Top Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses for Video
Designed for small cameras, Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lenses are best for travel photography and video shooting. Why? Well, most mirrorless cameras are compatible with MFT lenses. After spending weeks researching and testing, this is the list of top recommendations of MFT lenses for video, portraits, telephoto, macro and wide. The top best micro four thirds lenses for video should be:
- Compatible with Four Thirds DSLR camera system and any lens mount
- Within your budget ranges
- Lightweight for travel photography
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Got a Sony Alpha A7R III, Sony A7 III or Nikon Z6 or Z7? You’ll find that having the best lenses is essential in doing photography. All photographers can agree that it is the lenses that matter most when it comes to image quality. Today, even the entry level cameras, features cable imaging sensors and all you need is the right glass attached to produce stunning images.
Although most lenses can be used with the mirrorless camera, there are specific lenses that are designed for these particular cameras.
The lenses designed for mirrorless camera are lighter, smaller and can be focused more quickly than other lenses.
Why Should I Buy an MFT Lense?
- It’s much more affordable prices than DSLR equivalents, yet it delivers very high optical quality.
- It’s a very open system, which allows anyone to join. In this regard, there are cameras and lenses from a number of companies, all sharing the same lens mount.
- The Micro Four Thirds lenses give photographers a better choice than the interchangeable DSLR lenses.
- It’s very ideal for travel photographers who want to travel light.
- The best lenses for portraiture, street photography, or extreme closeups.
Olympus MFT lenses vs. Sigma MFT lenses
The MFT manufactured by Olympus is largely better known for its use in-body image stabilization (IBIS). There are more than 60 native micro 4/3 AF lenses from Olympus alone.
This simply means that any lens you use on an Olympus camera will be stabilized by default. In addition to this, Olympus has a great lineup of high-quality primes and zooms. However, the Olympus lenses don’t feature optical image stabilization.
For Panasonic lenses, most photographers usually get the best of both worlds for Micro Four Thirds lenses. The optical image stabilization (O.I.S.) usually performs much better than the IBIS feature. In this case, it comes with a price.
Panasonic lenses are usually heavier and larger than the Olympus’s ones.
Best Third-party Lenses from Sigma and Tamron
The MFT mount makes it easy and flexible for different lens adapters from manufacturers such as Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Leica, and Panavision.
There are great companies that produce MFT lenses, too. Lenses made by Schneider, Voigtländer, Tamron, Sigma, SLR Magic, and Mitakon also provide same functionality you’d get from first-party lenses.
To sum it up, if you’re shooting more videos, then you should consider the Panasonic glass lenses as they are tailored to video shooting.
Weight and bulk are now optional. For example, although the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K are small, but you don’t have to compromise the lack of a fine lens.
With the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, the Blackmagic chose to offer the MFT lens mount as on option for the camera, knowing the system and vast lens compatibility would be a great future benefit.
Still undecided about which is the top best micro four thirds lenses for video shooting? Buying an MFT lens is a long term investment. I hope that this review will guide most photographers, especially the beginners and budget conscious, get only the right, best MFT lenses.
Buying Guide: Digital Camera Lenses
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A List of Top 10 Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses for Video
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 7-14mm f/4 ASPH. Lens
This Panasonic lens is a very versatile wide zoom for Micro Four Thirds cameras, and offers a 14-28mm equivalent focal length. It’s a dream lens for most Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K owners. This Lumix’s widest lens offers super sharp for documentary footage. It’s best for shooting for landscape, nature, and architecture. For videographers who shoot a lot of landscapes, this lens is a must have.
- Focal Length 7 – 14mm
- Comparable 35mm Focal Length: 14 – 28 mm
- Lighter than a Sigma.
- The automatic focus is fantastic for YouTube videos
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R Lens
A great option for beginners, this lens from Olympus is best for portraiture and distant subjects alike. The Movie & Stills Compatible auto-focus system allows you to capture quick, quiet, and precise photo and video shooting. The in-body image stabilization is essential for shooting longer hand-held exposures without a tripod.
- Micro Four Thirds System
- 80-300mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/4-5.6 to f/22
- Great for travel
Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S. Lens
For photographers of the world who are looking for a telephoto lens. Developed in partnership with Leica is able to produce a high degree of clarity, sharpness, and color accuracy. This Panasonic lens comes with a 1.4x teleconverter.
- Micro Four Thirds System
- 400mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/22
- Splash, dust, and freeze-proof design
Handevision IBELUX 40mm f/0.85 Lens for Micro Four Thirds Mount
Designed mainly for Micro Four Thirds mount mirrorless digital cameras, this HandeVision IBELUX 40mm f/0.85 lens allow you to capture sharp imaging and minimal distortion throughout the aperture range.
- 80mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/0.85 to f/22
- Performs well even in difficult lighting conditions
Meyer-Optik Trioplan 50mm f2.9
This is not an auto-focus lens. It’s a manual focus lens, no matter what camera it is attached to. A universal M42 mount, you’ll need to buy FotodioX Pro Lens Mount Adapter for M42 Lens to Canon EF-Mount Camera. It produces strong colors and high central sharpness.
- 50mm f2.9
- Aperture Range: f/2.9 to f/22
- Classic Triplet Optical Design
- lightweight, durable aluminum alloy
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Micro Four Thirds
In the world of MFT, this is a third-party lens you can consider for its notable sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy from edge to edge.
- 32mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
- working in low-light condition
- weather-sealed, durable construction
Meike 35mm F1.7 Manual Focus Prime Lens
This is a good manual MFT lens for indoors, at nighttime or dark environment. It should be one of the must-have MFT lenses for most photographers. At f1.7, the lens is very fast and allows for a lot of depth of field. The quality of the glass itself is great.
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- Aperture range: f1.7-f22, minimum focus distance: 0.3m
- Weight: 176g
- Good values for the price
Rokinon Cine CV85M-MFT 85mm T1.5 Cine Aspherical Lens
The Rokinon lens gives you sharp shots even wide open. It’s solid build with metallic red accent ring. It’s ideal for photographers who do videography and portraiture. A better value for its price, the Rokinon Cine CV85M-MFT 85mm T1.5 Cine Aspherical Lens should be a must-have those who begin shooting videos and feature films.
- Aperture range t/1.5- t/22
- Not zoom-able
Samyang SY14M-E 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens
The Samyang lens works well without flares and ghost images. With this lens, you can get ultra-wide angle of view on both full frame and APS-C cameras. While the price is quite affordable, the only thing to know that it doesn’t have the auto focus feature.
- Built-in petal type hood
- Minimum focusing distance of only 0.9 ft.
Rokinon Xeen XN35-N 35mm T1.5 Professional Cine Lens for Nikon
Xeen is a new line of professional cine lense by Rokinon. It’s compatible with full frame cameras and are available Canon EF, Nikon, Sony FE, Micro Four Thirds, and PL mounts. The aluminum body offers extra durability for this expensive lens.
- Size: 35mm
- Metal body makes it very durable
The Best Lenses for Mirrorless Camera
Lens selection has been the biggest challenge when it comes to a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC). Lighter, compact, faster and better for video, the mirrorless camera is ideal for most travel photographers.
To help most beginners, I narrow down a selection of the best lenses for mirrorless cameras you can buy.
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Olympus M Zuiko ED 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II
The 14-150 mm Olympus M Zuiko ED model is micro Four thirds system camera with a wide range zoom capability and provides a 28-300mm equivalent focal-length capability. When mounted on the camera, the lens is stabilized by the camera’s stabilization system. This will help to compensate for the movement in different focal lengths.
The manual focus offers responsive and precise operations. The MFT camera also meet the telecentric requirements as the light rays from the lens strikes the imaging sensor at almost perpendicular angle to the sensor. This will help to optimize edge-to-edge image production.
- Compatible with all MFT standard systems
- Focusing mechanism for quiet and fast autofocus
FUJINON-XF90MM -F/2 LENS
The FUJINO-XF90MM lens model features Fast-Aperture Optic that helps to achieve ultra-sharp images and strong bokeh. It combines rounded aperture blades and optical construction reduces vignetting and creates a beautiful circular bokeh at the edge of the image.
Most of my friends in photography community have rated this lens model for its high motor speed, accuracy and quietness. High focus speed help to achieve high versatile shooting experience.
- Wide aperture of F2.0 for sharp, quality photos
- Quad linear motor for high-speed autofocus of as fast as 0.14 sec
Panasonic Lumix G-X Vario (12-35 mm F/2.8 ASPH)
The G-X Vario model of Panasonic Lumix is the leading in the lenses designed for digital and interchangeable and Zoom lenses category. With a G VARION constant and F 2.8 Zoom capabilities, you can focus on different scenes ranging from dynamic landscapes to studio lit portraits.
The interchangeable lens of LUMIX G-X VARIO include interchangeable are designed to include 14 elements that help to achieve advance focusing in different situations.
- Nano surface coating to minimize flares, glares and ghosting
- Includes Power O.I.S to minimize Blur
- Compact, light and durable
Pansonic LUMIX -G Leica-DG Nocticron (42.5 mm/ F1.2)
This model of Panasonic LIMIX is a Micro four Thirds system designed to offer a focal length of 35MM, which is equivalent of 85 mm with a fast aperture of F 1.2 making it one of the most preferred lens for portraits.
Most reviewers say that the DG Nocticron has a sharp and lovely boker. It is rated one of the best portrait lens in the Micro four thirds system class as it produce amazing razing results.
- Includes Power I.O.S. to stabilize the optical images
- Work with the new Panasonic dual optimization features
Olympus M-Zuiko Digital ED 300 MM F/4 PPRO Lens
The Olympus M-Zuiko model is one of the best M4 3 lens for telephoto. According to reviewers in Amazon, the 300 MM lens are compatible with Panasonic Lumix GX8 and is designed to have a short focusing distance of about 4.5 feet which a rear feature. It includes functional built-in lens-foot, which eliminated the need for the costly lens plate.
- Lighter than the 600MM F4 lens
- Metal construction for sharper and contrast photos
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Fujifilm-XF 55-200mm F 3.5-4.8
The Fujifilm FX 55-200mm is compact telephoto zoom lens designed to achieve between 84-350 mm equivalent focal-length. It also features an aspheric element and 2 ED elements as well as super ED elements, which help to reduce chromatic aberration and maximize sharpness.
The lenses are also designed to include 7 rounded bladed diaphragms to help reduce for the need of ghosting and flare.
It also comes with aperture ring with 1.3-EV click stop for precise MF control.
- Built-in optical image stabilization
- A focal focus of 3.6 feet at all lengths
- Impressive telephoto magnification of up to 0.18X
The Panasonic –Leica 12MM F1.4
This is one of the modern lenses on the market and is now available in a pr-production version but is Amazing. It offers the widest angle lens on the Panasonic family. Although it is available at a higher cost like other lenses with Leica brand, it is actually of that value.
- The 12 mm Summilux has a 24 equivalent focal length on a M4 3 Camera
- Compact size of 12 ounce
- Study build and design
- Supreme optical performance with a high speed aperture of F/1.4
Fujinon XF 16 mm F/1.4 WR Lens
This model of Fujino XF is designed for those who want a super wide-angle lens. This model of lens is well built, but is significantly larger than most modern lenses. It has a high-speed autofocus of up to 0.11 sec.
Moreover, it features GI coating that help to achieve high quality image.
- Sharp images and is sharp even when it is wide open
- All-weather and dust resistant
Lens-baby Velvet 56 MM F /1.6
This is a 56 mm prime lens that employs unique 4-element in three group single doublet singlet to deliver high quality images.
It is one of the unique lenses that are able to achieve sharp images at the widest apertures.
- A 84 mm focal length equivalent on a APS format and 112 mm focal length on MFT camera
Tamron 18 – 200 mm F/3. 5 –F/6.3 Lens
This is a lightweight extended range lens design for telephoto zoom that provide an effective focal length of up to 28-300 mm when used with APS mirrorless cameras. It is designed for a minimum distance focus of up to 1.5 feet in all range.
- Stepping motor for a quicker and quite precision
- Contrast detect capability
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