Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS

I have taken many successful images with this lens which has performed better than the equivalent Lumix lens. The Lumix lens is hard to use due to a stiffish zoom ring. It is also not as sharp and cannot be used with some of the cameras features. This success was achieved by using the focus limiter and increasing the camera's autofocus sensitivity. The later seems beneficial for all the m4/3 lenses I own.

First off, there is no doubt that Olympus have produced a superb lens, both for ease of use and for features provided. Performance is also excellent, better than the bald figures suggest. The IS system works well, extending the usefulness of the lens as the light levels fall. The price is also excellent, just over £1000 being a very fair price point for such a long lens. For those who are already using the Olympus system this could just be the wildlife lens you have been waiting for - I personally would not hesitate. Those who are looking to lighten their load may well be tempted also as similar lenses for DSLR are generally much heavier and bulkier. Olympus have re-asserted themselves in the marketplace with a very strong offering indeed and their splendid new Olympus M.Zuiko ED 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS lens is Highly Recommended.

While its two stops slower than the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens at the 300mm focal length, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS lens offers a more versatile alternative that is smaller, lighter and more affordable. Most photographers will buy this lens for shooting sports and/or wildlife. Bird photographers, in particular, are likely to find this lens appealing and its compactness and light weight – plus its effective stabilisation – make it ideal for hand-held use. It’s also a good choice for sports photographers who spend a lot of time standing and outdoor photographers who require long lenses. The generous lens hood is great for excluding stray light in challenging situations.