Looks like your burning the candle at both ends there getting that studio space together and doing these reviews. Good job. At that price point and the fact that it hunts when focusing is just not an option.
Looking at old 300mm reviews because I think I will buy this lens next week. Will use it with my EM1.2 for birds and wildlife and a trip in August to Alaska. I love my 75mm 1.8 and if this lens is sharper than that beauty as all the reviews are saying I will be very happy.
Thanks for showing the GH4 video results. As a Panasonic owner, I'm often frustrated with Olympus lens reviews that stick to Olympus bodies... I only wish the 40-150mm 2.8 had lens IS too. I'm perfectly happy with the Panny 35-100mm 2.8, but that extra 50mm would come in handy....
+simianinc luckily also Panasonic seems to have discovered 5-axis in-body stabilization, now. Including fully compatible with 4K recording in the all new GX80 (GX85 depending on where you live).
Hi, I don;t think it all IBIS - the reviews I read say the GX85 is 3 axis in body, +2 from the lens. I have dual IS in my GX8 and it's great - much better than the GX7. I'm assuming Panasonic must be soon to announce a GH5 with IBIS
+simianinc Nope, there's no word on 3-axis actually. There's a distinction between a couple of things. There's 5-axis Dual IS that uses both body image stabilization and optical image stabilization, hence the 'Dual'. The B.I.S. (Body Image Stabilization) is 5-axis itself, just not 5-axis *DUAL* IS where O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) comes in play as well. O.I.S. enhances the correction of 2 of the 5 axis. There aren't 7 axis around which stabilization is applied. Neither is there 3 axis. It's 5-axis B.I.S. without O.I.S. lens or 5-axis Dual IS with one.
I have the old Olympus F Zuiko Auto -T 300mm F/4.5 serial number 117339 No image stabilizing or auto focus but I love it. I could invest in this new lens if needed
In case you've been wondering where Craig Kilborn has been after his show ended, he changed his name and has been running a photography business in Florida.
Love the studio and congratulations on moving to it. BTW, are the living quarters upstairs. That would make it even more perfect. No commute and no extra building to manage.
Darren, nice video. Could you recommend this lens for pro wildlife and bird flight photography with print requirement of at least A3+ size, that is 12 by 16 inches with pro sharpness?
I would say yes, but this also assumes the original subject in the image takes up most of the frame, if you have to crop a lot to get the animal to fill a big portion of the frame, then I might not be so sure...
FYI In Australia most of us call it Soccer too. In our football (AFL, not rugby who rarely kick the ball) we don't kick the ball with our head or stage for free kicks. Back on topic, nice review as usual.
For that quality, I mean really, all of that for only $2,500? It's 'lunch money' compared with the price of Leica lenses. 😁 Thanks for yet another informative review, .. and in that gorgeous new studio. Wow ... ☆☆☆☆☆
Hi again Darren. I was hoping you could clarify this for me. In 35mm equiv. terms I have heard a few differing opinions. This lens in terms of exposure is a 600mm f/4. In terms of DoF this lens is a 600mm f/8. Is that correct?
No, f:4 is f:4. The primary effect of f-stop is light gathering. The secondary effect is shutter speed to ISO combination and the tertiary effect is depth of field. But are you really going to pay $10,000 more for that?
I agree with the comment below! Lol... have a question! I love the olympus!! But would you recommend a micro 4/3 system for portraits and/or wedding photography?
Hi Darren, great review. I know you also have experience with Nikon. Any idea how this would compare to an apsc Nikon like the D500 and their latest 300F4 or that lens combined with their 1.4 tele-converter. I would seem to be a similar price point to the Olympus omd Em1 mark ii and the Olympus 300 f4. I know they are not exactly equivalents, but we are getting pretty close.
Hi Darren, always enjoy your reviews. Congrats on the new location. I was wondering if you ever adopted m43 in your professional work. I thought you indicated that it was possible after the release of the 7-14 pro and was curious if you ever did. Regarding this lens. Do you think the AF is impacted by the aging body? At this price and pro focus, seems it should be flawless. Maybe the Pro grade lenses are held back some by the current bodies. Best, Rob
+Rob Strause Rob, thanks for your note. I use M43 - A LOT - but I own an use the D750 with the Nikon 14-24 for the bulk of my Real Estate work - that said however, I did in fact use the Oly for my professional work during the 30 days I had the lens on loan from Olympus and the feedback was positive - and I WOULD have no problem using the lens professionally - if I weren't already invested in Nikon then I would be using the Oly 7-14 for my pro work - its that good! The EM-1 is starting to show it's age (almost 3), firmware can only get you so far, word is Olympus will announce an EM-1 Mark ii shortly, I hope so, I love the EM-1 and would be curious to see what Olympus can come up with for the mark ii...
I enjoy all your reviews and the way you present them. Will you be reviewing the Olympus 17mm 1.8 anytime soon. I would like to know if you think it would be a good lens to add to my OMD EM1.
Don't know, man. That's a lot of dosh for a single focal length lens. But then again, it's a very specific lens for a very specific target audience, and as such it's not aimed at me anyways, so I can't really be harsh about it. I think the Panasonic Leica 100-400mm would be interesting, but it's a huge beast as well. I'd gotten the 100-300mm after Bence Máté's Lumix birds special with the custom r-roesch. de lens collar. And sure the new Leica branded one is quite a bit better, but enough to lay down that kind of money either? Again... don't know. Mathieu Gasquet (MirrorLessons) has a good video on that though. Since I already have the excellent 7-14mm and 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO series lenses, I'd be more inclined to purchase the 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO and add the MC-14 1.4x teleconverter I got to say.
+Shiznutsz I think the 40-150 is much more useful and overall a better lens, I like the 300mm f/4 PRO, but I'm not much of a birding photog or sports photog... Just the same, it's a nice addition to their PRO line if you are into that kind of photography...
+cardiacade. I have the Panasonic 100 - 400mm and use it on my EM1. I ordered an Olympus 300mm f4 PRO yesterday and should have in about a week. Though merely an enthusiastic amateur I will report back with my view as to which of the two I prefer, if you so wish. I will be using the lenses side by side as I have 2 x EM1 bodies. I do think that the Panasonic produces some excellent sharp images but I struggle with it when it comes to BIF. It really does hunt at 400mm and I found it easier for BIF at about 250mm. Still, it's early days but I feel I will do better with the Olympus 300mm.
+cardiacade: Aye up, Sir, here are my thoughts on the new Olympus 300mm f4 PRO now I have been out with it three times. It is brilliant: I payed £1965.00 for mine and for me, it's worth it. Really sharp, bokah can be fantastic at times, colours and resolution superb. Made my forearms ache after 2 1/2 hours and I cannot hold it up to my eye for too long - I can do that all day long with the Panasonic 100 - 400mm as it is so light. I feel that it is better than the Panasonic but I think the Olympus cost £700 more. Is it worth the extra - probably not, depending on how serious you are. I think the Panasonic is a top notch lens, so which would I choose if I could only have one of them? In the UK I would choose the Olympus because it is faster and we have so many overcast days. If I lived in a land of blue skies and semi permanent sunshine I would go with the Panasonic. I can't think of a downside to the Olympus 300mm at the moment; it's slightly better for BIF than the Panasonic but it still hunts - thats M43 for you. Focusing slows up quite a bit with the 1.4TC fitted but the images are still truly excellent. I consider myself fortunate to have both lenses.
pete draper Thanks Pete, appreciate your thoughts. I can't justify spending the money at the moment but will keep both of these on my radar. Happy shooting.
Okay now I have to pay attention to where you're coming from in case you move again. :) Love the review. I don't need that much reach for my shooting. As big as that monster is I'm assuming that an APS-C or Full Frame 600mm would be an even larger monstrosity.
Great review - love the format you use for your reviews. That said, I'd love to see you review the Panasonic 100-400mm f/4-6.3 Leica Lens and compare it with the Oly 300 reviewed here. For half the price and with the extended reach and versatility it's where I'm headed anyway. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.
+John McElroy. I have both and find it difficult to decide which I prefer. I have 2 x EM1 bodies and often take both lenses out at the same time. When my 300mm f4 arrived (a couple of weeks after they became available in the UK) I compared it to the 100 - 400mm by taking as close to identical shots as I could, using it with and without the 1.4 TC. I often found it difficult to tell which lens I had used for which shot. A few months ago I bought a Nikon D500 so I will be part exing my 2 x EM'1 for the EM1 mark 11. I will only need one of the two lenses and I am having a hard time deciding which one to part with. The 300mm is faster but the 100 - 400mm is lighter and more versatile. Optically, I don't feel there is much in it.
Will you be trying the new Panasonic 100 - 400mm as a comparison ? I love and use MFT but I am not a pro not sure many pros use MFT not sure the prices of theses lenses suit MFT and the users MFT is aimed at
What would you expect for a lens that's less than half the weight of a Nikon 600 f4, less than half the length, 1/5th the cost and an equivalent focal length? And it has image stabilization that, with the EM1 Mk2 allows for 7 stops of Image Stabilization... all for 1/5th the cost of a Nikon or Cannon focal length equivalence... and you can't hand hold a Canon or Nikon 600 and expect to focus track a bird in flight.
@@lawrencebeck4777 f4 on MFT would perform like an f8 lens on FF(noise at iso 1600 on MFT = 2x noise on FF i.e iso 6400 on FF ) . So you're comparison is irrelevant. To get same performance tell Oly to make a 300mm f2. Then we'll talk.
Hi Darren, great reviews on lens which really educated me alot. I wonder if you already made a review on a Tamron SP 70-200mm F2.8 Di VC lens if not will you be able to help me on what you think about this lens and would you recommend it both quality and with its price? Thank you in advance, more power.
+David Thompson: I use my 300mm f4 PRO with the 1.4 TC quite a lot for close ups of insects and wildlife in general and the IQ remains excellent. I also have the PanaLeica 100 - 400mm and it, too, is superb. If you are constained by cost then the PanaLeica is a better option, it is also a lot lighter.
I am the only one that thinks that the image quality of this lens is mediocre, especially considering that this is a $2,800 lens?! I also noticed that the 300mm suffers from the same nervous bokeh as the 40-150 Pro. (7:35 - 7:42)
+Darren Miles It's also apparent in the close focus shots. That's how Olympus M.Zuiko and this lens especially renders. Microcontrast peaks at the high frequencies. Creating the razor sharpness and also the typical clarity. But the low freq. microcontrast isn't that pronounced. Creating the less "punchy" and less saturated look. The Pana/Leicas represent the opposite. You are noticing this in the low-light simply because that's usually a less contrasty light.
+F To Possibly, I know - for example - the flag has been weather beaten in the sun for awhile, the blue in the star section is muted in real life, not just in the images.... I didn't notice that much of a difference - color/contrast - wise when I was shooting with the GH4... Also interesting because images with the 45, 75, and 25 are generally much more punchy - does this have anything at all to do with focal length?
+Darren Miles Not the focal-lenght's cause but that Olympus went here with a much higher resolving lens. Besides the actual correction of aberrations the MTF has been optimized for the highest frequencies (sharpness). Often that's leading to a compromise in the contrast of the lower frequencies. The latter are perceived as "pop" or "depth". Luckily the mid-range (clarity) holds up well. Not often we see a lens that delivers at all levels. We are talking german stuff ;) btw great review. But that babe is just to expensive for me...
Για σού Φίλε μου Darren πολλή μου άρεσαν τα Βίντεο και η Εξηγήσεις σου για Οποιαδήποτε Προϊόντα πού Έχεις Επιδείξει Μπράβο για την Προσπάθεια σού Φίλε μου.!!! Και κάτι άλλο θα Ήθελα να μου πεις τί μουσική παίζει σε αυτό το συγκεκριμένο βίντεο.? Ευχαριστώ πολλή και Καλή Συνέχεια.!!!
If you're mounting this lens on anything other than an OM-D E-M1 (Mark I or II), you're missing out on a lot. Phase detect autofocus is sooooooooooo important for a lens like this because it's designed for sports and wildlife. Panasonic's DFD autofocus system is very good, but it only works on Panasonic lenses, so you're stuck with more primitive AF whenever you attach an Olympus lens to a Panasonic body. The contrast detect AF system on all the other Olympus cameras is also not great for tracking moving subjects. This lens was made for the E-M1, and anything else is going to be disappointing.
it is sharper and faster. also costs almost twice as much and you lose the versatility. if your concern is ultimate sharpness go for the olympus. also you lose the stabilization on the lens if you use it on a panasonic camera.
So the largest prime available, perhaps the best build in the entire system - But it some how flies in the face of the compact camera narrative? Really? So it isn't much smaller and much lighter than my D800 and Tam 150-600? I mean it isn't tiny by comparison..? I guess you suspected that m4/3rds isn't really smaller and lighter - Especially when you mount a super telephoto fast prime to the bodies...Surprise, they no longer fit in your jacket pocket, go figure!? I guess if smaller was the primary parameter you could use the 'big' pro zoom (300mm equivalent) and the tele converter they sell...Gets you almost the reach and for lower budget Safari lens (perhaps when you could only bring one lens) it would be smaller. Curiously I ask, what has that image quality and OiS and that reach AND IS SMALLER? Will look for your answer in comment field below. You win the inane comment of the day award my friend!
Thank you for your candid feedback, though I really had to chuckle at the notion of it being a "inane" comment. Only because I meant it rhetorically.... Olympus is obviously trying to expand the appeal of Micro 4/3 cameras beyond the casual user, but in order to do that you have to make lenses like this. Of course when you get into micro 4/3 - or mirrorless cameras in general - One of the big Considerations is the lighter size and weight of the cameras and lenses in the system. It's still smaller and lighter than anything from Canon or Nikon, but it's not dainty, nor did I ever suggest that it should be.
I don't know what that means..."I meant it rhetorically." Any who, when we look at 'kit size' we have to evaluate not just the single largest lens in the system, but also the size of a 'typical' set of bodies, lenses and perhaps a flash or two... A half-a-dozen lenses and a body can still fit in your pocket with m4/3rds ;) My issue with your comment is that smaller is simply smaller - It doesn't fly in the face of a narrative - It's just SMALLER in fact. You should have said - It is quite small for it's size...
+Sully Cortez. I think you have to put the price into perspective. This is the FF equivalent of a 600mm f4L from Canon and take a look at the price of that lens. Secondly, this is not a lens for everyone so it won't be mass produced. My second hand Canon 300mm f2.8L IS cost the same as this new Olympus 300mm and it was a good few years old.
Technically you are absolutely correct: Canon do not, however, produce a 600mm f8, you have to buy the 600 f4. Additionally, you would have to spend around $400 dollars for a Metabones adapter and the lens does not even feature on their website compatability chart. Then there is the weight of the 600mm f4. For me, this Olympus lens offers good value on paper. I will, however, know for sure quite soon, as it should arrive today or tomorrow.
"Not bad, huh?" -- said after a shit series of crappy soccer / "football" photos. That was totally lame -- only demonstrated the photographer's lack of skill, framing and knowledge of subject. You would have done a better job of selling me this lens if you had never shown me a picture you had taken with it -- as your easy voice and presentation style are soothing and make me feel good about the subject matter, to the point that I feel I must agree with it . . . ugh!
@@DarrenMiles I did. And I was kind enough to tell you that you're a decent presenter while not being the best "at the other things". What do you what? A whack on the head? It was a shit demo of the actual tech; but the video wasn't all that bad. Thus my comment. You're good at that which you're good at. Not so much the other things. There's a phrase, "There's them who do and them who don't. And them who don't, teach." Get good at it.
yyyeeeeaaaaa........no thanks. Panasonic 200-400 is more versatile. Plus, at that price I rather buy fullframe lenses. Not to mention resale value with a big thumbs down. Yes, they are asking too much.
Honestly video with 60-70% appearance of the presenter is very boring, you are just mentioning what we could read in the catalogue. usually when we search to watch a lens review, we need to see mainly the results, price, and comparison with other brands, we don't need to watch someone modeling and acting for 16 minute. you can tell me don't watch, i reply , i have to watch so i can comment fairly, i am photography critic person, i right about photography and i am professional photographer, and comment option is open for public, good luck
I appreciate the candor of your feedback, my more current reviews are more to the point with more b-roll and less of me - check my Zeiss Batis 18 review.
Darren, your right on with your Olympus Pro lens reviews, I have all three including the 300 f4 .great lens, and a thrill to use.
This needs to be brought up to date with the E-M1 Mk II (firmware 3) and the E-M1 Mark III ...... you WILL see a difference ...... :-)
Looks like your burning the candle at both ends there getting that studio space together and doing these reviews. Good job. At that price point and the fact that it hunts when focusing is just not an option.
Looking at old 300mm reviews because I think I will buy this lens next week. Will use it with my EM1.2 for birds and wildlife and a trip in August to Alaska. I love my 75mm 1.8 and if this lens is sharper than that beauty as all the reviews are saying I will be very happy.
No but why didn't they make a 100-400mm with sinc i.s.
G9 with 100-400mm has sinc i.s.
Good to have you back Darren
Thanks for showing the GH4 video results. As a Panasonic owner, I'm often frustrated with Olympus lens reviews that stick to Olympus bodies... I only wish the 40-150mm 2.8 had lens IS too. I'm perfectly happy with the Panny 35-100mm 2.8, but that extra 50mm would come in handy....
+simianinc luckily also Panasonic seems to have discovered 5-axis in-body stabilization, now. Including fully compatible with 4K recording in the all new GX80 (GX85 depending on where you live).
Hi, I don;t think it all IBIS - the reviews I read say the GX85 is 3 axis in body, +2 from the lens. I have dual IS in my GX8 and it's great - much better than the GX7. I'm assuming Panasonic must be soon to announce a GH5 with IBIS
+simianinc Nope, there's no word on 3-axis actually. There's a distinction between a couple of things. There's 5-axis Dual IS that uses both body image stabilization and optical image stabilization, hence the 'Dual'. The B.I.S. (Body Image Stabilization) is 5-axis itself, just not 5-axis *DUAL* IS where O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) comes in play as well. O.I.S. enhances the correction of 2 of the 5 axis. There aren't 7 axis around which stabilization is applied. Neither is there 3 axis. It's 5-axis B.I.S. without O.I.S. lens or 5-axis Dual IS with one.
You can get the PL 50-200 if the high price tag isn't an issue.
Thanks for the comprehensive review. The photographs I've seen from this lens are remarkable.
Congratulations on your new studio and thank you for the great review.
+Jeil Ryu Thank you very much!!
Soon in the mail! Hope we love it!
Was playing with this in a display shop the other day--pretty awesome.
I have the old Olympus F Zuiko Auto -T 300mm F/4.5 serial number 117339 No image stabilizing or auto focus but I love it. I could invest in this new lens if needed
@Tony… I have the Olympus Zuiko 350 mm f2.8. Serial number 101001. 😉
@@nicokremers7150 Awesome and very fast
@@life107familyfitnessboxing8 And very heavy.
Love the sample photos & video
Love the way you put this video together, capture footage, editing cuts and story telling . Awesome
In case you've been wondering where Craig Kilborn has been after his show ended, he changed his name and has been running a photography business in Florida.
Congrats with the new place, looks very nice.Best wishes
+Casper Hedegaard Thanks Casper!
Love the studio and congratulations on moving to it. BTW, are the living quarters upstairs. That would make it even more perfect. No commute and no extra building to manage.
Like your presentation. I see inherent issues with MFT and a prime lens. I am still using Nikon FF.
Darren, nice video. Could you recommend this lens for pro wildlife and bird flight photography with print requirement of at least A3+ size, that is 12 by 16 inches with pro sharpness?
I would say yes, but this also assumes the original subject in the image takes up most of the frame, if you have to crop a lot to get the animal to fill a big portion of the frame, then I might not be so sure...
FYI In Australia most of us call it Soccer too. In our football (AFL, not rugby who rarely kick the ball) we don't kick the ball with our head or stage for free kicks. Back on topic, nice review as usual.
+Greg Dower Didn't realize, I knew I loved Australia! Thanks for the kind words!
Good review Darren. Awesome studio! All the best.
For that quality, I mean really, all of that for only $2,500? It's 'lunch money' compared with the price of Leica lenses. 😁
Thanks for yet another informative review, .. and in that gorgeous new studio. Wow ... ☆☆☆☆☆
Hi again Darren.
I was hoping you could clarify this for me.
In 35mm equiv. terms I have heard a few differing opinions.
This lens in terms of exposure is a 600mm f/4.
In terms of DoF this lens is a 600mm f/8.
Is that correct?
+Peter Murrell In terms of full frame equivalent field of view, yes, this is technically correct.
No, f:4 is f:4. The primary effect of f-stop is light gathering. The secondary effect is shutter speed to ISO combination and the tertiary effect is depth of field. But are you really going to pay $10,000 more for that?
@@thethirdman225 iso 1600 on mft = iso 6400 on ff in terms if noise.
@@DeepteshLovesTECH So what? We were talking about f stop, which is a lens issue.
I agree with the comment below! Lol... have a question! I love the olympus!! But would you recommend a micro 4/3 system for portraits and/or wedding photography?
Darren why did it take me so long to find your channel... Definitely my new fav photo show man!
Thanks Jon! I really appreciate that!
Another solid and accurate review from Mr. Miles
+Neverland Traders Thank you very, very much!
Hi Darren, great review. I know you also have experience with Nikon. Any idea how this would compare to an apsc Nikon like the D500 and their latest 300F4 or that lens combined with their 1.4 tele-converter. I would seem to be a similar price point to the Olympus omd Em1 mark ii and the Olympus 300 f4. I know they are not exactly equivalents, but we are getting pretty close.
Hi Darren, always enjoy your reviews. Congrats on the new location.
I was wondering if you ever adopted m43 in your professional work. I thought you indicated that it was possible after the release of the 7-14 pro and was curious if you ever did.
Regarding this lens. Do you think the AF is impacted by the aging body? At this price and pro focus, seems it should be flawless. Maybe the Pro grade lenses are held back some by the current bodies.
Best, Rob
+Rob Strause Rob, thanks for your note. I use M43 - A LOT - but I own an use the D750 with the Nikon 14-24 for the bulk of my Real Estate work - that said however, I did in fact use the Oly for my professional work during the 30 days I had the lens on loan from Olympus and the feedback was positive - and I WOULD have no problem using the lens professionally - if I weren't already invested in Nikon then I would be using the Oly 7-14 for my pro work - its that good!
The EM-1 is starting to show it's age (almost 3), firmware can only get you so far, word is Olympus will announce an EM-1 Mark ii shortly, I hope so, I love the EM-1 and would be curious to see what Olympus can come up with for the mark ii...
I enjoy all your reviews and the way you present them. Will you be reviewing the Olympus 17mm 1.8 anytime soon. I would like to know if you think it would be a good lens to add to my OMD EM1.
+halz7 Thank you very much! Keep your eyes peeled in the next day or two...
Don't know, man. That's a lot of dosh for a single focal length lens. But then again, it's a very specific lens for a very specific target audience, and as such it's not aimed at me anyways, so I can't really be harsh about it.
I think the Panasonic Leica 100-400mm would be interesting, but it's a huge beast as well. I'd gotten the 100-300mm after Bence Máté's Lumix birds special with the custom r-roesch. de lens collar. And sure the new Leica branded one is quite a bit better, but enough to lay down that kind of money either? Again... don't know. Mathieu Gasquet (MirrorLessons) has a good video on that though.
Since I already have the excellent 7-14mm and 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO series lenses, I'd be more inclined to purchase the 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO and add the MC-14 1.4x teleconverter I got to say.
+Shiznutsz I think the 40-150 is much more useful and overall a better lens, I like the 300mm f/4 PRO, but I'm not much of a birding photog or sports photog... Just the same, it's a nice addition to their PRO line if you are into that kind of photography...
Very nice and useful review as always.
+ohlalaale Thank you!
are you going to test the Olympus pen F ?
Hey Darren, thanks for another great review, what about an equally in depth on the Panasonic 100-300 f/4-5.6? Thanks in advance!
Excellent review -- very professionally done.
+Paul Cascio Thanks Paul!
An awesome lens but did get kinda spanked by the release of the Panasonic 100-400 though. Congrats on the new studio Darren.
+cardiacade Haven't looked at the new Pany, but will at some point in the future. Thanks for the kind words!
+cardiacade. I have the Panasonic 100 - 400mm and use it on my EM1. I ordered an Olympus 300mm f4 PRO yesterday and should have in about a week. Though merely an enthusiastic amateur I will report back with my view as to which of the two I prefer, if you so wish. I will be using the lenses side by side as I have 2 x EM1 bodies. I do think that the Panasonic produces some excellent sharp images but I struggle with it when it comes to BIF. It really does hunt at 400mm and I found it easier for BIF at about 250mm. Still, it's early days but I feel I will do better with the Olympus 300mm.
Thanks Pete, I look forward to hearing your views on the lenses.pete draper
+cardiacade: Aye up, Sir, here are my thoughts on the new Olympus 300mm f4 PRO now I have been out with it three times. It is brilliant: I payed £1965.00 for mine and for me, it's worth it. Really sharp, bokah can be fantastic at times, colours and resolution superb. Made my forearms ache after 2 1/2 hours and I cannot hold it up to my eye for too long - I can do that all day long with the Panasonic 100 - 400mm as it is so light. I feel that it is better than the Panasonic but I think the Olympus cost £700 more. Is it worth the extra - probably not, depending on how serious you are. I think the Panasonic is a top notch lens, so which would I choose if I could only have one of them? In the UK I would choose the Olympus because it is faster and we have so many overcast days. If I lived in a land of blue skies and semi permanent sunshine I would go with the Panasonic. I can't think of a downside to the Olympus 300mm at the moment; it's slightly better for BIF than the Panasonic but it still hunts - thats M43 for you. Focusing slows up quite a bit with the 1.4TC fitted but the images are still truly excellent. I consider myself fortunate to have both lenses.
pete draper
Thanks Pete, appreciate your thoughts. I can't justify spending the money at the moment but will keep both of these on my radar. Happy shooting.
Darren another great review, thanks mate, and your new place is looking fantastic. Cheers :)
+Steve Johnstone Thanks Steve!!
Okay now I have to pay attention to where you're coming from in case you move again. :)
Love the review. I don't need that much reach for my shooting. As big as that monster is I'm assuming that an APS-C or Full Frame 600mm would be an even larger monstrosity.
Great review - love the format you use for your reviews. That said, I'd love to see you review the Panasonic 100-400mm f/4-6.3 Leica Lens and compare it with the Oly 300 reviewed here. For half the price and with the extended reach and versatility it's where I'm headed anyway. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.
+John McElroy. I have both and find it difficult to decide which I prefer. I have 2 x EM1 bodies and often take both lenses out at the same time. When my 300mm f4 arrived (a couple of weeks after they became available in the UK) I compared it to the 100 - 400mm by taking as close to identical shots as I could, using it with and without the 1.4 TC. I often found it difficult to tell which lens I had used for which shot. A few months ago I bought a Nikon D500 so I will be part exing my 2 x EM'1 for the EM1 mark 11. I will only need one of the two lenses and I am having a hard time deciding which one to part with. The 300mm is faster but the 100 - 400mm is lighter and more versatile. Optically, I don't feel there is much in it.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my question! I value your input.
Love your channel Darren!
+MATA FILMS Thank you very much!
Will you be trying the new Panasonic 100 - 400mm as a comparison ?
I love and use MFT but I am not a pro not sure many pros use MFT not sure the prices of theses lenses suit MFT and the users MFT is aimed at
+leacol36 That lens seems to have a lot of interest, I think I'll have to look into it!
Get one in man review it
Thanks for all the informations !
+MrCrossbiker You're welcome!
The bar is not only raised with Olympus lenses...the price is too.
What would you expect for a lens that's less than half the weight of a Nikon 600 f4, less than half the length, 1/5th the cost and an equivalent focal length? And it has image stabilization that, with the EM1 Mk2 allows for 7 stops of Image Stabilization... all for 1/5th the cost of a Nikon or Cannon focal length equivalence... and you can't hand hold a Canon or Nikon 600 and expect to focus track a bird in flight.
@@lawrencebeck4777 f4 on MFT would perform like an f8 lens on FF(noise at iso 1600 on MFT = 2x noise on FF i.e iso 6400 on FF ) . So you're comparison is irrelevant.
To get same performance tell Oly to make a 300mm f2. Then we'll talk.
Hi Darren, great reviews on lens which really educated me alot. I wonder if you already made a review on a Tamron SP 70-200mm F2.8 Di VC lens if not will you be able to help me on what you think about this lens and would you recommend it both quality and with its price? Thank you in advance, more power.
+Evan Paglinawan I have not, though I've read great things about it!
I hope you'll consider doing a review for it. Thank you
evan
Fun! I love Bonita Springs!
+hiramgrad01 Me too!
Excellent review (as always), thank you.
Great review Darren. Did you get chance to test this with the matched TC?
I did not :-(
+David Thompson: I use my 300mm f4 PRO with the 1.4 TC quite a lot for close ups of insects and wildlife in general and the IQ remains excellent. I also have the PanaLeica 100 - 400mm and it, too, is superb. If you are constained by cost then the PanaLeica is a better option, it is also a lot lighter.
Thx, review is perfect, but photo quality from omd is not good
how much sharper is the 100 to 400 than the oly 75 to 300?
I am the only one that thinks that the image quality of this lens is mediocre, especially considering that this is a $2,800 lens?! I also noticed that the 300mm suffers from the same nervous bokeh as the 40-150 Pro. (7:35 - 7:42)
Contrast seems to disappear quite quickly when the light is all that great.
Or is that a typical m43 thing?
+jeffry de meyer I think its more of a distance thing - because contrast hasn't been much of an issue with M43 for me in the past...
+Darren Miles
It's also apparent in the close focus shots. That's how Olympus M.Zuiko and this lens especially renders. Microcontrast peaks at the high frequencies. Creating the razor sharpness and also the typical clarity. But the low freq. microcontrast isn't that pronounced. Creating the less "punchy" and less saturated look.
The Pana/Leicas represent the opposite.
You are noticing this in the low-light simply because that's usually a less contrasty light.
+F To Possibly, I know - for example - the flag has been weather beaten in the sun for awhile, the blue in the star section is muted in real life, not just in the images.... I didn't notice that much of a difference - color/contrast - wise when I was shooting with the GH4... Also interesting because images with the 45, 75, and 25 are generally much more punchy - does this have anything at all to do with focal length?
+Darren Miles
Not the focal-lenght's cause but that Olympus went here with a much higher resolving lens. Besides the actual correction of aberrations the MTF has been optimized for the highest frequencies (sharpness). Often that's leading to a compromise in the contrast of the lower frequencies. The latter are perceived as "pop" or "depth". Luckily the mid-range (clarity) holds up well.
Not often we see a lens that delivers at all levels. We are talking german stuff ;)
btw great review. But that babe is just to expensive for me...
Για σού Φίλε μου Darren πολλή μου άρεσαν τα Βίντεο και η Εξηγήσεις σου για Οποιαδήποτε Προϊόντα πού Έχεις Επιδείξει Μπράβο για την Προσπάθεια σού Φίλε μου.!!! Και κάτι άλλο θα Ήθελα να μου πεις τί μουσική παίζει σε αυτό το συγκεκριμένο βίντεο.? Ευχαριστώ πολλή και Καλή Συνέχεια.!!!
+Ioannis Sachpazidis Ef-Ha-risto Ioannis! The music is called "Precipice" and it was written and performed by a friend of mine Wayne Leinen Jr.
+Darren Miles Ευχαριστώ πολύ Για την Ανταπόκριση.! Πολύ Όμορφο κομμάτι.! Πολύ ώραία Μουσική .!!! Και πολύ Ωραία Βιντεο Μαθήματα...!!!
If you're mounting this lens on anything other than an OM-D E-M1 (Mark I or II), you're missing out on a lot. Phase detect autofocus is sooooooooooo important for a lens like this because it's designed for sports and wildlife. Panasonic's DFD autofocus system is very good, but it only works on Panasonic lenses, so you're stuck with more primitive AF whenever you attach an Olympus lens to a Panasonic body. The contrast detect AF system on all the other Olympus cameras is also not great for tracking moving subjects. This lens was made for the E-M1, and anything else is going to be disappointing.
"That image quility just does not get any better than this"...... Funny guy.....
thanks so much very helpful.
How does it compare to the panasonic 100mm-400mm or 100mm-300mm?
it is sharper and faster. also costs almost twice as much and you lose the versatility. if your concern is ultimate sharpness go for the olympus. also you lose the stabilization on the lens if you use it on a panasonic camera.
+xaositectz No you don't. The OS still works with Panasonic cameras. You can use IBIS and the OS together when put on a Panasonic body.
is it noticably sharper without zooming in to like 300%?
Proper Noun yes it is much sharper. the oly is probably the sharpest m43 lens up to date.
gtz with the new studio
+nin withwes Thank you!
1/10/22 Thank for this information
its not very heavy, i carry it single handed with no problem
You really need to normalize this video. The narration is soft and the music is way too loud.
Excuse me, football in Australia is AFL. Soccer is soccer.
So the largest prime available, perhaps the best build in the entire system - But it some how flies in the face of the compact camera narrative?
Really?
So it isn't much smaller and much lighter than my D800 and Tam 150-600? I mean it isn't tiny by comparison..?
I guess you suspected that m4/3rds isn't really smaller and lighter - Especially when you mount a super telephoto fast prime to the bodies...Surprise, they no longer fit in your jacket pocket, go figure!?
I guess if smaller was the primary parameter you could use the 'big' pro zoom (300mm equivalent) and the tele converter they sell...Gets you almost the reach and for lower budget Safari lens (perhaps when you could only bring one lens) it would be smaller.
Curiously I ask, what has that image quality and OiS and that reach AND IS SMALLER?
Will look for your answer in comment field below.
You win the inane comment of the day award my friend!
Thank you for your candid feedback, though I really had to chuckle at the notion of it being a "inane" comment. Only because I meant it rhetorically.... Olympus is obviously trying to expand the appeal of Micro 4/3 cameras beyond the casual user, but in order to do that you have to make lenses like this. Of course when you get into micro 4/3 - or mirrorless cameras in general - One of the big Considerations is the lighter size and weight of the cameras and lenses in the system. It's still smaller and lighter than anything from Canon or Nikon, but it's not dainty, nor did I ever suggest that it should be.
I don't know what that means..."I meant it rhetorically."
Any who, when we look at 'kit size' we have to evaluate not just the single largest lens in the system, but also the size of a 'typical' set of bodies, lenses and perhaps a flash or two...
A half-a-dozen lenses and a body can still fit in your pocket with m4/3rds ;)
My issue with your comment is that smaller is simply smaller - It doesn't fly in the face of a narrative - It's just SMALLER in fact. You should have said - It is quite small for it's size...
Jerryonemillion talk about full of yourself, wow. Go make your own TH-cam channel and get your own studio...
Love that music.... too bad this thing is heavily overpriced for it's value
+Sully Cortez. I think you have to put the price into perspective. This is the FF equivalent of a 600mm f4L from Canon and take a look at the price of that lens. Secondly, this is not a lens for everyone so it won't be mass produced. My second hand Canon 300mm f2.8L IS cost the same as this new Olympus 300mm and it was a good few years old.
Technically you are absolutely correct: Canon do not, however, produce a 600mm f8, you have to buy the 600 f4. Additionally, you would have to spend around $400 dollars for a Metabones adapter and the lens does not even feature on their website compatability chart. Then there is the weight of the 600mm f4. For me, this Olympus lens offers good value on paper. I will, however, know for sure quite soon, as it should arrive today or tomorrow.
bravo!
It's cheaper than the Leica 200mm f:2.8.
Eco just killing sound
+Aleksey Leonov No rugs yet to dampen the echo - but there will be soon...
Videos are awesome :) Best wishes :)
"Not bad, huh?" -- said after a shit series of crappy soccer / "football" photos. That was totally lame -- only demonstrated the photographer's lack of skill, framing and knowledge of subject. You would have done a better job of selling me this lens if you had never shown me a picture you had taken with it -- as your easy voice and presentation style are soothing and make me feel good about the subject matter, to the point that I feel I must agree with it . . . ugh!
Don’t hold back, tell us what you’re really thinking :-)
@@DarrenMiles I did. And I was kind enough to tell you that you're a decent presenter while not being the best "at the other things". What do you what? A whack on the head? It was a shit demo of the actual tech; but the video wasn't all that bad. Thus my comment. You're good at that which you're good at. Not so much the other things. There's a phrase, "There's them who do and them who don't. And them who don't, teach." Get good at it.
yyyeeeeaaaaa........no thanks. Panasonic 200-400 is more versatile. Plus, at that price I rather buy fullframe lenses. Not to mention resale value with a big thumbs down. Yes, they are asking too much.
Amazingly mediocre photos in the last part of this video.
I can't believe you don't like photos of herons mostly hidden by undergrowth.
Honestly video with 60-70% appearance of the presenter is very boring, you are just mentioning what we could read in the catalogue. usually when we search to watch a lens review, we need to see mainly the results, price, and comparison with other brands, we don't need to watch someone modeling and acting for 16 minute. you can tell me don't watch, i reply , i have to watch so i can comment fairly, i am photography critic person, i right about photography and i am professional photographer, and comment option is open for public, good luck
I appreciate the candor of your feedback, my more current reviews are more to the point with more b-roll and less of me - check my Zeiss Batis 18 review.