With an 80-300mm equivalent focal length range in a light and compact body, the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4 PRO looks like the ideal lens for a wide range of applications. Can its performance and image quality keep up with professional demands, though? This excellent video review takes a look to answer that question.
Coming to you from Robin Wong, this great video review takes a look at the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4 PRO lens. With an equivalent focal length range of 80-300mm, this particular lens covers the telephoto needs of most photographers while adding the versatility of a zoom, and with that f/4 aperture, it does so at a significantly lower price ($899 versus $1,499) and in a much more portable form than an f/2.8 version. Of course, if you are someone who frequently shoots in low light and who needs to maintain fast shutter speeds for freezing things like birds in flight, the f/2.8 option might be justified, but for people who just want some extra reach, such as landscape photographers, this looks like a great option. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Wong.
Hi Alex, I've used this lens for a few months now. It's a good video and I concur with most of what Robin has to say. However, there are some things I disagree with.
Firstly, that simplicity is a boon. As had previously been said in the video, the lens is both lighter and more affordable than the f/2.8 alternative and that comes from its simplicity. There would have been no advantage in building an f/4 version of a lens that was the same in every other way as the f/2.8. They are two different tools built for different purposes.
Also, the Olympus OM-D and OM-1 cameras are smothered in customizable buttons, more than I use, so switching to manual focus or turning on focus peaking just means programming one of those.
I've just successfully shot a wedding using this lens for all the indoor and outdoor work. The lens was released to partner with the OM-1 and the high ISO noise control on that and the superior image stabilization more than compensate for the lens being a stop slower than the f/2.8. Like everything in photography, it is a compromise, but it just needs a different way of working. I would get the point if this lens were released ten years ago when high ISOs meant lots of noise, but with today's technology, and noise reduction software, it's a redundant argument. Likewise, wanting to stop the movement of very fast-moving subjects, then it just means putting the ISO up.
Furthermore, when using a faster long lens to photograph birds, one often stops down to get the entire bird in focus.
When walking around with the lens attached to the camera that's around your neck, one doesn't retract it and lock it between every shot.
The video also claims that it isn't possible to achieve a shallow depth of field with f/4, yet his sample images of birds included pictures of birds with just that. Even at f/4, if you are close to the subject at 150mm, then the background is blurred.
I reviewed this lens a while ago. https://fstoppers.com/reviews/does-new-om-system-40-150mm-f4-lens-live-s...
Thanks for sharing it. It was an interesting watch.
Agree with everything said above
one correction: f/4 is only one stop slower than f/2.8 👍
Oops, of course you are right. I've corrected that. Must have been having a bad day. Thanks for spotting it.
I've been using this lens for a couple of months now and find it lacking in practically nothing. It's ability to go to 300 mm is phenomenal and it's so sharp even there. What I enjoy the most is all of the computational photography modes available on the OM1 are available on this lens and work really well like High res mode, HDR mode and live ND. I can carry this lens and the 12 to 40 2.8 and have almost everything I need covered. When I'm on location outside I don't have to worry about the rain or any adverse elements with these lenses and camera.