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Buying Guide: The Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses for 2020

How to Choose the Right Lens

The First Modern Mirrorless System

Mirrorless cameras were originally developed as lightweight alternatives to SLRs. By eliminating the optical viewfinder and mirror box, and instead using the sensor for a Live View feed and direct autofocus, you can engineer a smaller camera. And because lens designs don't have to be quite as complex, lenses (especially wide-angle optics) can be smaller as well.

Micro Four Thirds is the first modern digital mirrorless camera system, making its debut in late 2008. Because of its long history, open design, and support from multiple manufacturers, it has the largest library of cameras and lenses available of any system.

Olympus and Panasonic are the names most associated with Micro Four Thirds, but other manufactuers have made compatible cameras. BlackMagic leverages the standard for video cameras, DJI and Yuneec use it for drones, and Kodak and YI have joined in with traditional mirrorless cameras that work with all Micro Four Thirds lenses as well.

Early Micro Four Thirds models were a lot slower than SLRs in terms of focus and performance. That's no longer the case. The latest cameras are quick performers, and even better than SLRs at focusing when recording video. You're still giving up the optical viewfinder, but more and more midrange models include integrated electronic viewfinders, and that technology has also improved by leaps and bounds.

Lots of Lens Choices

If you have a Micro Four Thirds camera, you've got a lot of lens choices. Olympus cameras can use Panasonic lenses and vice versa, as well as options from third-party makers like Voigtlander and Sigma. And because the system is so well established, there aren't any glaring omissions in terms of coverage.

Native autofocus lenses are available in focal lenghts from 7 to 400mm. In full-frame equivalent terms, that's 14 through 800mm. Full-frame cameras still have a slight benefit at the most extreme wide angles, with Canon offering the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM ($2,699.00 at Amazon) , but for the most part Micro Four Thirds has you covered.

We've highlighted the best Micro Four Thirds lenses that we've tested here. If you're in the market for a new mirrorless body, take a look at the Best Mirrorless Cameras we've tested.

About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

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The Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses for 2020

Both Panasonic and Olympus mirrorless cameras are compatible with Micro Four Thirds lenses, so there are plenty of options available. These are our highest-rated lenses for a range of shooting conditions.