What are the absolute best macro lenses for Olympus and Panasonic M4/3 cameras right now because I am honestly about to throw my current kit into a lake. I've been trying to make do with this old Panasonic 30mm f2.8 and it is driving me absolutely insane with how close I have to get to anything to get a decent shot. I am currently out in the field in Oregon trying to document local insects for a nature guide project and the second I get close enough to get a 1:1 magnification the bug just flies away because the lens is basically touching its face. Its so incredibly frustrating and I feel like I'm wasting every single morning golden hour just spooking my subjects.

I need something with actual working distance and better autofocus because the hunting on this 30mm is a total nightmare the second the light drops even a little bit. I was looking at the Olympus 60mm f2.8 but I've heard some people say the build quality feels a bit flimsy and plasticky even though the glass is supposedly great? I dont know if I should just bite the bullet and try to find a used 90mm Pro but even used that is probably way out of my price range. I have about $650 maybe $700 max if I sell off some of my old gear and I really need to have this sorted before the main spring hatch starts in about three weeks or I am gonna miss my deadline for the field guide photos entirely.

Is the Sigma 105mm with an adapter even worth the hassle or does that just make the autofocus even slower and more annoying? I've also seen some people talking about the Laowa lenses which look cool but the lack of electronic contacts sounds like a huge headache for tracking my settings in the exif data which I actually need for the technical side of this project. I'm just looking for something sharp that lets me stay back a few inches so I'm not scaring every living creature in the woods. My current setup feels like I'm fighting the gear more than actually taking photos and I'm just totally over it. What are you guys actually using that doesn't feel like a toy...