Olympus Zuiko ED 70 300mm F4 5 6 Review | 54 Data compared

The Olympus 70-300mm f/4-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital lens offers Four Thirds camera users an impressive 140-600mm equivalent focal length range in a relatively lightweight, 620-gram package. On the positive side, the lens delivers excellent sharpness at focal lengths of 150mm and below, with peak performance occurring around 100mm. It features exceptional control over optical flaws, showcasing minimal distortion, negligible corner shading, and low chromatic aberration at wider focal lengths. Additionally, it boasts solid build quality with a metal mount, smooth-turning rings, and useful 0.5x macro capabilities when using manual focus. Conversely, the lens suffers from notable performance degradation at its longer telephoto settings. Sharpness drops off considerably above 150mm, becoming particularly soft and uneven at 300mm unless stopped down significantly. Chromatic aberration also becomes prominent in the corners at the 200mm and 300mm marks. For usability drawbacks, the front element and mounted 58mm filters rotate during focusing operations, which makes using a polarizing filter difficult. Lastly, the autofocus system proved slow during broad focal adjustments and struggled to lock onto specific test charts and still scenes during evaluation.

The Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 is a compact, budget-friendly super-telephoto lens for Four Thirds cameras, offering an impressive 140-600mm equivalent focal range and solid, lightweight construction. A standout feature is its outstanding macro performance, providing a 1:2 magnification ratio at a 0.96-meter minimum focus distance, complemented by low distortion and well-controlled vignetting.

The LensTip review of the Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 70-300 mm f/4.0-5.6 begins by addressing marketing claims surrounding the 4/3 sensor format. The reviewer counters the notion that lenses built for smaller 4/3 sensors are inherently lighter and smaller than full-frame or APS-C alternatives, noting this rule often fails for wide-angle gear. Additionally, they dismiss the manufacturer's claim that a 70-300 mm lens provides the full capabilities of a 140-600 mm class lens, stating it only matches that focal length in terms of narrow angles of view. Because a crop of the same size could just as easily be cut from a Nikon or Canon sensor to achieve the same layout, the review treats and evaluates this optic purely as a standard 70-300 mm lens. The review highlights several definitive advantages and disadvantages of the lens's design and real-world performance. According to the LensTip Summary, the core pros include its solid workmanship, accurate autofocus, low optical distortion, low vignetting, well-corrected coma, and slight astigmatism. Crucially, the lens benefits heavily from the 4/3 system layout by maintaining an acceptable image quality...