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The Olympus M.Zuiko 300mm  PRO  Lens

1/5/2016

22 Comments

 
​Like most photographers I am always excited to try out a new lens, but the new 300mm PRO lens from Olympus is one that I’ve been eagerly looking forward to for over two years. I had the opportunity to shoot with the lens for a few days before the official announcement. Here are my thoughts, but be forewarned, this is not a technical review, rather more of an information piece with some of my first impressions thrown in. 
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The new M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO is an impressive offering from Olympus.
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​The PRO line-up of lenses began with the 12-40mm back in 2013, then progressed to the 40-150mm and the 7-14mm. All of these zoom lenses have a constant aperture of f/2.8. The first prime lens in the line-up was the 8mm fisheye f/1.8 PRO lens. This latest lens takes us to the other end of the focal-length spectrum by offering a super-telephoto family member. All of the previous PRO lenses have been highly regarded by both photographers and reviewers alike. Given my first few days of shooting with it, I believe the M.Zuiko 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO will earn an equally respectable place in the line-up. 

Before we get too deep into this post, if you'd rather watch than read, check out my "First Impressions" video. Keep in mind that I'm a little better behind the camera than in front of it. ;) 

The Physical Characteristics
 
Over the past year, most of my telephoto shots have been taken with the 40-150mm PRO. As such, perhaps a good starting point is to do a side-by-side comparison of the 300 and the 40-150. Naturally you would expect the 300 to be larger, but with double the focal length you definitely don’t get double the size – a very good thing since Olympus’ greatest selling feature is incredible power and quality in a small, yet robust package. Overall the lens is 227 mm long, has a diameter of 93 mm, with a filter diameter of 77 mm. It weighs in at 1475 g – not an insignificant weight, but remarkably light especially when compared to its direct competition in the marketplace. It will accept the 1.4x teleconverter which brings its overall length to 244 mm and combined focal length to 420mm or 840mm full frame equivalent. 

​When I am out for a day of shooting in the backcountry I don’t want to start the day with a debate over whether I bring this lens or not because of its size and weight. Attached to the E-M1 it has an acceptable footprint in my Lowepro camera bag with room left over for another body and several lenses. This lens is definitely coming with me. 

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The 300mm lens is definitely longer than the 40-150mm, but is roughly the same diameter.
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With the 300mm attached to the E-M1, it fits comfortably into my Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW.
Over the past few days I’ve been out shooting with the 300mm for hours at a time and it is quite comfortable to hold and balance. Since almost all of my shooting with it was hand-held, I wasn’t suffering from dSL-Arm at the end of the day. I also had it out in the rain and snow, and like all of the PRO-level equipment from Olympus, it is ruggedly built and weather-sealed so that is never a worry.
The 1.4x Teleconverter

The MC-14 teleconverter increases the focal length of the lens to 420mm, or an equivalent full-frame focal length of 840mm. I was curious to see what that would do to the reach of this lens and the overall image quality. The moon shots below help to illustrate both. Several of the images in the gallery at the bottom of this post were shot with the teleconverter and showed no deterioration in image quality. 
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The M.Zuiko 1.4x teleconverter increases the focal length of the 300mm lens to 420mm (840mm equivalent). It also drops the largest aperture by 1 stop, from f/4.0 to f/5.6.
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Since a full moon looks pretty much the same regardless of where you view it on the earth I thought this might make a good visual comparison.

Feature Set
Let's look at some of the features of the 300mm PRO lens. Like the 40-150 it comes with a built-in retractable lens hood – a simple yet quite innovative feature that I appreciate. The mechanism is different from its cousin's, but the operation is essentially the same. Slide it forward and lock it into place with a quarter turn clockwise. When protracted and locked it can easily support the weight of both the lens and body.

The focusing ring is large with a nicely knurled surface for easy gripping. Like all of the PRO lenses, manual focusing is engaged with a clutch mechanism on the focusing ring. Pull the ring back to focus manually. Focusing is smooth with solid stops at each end of the focusing range. 
 
On the left side of the lens you will find a programmable lens function button (L-Fn). The default setting is "AF Stop" which will deactivate the autofocus and fix the focus at that selected point. The L-Fn button can also be programmed with 26 other functions!

Above the L-Fn button are two new features in the PRO lens lineup - a focus limiter and the image stabilization (IS) switch. The closest focusing distance is 1.4m, which is remarkably close for this type of lens. By selecting one of the distance ranges and using one of the auto-focusing modes you are telling the lens to hunt for focus only within that range. This can be a life-saver when tracking wildlife in the forest or insects in your garden. The forward position sets that range between 1.4 - 4 m, while the rear position sets it from 4m to infinity. There is a centre switch position that will provide the entire range of focusing.  Although I haven’t done any controlled tests, the auto-focusing is quite responsive and accurate.
 
Perhaps the most important feature in this lens is the dedicated image stabilization - important, since any camera movement can really be amplified when using a super-telephoto lens. This is the only M.Zuiko lens with built-in IS. It works in conjunction with the Olympus 5-axis in-body IS. Conveniently, the image stabilization in Olympus bodies does not have to be turned off.

​So how well does it work? Incredibly well, I'd say! Press the shutter release half-way down and the IS engages, allowing you to easily frame your shot. Again, I haven’t done any formal testing to see how slow a shutter speed you can use and still get sharp results, but I was shooting as slow as 1/30s and got excellent results. Over the past few days several of my subjects were over 100 meters away and were remarkably easy to frame within the viewfinder. The IS shows off its prowess in handheld video as well. See some of those video links below. 

Finally, like the 40-150, the tripod collar is removable, but for the 300mm, Olympus has made the mount Arca-Swiss compatible - no more plate to screw on! Definitely a nice touch.

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Shooting with the 300mm

This was the one lens that I was most looking forward to when Olympus started developing the PRO line-up of lenses. Although I am not a true wildlife photographer, I live in an area where encounters with nature's fauna are fairly common. Getting close enough to your timid subject however, can be a challenge. For me this lens is a real game changer. Before using it however, I had some concerns.
  • It would be too big to carry around all day. It's not!
  • It wouldn't be fast enough. It is!
  • Focusing would be slow. It's not!
  • The built-in image stabilization wouldn't measure up. It does!
After several days of shooting with this lens I've become quite comfortable with it. It has the same rugged, high-quality feel of the other PRO lenses in the family. When attached to the E-M1 with battery grip, it balances nicely in the hand and even though I was hiking with it in hand for hours at a time, I never felt over-weighted by it. I found the auto-focus  quick and the IS is truly impressive. 

Is there anything I don't like about this lens? Actually no, but there were a few things that took some getting used to.
  • It took a while to get used to the new retractable lens hood design. It has a different feel than the 40-150, but once I got the hang of it, it's actually simpler to use. 
  • The focusing ring is quite large and moves so smoothly that during my first few attempts at manual focusing I ended up bumping the ring and having trouble keeping focus on a selected point. I have to admit that I was wearing gloves most of the time because of the cold and that makes camera operation a bit clumsier. As an aside, the lens is designed for continuous use at temperatures as low as -10 C. 
  • I found myself wishing that the IS and focus limiter had been reversed. With the tripod collar attached it is a bit of a reach to get your thumb up to the limiter switch - a switch I was using far more often than the IS. The two switches feel different however, which helps. The IS has a protruding ridge, while the limiter switch has a recessed groove. 
​
Why use this lens?

Certainly Olympus shooters and other m4/3 users have been waiting for a high-quality lens for photographing wildlife and sports, the primary reason for owning a super-telephoto lens. Over the few days that I had the 300mm I was able to capture some wildlife and I was quickly convinced that this lens will eventually hold a permanent place in my bag. 

After satisfying my inner wildlife photographer, I began experimenting with other uses for this lens - and there are several. Perhaps most impressive is the ability of the 300mm to get in close to your subject. I love macro photography, but have often found that the close working distances of a typical macro lens can be a challenge, especially when shooting insects. Although I'm writing this in the winter, I suspect I can be quite unobtrusive in my insect-stalking behaviour come spring. As well, with a macro lens I find myself fighting my own shadow. That will be far less of an issue with this lens. 

I can't imagine a portrait photographer dumping their portrait lens and shooting solely with the 300mm, but there is interesting potential. When shooting my daughter I was pleased with the soft bokeh created by the lens and the way it compressed space in the background. I shot a few animal portraits as well, and being able to maintain a bit of distance from your subject can be a real advantage.

As mentioned, a telephoto lens not only brings your subject in closer, but it compresses space, and that makes it an interesting choice for some landscape applications. I have always liked that layered look of hill after hill after hill fading off into the distance, or a path lined with mature trees all squished together.  

Will this lens replace your macro, portrait or landscape lens? Not likely. But, investing in this lens will open up a number of photographic opportunities. The 300mm IS PRO is definitely more than a one-trick pony.

​

Gallery

All of the images below were shot with the M.Zuiko 300mm f/4.0 PRO lens and E-M1 body. For those photographed with the 1.4x teleconverter, the focal length of 420mm has been included. Many of the images are straight out of the camera, but a few were tweaked in Lightroom to improve overall exposure, colours, etc. As well, unless otherwise noted, these images have not been cropped. 
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"Pheasant in the Grass" (ISO 1000, 1/800s @ f/4.0)
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"Chipmunk" (ISO 1000, 1/400s @ f/4.0)
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100% crop of the "Chipmunk" image.
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"Eagle and Raven" (ISO 800, 1/1600s @ f/4.0)
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"Looking at Carrion" (420mm, ISO 1000, 1/640s @ f/5.6)
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"Doe a Deer" (420mm, ISO 1000, 1/640s @ f/7.1)
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"Downy Woodpecker" (ISO 1000, 1/250s @ f/5.0)
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"Chocolate and Vanilla" (ISO 640, 1/400s @ f/5.0)
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"Blondie" (420mm, ISO 1250, 1/500s @ f/8.0)
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"Barbed Wire" (ISO 400, 1/50s @ f/9.0)
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"Birch Detail" (ISO 800, 1/400s @ f/4.0)
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"Ice Drops" (ISO 400, 1/100s @ f/4.5)
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"Frosted 2" (ISO 400, 1/40s @ f/5.6) This was photographed at the minimum focusing distance of 1.4m.
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"Skipping Along" (ISO 1250, 1/80s @ f/6.3) I was aiming for symmetry in this shot so I ended up cropping a bit off the left side of this image. This photo helps to illustrate the compressed look you get from a telephoto lens. The top of the hill was about 700m from where I was standing.
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"Closeup Time" (ISO 1250, 1/60s @ f/6.3)
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"Sunshine Through Clouds" (420mm, ISO 200, 1/6400s @ f/22)
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"Islands" (420mm, ISO 800, 1/50s @ f/7.1) This is a vertical panorama of two images. These two islands were 1.3 km away from my shooting position.
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"Old Red House" (ISO 800, 1/1000s @ f/9.0)
Video

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a videographer, but I really wanted to put the lens' image stabilization to the test. Each clip below is less than one minute long, but helps to illustrate how effective the image stabilization is. The first three clips were hand-held. 

Final Words

After about a week with the new M.Zuiko 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens, I have grown so comfortable with it that it was a bit of a challenge boxing it back up and returning it to Olympus. The 300mm is definitely a specialty lens and will not make it into every Olympus-shooter’s bag. But for those who decide to make the investment they won’t be disappointed. 

For more information, visit the Olympus website. 

For a more technical review visit SLRGear or Mirrorlessons. 

22 Comments
Debbie Geehring
1/6/2016 10:38:32 am

I knew you were a talented thespian from having the pleasure of attending your plays on the Manitoulin. Didn't realize what an amazing photographer you are! Olympus is lucky to have you as a spokesperson. Your images were gorgeous! Even with a wonderful lens as this one appears to be, you have to have an eye for beauty and you nailed it. Thanks for this wonderful display and enlightening post.

Reply
Alpha Whiskey link
1/6/2016 11:45:32 am

Thank you for the insights. I'm looking forward to using this lens :)

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Peter Baumgarten
1/6/2016 10:01:33 pm

Thanks. I'm looking forward to shooting with it again. Cheers!

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best drum sander link
10/21/2019 01:18:09 am

I had use this before, it was very nice. I think this is the best lens that I used.

Reply
Walter Meissner link
1/6/2016 09:48:00 pm

Nice demo/shots/videos of Olympus latest (300mm) lens

Reply
Walter Meissner link
1/7/2016 11:04:48 am

One thing to add for the 300mm lens is that the tripod collar and foot is not only removable, but the foot is had the shape of an Arca-Swiss plate so that it can be used directly on the tripod mount without having to buy that extra plate. I checked the m.Zuiko 40-150mm f2.8 PRO lens and is doesn't appear to support that feature, although it would be nice if Olympus would provide a retroactive solution for that.
The SLRGear site provided some test data result of the 300mm lens. The combined lens/body Image Stabilization (IS) allows for 100% 'good' rated photos as low as 1/15 sec. (see graph). Also they show how sharpness can be improved by going into the Anti-Shock mode and even the Silent (electronic) Shutter mode on the OM-D EM-1 camera body. They have nothing but good words to say about the sharpness and clarity of the lens.

SLRGear - Olympus m.Zuiko 300mm f/4 PRO lens
http://slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=1840

Also, I am impressed with the sharpness Peter Baumgarten was able to get of the chipmunk. What was the distance from chipmunk to camera ??

Thanks

Walt

Reply
Peter
1/7/2016 06:51:22 pm

Thanks for the suggestions, Walt. I have made a couple of edits to reflect them. All the best!

Walter Meissner link
1/7/2016 07:23:19 pm

Peter, Thanks for your response.

How about answering the question I asked before ...

" What was the distance from chipmunk to camera ??"

Thanks

Walt

Peter
1/8/2016 07:30:15 am

Walt, I was about 5 m away from this little fellow.

Walter Meissner link
1/8/2016 10:48:28 am

That photo is nice and sharp. In the close-up view, the sky with the trees reflect back from the chipmunk's eye.
I was able to get a similar shot of head of a Brown Rex Rabbit with an eye reflection at a 4H Club Fair with an Olympus TG-2, but real close up, just a few cm.

With that camera, I was also able to get a similar shot like "Blondie",
but close-up to the horse.

Its nice to be able see such detail in a super-telephoto lens of subjects taken at an appreciable distance.

Walt

PS
I like the photo "Skipping Along". It's not a photo I would think of taking, but the backdrop of trees/sky/hill/road and symmetry seems to work and catching the moment of 'skipping' makes it.

I have seen somewhat similar picture post card sent from Sweden back in the 60s.

PPS,
Although it was never my intention, I have actually meet four of the twelve Olympus Visionaries in the past two years. At Unique Photo in Fairfield, NJ, seminars were given by Laura Hicks, Tracie Maglosky, and Frank Smith. I was also on photo tour with Frank Smith at Grand Central Station after his seminar. Later I attended a talk given by Jay Dickman at SVA in NYC and seen his very impressive photographs. I am surprised how far they have traveled to give these seminars (Ohio, PA, CO). If there was another Visionary's seminar I would like to attend based on the photos I have seen, it would one given by you, but I doubt you would be traveling to the NY/NJ area.

Gil Gatchalian
1/7/2016 02:10:50 am

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Christopher Lewin, Australia link
1/9/2016 07:12:20 pm

Hi Peter,
I just wanted to say thank you for your review, photos and video. After seeing what you have achieve4d with this lens I will definitely be purchasing one when they become available in Australia and complete my M.Zuiko lens collection.
Kind regards,
Chris

Reply
Peter
1/10/2016 04:59:25 am

Hi Chris,
I'm glad you found the post useful. The 300mm is truly a remarkable lens.
All the best,
Peter

Reply
Evan Spelman link
1/19/2016 01:44:52 am

I was really looking forward to this lens, I find that reach and quality are what matters to me. I need the equivelant of 600 to 1000mm unless I can get closer by using a boat. I dont like disturbing wildlife at all and prefer reach to record what is happening. the oly 300mm because of the tanking world economy compared to the U.S has my Canadian dollare oegged 32 cents lower now. it was at par. the banks charge more on top of that. So it makes it very expensive right now. my favorite camera store in Calgary Alberta has the 300mm f4 at $3300 canadian plus I pay 12% tax.
thats a lot of loot.I can afford it but am put off by the cost.The same camera shop has the Nikon 300mm f4 vr for $2249. can funds.
$1050 cheaper than the Oly 300mm. I realize apples to oranges but it keeps me from making the plunge so to speak.
really wish it was priced lower. The new fuji and Panasonic 100-400mm zooms are quite a bit less money and am seriously thinking about them.
Just want to say thank you for all your hard work creating this great blog. Hope this does not come off as too much of a rant.
cheers,
Evan Spellman

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Eolake Stobblehouse link
1/23/2016 06:41:08 pm

Thanks for an excellent review.

I'm especially pleased that you say that the use of this lens go well beyond just sports and wildlife, because that's why I am getting it, though I'm a "street"- and an art-photographer. I too like the compressed perspective and the unusual images one gets with a long lens.

Reply
Walter Meissner link
1/23/2016 08:36:14 pm

Robin Wong posted his results using the 300mm f/4.0 lens.
Incredibly sharp images, even after closely cropped.

<http://robinwong.blogspot.my/2016/01/olympus-mzuiko-300mm-f4-pro-lens-review.html>

Walt

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Michael link
2/16/2016 03:24:21 pm

I'm looking forward to picking this lens up in the very near future. Excellent first impression, thank you for the article. I have to chuckle when I read people commenting on the weight of this new lens and the 40-150mm/f2.8. I have shot theater with the old Zuiko 35-100/f2 on an E3, then E5 then E-M1 w/adapter for many years and these new lenses all feel light as a feather after hand-holding the old tank of a lens!

Reply
Kent M. Whitney
3/13/2016 08:26:20 pm

I have had this Great New addition to my other 4 Oly Pro lenses and must say it is a Master Crafted Lens in every way. I am a sport and action shooter and find this lens a bright/sunny day lens for any real action, be-it Basketball, Baseball, Football or Lacrosse! On the other hand the F4 is a killer for night, indoor under poor lighting. Just not fast enough, even when cranking up ISO to the higher ranges... sad to say. Yes, I will keep this jewel but leave it at home for any night sports action, just to difficult to work with. I just placed my order for the older 300mm f2.8, hoping that it will arrive by tomorrow! I have used this lens in the past and it gets the shots. I was hoping that Oly would revise the f2.8 with the IS and other features before jumping in but alas, could not wait any longer. IMHO, one great lens on bright sunny days, for low light or poorly lit action anything, NADA!

Would I recommend this lens, "YES" but wanted to bring out the limitation of being to slow for low light use and being used for (action). I use this lens in combo with my 2 E-M1's and the IS/IBS working together help but not enough.

Maybe one day, someone other than myself could do a full report on night shooting or lowlight shooting with this lovely Olympus Pro 300mm f4 ED IS lens, so far there are no articles covering this end of the spectrum!

V/R The PhotogDog

Reply
Mike Cheesman (United Kingdom)
2/24/2017 01:31:31 am

Dear Peter - I'm an Olympus E-M1 owner and have been considering buying the lens you reviewed. It was great to have such good examples of wildlife photography - both still and video - taken with this lens. All of my shots are taken without the use of a tripod and my one remaining concern was how it might perform 'hand-held' even with the combined IS of camera and lens. Your excellent review and examples have resolved my worries and I'll be ordering the lens in the next few days.

Thank you once again - I'll be looking at your web-site on a regular basis.

Kind regards,
Mike

Reply
Peter
2/24/2017 09:07:43 am

Hi Mike.
I'm glad that you found the information useful. The combination of IBIS and the IS built into the lens is quite incredible. You won't be disappointed.
All the best.

Reply
LYNA link
10/16/2019 08:58:35 am

The pictures are so beautiful. I like nature very much, Nature is great

Reply
Cooking by Alex link
11/29/2020 07:42:18 pm

This was ggreat to read

Reply



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    Peter Baumgarten is a professional photographer and educator. He is also an Olympus Visionary and NiSi Official Photographer. 

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