speedbooster.

@rickwirch1165 5 жыл бұрын

Hi, very good review. The one thing that I wonder about is the 42.5 f1.7 lens by Panasonic. From what I understand not only is it a great portrait lens it works pretty well as a macro lens too. It can focus quite close. I also wonder how well other lenses work if you put one of those spacer rings that allow the lens to focus closer. Thanks.

@photogol 5 жыл бұрын

You should consider the advantage of the 60mm in terms of distance to the subject when shooting macro, specially bugs and live subjects. With the 30mm you would need to be much closer to the subject to get the same magnification as the 60. Another suggestion to make the match fairer, is to test all four lenses in an Olympus body as well. You may find a significant difference in performance, specially when measuring focus speed and accuracy of the same lens mounted in a different camera body. I have seen those kind of differing results in tests by other photographers, when using the same lens mounted in a Panasonic or an Olympus body, with the combinations performing best when both the lens and the body are of the same brand.

@chefbrittan84 Жыл бұрын

Obviously a Lumix will do better on a Lumix body, and an Olympus on an Olympus body.

@OneHarp 5 жыл бұрын

Very, very, very helpful. I've been looking at these macro lenses trying to figure out which one is best for me. I had already pretty much decided on the Panny 30mm, but your video really clinched it for me. Thanks!

@TheInventar 5 жыл бұрын

Great video bud! I wasn't looking for any macro lens but wanted to increase my knowledge as you give so much new information in the videos that I didn't know.

@seanmangan2769 12 күн бұрын

This is one of the best camera related videos on KZfaq! Thank you 👍

@Paul_anderson_creative 5 жыл бұрын

Thorough, awesome job! Nice clear review process, stuck to it, clear unbiased report and dollar to points is great.... Sweet work!

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much, Paul. Really appreciate that.

@TropiKen 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the time and effort that you put into these videos!

@ScrappyMcSlap 5 жыл бұрын

Weather sealing singlehandedly swings it to the 60mm for me - I live in a rainy damp location (Vancouver, BC, Canada). Having a weather resistant lens makes me much more likely to get out and use it. Also, the extra focal length is absolutely a huge deal, particularly if you're shooting moving subjects. This video was fantastic - you've got another subscriber here. 👍

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Mike. Appreciate the sub. And that's a fair point, weather sealing definitely sounds like an important feature for you. 😃👍

@AllThingsFilm1 4 жыл бұрын

I've been looking for a macro lens for my BMPCC4K. It's the one lens type I haven't added to my arsenal, yet. And you just convinced me to get the Panasonic 30mm f2.8. Great content, as usual. Thanks, Mr. Undone.

@cuemage564 5 жыл бұрын

Damn good video and just what I was after (a comparison of MFT macro lenses). The point system was also a great idea including the value calculation with and without sale prices. Thanks!

@seanmangan2769 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for taking the time to do all this. I'm thinking of upgrading from my Lumix 30 mm and this is invaluable information.

@afigegoznaet 5 жыл бұрын

A very thorough review, thanks a lot

@trevorwarrs5153 4 жыл бұрын

That is one of the best product reviews I have seen. Very useful.

@draknagar 6 ай бұрын

Excellent comprehensive analysis and weighted comparison, one of the best analysis that I could find on the net. Thank you 😊

@greadore 2 жыл бұрын

One huge factor is working distance to the subject, especially if you do insect macro photography. The clear winner for me is the 60 mm. Also, if you go 1:1 or closer shooting, autofocus is not really an issue because you are probably gonna use manual focus anyway.

@danieldrew9982 Жыл бұрын

It’s a shame because I had the sigma 108mm for my Nikon, and I’m so used to that focal length that I don’t really want to drop down to 60mm. Annoying how Lens companies don’t make higher focal length macro lenses for micro four thirds

@buggersofoz Жыл бұрын

@@danieldrew9982 you didn't mention if you had Nikon full frame camera with this lens. If so, then the Olympus lens gives you almost the same field of view (120mm full frame equivalent). Of course if that was on a DX body, then you were at 162mm equivalent FoV, but agree, a 90mm native M43 lens would have been nice to have for insects that you want to stay a bit further away from not to spook them like butterflies or fireflies.

@SyntheticOrange 3 жыл бұрын

thanks for this video. I appreciate the way you demonstrated AND summarized each test and category which would enable me to reproduce them by myself (not only with macro lenses by the way). Most other reviews only do the summary which makes them shorter of course. As other viewers mentioned the panasonic 30mm managed to raise attention - in fact I was almost shopping the Leica 😜!

@KarlAdamsAudio 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this. I went with the Lumix 30mm, which I really enjoy using - although for more extreme close-up work, there's definitely a case for getting the Olympus 60mm as well.

@ActivityPhoto 4 жыл бұрын

Add an extension tube and it may help.

@ejjohnson8647 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this. I've used the Pana 30 and the Oly 60 a lot and am in complete agreement on their plusses and minuses. I had thoughts of picking up the Leica but now think I won't bother. Would add that in general the DFD system on Pana lens+body combo makes a big difference in focusing performance.

@robe619 5 жыл бұрын

Very informative video. Thank you for this.

@sergueison 5 жыл бұрын

This is one of the most rational and detailed reviews I have ever seen. Wow! Please keep them coming.

@RickyJarnagin 5 жыл бұрын

Very Informative! Thanks for your review, good job.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Cheers, Ricky! Thanks.

@paul_neff 5 жыл бұрын

Love the video man super in depth

@rrafaelpaz 3 жыл бұрын

Outstanding review as always, Gerald! Cheers

@ebvs5ou 5 жыл бұрын

Very useful, practice-oriented, detailed and praiseworthy structured test video - great, just that kind of reviews we need. Ingenious content overview, very transparent - rarely seen such a perfect review, thank you! Someone mentioned, it would be too long and too many lenses compared - I think that's exactly the opposite. We NEED that complete overview over all possible alternatives, and especially with the structured content overview that's not a problem at all... You can easily jump to the relevant sections. All thumbs up!

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this. I'm always worried about long reviews like this, but I'm glad to know it was helpful. Cheers!

@d30gaijin 2 жыл бұрын

I'm way late to the party but this is an outstanding video. Thank you for taking your time to share this with us.

@kiesemedia433 5 жыл бұрын

i really liked seeing this video. keep going 👍

@davidalanphotography1 Жыл бұрын

That was Great! Incredible job on making a comparison.

@rvnmedic2709 4 жыл бұрын

That is probably one of the best and thorough comparisons I have seen to date. Thanks. I have the Pan30 and it is a fantastic lens. Be well and stay safe.

@tallicarule1991 4 жыл бұрын

This is how all lens reviews should go, excellent job

@parshua 5 жыл бұрын

Gerald, I believe you missed the mark on this one a bit. Normally, longer lenses are preferred by most for macro photography since they allow more distance between the subject and the photographer, which is a good thing if one is photographing sensitive or dangerous substances or creatures, and allow more natural light on the subject. In the case of auto focus, testing on a Panasonic body could potentially give a bit of an advantage to Panasonic's own lenses due to the DFD calibration. You also didn't use the base ISO for the shots, which is not how these lenses are normally used in real life. Thanks for your review nonetheless, good job.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

I agree about the distance thing. I mention it in the video a few times. However, the distance is all pretty minimal on these lenses, you're looking at only a couple inches differences between the 30mm & the 60mm, so I found it to be less of a factor than I would have otherwise preferred. Your DfD point is a good one, but it is a factor to consider. I mean, it exists, so for people that own Panasonic the results count. I should have mentioned it, though. As far as base ISO, I disagree. While not a bug shooter, I photograph a lot of moody stuff indoors and I'm not always shooting at ISO 200. That's real life for me. Especially with video, which for V-Log starts at ISO 800. Thanks for watching and the comment. There's always going to be various usage cases to consider, but this is actually pretty accurate to how I would use these lenses, so it was a position I felt most comfortable talking about. If I went out into the wild and started shooting insects, I would have absolutely no idea what I was talking about, so I wanted to avoid that. For product macro on Panasonic, I stand by my pick. 😃 Edit: I was having a look at the tests again, and with regard to the DfD issue, I don't think that was much of a factor, because it wouldn't explain the stellar focusing results on the Olympus 30mm and the worse results on the Panny 45mm. Cheers.

@parshua 5 жыл бұрын

Gerald Undone Absolutely, I didn't question your pick. To each their own. Just wanted to mention a few tidbits for a conversation. Regarding the focal length, 60mm is 2x the 30mm, and gives you twice the distance from your subject. As far as I know, there are few macro lenses longer than 120mm eq. Canon has a 135/4, and Nikon and Sigma have a 180/2.8. Cheers :)

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah, love the conversation. Thanks again. You're right about the 60mm being further, but here's some numbers to show you what I meant, and also to compare to the greater distances of full frame: Olympus 60mm MFD: 7.48" Panasonic 30mm MFD: 4.13" Canon 100 Macro for FF MFD: 12.24" That's why I was saying that it's pretty minor (only 3.35 inches), but again, we should keep in mind that due to the field of view differences between M43 and FF, we can actually get twice as far away to achieve the same result. Isn't that 135mm from Canon also some funky tilt-shift lens too? That's fun. But expensive!

@parshua 5 жыл бұрын

Ah that's one helluva lens that Canon. It's especially cool since it allows much deeper field of focus. But that price! Maybe you can get it in for a review from a sponsor? That will be one unique review on KZfaq.

@thomaslilly5834 5 жыл бұрын

One additional thing I'd like to add regarding Pana vs Olympus. Olympus lenses traditionally do not have image stabilization because their bodies have state of the art in-body (sensor shift) stabilization. I know that Panasonic includes this as well nowadays, but Olympus kind of invented the thing, and is still best in class for m43. Their are lots of reports of people shooting hand-held with the Oly 60mm, with an Olympus body... Just my 3 cents regarding handling.

@keithnisbet 3 жыл бұрын

Great review. So thorough. Thanks🤗👍

@jeffreyhorton9914 5 жыл бұрын

Quite brilliant Gerald. Thanks

@mikey7326 5 жыл бұрын

Very well done, good stuff.

@tomrobinson987 Жыл бұрын

Excellent review. Very thorough and useful in helping me decide.

@guccidaniels 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! Just what I needed. Your maths is incredible.

@MrKkspeed 2 жыл бұрын

Thx for the really comprehensive comparison. I'm in the same situation in deciding between one of them and I went for the Olympus 60mm. Apart from being able to shoot macro at longer distance, shooting portrait and weather sealing, I find it an option to fill the niche of shooting panoramas when I need a bit more reach than the 45 f1.8.

@AlexKeller1 4 жыл бұрын

Interesting trade study-type review! If you do this type of comparison again, try assigning scores on an absolute scale (0.0-1.0) instead of ranking. For example, image quality was all very close, so the difference in scores should be small. Next, weight the points of comparison on how important they are. i.e. Image quality might be worth 50% while autofocus speeds might be 5% or less. Then, plot the score against price and look at the Pareto boundary for a winner or winners.

@qassemaleid9774 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome channel thank you ❤️👌

@matto29 5 жыл бұрын

I picked up an Olympus 30mm 3.5 on sale for super cheap last year so I could dabble a little into macro and have been very happy with it. IS would definitely be a plus but for the price and how little I use it it’s great to have in my bag Super wicked awesome episode as always

@r0d0vest 5 жыл бұрын

Yep, it was 99$ on black friday

@Paarthurnax88 5 жыл бұрын

You are focusing on the LEDs of the audio box...hence the variable results.

@EJGentleman 3 жыл бұрын

This was an outstanding and very complete review.

@dvbeattie 5 жыл бұрын

Great analysis. One of the best lens reviews I’ve seen. I picked up the Olympus 30mm last year when Olympus discounted the price to $99. (Yes that was a $200 discount). Sure you have to get real close to your subject but I have great images hand held on my OMD E-M10 of insects and spiders in my backyard. Unless you pixel peep they look great. Loving the value I’m getting out of it. From the review the Oly 60mm and the Panasonic 30mm look like like great lenses also.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot! I was impressed by the Oly 30mm. I expected it to be kinda crappy, but it wasn't at all, and it's focusing speed blew me away. Also, $99 is crazy! Nice find.

@EMBEVIDEO 5 жыл бұрын

Great review - thanks. And it fit really good to my personal experience. Except of one point: When taking macros, I prefer larger focal lenghts for two reasons. It's easier to avoid shadows (esp your own) when you take picture in not perfectly lit environment or when you have to shoot pics of some with lots of reflections (like watches for example). And often the pictures simple look so much nicer because it looks some kind of far away from the "realistic" view when you are just looking at it. I took thousands of macro pics - most of them (and I think the best) with Canon 5D and a Sigma 150 mm macro. I would always try to get the same kind of look.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

It's true. That's the biggest limiting factor with M4/3 macro is the proximity. Even the 60mm puts you within just a few inches from the subject for 1:1. But that 30mm Olympus is just wacky close. You lose about 2-3 stops of light if you're shooting top-down. That's why I included that segment on full frame equivalency. To let people know they actually can step back twice as far to emulate full frame, because otherwise you block all the light.

@torkelstenqvist1279 4 жыл бұрын

I have mixed feelings for this review. I dabble a bit with macro (with the 60 mm), and basically I always want to have a larger magnification and longer distance to the subject. Thus manual focus (as you demonstrated) in the 1:1 setting (often with extension tubes which is a further plus for the 60 mm) is an important criterion. And autofocus speed is rather irrelevant, even though the test was interesting to see. The focus hunt of the 60 is well known, hence the focus limiter. Never use the full range setting. Further, using a rank classification might be ok, especially when there are large differences (like the autofocus) but not when there is only a minute difference between the best and the worst (like IQ). As you add the points to a final score, this will severely punish the lowest scoring lens where differences were hardly noticeable. Better to give a grade, and add them up. The final discussion, that a 30 mm lens is 'as expected' while the 60 mm tele lens needs a longer subject distance is making a self evident point; of course an almost nifty normal lens gives a normal field of view, and a tele lens does not. That's the purpose of a tele lens.

@Toddler1967 Жыл бұрын

I agree with all your points, and if I want to take a macro photograph outside, it's often of something ambulatory that I can't (or don't want) to get super close to.

@wasbeen 5 жыл бұрын

Great video, I'm sure very useful to many. I had the same decision lest year.... went for the 30mm Olympus, and I'm not disappointed even after your review, based on the value and video results.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah, it's surprisingly good for the money. I was really impressed with it's focusing speed. Thanks for the comment.

@anstef1485 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Gerald, great review! Pany 30 on order!

@tube396 3 жыл бұрын

Very professional presentation. Well done. You really helped me with my decision on what lens to buy.

@andrear9500 5 жыл бұрын

First I love long videos when they are full of content like yours. From time to time it's a good idea to do mega comparison. I was throwing myself into a macro shot while watching the video and I was seeing myself getting 1:1 quickly, on tripod, getting the right angle (light direction), controlling the zoom ring in MF, watching for the best background and blur and so on. I feel you should have field tested those lenses. Mind you, still love your channel! Impossible not to.

@joakimtollerud2172 4 жыл бұрын

Just excellent Gerald. Great review.

@Mr_Chuckles 5 жыл бұрын

Absolutely excellent review, thank you. Putting the Pana 30mm in my basket!

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words! Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

@Mr_Chuckles 5 жыл бұрын

@@geraldundone Actually changed my mind and went for the Olympus 60mm in the end, rewatched your review and since I will be using this mostly for insect macro, realized it would probably be better to have the increased distance to subject. It was in second place pointswise so still not a bad choice!

@evinsprakoso6959 3 жыл бұрын

Very detail comparison, very helpful cause now i'm looking for best MFT macro lens, thanks bro!

@f1remandg 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent review, especially the averaging aspect and pointing out that look and feel do have a considerable ✅ value, I think it’s also worth mentioning, that if your looking at a specific usage for a lens, then that has to be included, eg the Olympus video points that was a clear winner. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ video though!

@chefbrittan84 Жыл бұрын

Best video for deciding on a MFT Macro. I already got the 30mm Pana, so I guess I'm just here for confirmation/excitement. Should arrive soon.

@MarchalisVan 2 жыл бұрын

I almost got the lens he recommended as his fav, but the Olympus 60mm on an Olympus body is just better for bugs it seems, that distance counts. So take note when he mentions he's judging for product shoots. Olympus 60mm may not be best for you, or for the bugs you shoot, it's nice to have options though :)

@sunnyw4040 5 жыл бұрын

I am a newbie with my G85. I have 2 kit lenses. I wanted a bit better macro lens. I'm so happy to have found your video. I was drifting to the Pana 30. But people on facebook saying the Oly 60 was better. Your video helped me clearly make a choice. Thanks so much! The only thing is all your testing is via static images. Chasing bugs around before they fly away, would have been more relevant testing.

@nelbox1 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this information, from Mexico

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Leon! Cheers from Canada.

@svvancouver3307 4 жыл бұрын

Great review. There are quite a few comments about macro photography but to me, this video was perfect for showing equipment mechanical performance and quality to help make a purchasing decision. Macro photography is a whole different topic. I bought the Oly 60mm and 30mm for Olympus body. I am not a bug shooter either so the extreme focus hunting on the 60mm was a no-go for me. Like you, I had that experience when looking through the lens like “oh I am way too close”. I found the 30mm end more suitable for my use and the results very impressive. Although I was tempted to get the Panasonic 30mm for the f2.8, like others I have a feeling an Oly lens on Oly body is better. I use macro for documentation in lighted setup, general use, and still life close ups so the Oly 30mm it will work fine for me. Thanks again for the informative review. I like the point system and tests. Puts my mind at ease.

@petechapman8202 11 ай бұрын

An excellent, clear and precise review. I'll start with the Pan 30mm for my Lumix. Cheers.

@NiceAussie 5 жыл бұрын

I loved this review. Long, yes! But extremely well done in an entertaining and informative way. I was leaning first toward the 60mm but I tend to agree with the conclusion. 30mm 2.8 yes!

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks, John! Appreciate it. I like the reach of the 60mm, but I have more fun with the 30mm. Tough choice. 😃

@Reyfox1 5 жыл бұрын

You should have more subs with videos like these. Wow!

@michaelweichhardt 5 жыл бұрын

The 60mm has the best highlight control compared to all of them... I own the lens myself and it is really good!

@phillean Жыл бұрын

Very useful. thanks.

@yalelee4126 5 жыл бұрын

刚好想买个m4/3微距镜头，这个视频帮了我大忙，赞！

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! 🙏😃

@ammadoux 5 жыл бұрын

thanks. enjoyed the video.

@hauke3644 4 жыл бұрын

I had the Olympus 30mm, because it was the most affordable and found it really good. But the working distance was often too close, that‘s why I exchanged it to the 60mm that was on special offer. I didn’t ever regret it, it works almost perfect, is very sharp and has a nice bokeh. On closeup it sometimes struggles to find the focus, but the focus limiter quickly solves that. On the go, the focal length is a good extension to the standard zoom, but for close up I prefer a little bit shorter. The old Olympus 50mm, that I also have, is just perfect (a very great lens anyway, but large and without support for focus bracketing). Given quality, features and price, the 60mm for me is a clear winner! For some Olympus cameras it adds in-body focus stacking.

@ofmetalphilosophy4837 2 жыл бұрын

Damn man. That's an awesome video

@ARMAJOV 5 жыл бұрын

Very good video, thank you! To wrap it up for me: Panasonic 30 mm best general purpose lens, like the Micro Nikkor 55/60 mm f3.5/2.8 in all its incarnations, and the Olympus 60 mm best usable field “bug macro” with clear second use as a portrait lens.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Yeah, I think that's a pretty fair/accurate summary. Cheers! 😃

@paulmcwilliams8641 4 жыл бұрын

That was an excellent review, I can't remember anybody else using the dollar per point system to highlight value. I own the Leica and have given up on the autofocus, sticking to guess the magnification I need and use manual focus, moving in and out with a tweak of the focus ring for framing. Having said that I upload my shots into my portfolio on ephotozine and my record number of votes for insect macro work was with the Leica. I use a Pentax K3 ii with a 90mm Tamron and 50mm Pentax lenses too, so its difficult to warrant buying yet another macro lens. Both the Olympus and Panasonic systems have photo stacking firmware tweaks, so if you have an Olympus body go for that glass, as you can't use any of the lenses, with the other company's software. Stablization systems have the same incompatabilities too.

@AndrewSowerby 5 жыл бұрын

For me, a great macro lens is all about MF, focus ring feel and throw, and working distance. I've tried the Panasonic 30mm f/2.8 and Olympus 60mm f/2.8, and the Oly was the one that felt like the real macro lens to me, purely in those terms. Definitely would choose the Panasonic as a general purpose lens though.

@josephhargrove4319 5 жыл бұрын

A nice review of the four mainline MFT macro lenses. I personally use the Olympus 60mm, but only as a dedicated macro lens. Also, I acquired it before either of the 30mm lenses were available and after selling the Leica 45mm I acquired first. Its IQ is quite good, I like the longer distance to the subject, and I like the slightly compressed perspective distortion you get with a short telephoto lens. Like your test showed, the Olympus 60mm does tend to hunt a lot when auto-focusing. If it's too bad, I do tend toward more focussing. I also use the Rokinon 100mm/f2.8 macro when I need an even greater distance from my subject. It's a full manual, but on a tripod (pretty much a requirement when handling a 200mm-equivalent lens at around 1:1 magnification) I'm focusing manually anyway. To the people complaining that the Olympus lenses should have been on Olympus bodies, to do so would have introduced even more random variables into the tests. It also would have put the lie to the idea that MFT lenses all work equally well regardless of MFT body. richard hargrove -- “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.” - Duke Ellington -- So when you next ponder something, ask yourself “Does it swing?” If the answer is “no” then it means nothing.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

@tonycastillo8210 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video Gerald, the assessment was spectacular, but now I wonder have you ever made sort of this review to the Sigma three lenses of the combo 16 mm, 30 mm and 56 mm f1.4 for MFT?

@7thStoneMedia 5 жыл бұрын

Great vid. I own the Oly 30mm and LOVE IT, in photography I hate paper thin in focus, so I constantly use darker apertures and use a light. I think you should've had a little bit of fun at the end with jewelry. or bugs

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing. I was pretty impressed by that little guy. It's a great lens for the money for sure.

@TMxtt 4 ай бұрын

Thorough stuff, Gerald, thorough stuff!

@michaelgabes7574 4 жыл бұрын

Comment for bug shooters! As Gerald said... "he is not a bug shooter!" Otherwise the result would be another. Think of a moment when you are in the wet dew in the morning and crawl after the small animals, weather sealing becomes essential. And while you take pictures with a 60mm (because you take pictures from a certain working distance), you leave empty handed with a 30mm (because you have to get closer) and all you object escaped. In summary I want to say... if you want to photograph insects ...go for the 60mm from Olympus! In case U are a Olympus shooter too, then even for the product shots i would recommend the 60mm together with focus stacking wich is available these days ;-)

@arsenmarek597 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video. I just got the 30mm Panasonic. It is my first macro lens , so I'll need some time to get used to it. I plan to use it for shooting paintd miniatures and also insects and small animal.

@roxbittman 4 жыл бұрын

Good review! I really enjoyed this one, and it was what I needed to hear. However, as more of a "bug and flower" macro shooter, I need that slight extra working space that the 45mm gives me. Being about 1cm from the subject is just not practical outside. Also, to my eye, the test shots at the end seemed to favor the Panasonic 45mm, in my humble opinion. But, this is in the "eye of the beholder" for sure. Anyway, thank you so much for the excellent comparison! Though I will not choose the 30mm winner, I still very much appreciate the work you did.

@Jwitherow1964 2 ай бұрын

Wow you just save me a lot of cash as I had all these lens in my cart. I went with the Panasonic 30mm 2.8 as of your testing this is one of the best brake downs of lens quality I have every watch! And I have watched 100s

@laika25 3 жыл бұрын

Wow. Great comparison. KUDOSSS

@skfineshriber 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@xiaolongliu3057 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you gays, your video help me choose wonderful macro lens.

@geraldundone 4 жыл бұрын

Happy to help! Cheers.

@Kelkschiz 5 жыл бұрын

The Panasonic 30mm looks like a great little lens. Love the image quality, I.S.2 and AF. I only wish it had a slightly longer focal length... Think I will have to go with the Olympus 60mm. Thanks for the in-depth comparison! Btw, have you ever heard the radio series called Undone?

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I wish it was longer too. I totally understand you getting the 60mm instead. I've never heard of that series, but I just looked it up. Interesting. I had no idea.

@GedasSt 4 жыл бұрын

Good review.

@GedasSt 2 жыл бұрын

Some time ago after this review i buy Leica 30mm f2,8. And this was very good decision. This lens have amazing optical quality and OIS. Im using this even for portraits.

@bernardosilva7306 5 жыл бұрын

Best value ever is when you can get the Olympus 30mm factory refurbished for $99 (like I did :D)!

@bjnslc 5 жыл бұрын

Great, but I wish you did a flat field test to see distortion and center vs. edge performance. Macros are often the best for reproduction work, but this review offers no insight on how well these lenses do that job.

@christophkrull5223 5 жыл бұрын

I love my Panasonic 30mm f2.8 ❤️

@ed_halley 5 жыл бұрын

With regards to your autofocus testing, I noticed that all your Leika distance trials were centered on the bright LEDs on the audio equipment, and several other trials which struggled with the distance were also trying to center on that white LED. Measuring contrast at the edge of a lamp may be more difficult than measuring contrast at other edges (such as the central knobs or details of that equipment).

@CoolColJ 5 жыл бұрын

I own both the Leica 45mm and Olympus 60mm, and the Leica 45mm is way better in low light focusing than the 60mm

@CoolColJ 3 жыл бұрын

@@bizarro659 Don't have those cameras

@ramymelhem 4 жыл бұрын

Hi gerald...would I be able to adapt a Laowa 100mm macro 2:1 lens on my GH5 with a speed booster. If so, what's your opinion on that. Would I be getting a 200mm macro equivalent with it?

@johncalbeck935 4 жыл бұрын

Very informative and useful review. The test design would be better if lenses were used on their like branded bodies. I'm guessing that would have made a difference for the Olympus lenses. Still enjoyed the review. Thanks for doing it.

@enohav 5 жыл бұрын

The Oly 30 was $99 during Christmas 2017. I don't do macro that much, but really glad I bought it. Great value for that price.

@dvbeattie 5 жыл бұрын

I picked it up then also and it was an absolute steal. Incredible value at that price.

@awksedgreep 5 жыл бұрын

I got an amazing deal on the panaleica 45. Such a great lens. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.

@Yoko.Kurama 5 жыл бұрын

Does the focus limit switch matter? I don't understand why it there. Can you explain?

@Kev.saltarelli 4 жыл бұрын

@@Yoko.Kurama it's there so that you can limit the af from trying to focus in the macro range. With the limit turned on you can use it more effectively as a non macro 45mm prime.

@Mad_Flava_ 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your work! It was helpful for me! P.S. You're so fast-speaking :)

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Glad to hear it was helpful. 😃

@MDMiller60 3 жыл бұрын

The 60mm Oly is twice the focal length, so that should slow the focus a little. But if you move slowly as you would in macro, it's fine.

@cheongkiwa 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for review! Olympus body also contrast focusing system??

@Prahatech 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome review. I am in the market for a macro lens and you certainly helped make my decision. Gonna get the Panasonic 30mm. Do you have any B&H or Adorama affiliate links? There's no sales tax if I buy from them.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Patrick. I'm glad the video was helpful. And thanks for thinking of me for the affiliate link. I do have a B&H account. Here's the link: bhpho.to/2Fo4P46 Cheers! 😃

@Vision0n 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the useful comparison, commendably organised and with a helpful ToC. Really appreciate the trouble. One thing I noticed though was that autofocus struggled on the audio interface whenever the focus point was aimed at the LED (probably as a result of the contrast detect focusing system). The lenses looked more confident focusing on the lettering as long as the LEDs weren't interfering with the focus point. Don't know if you're able to test that hypothesis, or have you returned the lenses to Camera Canada already? Thanks again for taking the trouble to review these lenses.

@geraldundone 5 жыл бұрын

Hey! Thanks for the comment. You might be right about the LED causing some issues. I did test again on some more basic surfaces, in better light, and on a chart. I found the results to be about the same, but with a little less of that particular type of hunting seen on the interface. But the snappiness is still the same order and probably reliability too.

@i-klaus 4 жыл бұрын

I was looking for a slightly longer macro lens for my D500. What I found were all pretty heavy chunks. Then I noticed the Olympus 60mm f2.8 in a forum. Then I just bought a used OM-D E-M1. Together, this weighs less than the planned Nikon version and is also weatherproof.