Not gigantic, but not as small as the 12-50

pointing out that the 12-45 is small:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYKgPOdVxP8

also, superzoom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWrykUo2-64

[Most people lean toward the 25mm.]
...then there's the Panasonic, which is bigger:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqQUmt1RpzQ

Oh, the "portrait primes"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soPYgzMQaVs

C-mount forum:
https://forum.mflenses.com/manual-focus-lenses-f31.html

25mm comparisons
https://www.getdpi.com/forum/index.php?threads/25mm-c-mount-vignetting-shootout.8410/
https://toby-marshall.com/galleries/bokeh-tales/a-comparison-of-the-bokeh-and-rendering-of-17-25mm-c-mount-16mm-cine-lenses/

bokeh for days
https://forum.mflenses.com/wollensak-cine-raptar-1-inch-f-1-5-what-is-it-t82922.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88664666@N06/albums/72157678055197273/with/32671134303

Here are my most used tiny lenses for micro four thirds! check them out here

👉 Like my photos? Check out my presets here! https://geni.us/IMhSeVl​

♦︎ Lens links on Amazon:

Lumix 12-32mm: https://geni.us/7iLNm​
Olympus 45mm f1.8: https://geni.us/cTNGw​
Lumix 20mm f1.7: https://geni.us/NS9qpBm​
Lumix 14mm f2.5: https://geni.us/fRGj​
Olympus 17mm f1.8: https://geni.us/fmYsvy​
Lumix 35-100mm: https://geni.us/J76Y​

♦︎ Also MPB for used gear (the price estimates in this video are based on the used market):

MPB UK: https://geni.us/ST2V​
MPB US: https://geni.us/STZ48b5​
MPB EU: https://geni.us/dOkLk0z​

Canon FD focal-reduced adapter
https://www.ebay.com/itm/405328568587

Primes

[the Canon 24mm adapts to about 17mm, so not worth buying a manual lens in that focal length]
https://digital-photography-school.com/laowa-17mm-f-1-8-lens-review-micro-four-thirds/ (semi-compact, manual)
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1860797-REG/yongnuo_yn17mm_f1_7m_yn_17mm_f_1_7m_lens.html (bulky but good, auto/manual focus switch)
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/voigtlander-nokton-17-5mm-f-0-95-micro-four-thirds-fit (spendy)
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/7artisans-18mm-f-63-ii-micro-four-thirds-fit (lomo body cap)
-- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-14mm-f-2-5 (compact)
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/olympus-m-zuiko-digital-17mm-f-2-8 (affordable)
!- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-20mm-f-1-7-asph (gold standard)
[23-28mm duplicates my Industar, so another one would have to be faster or autofocus]
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1675250-REG/ttartisan_a35bs_m43_23mm_f_1_4_aps_c_lens.html
Meike - manual focus but solid and inexpensive
-- https://www.adorama.com/mk2518mft.html
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/voigtlander-nokton-25mm-f-0-95-micro-four-thirds-fit
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/olympus-m-zuiko-digital-ed-25mm-f-1-8 (compact)
!- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-25mm-f-1-7-asph (bulkier but cheap, even new)
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/sigma-30mm-f-2-8-dn-art-micro-four-thirds-fit (compact)
-- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-macro-30mm-f-2-8-asph-mega-o-i-s ~$200
Olympus 30mm f3.5 macro ~$180
[35mm duplicates my 50mm Canon 1.8, so not smart to get as a manual lens]
https://7artisans.store/products/7artisans-35mm-f1-4-apsc (bargain & retro)
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1450519-REG/meike_mk35f1_7m3_4_mk_35mm_f1_7_lens_for.html
-- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/olympus-m-zuiko-digital-ed-45mm-f-1-8
-- Panasonic 45mm f1.7 ~$200
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/rokinon-85mm-f-1-4-as-if-umc-micro-four-thirds-fit

Zoom

Telephoto
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-vario-45-150mm-f-4-5-6-asph-mega-o-i-s (similar size to 12-60)
-- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-vario-35-100mm-f-4-5-6-asph-mega-o-i-s (compact, not cheap)
?- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/olympus-m-zuiko-digital-ed-40-150mm-f-4-5-6-r (cheap!)
General/close
?- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/tamron-14-150mm-f-3-5-5-8-di-iii-micro-four-thirds-fit (cheaper alternative to Lumix superzoom in f/3.5, narrower body)
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-vario-12-60mm-f-3-5-5-6-asph-power-o-i-s
-- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/olympus-m-zuiko-digital-ed-12-50mm-f-3-5-6-3-ez (slimmer & cheaper than Lumix 12-60, but longer)
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-x-vario-12-35mm-f-2-8-asph-power-o-i-s (a bit spendy but fast)
Pancake version:
-- https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-vario-12-32mm-f-3-5-5-6-asph-mega-o-i-s (often sold with Lumix body)
Mid-size:
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-vario-14-42mm-f-3-5-5-6-ii-asph-mega-o-i-s

Adapted

FD:
Canon 35mm f2.8, ~$140!
Tokina 28mm f2.8, $40; Tamron, others
Canon FL 35mm f2.5 (duplicates Industar 28, common zooms)
Canon FD 35-70mm f3.5 zoom (inexpensive, compact)
Canon FD 28-85mm F4 zoom (bulkier, but macro capable)
Canon 100mm f2.8 ($ compact, not macro)
Canon FD 35-105mm (also midsize, most have flared end)
Tokina 80-200 zoom (compact; Dad has big Vivitar zoom in similar range)
-- Tamron 28-200 (plastic but versatile)
Quantaray 28-70 f2.8
-- Sigma 35-70 f2.8
! Tamron 35-105 f2.8
--Tamron/Sigma/et.al. 28-70 f3.5 zoom (compact)
-- Tamron 90mm macro (Sigma is tiny but $)

C-mount:
Cosmicar 16mm, 25mm (tiny); zoom
Computar? 12mm, 16mm, 25mm (has the right aesthetic)
Pentax
-- Sony cine zoom, matte aluminum
-- Industar/KMZ Soviet cine lenses; Meteor zoom?
-- other brands: Bell & Howell, Wollensak, etc. (cool metallic cine lenses)

M42/L39:
Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f2.8, $80+
! Industar/KMZ: 28mm, 50mm pancakes; 35mm & 58mm much more expensive, but Helios 44 is revered
! Jupiter 8 50mm L39

Is it possible? Course it is. Here are 10 awesome camera / lens combos under £500 that I’ve personally used over the years. I’ll even pop some other suggestions at the end of the blog.

alternate choices:
DMC-GX85: slightly larger, usually all black
DC-GF9: smaller, no viewfinder, classic look
DC-GF7: compact, possible sweet spot?

tempting entry gear:
Olympus E-PL3: tiny, no flash or viewfinder, proprietary USB cable
E-PL2: small, pop-up flash

cheap starter lenses:
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/olympus-m-zuiko-digital-17mm-f-2-8
https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/panasonic-lumix-g-vario-12-32mm-f-3-5-5-6-asph-mega-o-i-s

equivalent of the Leica M series

This and the GX1 both are worth having.

Minolta MD

With an adapter, this would be killer on a Micro 4/3 camera.