I hate buying new gear.

I especially hate buying expensive gear. I have been in this field for far too long and it has given me a jaded view of manufacturing consistency, unrealistic expectations and general gear satisfaction. This is mostly unfair, as Canon, Fuji, Olympus and Panasonic have rarely if ever let me down, but too much knowledge……

I especially, especially hate buying lenses. Cameras are fine. They work or they don’t, but lenses are one of those things I am suspicious of, usually for too long and usually my suspicions are proven to be unfounded.

My 300mm is a case in point. I bought it at the beginning of the year from the shop I worked at for 10+ years. I know for a fact it had been there since release, being the first we ordered when they came out. It sat and sat, suffering the fate of many top end lenses in a small shop in a small city, weathering price drops and rises until one day I had money and a need (but no longer worked there).

It offered me the one thing I demand of a lens, the ability to try before I buy.

I knew I would likely stay with the supplied firmware (really do not enjoy the Olympus process). I also knew that the lens was an early production model, often cursed with first batch gremlins until things settle down (like the 12mm f2). I used it, it worked well enough and I bit the bullet. Annoyingly, the shop got a new one in to replace it, which I would have liked to have had the chance to purchase, but honestly I did not think they would go for one again.

Months have passed (so fast), leaving me busy enough to just use it and not think too much about it.

Nothing is more satisfying than an image that surprises even you, the taker, for it’s sheer quality in trying circumstances.

Focus is excellent giving me as many if not more keepers than the 40-150 pro. I often hold on too long, chasing subjects that are almost on top of me, rather than change to a smaller lens, sometimes with surprising results.

Stability, with or without the in-lens option is excellent. I often disengage all stabilisation when shooting fast sports (one less thing for the camera to deal with and irrelevant at 1/500th+ anyway), and just as often I forget to turn it back on for snap shots during and after the game. Rarely have I had a major problem down to 1/100th hand held, no help. This was something I also found with my old 400mm F5.6L Canon. Sometimes a lens is just well balanced.

Sharpness is deceiving. The lens looks less crisp or brilliant on the surface image when compared to the 40-150 pro, enough so that I can usually pick their respective images by eye easily enough. Look inside the image though, down to shirt texture or ball stitch level and you will see much more than you expected. I believe it is sharper than the pro zoom, but less overtly contrasty. This is likely the effect of greater micro contrast vs higher contrast. The files process very easily and handle strong light well.

The 300mm is better in strong light, the 40-150 better in poor, low contrast light. Perfect really.

The shot below was are cropped to 440x330 pixels (the original is of 2-3 players, taller than head to foot, much like the one above, but school rules do not allow a before and after with faces). This level of quality gives you lots of cropping options.

Weatherproofing has also proven itself several times.

Is it perfect?

Nearly, but there is a niggle.

The Bokeh is plentiful, but like I have found with so many other high sharpness, high micro contrast Olympus lenses, it is a little jittery in the background highlights. It actually looks less smooth than my 75-300 kit lens, which is a stop and a half slower.

So, where does it fit in with my over abundance of good tele options?

Number one choice for anything involving distance unless outright shutter speeds are an issue, then I will switch to the 40-150 and then the 75 f1.8 as needed. I have successfully used it indoors at pools and under lights, but at some point, around ISO 6400, I trade reach for speed.

Number one choice if reach with low speed hand holding are needed with a semi static subject as the lens stabiliser and overall balance do make a difference.

Last choice for light travel. The 40-150 and 75-300 kit lenses are much, much lighter, more versatile and surprisingly sharp.

The other win, uncharacteristically bought sight unseen at the same time, was the Leica 8-18, which is a little cracker. Not as worried about a wide angle or a lens bought solely for work, I think this one will change how I see wide angle lenses.