Olympus 45mm Pro f/1.2 A Portrait Artist's Dream Lens

If you're visiting this blog you probably already know but it's important to note that I am an Olympus Visionary for Olympus Imaging America. Over the last few months, I've had the distinct pleasure of shooting with the 45mm f/1.2 Pro which is one of three brand new f/1.2 primes delivered with such perfection from Olympus. Call it a "triple threat", "holy trinity" or "trilogy", take your choice from the divine 45mm Pro f/1.2, 25mm Pro f/1.2 or the 17mm Pro f/1.2. There was nothing left out of these lenses! The 45mm Pro has the same build quality we've come to know and love from Olympus with a remarkable resemblance to the 25mm Pro f/1.2 in size. So much so, that I often confused them in my bag. Consistent with the Pro line of lenses from Olympus, the 45mm includes a manual focus ring and an L-fn button. The lens feels amazingly balanced on the EM-1 Mark II and pairs perfectly with or without the optional battery grip. With 14 elements in 10 groups the 45mm is a total knock out!

If you're reading and you know me and my work, I was completely open about my love of the 25mm Pro f/1.2. After adding that lens to my kit, I almost never took it off of my camera. My 25mm Pro now has a serious contender. The 45mm is the perfect focal distance for portraits! Killer in studio and outdoors, the 45mm has the most beautiful defocusing, flawlessly sharp at its maximum aperture of f/1.2 with delicious bokeh that is feathered to perfection. What else can I say? Olympus nailed it with the 25mm Pro f/1.2 and now the 45mm Pro f/1.2 is equally as exciting and trustworthy with gorgeous output and endless uses as a portrait artist. 

***All images shot with the Olympus EM-1 Mark II, Olympus 45mm Pro f./1.2., Profoto B-2 Location kit, Profoto TTL-O