Last november I was very happy to touch and try for an hour a preproduction copy of the brand new Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO lens. The bad weather conditions and the short amount of time were a problem for some general conclusion, but I spent more time with the lens from the end of this January on.
It was my third year shooting “Surva” masquerade games and last year I used a pair of Olympus PRO zooms and the year before that it was a mix of my Olympus and Nikon gear.
For this year event I tried to use mostly prime lens including the new 25mm and 45mm f/1.2 lenses and to shoot portraits as main priority.
The location is in a city center and it’s full with street lights, trees, hanging flags and a lot of banners and I thought it’s the perfect scenario to test such lens with it’s feathered bokeh.
I’m not going to share technical details about the lens there is a lot of info over the internet I’ll share just some images and thoughts.
![Boy with cristal clear blue eyes - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/5000 ISO 200.](https://i1.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_little_boy_with_cristal_blue_eyes_STS9895.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Boy with cristal clear blue eyes – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/5000 ISO 200.
![Girl holding a mask over her head - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.6, 1/4000 ISO 200.](https://i0.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_kuker_girl_holding_mask_STS5701.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Girl holding a mask over her head – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.6, 1/4000 ISO 200.
![Portrait of Karina - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/10000 ISO 200.](https://i0.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_karina_closeup_portrait_STS3602.jpg?resize=850%2C638)
Portrait of Karina – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/10000 ISO 200.
![Kuker boy with a costume walking during the fest - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/6400 ISO 200.](https://i1.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_boy_with_a_costume_walking_STS1523.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Kuker boy with a costume walking during the fest – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/6400 ISO 200.
![Girl posing with her mask on the head - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.8, 1/4000 ISO 200.](https://i0.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_girl_with_a_mask_STS0162.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Girl posing with her mask on the head – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.8, 1/4000 ISO 200.
![Kuker posing with his costume and belt with bells - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/5000 ISO 200.](https://i0.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_kuker_posing_with_costume_with_bells_STS9880.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Kuker posing with his costume and belt with bells – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/5000 ISO 200.
![Girl posing in a traditional dress - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/16000 ISO 200.](https://i2.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_girl_posing_in_traditional_dress_STS9778.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Girl posing in a traditional dress – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/16000 ISO 200.
![Kuker with his mask - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/12800 ISO 200.](https://i0.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_kuker_mask_close_up_STS9677.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Kuker with his mask – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/12800 ISO 200.
![Kuker boy dacing with rapid movements of the body and costume - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/12800 ISO 200.](https://i1.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_kuker_dancing_with_costume_moving_STS9331.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Kuker boy dacing with rapid movements of the body and costume – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/12800 ISO 200.
![Dancing girl in traditional dress - Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/500 ISO 200.](https://i0.wp.com/atphoto.bg/blog/uploads//2018/03/olympus_45mm_f12pro_girl_dancing_in_traditional_dress_STS8958.jpg?resize=675%2C900)
Dancing girl in traditional dress – Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.2 PRO @ f/1.2, 1/500 ISO 200.
After this event I had some more opportunities to test this lens and I can say that I’m very impressed with the overall performance. Even wide open the sharpness is very good and it’s mind blowing after 2.8, but I wanted to test the performance mostly wide open. The bokeh is something different and very subjective, but for my taste I can say that is very pleasing and transition from focus to defocus area is very pleasing.
The size is not very compact for a m4/3 lens, but the wide 1.2 aperture plus weather sealing is making it great choice for all the travel, documentary and wedding photographers.