I went through this last year… I tried Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary (Micro Four Thirds) and Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH (Micro Four Thirds). The Sigma was honestly SO good for headshots (fast AF, clean blur), but yeah it’s usually closer to $300–$350 used; the PL25 looked lovely but unfortunately I had issues with CA/fringing in backlit window shots… kinda annoyed me.

For your situation, background blur on MFT is basically about fast aperture + enough working distance (and not standing 2 feet from ppl indoors). That’s why 25–30mm-ish can be more practical inside.

- Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 ASPH.: $100–$150 used, quick AF, nice skin tones, super solid “first portrait prime.”
- Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary (Micro Four Thirds): $200–$270 used, lowkey great for window-light headshots.
- Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f/1.8: $200–$280 used, cleaner look than the Pana 25/1.7 imo.

Avoid old adapted DSLR 50/1.8s if you want AF… they’re cheap but kinda a pain. gl!

For your situation, I’d grab the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f/1.8 first. It’s cheap used ($150–$220), AF is snappy on both OM/Oly + Panasonic bodies, and the look is honestly AMAZING for casual headshots… creamy blur, nice skin, and it’s tiny so you actually bring it.

If you want a bit wider/“normal portrait,” the Panasonic Lumix G 42.5mm f/1.7 ASPH POWER O.I.S. is usually $250–$330 used and gives a super clean, modern look (plus OIS helps for window light).

If you’re tempted by cheap manual stuff (like 25/35/50 f/1.7-ish), I’d avoid for moving people… missing focus is pain lol. cheers!

I was just looking into this too - basically trying to figure out if it's better to stick with the camera brand or go with some of the newer third-party options. From what I've seen, the market is kinda shifting away from just Oly/Pana lenses lately. Here are a couple of options I noticed that fit your range but haven't been mentioned yet: - Viltrox 23mm f/1.4 AF (Micro Four Thirds): This brand is basically the new budget king. It gives you a 46mm equivalent which is a classic "normal" portrait look. Since it's f/1.4, the background blur is actually really good for the price - usually around $250-$290 new, so even cheaper used. - Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ASPH.: This hits that 40mm equivalent perfectly. It’s a "pancake" lens so it’s tiny, which is nice if you're just hanging out with family and don't wanna look like a "pro" photographer. The AF is a little older and slower tho, so it might struggle if people are moving a lot. Tbh, do you think size matters more than having a super fast aperture? I'm still trying to decide if the bigger third-party lenses like Viltrox are worth the extra weight for just casual shooting tho.

Huh interesting. I had no idea. The more you know I guess 🤷

Can confirm