This is a very sharp lens! Great colors, very light weight, like many of the MF3ds lens's. Pretty nice portrait len's just a tad soft in the corners at 2.8, but can be fixed in post if needed or cropped out. This lens has one problem, focus.

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

Panasonic's micro four thirds cameras are very good, but with any interchangeable lens system, the bodies are only half the equation – they also need extensive, good-quality lens systems to back them up.

wow!

yes

yes

I love shooting close-up - not quite macro (1:1) in most cases, but pretty close (1:4 to 1:2). I am amazed at how well the autofocus works even it these close ranges - it always focuses on something, and very often the right thing, but once you get to know the lens its relatively easy to coax it...

Great image quality; excellent autofocus

small max aperture; lens hood doesn't reverse for storage

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;