Olympus continued to shake off the sale talk by announcing a very exciting new optic: the Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS zoom lens, which offers a huge 200-800mm equivalent focal range in 35mm terms.
While the Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS already offers a formidable zoom range for wildlife photographers, what makes the lens even more compelling is the fact that it is compatible with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter MC-20 and 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14.
• Read more: Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 review
With the 1.4x converter, that extends the reach of the new optic to a huge 1200mm and with the 2x converter it becomes a whopping 1600mm. This opens up a world of incredible zoom possibilities for a lens that's remarkably lightweight and compact, at just 205.7 x 86.4mm and 1,120 g (excluding tripod base plate, caps and hood).
Although it's not one of Olympus' Pro lenses, the 100-400mm nonetheless offers the manufacturer's fantastic weather sealing (which makes it resistant to dust and water) in addition to freeze proofing.
However, it doesn't offer the Sync-IS image stabilization system that works in conjunction with the IBIS of Olympus camera bodies. Instead, the 100-400mm possesses in-lens stabilization that's good for 3 stops of compensation, making this a very practical handheld super telephoto shooter.
On top of that, it's a great option for telemacro shooting as well. Boasting 0.57x maximum magnification and a close focusing distance of 1.3m across the entire zoom range, it's also compatible with the focus stacking modes of Olympus cameras (after a firmware update) – bringing macro power to the telephoto properties.
The Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS will be available from late August and will carry a price tag of $1,499 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,299.90.
Pre-order Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS from Adorama (USA)
Pre-order Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS from B&H (USA)
Pre-order Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS from Park Cameras (UK)
Pre-order Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS from Wex (UK)
Pre-order Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS from Ted's Camera (Australia)
Read more:
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV review
The best Micro Four Thirds lenses: lenses for Olympus and Panasonic
The best Olympus camera: for Instagrammers, enthusiasts and pros
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter MC-20 review
