The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS Pro lens – one of the biggest guns, literally and figuratively, in the Micro Four Thirds line-up – is on display at The Photography Show (opens in new tab), which runs from 16-19 March at the NEC in Birmingham.
The 150-400mm Pro, as we’ll call it for brevity, offers a 300-800mm equivalent focal range as standard. However, it also has an integrated 1.25x teleconverter that extends this range to 1000mm (though this reduces the maximum aperture to f/5.6).
The extension doesn’t stop there, though. Also on display at The Photography Show is the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter MC-20 (opens in new tab). This doubles the focal length of the 150-400mm Pro, giving it a remarkable 2000mm equivalent focal length.
When paired with the new Olympus OM-D E-M1X (opens in new tab), the lens benefits from a rock-solid 7.5 EV steps of image stabilization (thanks to the Sync-IS technology that couples the in-body stabilization with the lens stabiluzation).
A 2000mm lens with 7.5 steps of stabilization is already a formidable setup. Factor in that both the 150-400mm Pro and the MC-20 are weather-sealed, though, and this combo becomes an incredible tool in the hands of professional wildlife shooters.
On top of that, the MC-20 doesn’t just double the telephoto range – it also doubles the maximum shooting magnification, making it a fascinating proposition for macro imaging.
We were blown away by the teleconverter (which is also compatible with the Olympus 300mm f/4.0 and 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro lenses) in our Olympus MC-20 review (opens in new tab). While the MC-20 is available now, the150-400mm Pro is scheduled for launch in 2020.
Read more:
The Photography Show 2019: What you need to know - and all the news (opens in new tab)
The best Olympus cameras in 2019 (opens in new tab)
The best Micro Four Thirds lenses for your Olympus or Panasonic camera (opens in new tab)