M.Zuiko DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS, Super Telephoto Zoom, Suitable for all MFT Cameras (Olympus OM-D & PEN Models, Panasonic G-Series), Black

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Azure Bluet, Olympus E-M1 III, M.Zuiko 100-400mm/5.0-6.3 IS, 400mm, ISO 500, f/6.3, 1/400s, handheld The 2x crop factor is very similar to cropping an image from a larger camera sensor. This comes with some image quality penalties and more noise at a given ISO, but it also means that your equivalent focal length is longer. Because of the 2x crop factor, shooting with a 300mm lens on a Micro Four Thirds camera would have a similar composition as a 600mm lens on a full frame. But the Micro Four Thirds setup could be less than half the size and weight! Given the fact that this 100-400mm lens includes many of Olympus' top amenities and features, such as several high-performance optical elements, IPX1-rated weather-sealing and being one of the few Zuiko lenses with optical image stabilization, it's surprisingly not designated as a "Zuiko Pro" lens like the 300mm f/4 or the upcoming 150-400mm. When asked about this, Olympus didn't provide a definitive answer; the image quality, as I'll discuss later more, is certainly not a differentiating factor here. What we were told, however, is that the lens didn't get the "Pro" moniker likely due to its variable aperture design. To date, all Zuiko Pro lenses have a constant aperture design, so that answer certainly makes sense.

I first tested the optical stabilisation of each lens on their own to see how well the Panasonic performs without the help of sensor stabilisation, also considering that the longer the focal length, the more important optical stabilisation becomes. If 300mm is not enough for you, the 300mm f/4 IS PRO telephoto is compatible with the M.zuiko MC14 and MC 20 teleconverters. These teleconverters boost the focal length to 420 and 600mm respectively. Even with the loss of light from the teleconverter, they are still very usable. MPB puts photo and video kit into more hands, more sustainably. Every month, visual storytellers sell more than 20,000 cameras and lenses to MPB. Choose used and get affordable access to kit that doesn’t cost the earth. Flare is effectively banished, even when really bright light sources are included in the edges of the frame. The ZERO coating clearly works extremely well. Unlike with the 300mm f/4, I did notice a difference in sharpness when using the 1.4x teleconverter. I did get some good quality, sharp images with both the 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters on the 100-400mm lens. However, you do need to practice good long lens stability techniques when hand holding the lens at these longer focal lengths.With a close focus distance of 1.3m across throughout the entire focal range, the lens adds a telemacro feather to its cap. The ability to combine telephoto and macro shooting makes the Olympus 100-400mm more versatile than its super tele zoom capabilities might suggest. Still, it's a pretty compact affair for a lens that spans such a vast focal range, especially if you're coming from the world of DSLRs!

Chromatic aberrations, typically seen as purple or blue fringes along contrasty edges, are not really a problem with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS lens, as shown in the examples below. Light Fall-off and DistortionThe image stabilization arrangement is unusual, though, with it sometimes feeling as though the IBIS and lens IS are working against each other if you activate them both. We experienced better results using the lens stabilization at longer focal lengths (where IBIS is traditionally less potent) and body stabilization at the 'wider' end. What’s more this lens is also compatible with teleconverters for truly incredible reach. Match it with the M.Zuiko Digital 2x MC-20 Teleconverter or the Olympus MC-14 1.4x TeleConverter for 40% - 100% more reach throughout the range. You can learn more about the 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 lens in our blog here. What else is included in the box? While a lot of photographers will think this is a great birding lens, it’s a great, affordable choice for anyone photographing any type of wildlife. Does the new Olympus 100-400mm hold up to the hype? Photo by Cathy Seaver. First impressions However, recognising that bokeh evaluation is subjective, we have provided a few examples for your perusal. Sharpness A full set of switches is on hand for AF/MF focusing, an autofocus range limiter and dual-mode optical stabilization for static and panning shots. Buttons around the forward end of the lens enable a autofocus-hold function. The zoom ring has variable friction damping, applied via a separate ‘zoom torque adjustment ring’.