Olympus Zuiko 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras

I purchased this lens four months ago for my E-520 for moon shots at the first, then wound up using it for much more, particularly nature photography. This lens is capable of amazing photos of the moon, to the point where you can crop out the edges until the moon fills most of the image and is still tack-sharp (using a remote control or anti-shock release and tripod).

When I began using it for nature photography--birds especially--it was a mixed blessing. The fact that birds are generally to be found in the shade of trees makes the f/5.6 at 300mm slow at finding a focus, and sometimes you have to nudge the manual focus into the right area for the auto to get the idea, but once you hit that sweet spot, it's golden. Another downside is the lack of depth of field in mediocre lighting: two birds, with one behind the other, will not both come into focus unless you have enough good lighting so as to be able to open the aperture. But I'm not knocking too hard it for that; that one bird you get is in incredibly detailed focus. Some may lament the slow focusing for each individual shot, but the way to get around this is to set the camera on quick-shot so it takes a succession of photos so long as you hold down the shutter button, like frames in a movie. THIS can lead to amazing shots, for it can capture the birds in poses you never would have had time to catch when pressing the shutter each time. Some of my best bird shots have been at 300mm while using this feature, usually on either Aperture or Sports mode.

Also, birds which reside around one's house which one has been feeding for a long time become incredibly adapted to people. Since December (when I was using a 40-150mm) I've been able to move from the open window to the porch and on out into the yard closer and closer to the feeders. This is wonderful news for the 300mm, for the birds very nearly fill the frame or are easily cropped to do so, providing wonderful detail.

It's a good idea to use this lens on a tripod which has a mount you can swing around. The one I use has a twisting handle which moves the mount up and down and has a screw which tightens side-to-side motion. Keeping that screw loose and using the handle to swing the camera around while the right hand remains on the shutter button will give a quick aim and steady support. If you're in a place where you can't use a tripod, bracing it against something, such as a tree, helps tremendously.

All in all, I give this lens 5 stars for its excellent performance in all I wish it to accomplish. The few negatives, such as not working well hand-held and needing good lighting for the best DOP are trifling against all the positives I outlined above. If you are an amateur looking for a good telephoto without breaking the bank, you will be very happy with it.

I have one of the original e410's from Olympus and was happy to get this lens as I do a lot of nature pictures as well as performance pictures for a local dance group. For external shots, it's great. Inside, there are usually issues with light loss as you zoom in, but there was very little with this lens, especially with the FL-50 flash. It is a little cumbersome on the e410's smaller body, but using a monopod helps tremendously. A great "reach out and touch" lens.

I've had this lens for a couple of weeks now, shooting with it on an E-420. My primary concern before buying were reviews citing slower and wandering AF as light becomes low. These are generally true, but it should be said that the only conditions I've encountered trouble with so far are indoors and at night, which is not a major knock against this lens. The AF is a little noisy but not intrusively so, and while the external focus tube precludes the use of a polarizer because it rotates during focusing, I understand the need for this kind of design in this price range. Optics are good enough that a sensor like the E-420's can't faithfully capture visible flaws in image quality. Capable of surprisingly delicious bokeh. Build quality is just fine and zoom action is smooth, AF/MF switch is nice. If you're on your first DSLR and need a first telephoto with a lot of focal length range, this is your top choice in the 4/3 system.

I love this lens. Yes, it has limitations. The only really annoying one it the occasional focusing issues. The worst case, is if you focus on something say 5 feet away, and then try to go to a near infinity shot. At least with my copy. None the less I have several stunning shots iv taken with this. Including a Great Blue Heron.

The ZD 70-300mm lens isn't the best long telephoto lens you can buy, it's the absoluete best one you can get for $350!

This lens is incredibly well made, with a very solid feel and a nice fit and finish. It is made in Japan, and has a metal lens mount. This looks and feels like a lens that Nikon or Canon will sell you for $750.

While it is a fairly heavy and substantial lens, it is downright petite when compared to other 140-600mm equivalent zoom lenses.

You will be very impressed with the macro ability of this lens. It will deliver nice isolation and nicely blurred backgrounds. This lens is also excellent for wildlife photography, and the limitation of a slower lens speed isn't a real problem when shooting in good light. Which is what you usually have when shooting wildlife.

This same lens with a f/2.8 maximum aperature would cost six times more, be four inches longer and weight twice as much, so I think f/4.0 was a good choice by the designers. This lens is an excellent compromise for folks on a budget.

It will have some problems hunting for focus occassionally, but that is to be expected from lenses in this price range and aperature. Overall, I'm glad I got this lens because it really expands my reach as a photographer. I highly recommend this lens to anyone who wants a moderately priced long zoom lens for their 4/3 camera.