m 4/3 macros?

If you're looking for what may be the best macro lens currently made, check out the Olympus 50mm Macro for Four-Thirds. Absolutely unreal, and what many consider to be one of the sharpest lenses ever made.

On a budget, I'd look at the Nikon 55mm Micro-Nikkor.
 
Another vote for the zuiko. It's very very sharp edge to edge even wide open. Keep in mind though that you will need an adapter, it's not 1:1 (1:2 actually), and has horrid slow and noisy AF.

On the other hand the native 45mm macro is true 1:1, has much better AF, but isn't as bright and not quite as sharp despite the leica badge.
 
Í like my Canon 100/2.8L on the AF. It has a very good reach so that you don't have to be to close. Imagine this lens with the Birger mount and IS activated if needed. Yummy!
 
Had hesitated to list this lens because it's not m4/3, but will go with the flow. I've had great results with the Zeiss Ikon 100mm f/2.0 Makro-Planar T* made by Cosina of Japan.

Only drawback regarding macro is it's 1:2 and there's no 1:1 converter available for the ZF mount.

On a m4/3 body, this lens has outstanding center and border quality starting right from f/2.0 and throughout. The DoF is razor thin at the minimum focusing distances. In which case, I've found the AF100's focus assists to be really helpful as opposed to a magnified assist because, for me, a magnified assist on a macro shot can actually be somewhat confusing when it first pops on. There's so little in view for reference that it can take a second to figure out exactly what it is I'm looking at. Conversely, assuming there's enough contrast, the F.I.R. allows me to get a larger view and thus better overall sense of what's going on - especially when there's movement of the subjects as in a macro shot of insects, etc.

Here's a review:

http://www.slrlensreview.com/web/ca...-makro-planar-t-100mm-f20-zf-lens-review.html
 
Thanks for the input. After reading about the Olympus 50 mm, I'm pretty much sold on that lens. It sounds like an incredible lens, and it's so much cheaper than the m4/3 45 mm, that I can get the pricey adapter, extension tubes etc. and still be under the price of the 45. One review pointed out that on a GH, if you put the camera in 2x mode, it's essentially working at 1:1, is that correct?

I was also looking for a quality 50mm prime, and this lens looks like it will fit my needs as a general purpose lens as well to complement my other workhorse prime that I intend to use; the Voigtlander 25mm.
 
There's a way to turn any Nikon mount lens into a macro, including the Zeiss ZF's.

Bellows:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Macro-Bellow-Ad...ilm_Cameras&hash=item1c14fb61ca#ht_3112wt_922

Reverse macro mount:
http://cgi.ebay.com/58mm-Reverse-Ma...Accessories&hash=item19bed0ec2c#ht_3112wt_922

Macro tube:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Macro-Exten...ccessories&hash=item518a3f314d#ht_2280wt_1003

I have the macro tube and the reverse macro mount. The macro tube actually works fairly decently. Probably not as good as an actual macro lens, but it does work. The reverse macro mount works, but I don't like it as much and it will only work with certain lenses that have the matching thread size so you'd need multiple adapters. The bellows seems interesting and I'm thinking of buying that.
 
OK it needs and adapter, but I have to say that one of my favorite lenses has remained the 55mm 3.5 Micro Nikkor-P macro lens... this is a flat field lens and was designed for medical photography. I have had it since 1969 and although it is manual, it still gets a lot of use for product shots and specialty Ad work and copy stand work. I brought it with me when I picked up the AF and tried it along with the Lumix lenses when I unpacked the camera... the guys at Tapeworks Texas were impressed with the image and the fact that the blades were still clean and working. I have the 1:1 barrell extension also, but rarely use it as the lens will focus on objects as close as 35cm.

I agree with the post about the red focus assist being really useful, and especially when the viewfinder is set to black and white.
 
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