New Olympus 70-300mm & 40-150mm Micro Four Thirds Lenses

Olympus is introducing Micro Four Thirds versions of two of my favorite Olympus digital SLR lenses – the Zuiko Digital 70-300mm and Zuiko Digital 40-150mm. The new M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 and M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 zoom lenses are designed to work with the Olympus E-P1, E-P2 and E-PL1 Pen Digital cameras. The Pen cameras’ 2x digital crop factor gives the new lenses equivalent focal lengths of 150-600mm and 80-300mm – and the 75-300mm is smaller than a standard 12-ounce (355 ml) can of Coke! Both lenses also feature “high-speed, silent” auto focus to compliment the Pen cameras’ HD movie mode.

So why am I excited about these two lenses, you ask? I’m a big fan of the Olympus digital SLRs and lenses because they’re so small and light compared to the competition. And the Micro Four Thirds system takes that compact performance even further. The 70-300mm and 40-150mm Four Thirds lenses compliment the Olympus E-System DSLR cameras with big zoom range in a small a light package. The 70-300mm in particular, packs monster reach into a very compact lens – a 600mm equivalent that’s small and light enough to comfortably carry on the mountain bike and skis. It’s one of my favorite things about the Olympus DSLR system. Ever since the Olympus E-P1 Pen Camera was introduced I’ve been dreaming of a Micro Four Thirds version of the 70-300mm lens so I can have an even smaller 600mm backcountry camera rig.

Olympus ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 and ED 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 Micro Four Thirds zoom lenses

I don’t love the Four Thirds 40-150mm lens quite like I love the 70-300. But its small size and negligible weight make it a great travel lens. In fact, the Four Thirds 40-150mm was one of just two lenses I took on my Mazatlan vacation this spring. I chose it specifically because it’s so small but still provides a lot of reach. Combined with the Olympus E-PL1 Pen camera and 14-42mm Micro Four Thirds kit lens, the 40-150 gave me a 28-300mm zoom range that I easily packed in my carryon bag (Read my Olympus E-PL1 Pro Review). Like the 70-300mm, less of a good thing is even better. The official press release doesn’t give the dimensions of the Micro Four Thirds 40-150mm lens, but it’s guaranteed to be smaller and it weighs less than half a pound!

I’m a little disappointed that the new M.Zuiko Digital ED 70-300mm has an f/4.8-6.7 aperture. That’s more than a stop slower than the Four Thirds lens’s f/3.5-5.6 aperture. But at just under a pound, the Micro Four Thirds 70-300mm lens is nearly half a pound lighter than the Four Thirds version. It’s also about half an inch shorter and a third of an inch smaller in diameter, making it even more packable and backcountry-friendly. And since the Olympus Pen Digital cameras have built-in image stabilization, there’s a little room for slower shutter speeds.

Auto focus performance with the new lenses should be better, too. While it’s possible to use the Four Thirds lenses with the Micro Four Thirds cameras via the Four Thirds adapter, the auto focus performance is pretty shabby – especially with the 40-150mm lens. The biggest problem I had with the E-PL1 in Mexico was hunting AF in low light with the 40-150mm. Those lenses weren’t designed for the Pen cameras, though. Using them on the E-PL1, E-P2, etc. was just a workaround until better options were available. And now they are. I’m looking forward to smaller, lighter, longer and faster!

Olympus E-PL1 Pen camera with new M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 zoom lens

The Olympus E-PL1 is one of my favorite cameras for making video. The light weight, built-in image stabilization and optional electronic viewfinder mean I get great handheld mountain bike and ski videos. And once again, the Pen cameras and lenses are no-penalty in my ski or bike pack because they’re so small and light. The new lenses have a special silent focusing motor so they you won’t here them focusing in your videos. Unfortunately, silent AF motors won’t help cover up my desperate gasps for air when I jump off the bike to film a quick video clip.

The new Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 and M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 zoom lenses make a total of six dedicated Olympus Micro Four Thirds lenses. The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 lens will be available in November for $299.99 and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 will be in stores in December for $899.99.