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

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.

=============================
Table of Contents:
=============================
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

=============================
Products Mentioned:
=============================

=============================
Results:
=============================
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

=============================
Gear I Use to Make Videos:
=============================

=============================
Music:
=============================

=============================
Follow Me:
=============================

=============================
Affiliate Links:
=============================
Some of the links in my video descriptions are affiliate links, which means at no extra cost to you, I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase. If you have a different purchase in mind, you can also use these storewide links below.

=============================
#microfourthirds #macro #lensreview

[DaveHaynie]

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.

[geraldundone]

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! 😃

[Luigiz]

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]

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

[photogol]

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.

[ScrappyMcSlap]

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. 👍

[greadore]

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.

[draknagar]

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

[AlexKeller]

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.

[parshua]

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.

[AndrewSowerby]

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.

[Paarthurnax]

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

[seanmangan]

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

[dvbeattie]

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.

[sunnyw]

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.

[torkelstenqvist]

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.

[MarchalisVan]

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 :)

[ejjohnson]

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.

[hauke]

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.

[AllThingsFilm]

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.