Whenever I reach for a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) camera, it’s usually for one key reason: lots of zoom without lots of weight. The MFT sensor’s downsides are upsides when it comes to telephoto lenses – and OM System just gave photographers one more big reason to consider smaller sensors.
The manufacturer has announced the OM System M.Zuiko 50-200mm f/2.8 IS Pro, a lens that offers the versatility of a zoom with the bright f/2.8 aperture that’s typically found only among prime lenses at the 400mm equivalent focal length.
When I photograph portraits and weddings, I’m a prime lens fanatic who shoots with a different prime on each hip. But when I head out to capture wildlife or sports, I tend to grab for a zoom lens that will give me the flexibility to capture wildlife with different compositions quickly, whether it’s a bird on a branch a few feet away or a whitetail deer across a field.
Granted, I’m a professional when it comes to portraits and weddings, while I consider myself just a hobbyist for wildlife. But that’s also part of the reason I reach for more compact zoom lenses. I need to be able to hike comfortably with these lenses, as I’m hiking for pleasure – and lenses that require a chiropractor's visit afterwards are far less enjoyable.
As someone who reviews camera gear for a living, I’ve handled both full-frame 400mm f/2.8 lenses and optics like the OM System 150-600mm f/5-6.3 IS. (I haven’t tried the new 200-400mm f/2.8 yet, but the announcement has me itching to try it out).
Yes, a full-frame 400mm f/2.8 is still going to gather more light with that sensor that’s twice the size of an MFT one. A full-frame 400mm f/2.8 lens is going to have a depth of field that’s about half of that of a 200mm f/2.8 on Micro Four Thirds, which means a noticeable difference in bokeh and background blur.
The full-frame prime lens will deliver images that are far sharper and with enough bokeh to melt the background into a solid color, absolutely. But while the OM System zooms that I’ve tried aren’t quite as sharp or bokeh-licious, they are far easier to hike with – not to mention more affordable.
And with the launch of the new f/2.8 aperture on a 400mm equivalent zoom, OM System is mixing that flexibility and portability with a brighter aperture.
OM System says the new lens is twice as light as a full-frame 400mm f/2.8. On top of that, it's three times lighter than carrying multiple lenses to cover that range of focal lengths. Even with a body like the OM-1 Mark II attached, the system weighs under four pounds with both the camera and the lens.
A closer comparison would be to pit the OM System 50-200mm f/2.8 against full-frame 100-400mm lenses, a list that includes options like the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S, the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master OSS, or the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3.
And unlike the $12,000 400mm f/2.8 full-frame primes of the world, those 100-400mm zooms come in at a closer price point – and even under the OM System’s 50-200mm f/2.8 price tag of $3,699 / £2,999 / AU$4,999.
The depth of field on a full-frame 400mm f/5.6 is similar to a Micro Four Thirds 200mm f/2.8. But the OM System still comes out as the lighter lens, along with offering a higher magnification ratio than similar zooms from Nikon, Sony and Sigma.
Compatibility with both of OM System’s teleconverters, the 1.4x and 2x, adds to the new lens’ versatility while keeping the size small.
Yes, there are a lot of advantages that come with a full-frame camera. But when I reach for Micro Four Thirds, I usually do so for the portability, the zoom reach and the durability. A weather-sealed 50-200mm f/2.8 is going to be a key advantage for the Micro Four Thirds system.
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