Remembering David Thorpe's review on the 40-150 pro; "If your conception of MFT is a step up from a bridge camera, this lens is big, heavy and expensive. On the other hand, if your conception is of a realistic replacement for a DSLR, then this lens is small, light and reasonably priced". I suspect this lens is in the same class. I still come back to that review every now and then to hear that voice :)
@@MicroFourNerdshe was a gent, plain and simple, sadly missed by all m43 enthusiasts who valued common sense reviews. No hyperbole, just practical observations.
This commentary is so refreshing, she really enjoys all opportunities to produce media and her own art . Lens are so very important, however even if she was a bottle cap photographer, her heart and enthusiasm would suffice over reviews of a lens. Keep up your good work, I appreciate you!
Having owned this lens for 2 years and taken many thousands of photos with it I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment. It is the best zoom lens I've ever owned bar none. The only criticism I could possibly level at it is the bokeh isn't brilliant, merely ok.
Now, it's not cheap! But the best prices with a warranty will be from MPB, I've linked the lens directly in the description. Just cover your eyes before you click 😂
@@Wildridefilms at the time that cheap canon lens did not exist. oh, a cheetah isnt that fast, my ford focus is much faster! (isnt an intelligent argument either)
Mmmm, only $11,299 in Australia. Could sell the house😂 Thanks for this review Emily. It sounds great but will stick to my Oly 100-400mm f5-6.3. It’s good enough for what I take.
5:26 the four black buttons have the same function (you can't assign more than one). You can either assign your favourite function from the menus, such as digital zoom, or (better) pair it with the white button next to the teleconverter, which is the "focus memory". Pressing the button next to the TC stores the actual focus distance, pressing the function buttons resets the focusing distance to that value. I used this method while shooting dragonflies. I set the distance corresponding to the perching site of a Four-Spotted Chaser. When the insect went away I tried to shoot anything I could see. When the insect came back I pressed the function button to precisely focus on it again.
Being able to set focus & recall it is extremely useful for my passion - Shooting Surfing; I have a bad habit of letting the camera/lens swing down by my side on the shoulder strap between waves, due to left arm fatigue: I shoot Fuji with the x-h2s/150-600, so very similar physicality. I simply prefocus on the most likely break, then recall focus as I swing the camera up to my eye & voila - No focus pumping & straight onto the surfer & easy to maintain focus as the wave's tracking across my field of view. Job's a good'un {:0)
@@peterjackhandy that’s a lovely set up, I loaned from Fujifilm for a week, I set up the buttons to focus and used it like BBF. If it had been wider at the long end I’d have bought for sure, but F11 is a step too far. I loved using the buttons end of lens, it felt so intuitive.
HI Emily, thanks for this new interesting review. I am using lens fn buttons as follows 1. Flip left lowest selector (on lens left side) to "Select" 2. Press button near the 1.25x TC lever each time you might wish to come back to any given distance / subject lens just focused to - can set camera to give a confirmation beep. 3. Press any of the 4 buttons to snap focus back to that "set" distance anytime something seems to happen there. In combination with another button set to "PreMF", you consequently could jump from any shooting scenario to any of these 2 centres of interest. NB. Beware to double press "PreMF" button, 1. to set lens to preset distance, and 2. to reset AF to what you were using. Keep well and enjoy your outings
“I carry it like an expensive handbag” 😂 Great review- enjoy your life on the run with that magical lens. That lens makes me want to switch to MFT - if only I could afford it.
Using MFT is (relatively) cheap! (As long as you don't lust after this lens.) But if you have to dump your existing system to move over and start anew, then it gets expensive.
I own an OM1 (not Mark II) and just took this lens to Ecuador for a two-week birding trip. Excellent review, and generally agree with your observations and conclusions. A couple of additional notes: 1) As you mention, it is extremely sharp, much better than my 100-400 OM Systems telephoto, and the constant F4.5 gets the most out of the OM1. But ... I was shooting alongside a Canon R5 and an R6 II with the 100-500 lens, and their results were shockingly good, better I think than mine, especially in low light, where I expected their F7.1 aperture at full extension would play against them. Presume the full-frame sensor managed to help them compensate for the lack of speed of the lens. And the 100-500 L lens is a pretty sharp lens in good light as well, although the OM lens was extraordinary in good light . 2) Midway through a morning shooting the lens suddenly fogged up (we had been out for well over an hour, and it had spent the night in an un-airconditioned room, so not due to sudden transition from cold to warm and humid air). I suspect it is connected to the teleconverter, which I think presents a point of infiltration. A half-day time out in the room with the cap off took care of it, although I was not happy having use my 100-400 lens, which I had brought along as a backup. 3) I have not been totally happy with the bird autofocus on the OM1, and the new lens did not improve this shortcoming much despite the incredible stabilization and extra speed if I wanted it (the blackout-free shooting at 25 FPS was very nice as opposed to the increased speed). So my conclusion kind of matches yours - I was planning to buy this lens, but now am waiting to evaluate the new Canon R5 II against my current setup because replacing my OM1 with the Mark II for the better autofocus and buying the Pro lens with it would be almost exactly $10,000 less maybe $1,500 trade-in, and I suspect the new Canon and lens will probably be less than the OM lens alone even before considering trade in values. I am a retired guy and have the money for my absurd hobby, but think it's an overpriced option. Thanks for an excellent review - very fair and accurate as far as I am concerned. I'll keep watching.
Thank you! I think that set of images really showcases how good the AF is. The puffin flew over my head towards me and the lens/OM1ii tracked it so well!
Ref your comments on using the assignable buttons - I use the set button (above the TC lever) to set the focus point on e.g. the nest I'm watching - I can then slew off and shoot BiF, swing back to the nest and press any of the buttons around the focus ring and I'm instantly locked on to the right focus point again. Superb lens.
I agree with your review. I have owned this lens for a couple of months. Excellent quality. The price is high, but when you compare other makes with similar reach in their systems, not so bad. Also much smaller and lighter than many (though not actually that small or light).
I use this lens almost daily and agree with your review. Attaching the lens to a good shoulder strap frees a hand for binocular use, note taking or whatever. I use the function buttons to send the focus to near infinity; useful when a flying bird that I would like to photograph shows up when I have been close to a subject. The autofocus struggles with a bird against the sky when the focus is starting from a near point. A grossly out of focus bird just does not show up in that situation. Start with the focus close and you have much better chance.
I had the opportunity to use this lens a bit, and I think its price is completely justified. There is no compromise in design or image quality. I think it's even a bit better than my Oly 300/4. A zoom better than the best prime. Mind blowing.
A great review. I'm luckily in a position to go ahead and order the Great White. I hummed and harred about it for ages because of the price, but you're getting the equivalent of a Rolls-Royce and Ferrari, so decided to go ahead. At the age of 64, I decided it was now or never.
Great review Emily and I can fully understand why you want to run away with this lens.... I was skeptical about this lens, particularly given its price, but gave it a try after it became available. Before I was using the Olympus 300 mmF4 and Sony 200-600 mmF5.6-6.3. Within a few days I absolutely fall in love with this lens and the images it produces. Now after having it over 2 years I can say that it was one of my best investments. Apart from the over 100,000 amazing images of birds and wildlife taken with it I am regularly going out for hikes/trips in search of birds and wildlife. The Olympus lens is remarkably well-balanced, making its weight almost imperceptible during use, I can hike with it holding in my hand for 20 miles without any problem. Its close up focusing distance of 1.3 m and magnification are also amazing and because of the great stabilization and computational features of the OM-1 II you can easily do in camera handheld focus stacking, which is impossible to achieve with any full frame setup. Surprisingly, you can even do handheld 14 bit high resolution images of birds if they are not moving much, with great improvements in image quality. Live ND can also be useful in certain situations to decrease the noise levels. Since acquiring this lens, I've found myself hardly using the Sony setup, despite its only marginally heavier weight, all benefits of the larger full frame sensor, and better bird tracking on Sony bodies. Overall, the Olympus lens stands apart in terms of handling, built quality, weather-sealing, stabilization, autofocus performance, sharpness, and close-up capabilities. The primary drawback of the system lies in its 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, but this lens is among the best telephoto lenses ever built.
The 150-600 might balance better with a gripped OM1 if you like those heavy m43 rigs. And I agree, I’ve had big white Sony 200-600, canon 500mm f/4.5 and 100-500, the birds avoiding those lenses was noticeable when I moved from the Olympus 100-400. I always use a camo wrap or lens cover with those lenses now.
As someone who has done safari trips to Africa with a Canon 500m F4 L I would say that this Olympus lens is not large it is perfectly sized! Ths is my dream lens - I ever get back into wildlife photography I would have to consider it. I use Lumix bodies though so would have to get an OM1 to go with it unfortunately.
Great review! When I ordered mine I had to wait 6 month to get it but it was worth the wait. It´s absolutely the best zoom lens I´ve ever used and I´ve used Canons 200-400 F4 1.4X before switching to m4/3. The reach, the image stabilization and image quality is fantastic. It´s also very well balanced and I never use a tripod when using it outside, only in hides. I sometimes use it with the 2x converter with great results. Compared to Canon and Nikons premium zoomlenses it´s actually a lot of value for the money.
I tightened my belt and did without many things to get the lens. I still have sticker shock, almost a year later. No regrets with the purchase and is very versatile lens. Having it be f/4.5 and 5.6 all the way through is great. I use the 4 black buttons for focus recall. Focus on a area, press the set button near the TC lever. I can be photographing other subjects and then if a subject lands on the spot I programmed, I just press one of the 4 buttons and the system sets the focus back to the spot. Still cheaper than other tele-zooms from other brands. Along with the OM1 II is a fantastic combo. I remember when I heard about the price years back when it was announced the price, said not for me. Now years later, I treated myself. Don't own car, cottage, boat.
Oh wow. On my latest wish list with a new camera. Waited 5 years to get the one I have because I'm not rich but hahaha might take me 20 years for this lens. Still you never know. Beautiful video.
Come on they’re not that good. From 300 to 400 image quality drops off fast. I do own this lens and other Olympus telephotos. I would advise you not to buy. They are honest reviews on American RUclips channels. I liked this channel a lot but this review is making me and subscribe.
I'm sure I read somewhere, maybe on a sign at a tourist destination, that birds can be distracted and even provoked by shiny lenses, which made me a bit concerned having picked up the cheaper 40-150mm Olympus lens in silver, as opposed to the arguably more appealing black version. That probably also explained why the retailer has bundling only the silver version at a steep discount as an extended kit option: all the likely users probably know about the shiny lens problem, want the more discreet black version, leaving a stockpile of the silver version to be cleared. I thought that the white lens phenomenon was a sports photography thing, anyway.
Birds, and wildlife in general, will react to movement based on contrast. I have seen/heard a number of bird photographers suggest having black sleeves to make movements less conspicious so small birds etc are less startled and esp in a hide, the big white lens will be easy for them to see in contrast to the darker background of the hide. For handholding a larger lens, and reducing arm strain, may I suggest a fishing belt (one that holds a rod) and a monopod with a ballhead attached. Now you can walk around with camera at the ready for action, its weight supported by the belt, ready whether kneeling or standing for extended periods of time with eye to the camera, makes panning shots easier too. Another benefit of the fishing belt is you can shoot longer exposures for general use if needed, acting like a low level steadycam. Hope this was useful and thank you for your reviews and tips.
good to hear that some kinda cannon like these is tailored for m43, i'm a m43 fan too because of my small hand, good to know the m43 system isn't dead cheers
I really wish LUMIX would come up with something similar, I was disappointed with their PL100-400 mkii, not much of an improvement by all accounts and still didn’t properly fix the stiff zoom ring ☹️. I’d love to see a LUMIX offering with internal zoom, it makes such a difference to use ability and I agree re the Arca Swiss tripod foot, it makes hand holding so much easier. I loaned Fujifilms 150-600 and it had both these features, a joy to use and would have switched systems if it weren’t for it being f11 at the long end.
I can’t believe they didn’t fix the stiff ring, it seemed like such a good lens but a few things to fix, when they announced mk2 I thought it would be the perfect mid level bird cam for m4/3. Shame they fumbled it
in my own tests, this lens matches the very sharp 300mm PRO stopped down to f4.5 ...except for near infinity distances at wide-open where the 300 PRO (again, stopped down to f4.5) has a slight edge when viewing at a ridiculous 300% magnification on Lightroom. definitely worth selling both of my kidneys...who needs them amirite?
in my tests, big white is far better because birds are skittish where I live. reach is more important because ethically I am not allowed to feed wild birds. AND, both these lenses are SO good, the m43 sensor IS now the weak point (and cropping is not an option). Also TBH, good technique is a pre requisite and the first step to any wildlife photography journey.
A great review of this amazing and totally impressive lens! I want one and I hardly ever shoot birds. 🙂 However, I do have to say, that I get a bit tired of people saying that any lens bigger than a pancake or more expansive than $300 "goes against" the "small/light/cheap point of MFT." First, second, third, fourth, etc. - MFT lenses will *always* be smaller and lighter than truly equivalent FF lenses. And, if we look as the competition for this lens from the FF world it is also cheaper. When the first "small/light/cheap" MFT camera, the Lumix DMC-G1, hit the market in 2008 that was a hundred years ago in digital camera years. Now MFT competes with the best cameras in the market, so I, for one, see products like this as essential to keep the MFT ecosystem thriving because it offers performance and portability not found in any other format.
I am! I've followed the team for 10 years now. Went to LA and Seattle last year to watch some games. We lost both of course 😂 I'm so happy to have seen Pete Carroll games tho before he retired.
Hi Emily.....Liverpool Kev here...May I recommend this lens when you are on the lash in Liverpool city Centre on a Saturday night!?...Joking apart....in a previous life I was a speaker on cruise ships (once out of Liverpool)...I know how hard it is to 'engage' an audience...You have it 'spot on'....Thank you for sharing Emily...For your Knowledge and Entertainment and Humour...Now .....That's a special combination haha!...All best.....Liverpool Kev
I saw this lens stuck to an OM-1 while at a WRC rally a couple weeks ago; funnily enough, when i was about to ask the photographer about it, i thought it was a full frame setup 😂😂 Mind-boggling price tag and equally mind-boggling capabilities.
Big for M4/3, maybe, but still small enough to walk halfway up a mountain if you wanted to, without having to arrange all the logistics of the trip around transporting the lens!
Why don't you do a review on the Olympus 12-200? Apparently the best All-rounder lens in the system, it would be very interesting for everyone .. at least we can afford it
I LOVE puffins! For its size, that lens isn't massively heavy. The Sigma 24-105 weighs more than this does! Even the price, although high(!), isn't as silly as sony/canon etc
Hey Emily. You’re lookin’ all fit and slinky! I’d love to see that lens used for some sports photography. Motor sport, football, athletics… The smaller size than FF must surely confer huge advantages when working a full day.
I feel this is true of most of the m43 wildlife stuff. It’s tempting, but there are so many competing options in other systems at similar price points.
Send it to me now! 😂 On a side note have you seen how big and how expensive the Canon 1200mm F8 is?! Makes this thing look like the bargain of the century for F11.25 (2x 4.5 + 1.25) versus the Canon at F8! Can you make a video using the G9ii with it please?
I’ve had this super zoom since it first came out. If you’re a wildlife photographer, this is the best lens to have if you can afford it. I have a 300mm and now I rarely use it.
What's interesting, to me, is that there are many reviews of this 150-400 up here on RUclips, but I've only found one review in English of the 29/0.8. There are several more reviews in other languages, and a number of commentary/opinion videos about the lens, but I either can't understand them(I did watch a few just for the visuals) or they are speculating about what they like/dislike about the lens but have never actually used it. It's weird. I'm tempted to rent one just to get another review out there.
@@jamtotoro9850 Voigt did a 0.8 Lens? Isn't that close to a Full Frame f/1.4? Probably pretty soft and major vignette wide open but It'd be intriguing nonetheless. I'm still hoping Panasonic or Olympus releases an autofocus 20mm f/0.95 at some point.
@@overnightdelivery FF equivalent of f1.6, as micro 4/3rds has a crop factor of 2. I just brought it up because it was the most expensive micro 4/3rds lens available once upon a time.
I picked this up when I was in Vienna. It came to 6k after the cash back. Expensive, yes, but good lord it's an amazing lens. It's as sharp as my Panasonic-Leica 200mm f/2.8 wide open, which is an amazing feat.
…hahaha…or, you could…and a trip and still have money left over for parking and Fish & Chips! Hilariousl 😂. Love it. Thx for another fabulous videos. Agree 100% on all points. Cheers 😊
This lens is in full frame equivalent a 300-800mm f9. Canon has the 200-800mm f6.3-9. The Canon is only 2kg. With a high megapixels full frame sensor you can easily crop in to x1.6. All with just a button press on the camera body.
Lucky you who are in a place where it is not hot like in my city in Rome. Of that lens I appreciate the movement of the lenses internally, unlike those that move the optical unit beyond the lens chassis, but I don't like the focal multiplier lever at all as that slot could allow dust to enter inside. Finally, for birdwatching with pushed telephoto lenses, I recommend using a monopod that allows more stability.
I said it before, and I'll say it again. The mistake mft made to become the best system (besides losing the autofocus game at the start) was pricing smaller and lighter lenses at full frame prices. This lens is about the size, weight and amount of special glass as a 180-600mm nikon Z. Or the Sony equivalent. But it's priced more than 3 times that. Notice I'm not talking about focal length, because that is actually also about the same 150-400. The Canon 100-500 is like half the price. The 2x effect comes from the smaller sensor in the camera. Simlpy put: this should be way cheaper. That would also lead to way more sales and therefore. But now it's on the brink of bankruptcy. I would love love love this lens, but the price truly is ridiculous.
I love my big white lens! I use it mostly for close ups and it's really esay to handhold even if it's that big. Bought mine used about 2 years ago from a photo shop in Sweden, it was almost brand new and the price was 20 % lower than a new one. At that time the waiting list was over a year so I "had to" buy it. 😂
Hi. Great video for a seemingly great lens. I would really want one. Although I am a Lumix-user and I suppose to get the most out of this lens it should be paired with an OM1. Could you please compare the Lumix Leica 35-100 to the full frame eq Lumix S 70-200. There are not many videos about the 35-100 lens. And since you have both M4/3 and Full Frame, perhaps you could pull this comparison off. Thank you. ☀️
Given the quality of the lens, the price seems right. What holds me back is if OM will continue to create awesome cameras as Olympus did in the past. I want to see R&D outcomes from OM first.
Just hire them for events/trips, that's all I do with it. On charge to my clients too. It's a brilliant lens. I think 2 weeks from LensHire was only about 500 quid, a bargain to be honest. Even if paying yourself.
I was thinking my Sony full frame lenses were expensive for my Sony 70-200mm 2.8 ii and my Sony 200-600mm but this one used is more them together at $6000 to get it here in Alaska and that’s used
The 300 pro is apparently brilliant and way more handhold able and affordable. Will or have you reviewed that one? Its more in my budget too. Big White seems to be crazy good tho!
I had the 300 pro for 6 days and traded it for the 150-400 sight unseen. be wary of m43 reviewers who say a cheaper lens is 'the greatest' it is quite likely they havent tried any pro olympus lenses to base any opinion! FWIW i found the 300 tough to get anything in frame (constant 600mm) then it didnt have enough reach for small birds. its weight was very noticeable for 1.5kg (like its made of heavier stuff). The colouration thru the lens was cold like a weird blue, or it just had chromatic abberations of blue. I found it no sharper than big white as these lenses are SO good, the m43 sensor IS now the weak point. Of course, using these lenses, you'll find that technique is more important than good glass. watching your backgrounds and getting low are far more important! good luck on your photography journey!
Sinceramente, si observamos que se encuadre ese rango, focal equivalente y esa luminosidad, la comparásemos con lentes Fool Friends, sinceramente si es pequeño y económico
The comments about bird AF apply to the OM-1 as well. The subject detect on the OM-1 is brilliant. It is not clear to me that the Om-1.2 has improved on that to any real degree. Basically if you can get the bird in the frame you get the shot.
Ooo I can feel a huge upgrade personally. I've had the original OM1 for a while and taken it on safari etc. It is fantastic, don't get me wrong, but the bird ai in particular is just incredible. Massive improvement in my experience
@@MicroFourNerds very interesting, can you define how it is better? Given that you can basically point the OM-1 in the general direction of a bird, with pretty much any lens (say the 70-300II as an example) and get great shots I am trying to figure out how much better it could get?
@larrywhite8590 this is why OM System have such a hard time explaining this update . It's so subjective, isnt it! I didn't have the same experience with you with the OM1 when I was on safari. It missed shots a heck of a lot more than the G9ii that I was also using at the time. It is still one of the best for this, but I saw a big jump when compared to the G9ii. I also found the AF / Subject Detection modes on the original OM1 to be super convoluted and unnecessarily complex. I cover a lot of this in my recent OM1ii dedicated review just two videos back if you haven't seen it already. There are just... no missed shots with the OM1ii it's incredible. The keeper rate is so much higher in my experience.
LMAO at the GM1/5 hanging on for dear life off the 150-600. This lens is absolutely the best that MFT has to offer but at the size and price, it is hard to recommend essentially a FF 300-800 f9 + 800-1000 f11 over an actual FF setup. Let's take the canon 200-800 f5.6-9 for example. It is a bit bigger, heavier and is an external zoom but goes wider and is faster at the wider focal lengths. The extra length on the OM is achieved with a TC, so you can quite easily simulate that with cropping on FF. On a similar priced body to the OM1II, the R6ii shoots slightly slower, but still plenty fast at 40 fps. And you can crop into a 1000mm equivalent and still get a very usable 15.4MP file. And the R6ii+200-800 costs half as much as the OM1ii+150-400. Similar comparisons can be made to Nikon and Sony FF systems. The L mount is a bit lacking on high resolution with modern features but the S5II+ Sigma 150-600 can be had for a similar price to the "OM" 150-600.
The light gathering capability of the Olympus lens at 800 or 1000 mm equivalent remains at f/4.5 or f/5.6 respectively, whereas the Canon lens when fully zoomed is f/9. This significantly diminishes the advantages of the full-frame sensor in terms of noise and dynamic range. Regarding depth of field (background blur), while theoretically the full-frame Canon lens should offer a slight advantage, this is not really the case in practice. I've been using this Olympus lens for over 2 years alongside the Sony full-frame system with the Sony 200-600 mm f/5.6-6.3 lens. Interestingly, the bokeh when fully zoomed in with the Sony lens is very comparable to that of the Olympus lens. Moreover, the Olympus lens excels in close-up capabilities, offering a 1.3 meter close-up distance with almost semi-macro magnification, compared to 3.3 meters for the Canon lens (2.4 m in Sony). This, coupled with outstanding stabilization (can be handheld at 1/10 sec of shutter speed at 1000 mm), enables handheld in-camera focus stacking, a feat not achievable with any full-frame setup. In addition to its close-up capability, the Olympus lens impresses with its superb handling, balance, and sharpness (even sharper than Sony's 200-600 mm, which is the sharpest full frame telephoto zoom). The Olympus lens is remarkably well-balanced, making its weight almost imperceptible during use, I can hike with it holding in my hand for 20 miles without any problem. Since acquiring it, I've found myself hardly using the Sony setup, despite its only marginally heavier weight compared to the Olympus lens (the Sony 200-600 mm is also an internal zoom unlike the Canon 200-800 mm). Overall, the Olympus lens stands apart in terms of handling, built quality, weather-sealing, stabilization, autofocus performance, sharpness, and close-up capabilities when compared to Canon's 200-800 mm lens. The primary drawback of the system lies in its 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, but this lens is among the best telephoto lenses ever built.
One can dream right? I was going to rent one for my vacation. We rented a place on lake where there is an abundance of wild life and I also shot an air show. $350 was a tad much. Nice to hear you can hand hold it. I rented the Sony 200-600 for my sony body instead. I could hold it just fine. But most of the bird shots were no in focus.
hi, i have seen many videos about this lens and yes! it is the best zoom for micro 4/3 out there. The overall quality and performance level achieved makes it reach such a high price. Like when a supercar manages to reach a record that no other car reaches and this alone can justify a much higher price. However, in absolute terms, despite everything, it fails to produce the best quality out there. From what i have seen, the image quality of even the olympus 300 f4 pro and the leica 200 f2.8 surpass it. Since it costs so much i would have liked it to be on par if not even superior to these two primes. It would have been a dream. I think that overall between quality, compactness and price the 40-150 f4 pro has no rivals, as well as the 40-150 f2.8 pro (if you really need more light). I think that the Olympus 100-400 is also very good and preferable to the Leica 100-400 that I tried and didn't like. But I think that the best thing would be a small update of the long and compact solutions like the Lumix 100-300 or the Olympus 75-300 (which I preferred much more than the Lumix counterpart).
@@tntytube I'm just talking about image quality, not overall versatility. Are you sure that the Olympus 150 400 offers superior image quality to the Leica 200 f 2.8?
This lens is actually cheap. The Canon 800mm f5.6 is € 20,581.40 in France. This lens is €7999 in France. And the kicker is this lens is sharper than the Canon. Mirrorlessons did a review including these two lenses and it's got telling comparison images that demonstrate this. So a zoom that is sharper than primes and less than half the cost of just one of them is arguably a bargain. The four black buttons around the barrel in conjunction with the set button are for focus memory. Another outstanding feature of this lens is how weatherproof it is.
...but do I want to get an OM-1 II just to use this lens? I know it work work on my G9 and G9M2, but how much would I lose sans Dual-IS and how many shots would it get that I'd miss with my Leica 100-400? Hmmm. I can really only see using this lens if I worked for Nat Geo (and they'd probably pay for it). It looks like a prime example of getting a bit more performance for a lot more investment (not only in monetary terms but in back/neck pain)!
Before you send back the lens, and although OM would probably not appreciate it, it would be great if you could run some basic tests on your G9M2. I'm particularly interested in the interactions (good or bad) between the lens OSS and the G9 IBIS as well as the achievable frame rates with nailed autofocus and a reasonably good number of keepers. Mind you I'm not about to buy this lens. For my purposes I'd rather spend the $$ toward an A9-III for its global shutter.
Of course it’s a poster child as you put it, for MFT because it’s much smaller, lighter and cheaper than the Full Frame counterparts. I’d much rather carry that around all day than a full frame equivalent. There was a weird contradiction within a couple of seconds.
I have used the 150-400 f4.5 pro exclusively to shoot wildlife for two years and I am a little disappointed with the 1.25 built in TC. I found it not as sharp as the 1.4 TC especially if you are using it for small songbirds. You will notice a little soft at the 1000mm end comparing to the 1.4 TC. Bigger birds and other animals are fine but the smaller ones where you need to crop in. I would rather leave the 1.25 TC off and just crop in using the 800mm end
There nothing like it unless you got muscles of Arnold Schwarzenegger and can hand hold the Bigma F2.8. Olympus optics are terribly underrated quite frankly people are sleeping on the Oly glass, their vintage glass even more so. Its up there with the Zeiss and Canon L for sure.
I shall definitely share my thoughts! In my 150-600mm review (coming soon!) I have a bit of a pixel peep at the image quality and share my overall experiences with both ☺️
@@MicroFourNerds Great! Looking forward to that! I own the 150-600, and I think the bokeh might even be better! Depth of field is shallower according to calculations
MPB UK had three of these last I checked, for £5809 😳 big ol' chunk of change. Lot of lens for the money, but then one wonders if the price reduction vs new is worth it given the much shorter warranty 🤔 In any case, excellent video Emily, thank you
@@sue.Hoo123 not sure if my previous comment disappeared (can't currently see it?), but I also like Wex for offering a 12 month warranty. Harrison Cameras (my local camera shop) does 12 months too
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I've created a Faroe Islands Photography/Travel guide, as well as all the info about the puffins! You can check it out here: geni.us/Nh88
This lens is so expensive I’m not sure I can even afford to watch the review
ROLF!!
Only if you have G.A.S. 😁
Just hide behind the fence and have some looks through the space between....
Remembering David Thorpe's review on the 40-150 pro; "If your conception of MFT is a step up from a bridge camera, this lens is big, heavy and expensive. On the other hand, if your conception is of a realistic replacement for a DSLR, then this lens is small, light and reasonably priced".
I suspect this lens is in the same class.
I still come back to that review every now and then to hear that voice :)
I loved David's videos so much!
@@MicroFourNerdshe was a gent, plain and simple, sadly missed by all m43 enthusiasts who valued common sense reviews. No hyperbole, just practical observations.
This commentary is so refreshing, she really enjoys all opportunities to produce media and her own art . Lens are so very important, however even if she was a bottle cap photographer, her heart and enthusiasm would suffice over reviews of a lens. Keep up your good work, I appreciate you!
Aah thanks so much I really appreciate that ☺️
Having owned this lens for 2 years and taken many thousands of photos with it I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment. It is the best zoom lens I've ever owned bar none. The only criticism I could possibly level at it is the bokeh isn't brilliant, merely ok.
I totally agree. I have been using this lens for over 2 years and totally agree.
Totally agree with both. If I must choose one lens it's this.
For the target audience this is a good deal even at that price.
That built-in teleconverter is just Olympus flexing on us. Holy crap that's insane.
Gm5 lens cap ✨
Now, it's not cheap! But the best prices with a warranty will be from MPB, I've linked the lens directly in the description. Just cover your eyes before you click 😂
Substantially cheaper, more flexible and lighter than a Canon RF600 f4 though. £6500 vs £16000!!
@@stevemurnan1702 not even near comparable. A closer comparison would be the 200-800mm.
@@Wildridefilms at the time that cheap canon lens did not exist. oh, a cheetah isnt that fast, my ford focus is much faster! (isnt an intelligent argument either)
Mmmm, only $11,299 in Australia. Could sell the house😂 Thanks for this review Emily. It sounds great but will stick to my Oly 100-400mm f5-6.3. It’s good enough for what I take.
@@Wildridefilms The only thing the 200-800 has in common with the Oly is it's a zoom.
I'm surprised you didn't show comparisons of equivalent FF zooms--both in size and price! That's when the 150-400 suddenly looks like a "bargain"...
I assume they must come with their own self-propelled tracked base and telescope dome 😅
5:26 the four black buttons have the same function (you can't assign more than one). You can either assign your favourite function from the menus, such as digital zoom, or (better) pair it with the white button next to the teleconverter, which is the "focus memory". Pressing the button next to the TC stores the actual focus distance, pressing the function buttons resets the focusing distance to that value. I used this method while shooting dragonflies. I set the distance corresponding to the perching site of a Four-Spotted Chaser. When the insect went away I tried to shoot anything I could see. When the insect came back I pressed the function button to precisely focus on it again.
Being able to set focus & recall it is extremely useful for my passion - Shooting Surfing; I have a bad habit of letting the camera/lens swing down by my side on the shoulder strap between waves, due to left arm fatigue:
I shoot Fuji with the x-h2s/150-600, so very similar physicality.
I simply prefocus on the most likely break, then recall focus as I swing the camera up to my eye & voila - No focus pumping & straight onto the surfer & easy to maintain focus as the wave's tracking across my field of view.
Job's a good'un {:0)
@@peterjackhandy that’s a lovely set up, I loaned from Fujifilm for a week, I set up the buttons to focus and used it like BBF. If it had been wider at the long end I’d have bought for sure, but F11 is a step too far. I loved using the buttons end of lens, it felt so intuitive.
HI Emily, thanks for this new interesting review.
I am using lens fn buttons as follows
1. Flip left lowest selector (on lens left side) to "Select"
2. Press button near the 1.25x TC lever each time you might wish to come back to any given distance / subject lens just focused to - can set camera to give a confirmation beep.
3. Press any of the 4 buttons to snap focus back to that "set" distance anytime something seems to happen there.
In combination with another button set to "PreMF", you consequently could jump from any shooting scenario to any of these 2 centres of interest.
NB. Beware to double press "PreMF" button, 1. to set lens to preset distance, and 2. to reset AF to what you were using.
Keep well and enjoy your outings
“I carry it like an expensive handbag” 😂 Great review- enjoy your life on the run with that magical lens. That lens makes me want to switch to MFT - if only I could afford it.
Using MFT is (relatively) cheap! (As long as you don't lust after this lens.) But if you have to dump your existing system to move over and start anew, then it gets expensive.
I own an OM1 (not Mark II) and just took this lens to Ecuador for a two-week birding trip. Excellent review, and generally agree with your observations and conclusions. A couple of additional notes: 1) As you mention, it is extremely sharp, much better than my 100-400 OM Systems telephoto, and the constant F4.5 gets the most out of the OM1. But ... I was shooting alongside a Canon R5 and an R6 II with the 100-500 lens, and their results were shockingly good, better I think than mine, especially in low light, where I expected their F7.1 aperture at full extension would play against them. Presume the full-frame sensor managed to help them compensate for the lack of speed of the lens. And the 100-500 L lens is a pretty sharp lens in good light as well, although the OM lens was extraordinary in good light . 2) Midway through a morning shooting the lens suddenly fogged up (we had been out for well over an hour, and it had spent the night in an un-airconditioned room, so not due to sudden transition from cold to warm and humid air). I suspect it is connected to the teleconverter, which I think presents a point of infiltration. A half-day time out in the room with the cap off took care of it, although I was not happy having use my 100-400 lens, which I had brought along as a backup. 3) I have not been totally happy with the bird autofocus on the OM1, and the new lens did not improve this shortcoming much despite the incredible stabilization and extra speed if I wanted it (the blackout-free shooting at 25 FPS was very nice as opposed to the increased speed). So my conclusion kind of matches yours - I was planning to buy this lens, but now am waiting to evaluate the new Canon R5 II against my current setup because replacing my OM1 with the Mark II for the better autofocus and buying the Pro lens with it would be almost exactly $10,000 less maybe $1,500 trade-in, and I suspect the new Canon and lens will probably be less than the OM lens alone even before considering trade in values. I am a retired guy and have the money for my absurd hobby, but think it's an overpriced option.
Thanks for an excellent review - very fair and accurate as far as I am concerned. I'll keep watching.
I love that shot at 8:13!
Thank you! I think that set of images really showcases how good the AF is. The puffin flew over my head towards me and the lens/OM1ii tracked it so well!
That lens is a beast, Emily! Beautiful images to go with the price! Thanks, it was fun watching.
Ref your comments on using the assignable buttons - I use the set button (above the TC lever) to set the focus point on e.g. the nest I'm watching - I can then slew off and shoot BiF, swing back to the nest and press any of the buttons around the focus ring and I'm instantly locked on to the right focus point again. Superb lens.
I agree with your review. I have owned this lens for a couple of months. Excellent quality. The price is high, but when you compare other makes with similar reach in their systems, not so bad. Also much smaller and lighter than many (though not actually that small or light).
I use this lens almost daily and agree with your review. Attaching the lens to a good shoulder strap frees a hand for binocular use, note taking or whatever. I use the function buttons to send the focus to near infinity; useful when a flying bird that I would like to photograph shows up when I have been close to a subject. The autofocus struggles with a bird against the sky when the focus is starting from a near point. A grossly out of focus bird just does not show up in that situation. Start with the focus close and you have much better chance.
I had the opportunity to use this lens a bit, and I think its price is completely justified. There is no compromise in design or image quality. I think it's even a bit better than my Oly 300/4. A zoom better than the best prime. Mind blowing.
You took fabulous pictures!!! Hell of a lens! I am ,as always, also appreciating your humor 😊
This lens will definitely be in my bag. Thanks for sharing.
A great review. I'm luckily in a position to go ahead and order the Great White. I hummed and harred about it for ages because of the price, but you're getting the equivalent of a Rolls-Royce and Ferrari, so decided to go ahead. At the age of 64, I decided it was now or never.
Great review Emily and I can fully understand why you want to run away with this lens.... I was skeptical about this lens, particularly given its price, but gave it a try after it became available. Before I was using the Olympus 300 mmF4 and Sony 200-600 mmF5.6-6.3. Within a few days I absolutely fall in love with this lens and the images it produces. Now after having it over 2 years I can say that it was one of my best investments. Apart from the over 100,000 amazing images of birds and wildlife taken with it I am regularly going out for hikes/trips in search of birds and wildlife. The Olympus lens is remarkably well-balanced, making its weight almost imperceptible during use, I can hike with it holding in my hand for 20 miles without any problem. Its close up focusing distance of 1.3 m and magnification are also amazing and because of the great stabilization and computational features of the OM-1 II you can easily do in camera handheld focus stacking, which is impossible to achieve with any full frame setup. Surprisingly, you can even do handheld 14 bit high resolution images of birds if they are not moving much, with great improvements in image quality. Live ND can also be useful in certain situations to decrease the noise levels. Since acquiring this lens, I've found myself hardly using the Sony setup, despite its only marginally heavier weight, all benefits of the larger full frame sensor, and better bird tracking on Sony bodies. Overall, the Olympus lens stands apart in terms of handling, built quality, weather-sealing, stabilization, autofocus performance, sharpness, and close-up capabilities. The primary drawback of the system lies in its 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, but this lens is among the best telephoto lenses ever built.
The 150-600 might balance better with a gripped OM1 if you like those heavy m43 rigs. And I agree, I’ve had big white Sony 200-600, canon 500mm f/4.5 and 100-500, the birds avoiding those lenses was noticeable when I moved from the Olympus 100-400. I always use a camo wrap or lens cover with those lenses now.
As someone who has done safari trips to Africa with a Canon 500m F4 L I would say that this Olympus lens is not large it is perfectly sized! Ths is my dream lens - I ever get back into wildlife photography I would have to consider it. I use Lumix bodies though so would have to get an OM1 to go with it unfortunately.
I have seen some reviewers use this BWL on their Any bodies with great results.
Great review! When I ordered mine I had to wait 6 month to get it but it was worth the wait. It´s absolutely the best zoom lens I´ve ever used and I´ve used Canons 200-400 F4 1.4X before switching to m4/3. The reach, the image stabilization and image quality is fantastic. It´s also very well balanced and I never use a tripod when using it outside, only in hides. I sometimes use it with the 2x converter with great results. Compared to Canon and Nikons premium zoomlenses it´s actually a lot of value for the money.
I tightened my belt and did without many things to get the lens. I still have sticker shock, almost a year later. No regrets with the purchase and is very versatile lens. Having it be f/4.5 and 5.6 all the way through is great. I use the 4 black buttons for focus recall. Focus on a area, press the set button near the TC lever. I can be photographing other subjects and then if a subject lands on the spot I programmed, I just press one of the 4 buttons and the system sets the focus back to the spot. Still cheaper than other tele-zooms from other brands. Along with the OM1 II is a fantastic combo. I remember when I heard about the price years back when it was announced the price, said not for me. Now years later, I treated myself. Don't own car, cottage, boat.
I've been using the Olympus Zuiko 150mm f2 for about a decade. Love that lens.
the 300 f2.8 could also use a micro four thirds update!
Same here. I still use that lens at least 2-3 times a week on my 4/3 bodies and my EM1.2
Oh wow. On my latest wish list with a new camera. Waited 5 years to get the one I have because I'm not rich but hahaha might take me 20 years for this lens. Still you never know. Beautiful video.
I can't get over the images you got with this lens! What a fantastic piece of glass!
Come on they’re not that good. From 300 to 400 image quality drops off fast. I do own this lens and other Olympus telephotos. I would advise you not to buy. They are honest reviews on American RUclips channels. I liked this channel a lot but this review is making me and subscribe.
Future Emily video: Spray-painting a £6k lens!!
I'm sure I read somewhere, maybe on a sign at a tourist destination, that birds can be distracted and even provoked by shiny lenses, which made me a bit concerned having picked up the cheaper 40-150mm Olympus lens in silver, as opposed to the arguably more appealing black version.
That probably also explained why the retailer has bundling only the silver version at a steep discount as an extended kit option: all the likely users probably know about the shiny lens problem, want the more discreet black version, leaving a stockpile of the silver version to be cleared.
I thought that the white lens phenomenon was a sports photography thing, anyway.
Birds, and wildlife in general, will react to movement based on contrast. I have seen/heard a number of bird photographers suggest having black sleeves to make movements less conspicious so small birds etc are less startled and esp in a hide, the big white lens will be easy for them to see in contrast to the darker background of the hide. For handholding a larger lens, and reducing arm strain, may I suggest a fishing belt (one that holds a rod) and a monopod with a ballhead attached. Now you can walk around with camera at the ready for action, its weight supported by the belt, ready whether kneeling or standing for extended periods of time with eye to the camera, makes panning shots easier too. Another benefit of the fishing belt is you can shoot longer exposures for general use if needed, acting like a low level steadycam. Hope this was useful and thank you for your reviews and tips.
good to hear that some kinda cannon like these is tailored for m43, i'm a m43 fan too because of my small hand, good to know the m43 system isn't dead cheers
I really wish LUMIX would come up with something similar, I was disappointed with their PL100-400 mkii, not much of an improvement by all accounts and still didn’t properly fix the stiff zoom ring ☹️. I’d love to see a LUMIX offering with internal zoom, it makes such a difference to use ability and I agree re the Arca Swiss tripod foot, it makes hand holding so much easier. I loaned Fujifilms 150-600 and it had both these features, a joy to use and would have switched systems if it weren’t for it being f11 at the long end.
I can’t believe they didn’t fix the stiff ring, it seemed like such a good lens but a few things to fix, when they announced mk2 I thought it would be the perfect mid level bird cam for m4/3. Shame they fumbled it
in my own tests, this lens matches the very sharp 300mm PRO stopped down to f4.5 ...except for near infinity distances at wide-open where the 300 PRO (again, stopped down to f4.5) has a slight edge when viewing at a ridiculous 300% magnification on Lightroom.
definitely worth selling both of my kidneys...who needs them amirite?
Kidneys are over rated 😁
in my tests, big white is far better because birds are skittish where I live. reach is more important because ethically I am not allowed to feed wild birds. AND, both these lenses are SO good, the m43 sensor IS now the weak point (and cropping is not an option). Also TBH, good technique is a pre requisite and the first step to any wildlife photography journey.
Finally, people with MFT camera bodies can experience bokeh.
😂 that made me hoot
Aha another unexperienced FF fan baby...
A great review of this amazing and totally impressive lens! I want one and I hardly ever shoot birds. 🙂
However, I do have to say, that I get a bit tired of people saying that any lens bigger than a pancake or more expansive than $300 "goes against" the "small/light/cheap point of MFT." First, second, third, fourth, etc. - MFT lenses will *always* be smaller and lighter than truly equivalent FF lenses. And, if we look as the competition for this lens from the FF world it is also cheaper. When the first "small/light/cheap" MFT camera, the Lumix DMC-G1, hit the market in 2008 that was a hundred years ago in digital camera years. Now MFT competes with the best cameras in the market, so I, for one, see products like this as essential to keep the MFT ecosystem thriving because it offers performance and portability not found in any other format.
My word that's a crazy lens. Beautiful shots with it. That last Puffin giving you the side eye. 🤣🤣
Great review of a lens I would just love to have - also you're a Seahawks fan?! That's so cool.
I am! I've followed the team for 10 years now. Went to LA and Seattle last year to watch some games. We lost both of course 😂 I'm so happy to have seen Pete Carroll games tho before he retired.
Hi Emily.....Liverpool Kev here...May I recommend this lens when you are on the lash in Liverpool city Centre on a Saturday night!?...Joking apart....in a previous life I was a speaker on cruise ships (once out of Liverpool)...I know how hard it is to 'engage' an audience...You have it 'spot on'....Thank you for sharing Emily...For your Knowledge and Entertainment and Humour...Now .....That's a special combination haha!...All best.....Liverpool Kev
I saw this lens stuck to an OM-1 while at a WRC rally a couple weeks ago; funnily enough, when i was about to ask the photographer about it, i thought it was a full frame setup 😂😂
Mind-boggling price tag and equally mind-boggling capabilities.
Gosh what an absolute monster and the images from it are amazing. Obviously in part to your skills of course. Thank you for showing us this dream lens
I enjoyed your vlog. That’s one big heck of a lens. The pics you took with it look awesome!
Big for M4/3, maybe, but still small enough to walk halfway up a mountain if you wanted to, without having to arrange all the logistics of the trip around transporting the lens!
Why don't you do a review on the Olympus 12-200? Apparently the best All-rounder lens in the system, it would be very interesting for everyone .. at least we can afford it
I LOVE puffins! For its size, that lens isn't massively heavy. The Sigma 24-105 weighs more than this does! Even the price, although high(!), isn't as silly as sony/canon etc
Thank you for sharing this great review and of course the very nice and beautiful photos. my compliments for that.❤
11:32 …and a Panasonic gm5 as a lens cap 😂 👍
I want iiiiiiiiit!!!!
(Me whose only camera is a Panasonic G80 and uses a 45-150mm kit lens for birds 😅😭)
Hey Emily. You’re lookin’ all fit and slinky! I’d love to see that lens used for some sports photography. Motor sport, football, athletics… The smaller size than FF must surely confer huge advantages when working a full day.
M43 system would benefit A LOT, if the lens was even 2.000-2.500 $ less expensive.
I feel this is true of most of the m43 wildlife stuff. It’s tempting, but there are so many competing options in other systems at similar price points.
you would benefit with that price, the lens is STILL in demand and not sitting on a shelf being discounted.
It's too cheap. Birders must pay) I have no idea who else would want to buy it.
Send it to me now! 😂
On a side note have you seen how big and how expensive the Canon 1200mm F8 is?! Makes this thing look like the bargain of the century for F11.25 (2x 4.5 + 1.25) versus the Canon at F8!
Can you make a video using the G9ii with it please?
The Canon is still longer and technically about a stop brighter in equivalence.
@@Wildridefilms For over £22k and then try holding it 😆
@@JoeMaranophotography this lens is more comparable to the 200-800 though.
I’ve had this super zoom since it first came out. If you’re a wildlife photographer, this is the best lens to have if you can afford it. I have a 300mm and now I rarely use it.
I’ll look after the 300mm for you if you don’t need it! 😅
@@frumiousgaming I'm open to selling it if you're serious.
Wow, didn't know there was anything crazier than the voigtlander 29mm f0.8
What's interesting, to me, is that there are many reviews of this 150-400 up here on RUclips, but I've only found one review in English of the 29/0.8. There are several more reviews in other languages, and a number of commentary/opinion videos about the lens, but I either can't understand them(I did watch a few just for the visuals) or they are speculating about what they like/dislike about the lens but have never actually used it. It's weird. I'm tempted to rent one just to get another review out there.
@@BrentODelldo it!
@@jamtotoro9850 Voigt did a 0.8 Lens? Isn't that close to a Full Frame f/1.4? Probably pretty soft and major vignette wide open but It'd be intriguing nonetheless. I'm still hoping Panasonic or Olympus releases an autofocus 20mm f/0.95 at some point.
@@overnightdelivery FF equivalent of f1.6, as micro 4/3rds has a crop factor of 2. I just brought it up because it was the most expensive micro 4/3rds lens available once upon a time.
I picked this up when I was in Vienna. It came to 6k after the cash back. Expensive, yes, but good lord it's an amazing lens. It's as sharp as my Panasonic-Leica 200mm f/2.8 wide open, which is an amazing feat.
Yet another great review, thank you! Top lady 👏👏
…hahaha…or, you could…and a trip and still have money left over for parking and Fish & Chips! Hilariousl 😂. Love it. Thx for another fabulous videos. Agree 100% on all points. Cheers 😊
Excellent review Emily! It’s definitely out of my price range, but wow.
Great review as always! By any chance did you get to test on g9 ii? Not that I can afford it but one could dream.
Stop !
I was thinking getting it, then I saw your video, and now I think I will make it. Despite the price.
😉
Here comes "Joy" with another lens review.
Good job sister 😊
This lens is in full frame equivalent a 300-800mm f9. Canon has the 200-800mm f6.3-9. The Canon is only 2kg. With a high megapixels full frame sensor you can easily crop in to x1.6. All with just a button press on the camera body.
Lucky you who are in a place where it is not hot like in my city in Rome. Of that lens I appreciate the movement of the lenses internally, unlike those that move the optical unit beyond the lens chassis, but I don't like the focal multiplier lever at all as that slot could allow dust to enter inside. Finally, for birdwatching with pushed telephoto lenses, I recommend using a monopod that allows more stability.
+/- same weight and length as full frame super-telephotos, which comes as a surprise
So big I used my GM5 as lens cap
Such a rare lens cap you have there
I said it before, and I'll say it again.
The mistake mft made to become the best system (besides losing the autofocus game at the start) was pricing smaller and lighter lenses at full frame prices.
This lens is about the size, weight and amount of special glass as a 180-600mm nikon Z. Or the Sony equivalent. But it's priced more than 3 times that.
Notice I'm not talking about focal length, because that is actually also about the same 150-400. The Canon 100-500 is like half the price. The 2x effect comes from the smaller sensor in the camera.
Simlpy put: this should be way cheaper. That would also lead to way more sales and therefore. But now it's on the brink of bankruptcy.
I would love love love this lens, but the price truly is ridiculous.
I love my big white lens! I use it mostly for close ups and it's really esay to handhold even if it's that big. Bought mine used about 2 years ago from a photo shop in Sweden, it was almost brand new and the price was 20 % lower than a new one. At that time the waiting list was over a year so I "had to" buy it. 😂
Hi. Great video for a seemingly great lens. I would really want one. Although I am a Lumix-user and I suppose to get the most out of this lens it should be paired with an OM1. Could you please compare the Lumix Leica 35-100 to the full frame eq Lumix S 70-200. There are not many videos about the 35-100 lens. And since you have both M4/3 and Full Frame, perhaps you could pull this comparison off. Thank you. ☀️
Given the quality of the lens, the price seems right. What holds me back is if OM will continue to create awesome cameras as Olympus did in the past. I want to see R&D outcomes from OM first.
Just hire them for events/trips, that's all I do with it. On charge to my clients too. It's a brilliant lens. I think 2 weeks from LensHire was only about 500 quid, a bargain to be honest. Even if paying yourself.
I would love to have it, but it’s a real pro thing. For the time being, my Olympus 100-400mm is good enough.
Which lense would you rather have. The 150-600 with a nice long reach, or the 150-400 with a faster aperture/pro lense features?
Change for fish and chips when you go out is always an important thing!
Definitely agree about the camo cover if you're not in the desert or (ant)arctic. Waving a white tube can be very off-putting for wildlife.
Great review Emily...Or you could buy the BEST all around Panny lens the 200mm F2.8 followed closely by the 50-200mm.
Its a beauty..and the lens too
I was thinking my Sony full frame lenses were expensive for my Sony 70-200mm 2.8 ii and my Sony 200-600mm but this one used is more them together at $6000 to get it here in Alaska and that’s used
The 300 pro is apparently brilliant and way more handhold able and affordable. Will or have you reviewed that one? Its more in my budget too. Big White seems to be crazy good tho!
I had the 300 pro for 6 days and traded it for the 150-400 sight unseen. be wary of m43 reviewers who say a cheaper lens is 'the greatest' it is quite likely they havent tried any pro olympus lenses to base any opinion!
FWIW i found the 300 tough to get anything in frame (constant 600mm) then it didnt have enough reach for small birds. its weight was very noticeable for 1.5kg (like its made of heavier stuff). The colouration thru the lens was cold like a weird blue, or it just had chromatic abberations of blue. I found it no sharper than big white as these lenses are SO good, the m43 sensor IS now the weak point. Of course, using these lenses, you'll find that technique is more important than good glass. watching your backgrounds and getting low are far more important! good luck on your photography journey!
Sinceramente, si observamos que se encuadre ese rango, focal equivalente y esa luminosidad, la comparásemos con lentes Fool Friends, sinceramente si es pequeño y económico
Love this review! You answered all of my questions except one: which kidney do I sell in order to afford it.
The comments about bird AF apply to the OM-1 as well. The subject detect on the OM-1 is brilliant. It is not clear to me that the Om-1.2 has improved on that to any real degree. Basically if you can get the bird in the frame you get the shot.
Ooo I can feel a huge upgrade personally. I've had the original OM1 for a while and taken it on safari etc. It is fantastic, don't get me wrong, but the bird ai in particular is just incredible. Massive improvement in my experience
@@MicroFourNerds very interesting, can you define how it is better? Given that you can basically point the OM-1 in the general direction of a bird, with pretty much any lens (say the 70-300II as an example) and get great shots I am trying to figure out how much better it could get?
@larrywhite8590 this is why OM System have such a hard time explaining this update . It's so subjective, isnt it! I didn't have the same experience with you with the OM1 when I was on safari. It missed shots a heck of a lot more than the G9ii that I was also using at the time. It is still one of the best for this, but I saw a big jump when compared to the G9ii.
I also found the AF / Subject Detection modes on the original OM1 to be super convoluted and unnecessarily complex. I cover a lot of this in my recent OM1ii dedicated review just two videos back if you haven't seen it already.
There are just... no missed shots with the OM1ii it's incredible. The keeper rate is so much higher in my experience.
LMAO at the GM1/5 hanging on for dear life off the 150-600.
This lens is absolutely the best that MFT has to offer but at the size and price, it is hard to recommend essentially a FF 300-800 f9 + 800-1000 f11 over an actual FF setup.
Let's take the canon 200-800 f5.6-9 for example. It is a bit bigger, heavier and is an external zoom but goes wider and is faster at the wider focal lengths. The extra length on the OM is achieved with a TC, so you can quite easily simulate that with cropping on FF. On a similar priced body to the OM1II, the R6ii shoots slightly slower, but still plenty fast at 40 fps. And you can crop into a 1000mm equivalent and still get a very usable 15.4MP file. And the R6ii+200-800 costs half as much as the OM1ii+150-400.
Similar comparisons can be made to Nikon and Sony FF systems. The L mount is a bit lacking on high resolution with modern features but the S5II+ Sigma 150-600 can be had for a similar price to the "OM" 150-600.
The light gathering capability of the Olympus lens at 800 or 1000 mm equivalent remains at f/4.5 or f/5.6 respectively, whereas the Canon lens when fully zoomed is f/9. This significantly diminishes the advantages of the full-frame sensor in terms of noise and dynamic range.
Regarding depth of field (background blur), while theoretically the full-frame Canon lens should offer a slight advantage, this is not really the case in practice. I've been using this Olympus lens for over 2 years alongside the Sony full-frame system with the Sony 200-600 mm f/5.6-6.3 lens. Interestingly, the bokeh when fully zoomed in with the Sony lens is very comparable to that of the Olympus lens. Moreover, the Olympus lens excels in close-up capabilities, offering a 1.3 meter close-up distance with almost semi-macro magnification, compared to 3.3 meters for the Canon lens (2.4 m in Sony). This, coupled with outstanding stabilization (can be handheld at 1/10 sec of shutter speed at 1000 mm), enables handheld in-camera focus stacking, a feat not achievable with any full-frame setup. In addition to its close-up capability, the Olympus lens impresses with its superb handling, balance, and sharpness (even sharper than Sony's 200-600 mm, which is the sharpest full frame telephoto zoom). The Olympus lens is remarkably well-balanced, making its weight almost imperceptible during use, I can hike with it holding in my hand for 20 miles without any problem. Since acquiring it, I've found myself hardly using the Sony setup, despite its only marginally heavier weight compared to the Olympus lens (the Sony 200-600 mm is also an internal zoom unlike the Canon 200-800 mm). Overall, the Olympus lens stands apart in terms of handling, built quality, weather-sealing, stabilization, autofocus performance, sharpness, and close-up capabilities when compared to Canon's 200-800 mm lens. The primary drawback of the system lies in its 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, but this lens is among the best telephoto lenses ever built.
Worth it for the money you spend never look back best of the best micro 4/3❤
One can dream right? I was going to rent one for my vacation. We rented a place on lake where there is an abundance of wild life and I also shot an air show. $350 was a tad much. Nice to hear you can hand hold it. I rented the Sony 200-600 for my sony body instead. I could hold it just fine. But most of the bird shots were no in focus.
gorgeous
hi, i have seen many videos about this lens and yes! it is the best zoom for micro 4/3 out there. The overall quality and performance level achieved makes it reach such a high price. Like when a supercar manages to reach a record that no other car reaches and this alone can justify a much higher price.
However, in absolute terms, despite everything, it fails to produce the best quality out there. From what i have seen, the image quality of even the olympus 300 f4 pro and the leica 200 f2.8 surpass it. Since it costs so much i would have liked it to be on par if not even superior to these two primes. It would have been a dream.
I think that overall between quality, compactness and price the 40-150 f4 pro has no rivals, as well as the 40-150 f2.8 pro (if you really need more light). I think that the Olympus 100-400 is also very good and preferable to the Leica 100-400 that I tried and didn't like. But I think that the best thing would be a small update of the long and compact solutions like the Lumix 100-300 or the Olympus 75-300 (which I preferred much more than the Lumix counterpart).
I have the PL 200/2.8, while really great, it doesn't surpass the 150-400. It's also not a zoom and too short for most wild birds.
@@tntytube I'm just talking about image quality, not overall versatility. Are you sure that the Olympus 150 400 offers superior image quality to the Leica 200 f 2.8?
This lens is actually cheap.
The Canon 800mm f5.6 is € 20,581.40 in France. This lens is €7999 in France. And the kicker is this lens is sharper than the Canon. Mirrorlessons did a review including these two lenses and it's got telling comparison images that demonstrate this. So a zoom that is sharper than primes and less than half the cost of just one of them is arguably a bargain.
The four black buttons around the barrel in conjunction with the set button are for focus memory.
Another outstanding feature of this lens is how weatherproof it is.
This is the beloved Micro4Whale
40-150 F2.8 - Micro4GOAT
Leica 200 Prime - Micro4Legend
...but do I want to get an OM-1 II just to use this lens? I know it work work on my G9 and G9M2, but how much would I lose sans Dual-IS and how many shots would it get that I'd miss with my Leica 100-400? Hmmm. I can really only see using this lens if I worked for Nat Geo (and they'd probably pay for it). It looks like a prime example of getting a bit more performance for a lot more investment (not only in monetary terms but in back/neck pain)!
Before you send back the lens, and although OM would probably not appreciate it, it would be great if you could run some basic tests on your G9M2. I'm particularly interested in the interactions (good or bad) between the lens OSS and the G9 IBIS as well as the achievable frame rates with nailed autofocus and a reasonably good number of keepers. Mind you I'm not about to buy this lens. For my purposes I'd rather spend the $$ toward an A9-III for its global shutter.
Love your humor 😂 Too bad you’re so far away. We might start a lens sharing group.
Of course it’s a poster child as you put it, for MFT because it’s much smaller, lighter and cheaper than the Full Frame counterparts. I’d much rather carry that around all day than a full frame equivalent. There was a weird contradiction within a couple of seconds.
Beautiful
Thanks!
Thank you very much! 🙏🙏🙏🙏
MPB stocking them up and starting to get worried haha.
Hell of a lens. M43 obviously struggling to survive 😂
I have used the 150-400 f4.5 pro exclusively to shoot wildlife for two years and I am a little disappointed with the 1.25 built in TC. I found it not as sharp as the 1.4 TC especially if you are using it for small songbirds. You will notice a little soft at the 1000mm end comparing to the 1.4 TC. Bigger birds and other animals are fine but the smaller ones where you need to crop in. I would rather leave the 1.25 TC off and just crop in using the 800mm end
There nothing like it unless you got muscles of Arnold Schwarzenegger and can hand hold the Bigma F2.8.
Olympus optics are terribly underrated quite frankly people are sleeping on the Oly glass, their vintage glass even more so.
Its up there with the Zeiss and Canon L for sure.
Nice! Having both the 150-400 and the 150-600, could you do a comparison in the future?
You must be getting this question a lot I'm guessing haha
I shall definitely share my thoughts! In my 150-600mm review (coming soon!) I have a bit of a pixel peep at the image quality and share my overall experiences with both ☺️
@@MicroFourNerds Great! Looking forward to that! I own the 150-600, and I think the bokeh might even be better! Depth of field is shallower according to calculations
MPB UK had three of these last I checked, for £5809 😳 big ol' chunk of change. Lot of lens for the money, but then one wonders if the price reduction vs new is worth it given the much shorter warranty 🤔
In any case, excellent video Emily, thank you
@@ericaceous1652 I always look at WEX 2nd hand first as they offer 12 months warranty on their kit.
@@sue.Hoo123 indeed, I've mostly switched to buying from Wex for that reason - my local camera shop, Harrison Cameras, also does 12 months too
@@sue.Hoo123 not sure if my previous comment disappeared (can't currently see it?), but I also like Wex for offering a 12 month warranty. Harrison Cameras (my local camera shop) does 12 months too