Released in 2011 as one of the first dedicated portrait primes for Micro Four Thirds, the Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm F1.8 set a bar the system's lens lineup has been measured against ever since. At 90mm equivalent with an f/1.8 maximum aperture, it delivers the classic portrait framing and background separation photographers expect from a short telephoto — in a lens that weighs just 116 grams and costs a fraction of full-frame equivalents.
Reviewers have consistently ranked it among the sharpest lenses in the Micro Four Thirds catalog, even wide open, with fast and near-silent autofocus from its MSC motor system. It's since been outpaced on paper by pricier options, but its combination of size, speed, and price has kept it a standard recommendation for anyone picking up their first Micro Four Thirds body and wanting a portrait lens that punches well above its cost.
