Olympus has released details of the anticipated M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO super telephoto lens on the eve of the CES show in Las Vegas, which opens today.
Side view of thenew M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO super telephoto lens. (Source: Olympus.)
Designed for use on Micro Four Thirds system compatible still and video cameras, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO uses newly developed ‘Sync Image Stabilisation’ (IS) technology to achieve up to six shutter speed steps of stability, a claimed world’s first. It is also the first Olympus Zuiko system lens with optical stabilisation, which can operate with the camera body’s in-built stabiliser to achieve a level of stabilisation that is greater than either component alone. This allows hand-held shooting with great stability making it valuable for sports and wildlife photographers, who will also benefit from the weatherproofing that makes the lens splash-, dust- and freeze-proof. A seventeen-point hermetic sealing system is used to protect internal components against dust and moisture.
The optical diagram for the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens, showing the positions of the exotic glass elements. (Source: Olympus.)
The seventeen-elements in ten-groups optical arrangement contains three Super ED (Super Extra-Low Dispersion) lenses, three HR (High-Refractive index) lenses, and one E-HR (Extra-High Refractive index) lens. Together they enable this lens to offer high resolution levels with minimal colour aberrations. The application of ‘Z Coating Nano’, a new high-performance anti-reflectance material with optical properties similar to that of high-refractive index glass, significantly reduces lens flare and ghosting. The new lens offers High-speed, high precision AF with OM-D E-M1 and E-M5 Mark II cameras and can shift from infinity to a five meter focus distance in just 400 milliseconds with the OM-D E-M1. With a minimum focus distance of just 1.4m*5 (maximum magnification of 0.24x), it can be used for close-up shooting.
The compact weather-proof M.Zuiko MC-14 tele-converter (1.4x magnification) can be used with the new M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO to attain a combined 420mm focal length (840mm in 35mm format). Imaging performance remains high as the optical design of the MC-14 tele-converter is ideally matched to the lens.
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO will be available in black only and is due to go on sale from mid February 2016 at an RRP of AU$3,699. Full details can be found at http://www.olympus.com.au/Products/Interchangeable-Lens-Cameras/M-Zuiko-Digital/M-ZUIKO-PRO.
