In summary
For M4/3 shooters, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO is the only choice if you want a fast prime lens that offers the same field-of-view coverage as a 600mm lens on a 35mm camera. There are alternative zoom lenses from Olympus and Panasonic, which are significantly cheaper and also smaller and lighter.
But the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II lens is a lot slower (f/6.7) at the 300mm setting and it’s not weather-resistant. It is also made mostly of plastic and, although it performed well in our tests in April 2013, it does not produce images that are as sharp as our test shots from the 300mm f/4.0 lens.
A real advantage of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens is its weight to magnification ratio. With a total weight of 1475 grams (including the tripod mount), it’s less than half the weight of the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and less than a third the weight of the AF-S Nikkor 600mm f/4G ED VR lens (which weighs just over 5000 grams).
Airlines around the world have become stricter about monitoring and enforcing carry-on limits recently, making equipment weight an important consideration for photographers who travel. With Olympus equipment, you can easily put together a kit containing two camera bodies, the 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO and lens 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens at a total weight of well under 3.5 kilograms.
While it may be Olympus’s most expensive M4/3 lens, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO is a top-notch lens for serious photographers who photograph sports, wildlife and also stage performances. It’s usable in challenging weather, fast enough for low-light shooting and offers impressive close-up capabilities. What’s not to like?
Full review
The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO super telephoto lens first appeared when a mock-up was shown at CP+ in February 2014. The excitement it generated has escalated with the announcement on 6 January that the lens was in production and would be released in mid February 2016. The release of this lens gives professional users of OM-D cameras a suite of PRO lenses that provide complete coverage from an 8mm fisheye through three f/2.8 zooms that cover between 7mm and 150mm and a fast, 300mm super-tele lens.
Side view of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens. (Source: Olympus.)
The new super-telephoto prime lens is designed to provide the equivalent focal length of a 600mm lens in 35mm format. It features a relatively bright maximum aperture plus built-in image stabilisation that integrates with the stabilisation systems in the E-M1 and E-M5 II cameras.
The optical diagram for the 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens showing the positions of the exotic glass elements. (Source: Olympus.)
The optical design of this lens consists of 17 Elements in 10 Groups and includes three Super ED (Super Extra-Low Dispersion), three HR (High-Refractive index) and one E-HR (Extra-High Refractive index) elements. Proprietary ‘Z Coating Nano’, a new high-performance anti-reflectance material with optical properties similar to high-refractive index glass, has been applied to minimise lens flare and ghosting.
The lens is supplied with front and end caps, a retractable lens hood, a removable tripod collar and foot (the latter with an Arca-Swiss standard quick shoe compatible
base plate), a black ‘decoration ring’ (DR-79) to cover the exposed section of the barrel when the tripod collar is removed and a soft lens case (LSC-1127). The compatible weather-proof M.Zuiko MC-14 tele-converter (1.4x magnification) is available as an optional extra.
Who’s it For?
A high-magnification, pro-grade lens has hitherto been missing from Olympus’s PRO lens line-up; the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO rectifies that deficiency. But with an RRP of AU$3699, this lens is not for casual snapshooters.
Features that justify the price include superior build quality that includes comprehensive weatherproof sealing, built-in stabilisation that alone provides up to four steps of correction but also synchronises with the in-camera stabilisation system in the E-M1 and E-M5 II cameras to support up to six steps of correction. Note: the latest firmware must be installed to ensure the in-body and in-lens image stabilisation systems work in concert as ‘5-axis Sync IS’.
The 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens is both large and heavy, although Olympus says it is compact enough to be transported as hand luggage for air travel. It’s not as big as a typical 35mm full-frame 600mm f/4.0 lens because it’s designed for the smaller, Micro Four Thirds format.
However, it’s a substantial handful that measures 227 mm in length (280mm with the hood pulled out) and weighs 1475 grams (1270 grams without the tripod mount). With an E-M1 body weighing just under half a kilogram, if you add an extra body and even the smallest M.Zuiko Digital that will be more than half your carry-on baggage allowance accounted for.
Olympus describes the target audience for it as ‘high mobility nature, wildlife, motorsport and reportage’ photographers. For the latter, its fast and very quiet focusing motor can be combined with the E-M5 II’s silent mode (electronic shutter) to enable shots to be taken almost silently.
Build and Ergonomics
Allowing for the size and weight of this lens, its build is of the same excellent standard as other Olympus M.Zuiko PRO lenses. The black metal outer barrel has a sleek semi-matte finish that is fully weather-resistant. A total of 17 hermetic seals ““ including gaskets around the lens mount and side buttons and switches ““protect internal components against dust and moisture and enable the lens to be used at temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius.
The lens hood is permanently attached and slides forwards to protect the front element, adding 53 mm to the overall length. Behind it is the focusing ring, which is about 40 mm wide and clad with three bands of fine ribbing to ensure a secure grip.
Focusing is totally internal and achieved by moving a small group of elements located roughly half-way along the lens barrel.
Thus the front element does not rotate and the lens remains the same length regardless of focus setting, allowing easy use of angle critical attachments like polarisers and graduated filters.
The focusing ring operates a clutch mechanism, similar to that used in several other Olympus lenses. Pushing it forwards engages the autofocusing mechanism, while pulling it back switches to full-time manual focus and reveals focus distance markings from 1.4 metres to infinity.
The distance figures used are small and they’re hidden in the recess between the leading edge of the focusing ring and the trailing edge of the lens hood, so they’re difficult to read when the hood is pulled back (less so when its pushed forwards, which should encourage users to take advantage of the hood). Neither a distance scale nor a depth-of-field scale is provided.
The clutch mechanism (1) and stabilisation switches (2) on the 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens. Pulling the focusing ring back engages manual focusing, while pushing it forward switches the AF mechanism on, making it easy to switch quickly between auto and manual focusing. The focus limiter switch (2) has three positions, covering the entire range, near and 4 metres to infinity. The IS switch turns stabilisation on and off and the L-Fn button can have one function registered to it for quick engagement/disengagement. (Source: Olympus.)
Like similar fcailities on other Olympus lenses, the clutch ring snaps easily into place. But it’s easy to snap it back into the manual position inadvertently so it should be the first thing you check if a shot is out-of-focus.
The latest firmware updates for the E-M1 and E-M5 II (which you’ll need to take advantage of the Olympus 5-axis Sync IS system, outlined below) allow you to disable the manual focus clutch mechanism. This can be handy if you prefer using the AF mechanism most of the time.
Just behind the focusing ring on the left hand side of the lens barrel are two slider switches and a L-Fn button. The uppermost of the sliders is a focus limiter with three positions: 1.4-4m, 1.4m-infinity, and 4m-infinity. Below that is an on/off switch for the stabilisation system.
The L-Fn (Lens Function) button is present on all M.Zuiko PRO lenses. It can be programmed via the camera’s Setup menu to access any of 27 different functions. Popular options includeMy Mode, Test Picture, RAW, MF, One-Touch White Balance and Preview. Some assigned menu options (like Test Picture) are only activated while the Fn button is pressed and held in combination with the shutter button, while other options (RAW, for example) are toggled on and off with each press of the Fn button.
The tripod collar fits behind these controls and attaches with a large locking screw. Its foot is built with Arca-Swiss-compatible mounting as well as a standard screw mounting socket, which is metal-lined.
To remove the collar, make sure the lens isn’t fitted to the camera body and the rear lens cap is in place. Then loosen the collar screw all the way. Finally, rotate the collar around the lens while gently sliding the collar towards the rear of the lens. At one point ““ and one point only ““ the collar will slip off. Carry out these steps in reverse to re-fit the collar.
The ‘decoration ring’ that covers the area exposed when the tripod foot is removed is fitted in a similar fashion. Slide it on with the sloping edge towards the rear of the lens and rotate it gently until the small lugs on the lens slip into the slots on the inner side of the ring. Then rotate the ring to secure the bayonet lock.
The lens is supplied with the LC-77B Lens Cap, DR-79 Decoration Ring, LR-2 Rear Lens Cap, Instruction manual, Warranty card and the LSC-1127 soft Lens Case. Optional accessories, which were supplied with the lens for our review, include the MC-14 1.4x Teleconverter and EE-1 Dot Sight. A PRF-ZD77 PRO Protection Filter is also available.
Dual Stabilisation
The 300mm Æ’/4 PRO lens is the first Olympus lens with built-in stabilisation. Hitherto, Olympus has relied upon the body-integrated, sensor-shift stabilisation systems in its camera bodies, which offered 3-axis IS in the original E-M10 or 5-axis IS with more recent and higher-featured cameras.
Olympus’s new 5-axis Sync IS system enables the lens-based stabilisation to integrate with the internal 5-axis IS in its latest cameras to offer up to six f-stops of correction. The lens IS will provide additional correction for pitch and yaw to complement the camera’s pitch, yaw and roll movements. To utilise 5-axis Sync IS, you’ll need to install the latest firmware: Version 4.0 for the E-M1 and Version 2.0 for the E-M5 Mark II. Both can be downloaded from the Olympus website support page.
The M.Zuiko MC-14 tele-converter
The M.Zuiko MC-14 tele-converter, which was supplied with the review lens, magnifies the subject by a factor of 1.4x. This changes the focal length from 300mm (equivalent to 600mm in 35mm format) to 420mm (840mm in 35mm format) and reduces the maximum aperture from f/4 to f/5.6.
Weighing only 105 grams, the MC-14 fits between the rear mount of the lens and the body mount on the camera. Its optical design consists of six elements in three groups.
The instruction manual supplied with the MC-14 recommends mounting the converter on the camera and then attaching the lens. But we found it just as easy to attach the converter to the lens and then mount it on the camera. Either way, the process is straightforward, thanks to red dots on the inner surface of the front (lens-to-lens) mount and outer barrel. The outer barrel dot aligns with the reference dot on the camera body.
The light weight of the MC-14 enables the lens to be used hand-held for photographing sports and wildlife. Although it increases magnification significantly, the electronic contacts in the MC-14 provide effective communication with the camera to support 5-axis Sync IS stabilisation.
We found the six-step correction provided by the 5-axis Sync IS to be very effective and the fast AF system in the E-M1 camera we used for our tests meant we had few misses due to either camera shake or focus failure in the course of our tests.
The MC-14 1.4x tele-converter is also compatible with the M.Zuiko Digital 40-150mm Æ’/2.8 PRO lens, which we reviewed in January 2015. Details of the MC-14 can be found in that review. As before, the MC-14 has no effect on the minimum focusing distance for the lens, enhancing the already excellent close-up shooting capabilities of the lens.
The EE-1 Dot Sight
The EE-1 dot sight makes it easier to frame distant subjects because it enables users to see what’s beyond the image frame. Weighing only 72.2 grams, it clips onto the camera’s hot shoe and is held securely in place with a mounting screw.
The EE-1 dot sight fitted to the OM-D E-M1 camera with the 300mm Æ’/4 PRO lens.
Sliding the lever switch on its rear panel pops the sight up, ready for use. A rotating dial on the left hand side of the unit switches on the red target indicator and adjusts its brightness across six levels, from the Off position to a very bright 5 position. Power is supplied from a coin-type battery (which comes with the unit).
Two dial controls, half embedded in the base of the unit on either side, adjust the position of the target vertically and horizontally. In each case, the adjustments are very small, allowing the target to be positioned with a high degree of precision.
We found the EE-1 dot sight most useful when photographing birds with the 1.4x tele-converter fitted to the lens and the camera hand-held. Unlike the viewfinder, it allows you to see the direction in which the birds are moving before you press the shutter and makes it easier to frame shots to record the subject. The incidence of missed shots was reduced by about 60% in this situation.
Because it adds about 40 mm to the overall height of the camera when not being used, it’s inconvenient to leave the EE-1 dot sight in place when packing the camera into a camera bag. It can also get in the way when carrying the camera on a neck strap.
It was less necessary when shooting sports action with the 300mm lens on its own, partly because it’s easier to predict where participants will be, particularly with sports involving some kind of race. The user notes supplied with the EE-1 dot sight warn that some lenses and cameras may interfere with operation when the device is attached. In addition, some lenses and hoods may obstruct the target. (No lenses are specified.)
Performance
We were unable to run our usual Imatest tests on the 300mm f/4 PRO lens due to a lack of space in our testing set-up. Consequently, we’re forced to rely on subjective assessments and information published by Olympus.
According to Olympus, the 300mm f/4 PRO lens is the highest resolution lens in the Olympus Zuiko lens system. Unlike the 40-150mm Æ’/2.8 PRO lens, where Olympus published MTF (modulation transfer function) graphs for the lens with and without the MC-14 tele-converter, only one MTF graph (shown below) is provided.
The MTF graph shows the 300mm f/4 PRO lens to be capable of performing even better than the 40-150mm Æ’/2.8 PRO lens, particularly with respect to edge sharpness. Subjective observations showed images from the review lens resolved details virtually equally across the entire frame.
This sharpness was maintained across the lens aperture range, with some diffraction-related softening becoming apparent between f/14 and f/16. Perceived sharpness was largely retained through to the minimum aperture of f/22.
Adding the MC-14 tele-converter resulted in a slight reduction in sharpness, although it only became noticeable when shots were enlarged to 100% magnification. Perceived sharpness remained high at the f/5.6 maximum aperture setting, with diffraction softening beginning at around f/16.
We found no signs of chromatic aberration in test shots taken with the lens alone and with the MC-14 tele-converter. Nor was there evidence of wide-aperture vignetting, with or without the MC-14. Rectilinear distortion was visibly nonexistent.
Autofocusing performance in single-AF mode was generally good, provided the camera and lens were set up correctly. However, racking all the way between the closest focusing distance (1.4 metres) and infinity could take approximately one second when the focus limiter was set to span the entire distance range.
Setting the focus limiter to either of the shorter ranges (1.4-4 m or 4m to infinity) pulled back the lock-on time to well under half a second. Olympus claims it takes 400 milliseconds with the OM-D E-M1 for the lens to adjust focus from infinity to a target five metres distant.
Selecting the continuous-AF mode switches the camera to Dual Fast AF, which brings in data from the phase detection pixels embedded in the E-M1’s sensor, resulting in almost instantaneous lock-on of focus. Autofocusing is also extremely quiet, thanks to the MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) mechanism, which can be combined with the E-M5 II’s electronic shutter to enable movies to be recorded in ‘near absolute silence’. Without an E-M5 II camera, we were unable to test this capability.
Switching to manual focusing was quick and easy, thanks to the clutch mechanism. In manual mode, the focus distance markings (though small) can be read and soft click-stops allow precise distances to be set, although the ring rotates freely when the clutch is pushed forwards.
Manual focus over-ride is available in the camera’s menu by selecting the S-AF+MF mode in the menu. It also works with Panasonic cameras when the AF+MF setting is selected.
The 5-axis Sync IS was quite impressive, enabling use to hand-hold the E-M1 with the review lens and MC-14 at shutter speeds as low as 1/60 second and obtain at least half of the shots taken with acceptable or better sharpness. Without the MC-14, it was possible to shoot hand-held at 1/30 second and achieve similar results.
Bokeh in close-ups was also very smooth and attractive, even with the lens stopped down to f/7.1. At the widest aperture settings, the plane of focus was very narrow but out-of focus background blurring was smooth and free from defects like outlining and haloing.
Conclusion
For M4/3 shooters, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO is the only choice if you want a fast prime lens that offers the same field-of-view coverage as a 600mm lens on a 35mm camera. There are alternative zoom lenses from Olympus and Panasonic, which are significantly cheaper and also smaller and lighter.
But the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II lens is a lot slower (f/6.7) at the 300mm setting and it’s not weather-resistant. It is also made mostly of plastic and, although it performed well in our tests in April 2013, it does not produce images that are as sharp as our test shots from the 300mm f/4.0 lens.
Panasonic has recently announced an update to its 100-400mm zoom lens, the Leica-branded DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4-6.3, which we hope to review soon. This lens is faster than the Olympus zoom and also splash- and dust-proof and includes POWER O.I.S. stabilisation. It is due for release in March 2016, with an expected price tag of around AU$1900.
A real advantage of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens is its weight to magnification ratio. With a total weight of 1475 grams (including the tripod mount), it’s less than half the weight of the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and less than a third the weight of the AF-S Nikkor 600mm f/4G ED VR lens (which weighs just over 5000 grams).
Airlines around the world have become stricter about monitoring and enforcing carry-on limits recently, making equipment weight an important consideration for photographers who travel. With Olympus equipment, you can easily put together a kit containing two camera bodies, the 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO and lens 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens at a total weight of well under 3.5 kilograms. Do the same with either Canon or Nikon DSLRs and lenses and the weight will be pushing the 7 KG carry-on limit.
Savvy photographers are also beginning to appreciate the weight advantages of the M4/3 system, particularly in situations where they have to carry their gear. Smaller, lighter (and significantly cheaper) equipment has a lot to recommend it when imaging performance isn’t compromised ““ which it definitely isn’t with this new Olympus lens.
While it may be Olympus’s most expensive M4/3 lens, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO is a top-notch lens for serious photographers who photograph sports, wildlife and also stage performances. It’s usable in challenging weather, fast enough for low-light shooting and offers impressive close-up capabilities. What’s not to like?
SPECS
Picture angle: 4.1 degrees
Minimum aperture: f/22
Lens construction: 17 elements in 10 groups (including 3 Super ED lenses, 3 HR lenses,1 E-HR lens element)
Lens mounts: Micro Four Thirds
Diaphragm Blades: 9 (circular aperture)
Focus drive: High-speed Imager AF (MSC) with micro ultrasonic motor
Stabilisation: Yes, Voice Coil Motor driven, Lens IS provides 4 steps of correction, with 5-axis Sync IS – 6 steps correction
Minimum focus: 1.4 metres
Maximum magnification: 0.24x (+MC-14 0.34x)
Filter size: 77 mm
Dimensions (Diameter x L): 92.5 x 227 mm (280 mm with hood in use)
Weight: 1475 grams (1270 grams without tripod mount)
Standard Accessories: Lens front and end caps, lens hood, tripod collar, decoration ring (DR-79), lens case (LSC-1127)
SAMPLES
Vignetting at f/4.
Vignetting at f/5.6 with MC-14 tele-converter.
Rectilinear distortion.
Rectilinear distortion with MC-14 tele-converter.
300mm focal length, 1/320 second at f/6.3, ISO 250.
Crop from the above image enlarged to 100%.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/400 second at f/6.3, ISO 320.
Crop from the above image enlarged to 100%.
300mm, 1/1400 second at f/5.6, ISO 400.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/400 second at f/7.1, ISO 640.
300mm, 1/400 second at f/4, ISO 500.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/1000 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/1600 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/1250 second at f/7.1, ISO 200.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/400 second at f/5.6, ISO 250.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/640 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/1000 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/640 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
300mm, 1/1250 second at f/7.1, ISO 200.
300mm, 1/800 second at f/8, ISO 200.
420mm (with MC-14 tele-converter), 1/1250 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
300mm, 1/1250 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
300mm, 1/2000 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
300mm, 1/800 second at f/6.3, ISO 200.
300mm, 1/1600 second at f/4, ISO 400.
300mm, 1/1000 second at f/4, ISO 400.
300mm, 1/500 second at f/4, ISO 400.
300mm, 1/500 second at f/5.6, ISO 200.
Rating
RRP: AU$3699, US$2500
- Build: 9.0
- Handling: 9.0
- Image quality: 9.2
- Versatility: 8.8