Olympus' remarkable telephoto lens and teleconverter combo on display at The Photography Show
The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS Pro lens – one of the biggest guns, literally and figuratively, in the Micro Four Thirds line-up – is on display at The Photography Show, which runs from 16-19 March at the NEC in Birmingham.
The 150-400mm Pro, as we’ll call it for brevity, offers a 300-800mm equivalent focal range as standard. However, it also has an integrated 1.25x teleconverter that extends this range to 1000mm (though this reduces the maximum aperture to f/5.6).
The extension doesn’t stop there, though. Also on display at The Photography Show is the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter MC-20. This doubles the focal length of the 150-400mm Pro, giving it a remarkable 2000mm equivalent focal length.
When paired with the new Olympus OM-D E-M1X, the lens benefits from a rock-solid 7.5 EV steps of image stabilization (thanks to the Sync-IS technology that couples the in-body stabilization with the lens stabiluzation).
A 2000mm lens with 7.5 steps of stabilization is already a formidable setup. Factor in that both the 150-400mm Pro and the MC-20 are weather-sealed, though, and this combo becomes an incredible tool in the hands of professional wildlife shooters.
On top of that, the MC-20 doesn’t just double the telephoto range – it also doubles the maximum shooting magnification, making it a fascinating proposition for macro imaging.
We were blown away by the teleconverter (which is also compatible with the Olympus 300mm f/4.0 and 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro lenses) in our Olympus MC-20 review. While the MC-20 is available now, the150-400mm Pro is scheduled for launch in 2020.
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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 Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital 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.