Olympus Debuts a Powerful Telephoto Zoom: OM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II - Information and Preorder

Olympus has introduced a new telephoto zoom lens, the OM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II lens, which should be a welcome addition to the Olympus M.Zuiko line of lenses, especially nature photographers, as well as travel photographers and photojournalists.

For starters, it’s portable, compact, and relatively lightweight for a telephoto zoom lens. Another new key feature on the lens is that it has an IPX1-rated exterior, which makes it a splash-proof lens that also has a dust-resistant design. Plus, the front lens element has a fluorine coating, which makes it a more rugged lens. Olympus says this coating lets you easily wipe away dirt and water droplets from the front of the lens.

OM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II Image Stabilization, Additional Features and Specifications

Because this is a telephoto zoom lens, the optical image stabilization built into the lens becomes quite important. In fact, since the lens is part of a Micro Four Thirds system, which means it has a 2x crop factor (or magnification factor of 2x), it becomes the equivalent of using a 200-800mm zoom. So, even slight movements of your hand or wind hitting it when the lens and camera are on a tripod can produce blurry photos (particularly in low light) or jittery video footage.

But the OM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II lens comes with 5-axis Sync image stabilization: That means when this lens is used in combination with a compatible Olympus mirrorless camera body, the optical IS in the lens will integrate with the camera body’s in-body image stabilization (or IBIS) to provide up to 7.0 steps of shutter-speed compensation. In other words, since the IS in both the lens and camera body are working together, the lens should produce sharp photos and jitter-free video.

Here are some additional features and specifications: 

• Maximum Aperture: f/5.0 (wide) - f/6.3 (tele)
• Minimum Aperture: f/22
• Closest Focusing Distance: 9.8 inches (or 250 mm)
• Image Magnification: 0.08x
• Weight: 2.4 lbs. (or 1,125 grams)
• Filter Size: 72 mm diameter
• Diameter and Length: 3.4 inches in diameter (or 86.4 mm) and 8.1 inches (or 205.6 mm)
• Number of Aperture Blades: 9 (circular aperture diaphragm)

The lens also includes a Focus Limiter switch for quick autofocus adjustments based on the distance of the subject. (Users can select from three AF ranges for faster, more precise focusing.) It’s also compatible with the MC-20 2X teleconverter, which extends the camera’s reach up to 1600mm (2x magnification factor included). What’s more is that the newly redesigned tripod mount lets you attach or detach the lens without removing the lens from the camera and has an ergonomic foot shape, compatible with Arca-Swiss-type clamps. However, when you zoom to the higher end of the zoom range on this lens, it does extend outwards.

OM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II Optical Construction

The optical construction of the lens is that it comes with 21 lens elements in 15 groups: It has 4 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens elements, 2 Super HR (Super High Refractive index) lens elements, and 2 HR (High Refractive index) lens elements. Plus, the lens is coated with a ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating, to minimize ghosting and flares, as well as ensuring clarity, even in challenging backlit conditions.

OM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II Pricing & Preorder

The new Olympus 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II lens will be available later this month for $1,499.99, but you can preorder it here.