Best Macro for Lumix? -Leica 45mm F2.8 Macro

[@GermanViking]

I gave this lens to my wife as a gift and she loves that lens, however, we don't use it very often but definitely is a keeper.

[@StevenWTan]

I find this lens renders more beautiful colors than summilux 25mm, so now I use it more often. Love it!

[@SyntheticOrange]

Hello Matti, thanks for the review and especially for the hint with the firmware update enabling the lens for Dual IS. I saw some other reviews that didn't use the latest firmware and which therefore gave less good critics. So your hint closed an important gap. Cheers Bernd

[@mattisulanto]

Glad it was helpful!

[@protestagain]

AN incredible good portraits lens, especially used with Panasonic GM1 and GM5, as I do. You can hide the lens and the camera in your palm, and wait for the moment. Those cameras has no IS, but that lens has it and its really sharp and good for portraits.

[@sbsphotographer]

An oldie but a true gem 💎 of a lens... Great balance review of a wonderful piece of glass! Kudos!

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@TheCruisinCrew]

Would this pair nicely with the little G100 for some casual macro work and does the G100 also feature focus bracketing?

[@mattisulanto]

This lens works with every Micro Four Thirds camera body. I can't say much about the G100 because I have never even seen the thing in real life. I'm sure google will tell you😀

[@MichaelGerrard]

A year ago I was going to buy a macro lens. I decided against this 45mm mostly due to the high price. I bought the Olympus 60mm instead, I am very happy with it. I also looked at the Lumix 30mm macro, it is a reasonable price, cheaper than the 45mm and Olympus 60mm. The Lumix 30mm has image stabilization. But the longer 60mm focal length of the Oly was hard to ignore :-) Perhaps it is about time for Panasonic to make another macro lens, a weather sealed one with a long focal length and image stabilization.

[@mattisulanto]

That Oly 60mm is a good lens too and maybe Panasonic should make a new macro.

[@garydubberly6608]

Michael Gerrard I just picked up a used Panasonic Leica 45mm used at less than half the current new retail price to round out my P/l G9 kit. It is the only non weather sealed P/L lens I have and I do wish it offered that protection. It does appear to be a good lens. The Olympus 60mm was tempting.

[@alanneilson6811]

It is one of my favourite lenses I have had it for about nearly 5 years first with my G5 and now G80. Part of my three prime trinity 15mm 25mm pan Leica.

[@Penjerrix]

Me too. The same trinity.

[@frankbruls]

Dear Alan, see you have justed the macro lens on the Gh5. Can you tell me if it is possible to make picture with MF. When i Thurn the camera to mf on the backside it doesn't work. Is there in the menu any thing i can do tho yuse it.

[@ronstanford1821]

Thanks to your review, just bought a used one.

[@mattisulanto]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@TheSubziMr]

Nice review! Thanks for sharing!

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@youseftomar]

Nice choice of music for the episode! Thanks - this another great video!

[@mattisulanto]

Thank you!

[@thextopic]

love this video i am planing to get me one lance

[@seanmangan2769]

Just ordered one, waiting for it to arrive.

[@mattisulanto]

Excellent! I hope you are going to like.

[@eriche8870]

Hi whats the lens hood your using on this video thank you

[@mattisulanto]

The hood on the 45mm is from the Leica 25mm F1.4.

[@Behnam_Moghaddam]

So you got your channel picture back! Congrats! Would love to see a "should I buy this one or the 42.5 1.7 and if so when" although I might guess the answer somewhat.... thanks for this one I almost had forgot about...

[@mattisulanto]

Now it's back again, but it has been on and off. I really hope it stays there now, looks a lot better like than the generic symbol.

[@TheBigsinnic]

Is this lens capable of focus stack on the Olympus OMD EM 1 Mk 2 ?

[@mattisulanto]

I'm afraid I don't know, because I have never tried.

[@nore8141]

Great video and commentary.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@geevnahal7926]

Hi Matti, Would you please review Olympus dual macro flash STF-8 combined with LUMIX camera and macro lenses? Thanks,

[@mattisulanto]

I can't promise anything, because right now I don't know where I could borrow one for a review.

[@marklaurendet1861]

Thanks for the nice overview of this lens. On an unrelated topic could you do a review of downloading pictures from the camera to PC via Wifi. I believe it is possible on some models but I don't know the details. I recently got a iMac and would like to try with my G85 if it is possible.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! I have to look into the direct connection, I've never used it.

[@jgreg82]

Sorry to be nosey Mark but after reading this comment I’m at the same position. Although I have managed to transfer via WiFi to phone directly. Using the G7 (soon to be G9 🤞🏻) i found the quickest way by a mile is simply to take out the SD and transfer manually. I have a QNAP Nas now though, I can plug an SD card reader into it and transfer using my phone app rather than have to boot up computer each time. The WiFi connections are pretty slow, but if you’re out in the field and want to get a couple of pictures on phone or tablet it’s doable. I’ve also tried Lumix club to try and store in cloud direct from camera but cannot get that to work at all!

[@penmanskating]

would this lens work with GH5 and GH6? Thanks. Very useful video.

[@mattisulanto]

It works with every Micro Four Thirds camera.

[@nefflz]

Would the results as in telephoto mode be comparable to the lumix 42.5mm for portraiture work?

[@mattisulanto]

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but this lens is suitable for portraits.

[@frankbruls]

How can you use mf with this lens and the gh5.

[@mattisulanto]

You turn on the manual focus. I'm not a brand ambassador any more and I don't have a GH5, so I can't give you specific instructions. Please refer to your camera's user manual for more info.

[@frankbruls]

@@mattisulanto thank you for your reaction.

[@SLLYT]

Would you please make a video about focus stacking on a Panasonic Lumix G9? Thanks, Matti.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! I have focus stacking on my list.

[@ulfjonsson2122]

Nice video. I bougtht mine in 2010. swapped the hood with my 25/1,4. Itś a keeper / Regards Ulf

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@kenfowler8482]

You have just cost me a lot of money. Watched the video and then made the mistake of asking in local camera shop what lenses he had in for macro to fit my G9. Showed me this lens new and then fortunately mentioned he had a used one as well. Ended up buying that at much less than half the price of a new one, and it is in as new condition. Looking forward to some better weather to try it out. I anticipate only using it for macro as I have the Leica 12-60, so that covers the portrait length of 45mm, or would this produce better portraits as a fixed length lens?

[@mattisulanto]

My intention was not to make you buy this lens immediately after watching the video😀But you got one used for a good price. I hope you are happy with your new lens.

[@lesleo123]

The 60mm oly is better, not enough working distance on a 45mm. But the Laowa is even better... Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO use an adaptor, don't need AF for macro...make sublime.

[@mattisulanto]

The min working distance from the front element is almost the same on both the Oly 60mm and Leica 45mm, so that's hardly a deal breaker. The difference in min focusing distance is 4 cm, but Oly is about 2 cm longer, so the difference in the working distance is only about 2 cm. Not a big deal in the end.

[@mariusm2402]

Great video. Nice idea to test some old glass. I own the 60mm and especially during those "stay home days" it offers plenty of nice ideas to use at home. As a plus on olympus I see mainly the weather sealing and the slightly increased working distance which helps especially for insects. Not a huge difference but helpful. Plus on Panasonic 45mm is the slightly deeper depth of field due to the shorter lens. Although the 60mm is currently my most favorite lens... I consider changing to a shorter lens. The maximum aperture is not really an argument for the macro user, but as replacement of an e.g. 45 f1.x lens it does already a good job.

[@thextopic]

Goy 45mm in today I was so excited to to tested and teh results wer super I ma very happy with this lance I have my lumix G95it works beautiful

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks and good to hear the lens works for you.

[@garyrobinson8665]

Hi matti I have the olympus 45mm and I love the focal length. Is it worth buying this lens for general photography and some macro? I'm not a big fan of wide angle lens.

[@mattisulanto]

Yes, it’s a great lens for any photography😀

[@tapanituominen7866]

Some good, helpful comments and criteria on choosing a macro lens, thanks! However, it would have been nice to learn also how the quality of this lens compares to other m43 macro lenses currently available (2 from OM and the 30mm from Panasonic - is there anything else?).

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! Comparisons are great, but it's not always so easy get the lenses all at the same time. Maybe in the future some day.

[@cck9053]

May i ask what flash u used on those bug photos? I have a g9 and a 30mm macro but i don't know which macro flash to get. thanks.

[@mattisulanto]

Please, check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmrRgo2chZtjsNU

[@cck9053]

@@mattisulanto thanks!

[@adrianwhareham8921]

Hi Matti , I would have thought it was a prime lens , what makes it a telephoto lens ?

[@mattisulanto]

It's both, a prime and a telephoto. A prime lens is single focal length lens, like the opposite of a zoom. Telephoto is a lens longer than a standard lens, in MFT longer than 25mm.

[@adrianwhareham8921]

@@mattisulanto Thanks for the reply Matti .

[@louissapienza6628]

Matti, can you explain why the image color between my viewfinder and my lcd on my g9. Does something need adjusted?

[@mattisulanto]

Hard to say without seeing, but you can adjust the screen color in the settings. Try first resetting the camera to factory defaults and if that doesn't help, try adjusting the screen color.

[@hoggif]

I found 1:1 definition for macro really sucks after using 4x5" or 8x10" large cameras. Similarly 1:1 definition is not that good with smaller sensors (think sof something like 1/8" or 1/16" mobile phone sensors). Any meaning full definition should be related to subject size, not film/sensor. A similar size object photo being macro and not depending on equipment makes no sense, no matter how used the definition is. I'm still looking for a macro lens for my GH5. That lens is something I'll get sooner or later. It just is so difficult to choose between the 42.5/F1.7 and macro.. You can always use extension tubes but... Both 45 and 42.5 have stabilations that is a huge thing for handheld macro. Before using my canon 100mm stabilized macro I did not realize how big a deal that is!

[@mattisulanto]

I agree, the old 1:1 definition is a bit problematic today as are some other old "rules".

[@TUNGMaNX]

I just noticed that your profile picture is back. ^^

[@mattisulanto]

Yeah, it has been on and off, but now it's back again😀

[@chezruss]

I like your reviews but I couldn't help find the music incongruous in this one, with the lyrics " baby you can get on my bone and make me rock yes".. 7:41 un peu grossier

[@jacuswoczega9180]

Interesting focal length. 30mm is too short for some macro kind - 60mm is too long for dual use in portrait. 45mm is good middle of the road.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks for sharing your opinion.

[@kemerthomson]

How often has dpreview expressed real enthusiasm for any M43 body or lens? ... Not very often.

[@mattisulanto]

Granted, not too often.

[@louissapienza6628]

Sorry ... colors do not match.