List of Micro 4/3 or MFT lenses

Following the other articles on various other brands’ lenses, I tackle now a bigger subject: lenses for the Micro 4/3 mount, also known as MFT, m4/3 or μ4/3. This mount, released in August 2008, is mainly used today by two brands: Panasonic (“G” range) and Olympus, on these digital cameras with interchangeable lenses – the mirrorless cameras. Also, this type of body is equipped with a 13 x 17.3mm sensor, half the size of a full-frame sensor (24x26mm).

This page gathers all the native lenses of both brands (Panasonic / Olympus) but also a large number of third-party brands’ lenses, including ones with autofocus as well as manual focus.

The G1 from Panasonic and the E-P1 and E-P2 were the first cameras equipped in this m4/3 mount. Since then, both brands have released several generations of cameras. It would be useless to detail all the old cameras, so here are the most recent ones of each brand:

I have only mentioned the recent bodies above, from 2018, so that you can easily still find it for sale somewhere.

If you want to know more and learn more about these different cameras, I wrote a comprehensive guide that includes all the latest Micro 4/3 cameras.

Without using special adapter rings, you will not be able to attach lenses of other brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc.) to a Micro 4/3 mount body. By the way, I will also spend some time searching the web for the best adaptor rings, this could be a useful article to write for sure.

A little reminder about the focal length. You will find in the tables below the names “wide angle, ultra-wide angle, standard or telephoto lens”. Even if a focal length of 100mm remains always a focal length of 100mm (it never changes), it is indeed the size of the sensor on which you will place your lens that will vary the field of view you will get in your viewfinder. Also, knowing that the m4/3 sensor is half the size of a Full Frame sensor (24x36mm – the universal reference), it is necessary to take into account this “conversion of focal length”. Thus, a 35mm on a micro 4/3 body will give a viewing angle of a 70mm on a full frame body, which I already consider as a “small” telephoto lens.

If you wish to go further than this “simple listing” of optics for the Micro 4/3 mount, you can also read our article on the best m4/3 lenses. We’ve detailed what we consider being the best and most suitable for each type of photography (portrait, landscape, etc.) and for every kind of focal length (telephoto, macro, etc.), and we’ve explained why.

Finally, below each table, I’ll try to guide you and give you my point of view on the choice of lenses for each brand. Also, feel free to tell me if you think I have forgotten third-party lenses or brands deserving to be in this page.

You can sort all the tables below according to the desired characteristics: focal length, maximum aperture, filters diameter, etc.

As for all the other native brands, I wanted to dissociate the lenses by type of focal length:

1. Wide angle (WA) and ultra-wide angle (UWA): focal lengths less than 10mm (UWA) and from 10mm to 17mm (WA): Olympus / Panasonic
2. Standard focal lengths: from 17mm to 35mm: Olympus / Panasonic
3. Telephoto lenses: focal lengths beyond 35mm: Olympus / Panasonic
4. Macro lenses: for macro photography: Olympus / Panasonic

Olympus has a wide range of entry-level, premium and pro lenses. I personally find it much easier to understand the Olympus range than the Panasonic range. In most cases, Olympus lenses are not stabilized but they often take advantage of the stabilizer integrated with the body (noted SWD-IS).

In 2021, Olympus changed its name and the lenses available are now under the name OM System. I will list all these lenses in a separate table.

If you’re a photographer looking for a wide angle of view to capture and shoot landscapes, architecture or indoor photography, choosing a wide-angle lens should be your priority. With Olympus, you have access to two wide-angle zooms as well as several fixed focal lengths (prime lens).

For anyone looking to take pictures of everyday life, then standard lenses are ideal. You’ll find for example very versatile ones – pretty useful when traveling, if you don’t want to bother with many different lenses. Between us, if this is the case, you can have a look at expert compact cameras, offering great bodies with a reduced weight and size, and for a quality that can be excellent.

If you’re looking for a long focal length, for example for wildlife photography or shooting details from afar, Olympus offers a very interesting range of lenses, from entry-level to professional ones. You’ll of course have to remember the focal length equivalent to the full frame: a 200mm on a m4/3 sensor matching a 400mm on a large sensor such as the 24x36mm, enough to already shoot wildlife or birds.

If you’re looking for a telephoto lens for your Micro 4/3 camera, we’ve just published a comprehensive review of the Olympus M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 ED. This is a unique and very interesting lens for outdoor portrait photography in this format.

If you are looking for a macro lens within the native brands, you won’t have too much choice. Indeed, Olympus offers only two prime lenses – just like Panasonic does. You’ll have to turn to third-party brands to be a little more spoiled: there is for example the Laowa 50mm f/2.8 2X Ultra-Macro, the Samyang 100mm f/2.8 ED UMC Macro or, if your budget is really tight, the 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Macro 1x. I’ll tell you more about it later on.

We have since written an article on the best Micro 4/3 macro lenses (especially Olympus/OM System/Panasonic).

Let’s now move on to the Panasonic lens range. As a reminder, at Panasonic, the acronym O.I.S. means that the lens is stabilized.

Panasonic’s range of Micro 4/3 wide-angle lenses offers a variety of options from 7mm to 25mm (for zooms). There are zooms such as the 7-14mm f/4 and 8-18mm f/2.8-4, ideal for their versatility, and bright prime lenses such as the 9mm f/1.7 and 12mm f/1.4. Higher-end models such as the 10-25mm f/1.7 offer excellent optical quality but at a higher price (and weight), while more affordable alternatives such as the 14mm f/2.5 are light and affordable.

To go further, we reviewed the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 ASPH, a very good lens for street photography !

Panasonic has a huge range of standard Micro 4/3 lenses, from the compact and affordable 12-60mm to high-powered zoom lenses such as the 12-35mm f/2.8 or 12-60mm f/2.8-4, offering versatility and optical quality. If you’re looking for more flexibility, the 14-140mm is an interesting choice, ideal for travel and for shooting in a variety of situations in general. In terms of prime lenses, the 15mm f/1.7, 20mm f/1.7 or 25mm f/1.4 are compact and have a wide aperture, perfect for capturing bright images with a nice background blur (e.g. for portraits).

To suit different needs and budgets, Panasonic offers a wide range of telephoto lenses for the Micro 4/3 mount. These include inexpensive, compact models such as the 35-100mm f/4-5.6, perfect for beginners, and brighter (and therefore high-end) versions such as the 35-100mm f/2.8, which offers a constant f/2.8 aperture. If you’re looking for more versatility, the 45-150mm, 45-175mm and 45-200mm offer a good compromise between reach and size, all at a reasonable price. The 50-200mm f/2.8-4 offers top optical quality and a wide aperture, ideal for portraits and action shots.

For wildlife and sports photography, long focal lengths such as the 100-300mm f/4-5.6 and 100-400mm f/4-6.3 allow you to reach distant subjects while remaining relatively light (under a kilo) for this type of lens. Finally, the 200mm f/2.8 is the top of the range, with an ultra-bright aperture and exceptional image quality, perfect for capturing low-light scenes with excellent background blur (but at an obvious price…).

We recently published a full review of the Panasonic Lumix G 42.5mm f/1.7 ASPH Power OIS, a great affordable lens for portraiture.

Panasonic only offers two macro lenses in Micro 4/3 mount: the compact and affordable 30mm f/2.8, ideal for beginners, and the more upmarket 45mm f/2.8, which offers a longer working distance and optical stabilisation.

Since the sale of Olympus in 2020 to OM Digital Solutions Corporation, we had no news. Now, new lenses will be called OM System (compression of the word Olympus and Maitani, name of the designer of Olympus cameras who has influenced the history of the brand).

You will find below a table introducing the new lenses of this brand.

OM System offers a small but varied range of Micro 4/3 wide-angle lenses, from the compact and affordable 9mm f/8 to more advanced models such as the 8-25mm f/4 PRO, which offers great versatility with its focal length range. Creative effects enthusiasts will appreciate the 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO, which is ultra-bright and offers a wide angle of view, while the lightweight and practical 9-18mm f/4-5.6 is a good option for photographers on the move without breaking the bank.

The OM System’s range of standard zooms and prime lenses is becoming increasingly interesting. The 12-40mm f/2.8 and 12-45mm f/4 PRO offer a good balance between versatility and optical quality, while the 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO features an ultra-versatile zoom (24-200mm equivalent full frame) and built-in image stabilisation. For those looking for a bright, fixed focal length, the 20mm f/1.4 and 25mm f/1.2 PRO offer superb background blur, ideal for portraits, with the angle of view of a classic 50mm full-frame lens.

The OM System offers a wide range of telephoto lenses in Micro 4/3 mount, with versatile zooms and bright fixed focal lengths. The 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R is a lightweight, affordable option, while the f/4 PRO and f/2.8 PRO versions offer better image quality and more robust construction (at a higher price). When it comes to ‘zooming out’, the 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 and 100-400mm f/5-6.3 IS allow you to capture distant subjects – perfect for wildlife or sports photography – without breaking the bank.

At the fixed focal length end, the 45mm f/1.2 PRO and 75mm f/1.8 are ideal for portraits with beautiful background blur thanks to their wide aperture. For demanding photographers, the 150-400mm f/4.5 TC 1.25 IS PRO and 150-600mm f/5-6.3 IS push the boundaries with a very long focal length, ideal for capturing precise details at great distances.

The current selection is more than limited, with more to come.

Below is a list of the main third-party brands that offer lenses for the Micro 4/3 mount. As far as I know, there are only a few brands that offer autofocus lenses: Tamron, Sigma and Yongnuo. All other lenses are manual focus.

Unless I’m mistaken, Tamron offers only one versatile standard zoom lens that will be equally well suited for portrait, landscape, detail photography – in short, a zoom lens with a very wide focal range. Equivalent to a 28-300mm full frame lens, tests show that this lens has a rather good reputation in this range. Obviously, low light situations will be more difficult to manage considering the sliding apertures offered, especially at full zoom.

Sigma offers very nice and interesting optics, which certainly compete with Olympus and Panasonic lenses thanks to their lower cost. At Sigma, you will find the reference “DC DN” reminding you that the optics are adapted to the APS-C and Micro 4/3 mirrorless cameras. There are three very well-known large aperture lenses (f/1.4) at Sigma: the 16mm, 30mm and 56mm.

You will still find (but not so easily anymore) two long focal length lenses at Tokina. My point of view? You can go on your way!

Laowa offers a very interesting range of Micro 4/3 lenses with ultra-bright and specialised optics. Wide-angle enthusiasts will love the 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye and the 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D, perfect for extreme perspectives without distortion. For fans of bokeh and shallow depth of field (portraits, of course!), the 18mm f/0.95 Argus and 25mm f/0.95 Argus APO offer an exceptional aperture. Finally, the 50mm f/2.8 Ultra-Macro offers a 2:1 magnification for capturing impressive detail.

The Mitakon Zhongyi lens range includes lenses (all manual focus) from 17mm to 85mm with maximum apertures from f/0.95 to f/2.8. These lenses are particularly bright, making them ideal for low-light photography and for blurring backgrounds, as well as offering macro options.

Samyang (MF) lenses for Micro 4/3 range from 7.5mm to 300mm. Whether you’re looking for fisheye, wide angle or telephoto, you’ll find options to suit your style and budget. Although not new, these lenses are often appreciated for their value for money and robustness.

Voigtländer lenses for Micro 4/3 are characterised by their exceptional quality and very large apertures, ranging from f/0.8 to f/0.95 (which is pretty crazy). With focal lengths ranging from 10.5mm to 60mm, these lenses are ideal for capturing images with excellent background blur and depth of field (ideal for low-light, night-time and portrait photography). Made from metal with a stylish design, these lenses are popular with photographers who want to combine performance with style.

7Artisans lenses for Micro 4/3, a Chinese brand, offer a wide range of lenses (from 4mm to 60mm) at a reduced price, perfect for those who want to discover photography without breaking the bank. Although their quality is often considered average (or worse, haha), these lenses are ideal for experimenting with different focal lengths and styles, from fisheye to macro. Their wide apertures allow you to explore creative effects.

Meike Micro 4/3 lenses offer a wide range of lenses at very low prices, perfect for those who want to try out certain focal lengths without spending too much. Although their quality is often considered average, these lenses allow you to try different focal lengths and styles, from fisheye to wide angle.