Battle of the Bokeh: Olympus 45mm Pro vs 75mm 1.8 Premium
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- So I had a hard time narrowing down the name for this one but the gist is that I get quite a few questions about which Olympus lens gives the best shallow depth of field and this is my attempt to answer that question. The two lenses I'm looking at in this video are the Olympus 45mm f1.2 Pro and the Olympus 75mm f1.8 Premium. In the end I think they both have strengths and I'm very glad to have them both in my bag.
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The desired degree of interaction with your subject is a crucial aspect in selecting a portrait lens. As a professional photographer, I find the 45mm lens is better for working with people as "posed" models, such as the bride and groom where I need direct communication and interaction with the subject. Whereas, for less intrusive -- shall I say candid -- portraiture, such as guests at a wedding, then the 75mm retains that space between me and the subject, enabling me to capture more natural (as vs posed) images. That's how I'd sum up when and where I'd use each lens.
Rick Bear
Great points Rick, Rich
Instablaster.
Sounds a very true comment.
The 75 is rendering the portrait more dramatic and in focus than the 45. It is pulling the viewer closer to the main attraction in the picture by the compression rendered by the lens. I have both and love using the 1,2 in low light, whereas the 75 gives me more freedom as to giving the subject more freedom to forget that the camera is there.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
If someone can’t decide, there is an option in between: the Sigma 56mm/1.4. That is also very sharp wide open and features a very nice bokeh. And it is quite affordable.
I don’t understand why people don’t talk about this lens. The Sigma 56mm is very very comparable to any mft portrait lens.
Fantastic review. I didn't really realize the huge difference between depth of field and compression until I watched this. This has been really helpful and informative for me. Please keep up these videos. They are very very helpful! I am deciding between these two lenses. I think this has made my choice much easier. Thanks!
I own the 75 and it never disappoints. I use it for in door sports, event photography, and a travel lens. For travel sometimes I’ll take the 12, 17, and the 75 with the EM5 or Pen F. I’m never disappointed with the results or wish I had a bigger system.
Thank you for comparing these two lenses in a way that makes every bit of sense. I really like that you take the same framing every time; that is exactly what one needs to see. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Great review Joseph. I'm in the UK and can purchase the 75 f1.8 AND the 45 f1.8 for less money than the 45 f1.2. I think this represents better value and more versatility for my style of shooting. Keep up the great work :-)
Thanks Joseph, I have and love them both. But whenever the space allows me I prefer the 75mm for its compression.
Been a Panasonic shooter but after watching your videos I have already bought oly 40-150 f2.8 pro and now have ordered 45mm f1.2 pro.. What do you want man?.. Ain't got no more money to spend on 75mm f1.8..but seriously speaking oly pro line is the best thing that has happened to mft systems. I am selling my 12-60 leica and 25mm f1.4 leica immediately to buy 75mm 1.8
Did you get it ?
What camera do you use
It's ironic that the lens that is better suited to working indoors is the one that has weather sealing.
Spot on Joseph! Your video really does an excellent comparison of both of these excellent lenses.
I just bought the 45mm pro. Haven't got it yet. It will be in my hands after this weekend. I had to be reassured with the buy - it is some amount of cash. Now I have seen a few of your very fine reviews and comparisons, and I am sure to be satisfied. Thank you!
7:45 A close call but I think I prefer the photo with the 45mm. He looks like he's leaning forward a bit in that one and the background context is better for me. In the 75 one he looks a little more flat 2D ish.
I have the 45mm 1.8 and the 75mm 1.8. After buying the 75mm I never shoot with the 45mm anymore because I much prefer the 75mm focal length for portraits. I shoot outdoors with no studio so space is a non issue. If I need more room I prefer to drop down to the 25mm 1.8.
I upgraded from the kit lens to a very good 2nd hand 25/1.8 lens. As the results were great I thought about buying a 45/1.8. Thanks to your comment I will scrap this plan and save for the 75/1.8 instead. Thanks!
Will be interesting to see full body portraits the same way as I think that's one of the biggest struggle of m43
Why the struggle? Crop sensor crops people too?
@@dayeah765caoni3 haha not really, but it's a lot harder to get a shallower depth of field, far away from a full body subject subject with most NON telephoto lenses, or super fast primes on M43
Nicely done thanks! For me the 75 for head shots and 45 for half length and full length are also strengths as the subject looks more "natural" done this way. The 75 for half length and longer seems to "flatten" too much. But if background is tight for pleasant looking options it is good as you can be more "selective" with how much background shows in the angle of view. Both are great lenses and really complement each other.
bpcs63 I was hoping someone would comment on the subject flattening - thank you 🙏
Joseph, OMG ! I was looking for last two months for this review. Well, long story short on Friday I got the 45/1.2 , but Olympus representative was nice to me and let me go back and forth several times and try both of them. ( In Boston we had a small photo show with all major reps. )
I know myself , ... and sooner or later I will get the 75/1.8 also , just because of the size and the compression. One small think, I think that the 45/1.2 has more macro capability.
Anyway, great video, Thank you ...
Libor K yes both lenses are great I think I might do a slide show of these photos I’ve taken with these lenses I own both and believe they are two of the best options for prime microfourthirds.
I just got the 75mm. It was the dream lens and so much praise about it even now but it was $900 but then the Gods heard my cry and BH and Olympus website were having a 33% discount. Trying to save money, but don't know if this deal was ever going to happen again, so I had to take this opportunity. This video was really great helping me see the comparisons and love that extra compression from the 75mm field of view. Thank you, Joseph for a well explained comparison!
Thanks for this! I really look forward to your videos and find a lot of value in hearing about your experiences. It keeps me coming back to the craft. Keep them coming! :)
I would love to see video and review from you about the 20mm f1.4! And the Wow Camera will probably arrive in the next months! We are missing your videos! :)
I have the 75mm and love it. Very interested in the 45mm because the 75mm can be to long at times. Great video and great channel.
Thank you. The comp pushed me toward the lower compression 45 as I prefer the more environmental look.
Good candidates for comparison. Two titans and I have not really seen videos doing a comparison of these two ….
Thanks a lot Joseph, I love you scientifically precise comarisions and clear explanations! Congrat from Europa, Hungary, Budapest
A superb comparison. 75/1.8 all the way for me. At the 45 lengthn I have had the Leica macro since it became available in 2009. I also have the Leica 42.5/1.2 and Sigma 56/1.4, so have never needed the Oy 45/1.2. We are spoiled for choice in the MFT universe.
I think I like the compression of the 75mm better. The background is less distracting (meaning less present) and the subject can really shine.
Great videos your make!! I'm waiting for my EM1 M2 to arrive from B&H. I noticed that the 45mm was crisper in the lacework of your daughter, but the zipper was slightly out of focus on the right side of your son's hand...also on the 45. Unless it's just an illusion. I'd prefer the 45 because it doesn't crunch the background so much, but for sure, it depends on the look your searching for. Wonderful lessons you provide.
TY Joseph Ellis. Great video. Are you still posting these over in the OM-D Education group on FB? If not please do. If you aren't comfortable due to group guidelines, I will be happy to post. Great practical visual comparisons.
I have both of these lenses on my GH5 and will not leave my home without these Beautiful portrait lens. Can’t go wrong with these two.
45mm working well on gh5?
Is3 it works amazingly good with my gh5. Ima new photographer also new to Instagram which I post pictures on The last few of my photos post were taken with a 45 1.2 @mike_perspective check them out if interested.
Mikes_ Perspective hey i am looking for 3 primes for my gh5 in budget for short films ..could yu pls help me.
Raghav Nikhil I’ve used the lumix 42.5 f1.7 prime for video and it’s works great because you get dual image stabilization which is also good for handheld and it produces great bokeh and cinematic image quality. And it’s $400 bucks sometimes cheaper. But the best lens for short film I would recommend the sigma 18-35 f1.8 lens for canon Ef mount with the metabones speedbooster 0.71x adapter you get an equivalence of 24-50 with those two. best lens for video hands down. Sigma lens $800 adapter $650
Raghav Nikhil I recently did a video behind the scenes cinematic short video on my channel check it out wenever you have time. I think im also gonna share tips and tricks for the gh5 on my channel which I also wanna answer some questions that haven’t been answered yet by other youtubers 👍🏽
Thanks Joseph. I just saw your video. Personally, it would be interesting to have another picture for the 45mm f1.8.
Thank you. That was a fine job. The only deduction I could not follow was at the picture of the girl, where you did see the better bokeh at the 45 mm. I found the 75 better. But in general - really - there is no big difference in quality. I will buy the 75 because it is only half the price.
Wow! Beautiful imaging. Clients will indeed love the 75mm rendering more. But for photographer, the pro lens for it's sealing and versatility will be appreciated. Both produce fantastic results. Has the light gathering due to aperture been a decisive factor in your shoots with these 2? Hope you're still enjoying these.
Imagine if they made a 75mm 1.2!
Thanks, I've just got a 45 second hand. Your son is a real character!
Thanks for the comparison! This is exactly what I needed. The other big value, at least for me, is that the used price on the 75 in good shape is 400-500, and the 45 pro is almost double. So really, even indoors, I’m just trading some working distance for an excellent look at half the price 😂🤷♂️ I cant wait to try mine out
I found the 75 for capturing details is significantly less capable due to firstly focal range and intrinsic quality of glass.
Fantastic review! Right to major points.
Great comparison! Thanks.
Thanks Joseph, really interesting. I have the 45mm 1.8 and it is my longest lens at present, I was thinking about the 75mm as I want something longer for a travel / street lens but am not really sure I want a 40-100 / 35-150 zoom set up. I like that a lot of your review is the images and talking around the lens and the image. Pete
This was really useful for me because I already have the 75mm and I’ve been trying to see what the 45mm pro might offer my portraits. The ability to create similar dof at a shorter working distance is pretty useful!
Same here. I have the 25 1.2 and the 75, so the 45 would fill that space between nicely. The question for me is whether I really need a 45, given the 25 and 75.
Couldn't leave a mint 75mm for AUD$400...bargain! Will use the 12-40 for my other needs, but could be tempted with the 25/1.2 pro or PanLeica 25/1.4 ii
Thanks Joseph for your m43 up-to-date gear reviews and posts. Super helpful for those of us that are looking to buy the latest and greatest. I have the 75 and love it.
I've had the 75 for almost a year now and it is easily my favourite portrait lens! I did just buy the 45 f1.2, havent had a good chance to try it yet, but if these images are anything to go off, I am very excited!
9:57 Oh. The 75mm is better for girls. The 45 better for the boys!🤣
The 45 looks sharper with more contrast & Micro Contrast over the 75 IMO
Awesome. Thank you for info, really helpful.
I just wondered ! Thanks!!
thank you for the effort and the sharing. i am hoping to use the 75mm as a tele for the street. thumbs up.
great comparison, and very useful. Thanks.
I would have your son standing and done vertical portraita and stopped down to get the sky-scrapers as part of the shot, I did this at battery park with Statue of Liberty, friend was sitting/lying on the grass and statue was in the background, the compression made statue big enough to pull of the shot, did the same with Eiffel Tower...Use f2.5-f3 with the 75mm, also try it on full body portraits, outside you have the space...
I love pro lens and I Have 25mm and 12-40. The next that I want is the 17 1 2. I think 45 1.2 is fantastic lens but 75mm I hope is very good for compression that I want in my photography (I Have 45 1.8 is good but compression is not what I want). But for portrait?
Great Video, I was asking my self which one to buy for some time now, but without the chance to use them at one time... so you helped me a lot. Thank you.
Maybe this is an idea for another video. Ultrawide or stitching or 7-14 vs 12-40 in portrait orientation with a Panorama of 3 or more. Is the result the same or does the 12mm compress the background here as well.
I have the LOWA 7.5mm f2, that's a great compact ultra wide lens.
Is that 75mm f1.8 a good choice for night sky photography?
Intro is so awesome.
Hi jose Do you think it is better to go for the olympus 25mm, 45mm and 75mm or the Sigma 30, 60 and 2.8? I have the olympus 12-100 pro, the 17mm olympus and the 8mm fisheye but I think that one of these is better for bokeh. Or is it better to go for 1.2 olympus or 1.8 Sigma from year to year to complete? Thank you
Thanks a lot for the video, Joe. I was think about getting one of them and was leaning towards the 75mm because I thought that with the additional reach you would get an even shallower depth of field. I‘m completely surprised by your tests and that the 45mm actually has slightly more background blur. Now definitely settled for the 45mm, because I like the focal length much more. Also I think it has way nicer color reproduction.
Keep the mFt videos coming!
also 45mm pro has better skin tone
OOF by lens compression is handy to wash out backgrounds but i think the heads start looking flatter and wider as you get closer with the 75. in all the comparisons i found the 45 to render heads in a more pleasing manner, and this can be more of an issue when shooting females :-)
- in my opinion, the bokeh is too similar to debate, but i am cautious when i get in close for head shots; especially when the head is squared and on-axis to my lens
TX for posting !
Thank you. I'm new to M 4/3 cameras so appreciate the comparison. Is it possible to get decent bokeh with the Olympus 45mm f1.8 or one of my Canon lenses with an adaptor?
Bokeh is not as good as the f1.2 but 45 is a great lens. It's tiny. What camera did you buy? If you bought Olympus, definitely try a used 45 f1.8 from KEH or MPB.. other option could be Sigma 56 f1.4 if you have an OMD. For pen go for 45 F1.8....
what would it look like full body comparison
Now I understand why they call it ironed face with longer focal length, 45 mm hands down, look at your son's natural contour of his face and look how distorted it is in the 75mm, that being said it may work like a charm for a chubby bride on a wedding shoot and she may prefer the 75..... :)
Can the 75mm be used wide open without a loss of sharpness, or do you really need to stop it down? Have you tried the Sigma 56mm f1.4 as a middle ground between them?
No need to stop that lens down, it’s ridiculously sharp wide open. I haven’t tried the 56 because I have the 45mm 1.2 but I will say the 75mm is very telephoto for a lot of applications so that might be a good compromise.
I could imagine the 45/1.2 gather not much more light. Because of the high amount of lenses and complexity, the transmission (T-Stop) could be close to the 75.
What was the difference in distance to the subject to achieve the same framing of the subject?
8:49
I still don't understand why the 75mm isn't in pro version 🤔 or at least build weather sealed, since it is the only 75mm.
I use it for nature and real street photography 😊 I just wish I had it march last year, because I hate people in the streets.!
Very nice video
You can get the 75 used for around 400 USD. Major bargain
75mm 1.8 vs 45mm 1.8?
Yoko Kurama 45 wins for value and size
When you're shooting a Bride inside of a hotel room with the 75mm, you want to tear down the walls to have more space. :) I'm sure they're pretty similar, I have the Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 and they look very similar with the results as well.
The 45mm photos are significantly brighter.
Great job, I still haven't idea which buy... For kids in park, maybe 75mm
Well just my 2 cents but if it’s kids portraits I’d still lean towards the 45mm because you won’t have to be so far away when you’re directing. If it’s kids playing I’m going zoom or 17mm and get close.
Battle of the Bokeh is good!!
The 75mm is too slow for basket. The 45mm May be faster for sport and give you few extra light.
Roman Geber The autofocus is no such fast as the 45mm 1.8 fir soirt. There is a kind if hesitation.
45 for sports? It is only a light telephoto lens. Book a front row seat.
Thx for interesting comparison. (offtopic- when you americans finally convert to metric system completely and not talking milimetres and feet in one sentence, the world will be a better place:)