One of my favorite things about Olympus’s interchangeable lens cameras is the extra reach the smaller Four Thirds sensor gives me – especially with long zoom lenses. I loved the crazy 600mm reach I got with their original 70-300mm Four Thirds DSLR zoom lens and I was really psyched when they came out with a Micro Four Thirds version a couple of years ago. Now, Olympus has updated the 75-300mm Micro Four Thirds lens design to better match their award-winning OM-D E-M5 mirrorless camera – our 2012 Camera of the Year[link]. Even better – the price has been lowered by more than $300, putting the new Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II zoom lens within reach of regular folks who want to add a superzoom lens to their camera kit.
Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Key Features And Specs:
- Focal length: 75-300mm
- 35mm equivalent focal length: 150-600mm
- Lens construction: 18 Elements in 13 Groups, Super ED lens, 2ED lenses and 3 HR lenses
- Min focus: 0.9m (at 75mm of focal length) / 1.5m (except 75mm of focal length)
- Max aperture: f/4.8 (75mm) – f/6.7 (300mm)
- Min aperture: f/22
- Number of aperture blades: 7 (Circular Aperture Diaphragm)
- Filter size: 58mm
- Dimensions: Diameter 69 x 116.5mm
- Weight: 423g
I love the original Olympus 75-300mm Micro Four Thirds lens for mountain landscapes and outdoor sports photos. The long focal length compresses space and pulls things together in really nice way. It’s especially great for ski photos. If you look at my review for the original 75-300mm lens (see link, below), you’ll see it next to a can of Red Bull – a great illustration of how small it is – especially considering the 600mm equivalent telephoto focal length. I love having that kind of reach in such a light, compact lens. It’s awesome for backpacking, mountain biking, skiing and traveling – any situation where weight and space are limited. Most of the changes on the new Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II zoom lens are cosmetic, to make it a better aesthetic match with the OM-D. The only performance-related update is the use of Olympus’s new ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coatings, which minimize flare and ghosting. The actual optics and mechanics of the lens remain the same. And since I reviewed the original M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm lens a couple of years ago, I will refer you to that review for deeper analysis and sample photos:
Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 Lens Review >>
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Zoom Lens
Top View - Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Zoom Lens & OM-D E-M5 Camera
New Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Zoom Lens On Silver OM-D E-M5 - Front
New Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Zoom Lens On Silver OM-D E-M5 - Angle
New Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Zoom Lens On Black OM-D E-M5 - Front
New Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Zoom Lens On Black OM-D E-M5 - Angle
Since the only performance upgrade is the use of new coatings, the main story here is that the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II is a whole lot more affordable than it used to be. Although the original $899 price wasn’t really exorbitant for a lens – especially not a zoom lens with a 600mm equivalent telephoto focal length – it probably was on the steep side for the average Olympus Pen camera owner. The introduction of the OM-D brought some more serious photographers into the Olympus fold, photographers who probably think $900 is a reasonable price for a 150-600mm equivalent zoom lens. However, the new price will make everyone happy – especially Pen owners who might have been interested but couldn’t budget that kind of cash for a zoom lens, no matter how awesome it might be.
The Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II zoom lens will be available in March, 2013 at a suggested retail price of $549.99.
Related Content:
All Olympus Digital Camera Reviews
Olympus Digital Cameras Forum
Compact System Cameras (Mirrorless) Forum
All Olympus News & Articles
All Compact System Cameras News & Articles
Olympus Web Site
Leave a Reply