Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 gives you up to 1600mm of reach!

Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 gives you up to 1600mm of reach!
(Image credit: Olympus)

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

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James Artaius
Editor

The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon MagazineN-Photo: The Nikon MagazineDigital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.