Is this OM System’s most misunderstood lens?
There is a lot of nonsense flying around about OM System’s new ULTRA-telephoto zoom lens. And there are also some honest concerns. Indeed, my own feelings about the 150-600 have changed the more I have thought about this lens. So let’s delve in.
Perusing comments on our very own discussion forum, many of which reflect influencers and so-called experts on YouTube and other social media platforms, it’s clear to me that the new OM System m.Zuiko ED 150-600mm f.5-6.3, launched last Tuesday, is frequently misunderstood.
So the lens is based on a Sigma design
OM System won’t say anything about the provenance of the lens, but why should they? It’s not the first time a Micro Four Thirds lens with an Olympus or Panasonic Lumix brand has been designed and even made by Sigma. OEM manufacturing is a big part of Sigma’s business. The OM System 150-600 is very clearly a re-engineered Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports optic. Its appearance, specifications, and dimensions, are all convincing evidence.
But this isn’t simple badge-engineering
The lens will have modified electronics and firmware to enable it to communicate with the Micro Four Thirds protocols for fly-by-wire autofocus and image stabilisation controls. Stabilisation, in particular, is an OM System industry-leading forté and the 150-600 gets the full-fat Sync IS treatment. This is the magic that enables the camera body’s IBIS (In Body Image Stabilisation) to synchronize in real-time with the lens’ own OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) to maximise stabilisation. The system works across 5 axes and delivers up to 7 stops of added stability, as define by CIPA standards, at 150mm, and 6 stops at 600mm. With OIS on its own, you can get up to 5 stops, which is one stop better than Sigma’s own version of the lens.
There is no way of knowing for certain, without OM System and/or Sigma briefing us, but there might even be some optical modifications. The image circle for Four Thirds sensors is smaller and, perhaps, some fine-tuning has been done to enable the existing m.Zuiko MC-14 1.4x, and MC-20 2.0x teleconverters, to be optimally matched, but that’s just a guess.
This is not a re-warmed DSLR design
Sigma currently sells three 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lenses and they are all quite different. Two, were introduced ten years ago (2014) and were designed specifically for DSLR cameras. In August 2021 Sigma’s third 150-600 was launched; the brand new 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS, designed specifically for mirrorless cameras. Optical design, the engineering of the autofocus hardware, etc., were new. This is what the OM System 150-600 was based on.
But isn’t the OM System 150-600, therefore, an adapted full frame lens?
The simple answer is, yes. But that’s missing the point.
Just because the lens was originally designed with full frame (and APS-C) sensor cameras in mind, doesn’t mean it is unnecessarily large and heavy compared to a lens designed, from the ground up, for Micro Four Thirds. And neither does it mean it won’t perform well on a Micro Four Thirds body. Most importantly, the lens is a thoroughbred mirrorless design.
Anyway, are we comparing apples with apples?
Well, not really!
A 150-600mm lens fitted to a full frame camera is doing the same job as a 75-300mm lens fitted to a Micro Four Thirds camera. For the record, the OM System 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 is – OK I exaggerate – microscopic, compared to the 150-600.
On Micro Four Thirds, the 150-600 is doing the job of a 300-1200 on full frame! This is a completely different game to using a 75-300 on MFT. And you can even boost that to 600-2400 using an MC-20 converter.
So who is OM System aiming at with the 150-600?
My initial reaction was to suppose it would only be of interest to those that REALLY needed to get substantially closer to a subject than, say, using a 400mm lens. That would be quite a limited market.
But my thoughts on this have evolved. Olympus and OM System have been triumphant with the m.Zuiko 150-400mm f/4.5 Pro, the BWL (Big White Lens). Users rave about its optical performance, Sync IS stabilisation, and supreme portability compared to lenses from rival systems. It also includes a built-in switchable 1.25x converter, also of excellent quality, so you can turn your 150-400 into a 188-500mm f/5.6 without removing the lens from the camera body.
But at £7K, the glorious 150-400 is basically a limited-edition lens affordable only to those few who can really afford it.
Until now, the only in-house alternative has been the m.Zuiko 100-400 f/5-6.3, which is affordable and a good performer, if not in the same league as the 150-400 Pro. But now we have the new 150-600. Yes, it’s twice the cost of a 100-400, but it’s almost a third of the cost of the 150-400 Pro. It’s a little brighter at matching focal lengths, too. If you need more than 400mm, you can just turn the zoom ring further – no need to stop and fit a converter to the 100-400.
The 150-600 also has a Pro lens feature, Sync IS, which the 100-400 doesn’t. But the 150-600 isn’t a Pro lens and it’s limited to 25 fps sequential shooting compared to 50fps for Pro lenses. But is that a huge drawback for most?
I automatically assumed the 150-600 would be far too heavy for hand-held photography, but it’s only 10% heavier than the 150-400 Pro. You do need to be fit, but I am sure the 150-600 can deliver, hand-held.
But what about the price?
Ah, the price. OM System has priced the 150-600 at double that the Sigma version of the 150-600 sells for. That is, undoubtedly, disappointing. I’ve argued that OM System might not be expecting to sell a big enough volume of the 150-600 to permit it to be commercially viable at a lower price. But the more I think about it, OM System could be pleasantly surprised – at the right price. I think the best we can hope for is that the lens sells better than hoped for and the price can be reduced over time.
Get the paparazzi interested!
I also have a fun suggestion for OM System – sell an OM-1 Mark II + 150-600 kit, with some teleconverters thrown in, at an attractive price, for the paparazzi. I reckon this is just what they have been waiting for!
I hope you found this article useful. As ever, I recommend you have a look at our friendly discussion forum dedicated to anyone interested in Olympus/OM System and compatible gear.