OM SYSTEM M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Lens

One of the advantages of the Micro Four Thirds sensor is the effect it has on telephoto lenses: with its 2x crop factor, it gives this 75-300mm lens an effective field of view of 150-600mm.

Handling and features This super-telephoto zoom lens for Micro Four Thirds system cameras offers a 4x zoom range equivalent to a 150-600mm lens on a 35mm camera. For a lens offering such telephoto reach, it is quite reasonably priced at around £450, although you only get a modest maximum aperture of...

The physical differences between the new M.ZUIKO ED 75-300mm 1:4.8-6.7 II lens and the original M.ZUIKO ED 75-300mm 1:4.8-6.7 are small but the performance of the new lens has been improved with proprietary ZERO (Zuiko Extra-Low Reflection Optical Coating) lens coatings to reduce ghosting and flare.

This lens certainly won't suit everyone due to its modest maximum aperture and lack of optical stabilisation. However, if you own an Olympus Micro Four Thirds compatible camera with stabilisation built into the body, and take most of your super-telephoto images in good light, or with a support, then...

• +

  Compact size, Lightweight, Fast, silent autofocus, Resistant to flare, Excellent resolution between 75mm and 150mm

• -

  Lacklustre sharpness and high CA levels at 300mm, No lens hood supplied as standard

Released just over 18 months ago, the M-Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 lens was developed for Olympus's PEN cameras but is equally at home on the new OM-D E-M5 body, which we used for our tests.

There aren't currently many choices in the ultra-telephoto category for micro four-thirds, and without having tested the Panasonic 100-300mm, it's hard to recommend the one over the other.

This is a fairly sharp lens once you get it focused. As others have noticed there is a tendency to hunt for the right focus point, once it finds it, it is very sharp, provided you keep your shutter speed up.

I am coming off a Nikon, latest being a D300. I could NEVER afford nor carry a 600mm Nikon. Key advantages. 1. Getting bird and other nature shots not previously achievable. Don't underestimate this point, a good quality shot is better than an outstanding quality shot you couldn't take. 2.

• +

  Compact, lightweight, fast focus, afordable.

• -

  Image quality a bit soft at 300MM ... but for the price!

I actually found a good deal on this used as don't think I could justify it full price or on sale. That's because i don't really need it. If your going on safari and need the reach it would do if you can't afford a brighter lense. I have had fun getting shots of birds around my home and nearby pond.

I received the lens as a gift. The reach is lovely on this lens, 75-300mm (150-600mm=35mm), its sharp up to 200mm. The lens gets a bit soft at 300mm. The build is good, although I would like to see Olympus build lenses with internal zoom movement, meaning the lens overall length does not change.

• +

  Built, Reach and sharpness at up to 200mm

• -

  slow focus , soft at 300mm

I bought this because, in most situations, my Panasonic 100-400mm lens is just too heavy. Despite its specs on paper, I find the Olympus very sharp (almost indistinguishable from the far more expensive Panasonic) and an absolute pleasure to use.

Great lightweight telephoto for use with my E-M10. Images are sharp and I have used it to photograph birds with a high ISO to capture motion.

This 75-300 Olympus lens is miles ahead of it's 4/3 predecessor, the 70-300. Focus is extremely rapid on 99% of occasions, The lens produces extremely sharp results over most of the zoom range with, like a lot of others in it's class, a little softness at full 300 mm.