Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm F1.2 PRO Lens Review
The Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm F1.2 PRO lens is a significant piece of photographic equipment. Its reputation precedes it, promising exceptional image quality and a stunning bokeh. This review aims to delve deep into its performance, exploring its strengths and weaknesses in various shooting scenarios. We’ll examine its build quality, autofocus capabilities, and image rendering, ultimately assessing whether it justifies its premium price point. Prepare for a comprehensive analysis.
Build Quality and Design
The first impression of the Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm F1.2 PRO is one of substantial quality. The lens feels incredibly solid and well-built, exuding a sense of durability. The metal construction contributes to its reassuring weight, a testament to its robust engineering. The focusing ring, smooth and precise, offers satisfying tactile feedback. Its overall design is elegant and understated, complementing the aesthetic of Olympus’s Micro Four Thirds cameras perfectly.
The lens barrel features a weather-sealing design, making it suitable for use in challenging conditions. This is a crucial feature for photographers who frequently shoot outdoors or in unpredictable weather. The inclusion of a lens hood further protects the front element from stray light and potential damage. The inclusion of a dedicated aperture ring is a welcome addition for those who prefer manual control. Its responsiveness is excellent, allowing for precise adjustments on the fly.
Image Quality: Sharpness and Detail
The Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO is renowned for its exceptional sharpness. Even wide open at f/1.2, the lens delivers remarkable detail and clarity, resolving fine textures with impressive accuracy. Stopping down to f/2.8 or f/4 further enhances sharpness, creating images that are incredibly crisp and detailed. This exceptional sharpness extends across the entire frame, minimizing the occurrence of noticeable softness in the corners.
The level of detail captured by this lens is truly impressive. Fine hairs, individual leaves on a plant, and subtle textures on surfaces are rendered with remarkable precision. This level of detail is particularly noticeable when printing large images or viewing them at high magnification. This makes it ideal for landscape, portrait and even macro photography depending on the subject matter.
Bokeh Performance
The creamy, smooth bokeh produced by the Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO is a significant selling point. The lens’s large maximum aperture and sophisticated optical design work together to create beautifully blurred backgrounds, drawing the viewer’s attention to the subject. The pleasing transition between sharp focus and soft blur is a hallmark of high-quality lenses, and this lens certainly delivers.
The bokeh’s quality is particularly evident when shooting portraits. The gentle blurring of the background effectively isolates the subject, enhancing its three-dimensionality and overall aesthetic appeal. The smoothness of the bokeh is remarkably consistent throughout the aperture range, with little to no harshness or distracting artifacts. Even when shooting at wider apertures, the bokeh remains pleasing and soft.
Autofocus System
The autofocus system of the Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO is quick and accurate. It’s capable of locking onto subjects swiftly and reliably, even in challenging low-light conditions. The lens utilizes a sophisticated mechanism that ensures fast and precise focusing, minimizing the risk of missed shots.
The autofocus performance is particularly impressive when tracking moving subjects. The lens’s ability to maintain focus on a moving target is commendable, allowing for sharp images even when the subject is in motion. This is a critical feature for photographers who shoot sports, wildlife, or other dynamic subjects.
Low-Light Performance
Shooting in low-light conditions often presents challenges for photographers. However, the Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO excels in these situations. Its wide maximum aperture allows for significantly faster shutter speeds, reducing the risk of blurry images due to camera shake. The lens’s exceptional light-gathering capabilities also minimize the need for high ISO settings, thereby reducing image noise.
Even at wide-open apertures, image quality remains remarkably high in low-light scenarios. The lens effectively controls chromatic aberration and other optical imperfections, producing images that are sharp and clear, even in challenging lighting conditions. This capability is a significant advantage for photographers who shoot in dimly lit environments.
Versatility and Applications
The Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm F1.2 PRO is a versatile lens suitable for a wide range of photographic applications. Its exceptional image quality makes it an excellent choice for portrait photography, capturing stunning portraits with beautifully blurred backgrounds. The lens’s sharpness and detail are also ideal for landscape photography, allowing for the capture of breathtaking scenery with remarkable clarity.
Furthermore, its fast autofocus and low-light capabilities make it well-suited for street photography and candid shots. The lens’s compact size and lightweight design make it easy to carry and use throughout the day, allowing for spontaneous capture of moments as they unfold. Its versatility extends to macro photography, where its sharp rendering provides exceptional detail in close-up shots.
Comparison with Competitors
Compared to other fast prime lenses in its class, the Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO stands out for its exceptional combination of sharpness, bokeh, and autofocus performance. While some competitors may excel in a specific area, the Olympus lens offers a well-rounded package that satisfies the demands of discerning photographers.
Its superior build quality and weather-sealing also set it apart from many of its rivals. The inclusion of a dedicated aperture ring is a significant advantage for photographers who prefer manual control over their aperture settings. The lens’s compact size and lightweight design also make it a more portable option compared to some larger and heavier alternatives.
Potential Drawbacks
While the Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO excels in many areas, it’s not without some minor drawbacks. Its price point is relatively high, placing it out of reach for some photographers. Its size, although compact relative to full-frame equivalents, might be considered bulky by some users accustomed to smaller lenses.
Some users have reported slight vignetting at wide apertures, although this is generally easily corrected in post-processing. Finally, while the autofocus is generally excellent, it may occasionally hunt in very low light conditions, though this is a minor issue compared to its overall performance.
The Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm F1.2 PRO is a truly exceptional lens. Its superb image quality, creamy bokeh, and fast, accurate autofocus make it a joy to use. While the price is a significant consideration, the overall performance justifies the investment for serious photographers. Its build quality is impeccable, and its versatility extends across a wide range of photographic genres. It is a lens that will undoubtedly elevate your photography to new heights.
