OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO 45mm

The Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO is a bokeh monster for MFT portrait shooters, with a lens speed in the absolute top tier. But middling optics and zero stabilization hold it back from being a true all-rounder. If you can snag it near $1,070, it's a solid buy for shallow DOF addicts; otherwise, skip it.

Aperture and bokeh are this lens's identity, and the numbers back it up: the f/1.2 max opening sits in the 97th percentile, one of the brightest primes you can buy for the mount. Bokeh quality lands in the 93rd percentile, delivering smooth, buttery backgrounds that melt away distractions. But the sharpness story is different. Our database shows optical quality in the 16th percentile, which means fine detail can look soft compared to slower, cheaper glass. Autofocus is merely average, and with no built-in stabilization, you'll lean heavily on your camera's IBIS if you're shooting handheld in dim light.

The listed competitors are all over the map, from ultra-wide APS-C zooms to full-frame workhorses. This Olympus stands out as a dedicated portrait prime, something you won't find in the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 or the Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS. If shallow depth of field is your obsession, the 45mm f/1.2 does what those wider zooms can't dream of. The Tamron 28-300mm and Nikon 17-28mm f/2.8 bring flexibility and range, but neither can touch the f/1.2 look. The Panasonic Leica 12-35mm f/2.8 is a solid everyday zoom, yet it's a different animal entirely. It's a trade-off between specialized magic and everyday usefulness.

The price range we saw is a mess: one retailer lists it around $1,070, another at a laughable $261,865. Obviously, the real value is at the low end, and if you can grab it from Newegg for a grand, you're getting a specialized portrait tool with best-in-class bokeh for the system. Spend much more than that, and you're overpaying for a lens that doesn't deliver the overall polish a 'PRO' badge suggests.

Olympus built this 45mm f/1.2 PRO exclusively for portrait junkies on Micro Four Thirds. It's a 90mm full-frame equivalent lens that opens up to a massive f/1.2, which is the main event here. You're getting some of the creamiest bokeh we've seen on the system, period.

But it's a one-trick pony. If you're not shooting tight headshots or shallow focus close-ups, the lens stumbles. It's not weather-sealed, there's no stabilization, and the raw optical sharpness isn't going to wow pixel-peepers. For the right shooter, though, that bokeh might be enough to forgive everything else.

Landscape and video shooters should look elsewhere; the optical sharpness across the frame is disappointing and the lack of stabilization hurts handheld work. If you're on a tighter budget, the autofocus and build quality are nothing special, and you can get better all-around performance from cheaper f/1.8 or f/1.4 options in the system.

Buy this if you're a Micro Four Thirds portrait photographer who lives for dreamy, shallow-focus images and already owns a body with solid in-body stabilization. It's not a general-purpose lens, not a landscape lens, and certainly not a video rig. For the right photographer, the bokeh is intoxicating enough to justify the quirks.