Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Consistent Output; Durable; Easily Interchangeable; Fast / accurate auto-focus; Strong Construction

wow!

yes

yes

The LEICA DG MACRO-ELMARIT 45mm F2.8 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. lens offers almost silent focusing. In use, we have also found the system surprisingly quick on the DMC-GH2, though not quite as zippy as the GH2 and 14-140mm lens combo.

Lightweight, well-balanced, sharp, great for portraits and macro ie flowers, etc. I love single focal length lenses. While I have the kit zoom lens. My favorite lenses are the 20mm and the reviewed 45mm.

The picture below illustrates the lens's angle of view (taken from our standard vantage point):

Very good; if not quite outstanding; optics; Extremely compact and lightweight; True 1:1 macro; Reasonably effective image stabilization (but really need to use mode 1

'Focus-by-wire' manual focus gives no tactile feedback; No distance or macro ratio scale; Rectangular lens hood doesn't reverse for storage; Slow maximum aperture not ideal for portrait use; Image stabilization ineffective at macro distances; Expensive

Very good, if not quite outstanding, optics; Extremely compact and lightweight; True 1:1 macro; Reasonably effective image stabilization (but really need to use mode 1);

'Focus-by-wire' manual focus gives no tactile feedback; No distance or macro ratio scale; Rectangular lens hood doesn't reverse for storage; Slow maximum aperture not ideal for portrait use; Image stabilization ineffective at macro distances; Expensive;