OLYMPUS 1060538 ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 70-300mm F4.0-5.6 Lens

Pros: I bought it as soon as it came out and couldn't be happier. Since the E510 I use it on has in-body IS this is a great pair. The reach of this lens is really something. I'd like to include some shots I did with it but the links are not allowed, however if you search for my nick or the lens you will see many pages about what this lens can do. This lens can produce great macro shots, you'll be surprised. I took macro shots from feets away which means you won't scare the insects, birds, etc. by trying to getting closer to them. True, it's not the same as a macro lens from a few inches but w/ live things I'd rather have a nice sharp shot than an out of focus of a bee/bird flying out of the frame. It's also small for it's capabilities, the shots are nice and detailed, 140-600mm is a lot for its price. Sure if you need a faster lens with lets say f2.8 you can go for the Zuiko 90-250, or the 300. Search some shot how nice and blurry this lens makes the background.

Cons: It tends to be a little slow in less bright days/locations but this is expectable and acceptable for the price.
Compare the price of any other lens with the same reach and you'll see...

Other Thoughts: Since it's so cheap it's a must have in your photo bag.

Pros: Great zoom. Great price. Exactly what I needed to make my Olympus camera work for my basic needs. Best price around. Couldn't find a better deal especially while being deployed.

Cons: None.

Other Thoughts: Its a little weighty but it balances my camera out well.

Pros: This is one very good lens. This lens has the equivalent FIELD OF VIEW, not focal length (very big difference) of a 600 mm lens on a 35mm camera. The 2x crop factor is nice but this will NEVER fully replicate the image of a 600mm f5.6 on a 35mm camera make no mistake about this. I found the auto focus to be quite fast, I like it! The lens isn't that heavy so it's VERY good for bird photography. I like the AF/MF switch. The image quality is about the same as the 150mm "kit" lens but still, this kitten (as opposed to puppy) is a VERY fun lens to use! This thing has some gorillla reach. This lens is summed up with one word, "unique".

Cons: Believe it or not, the object in an image is exactly the same size as it would be if you used a 300mm lens on a 35mm camera. The Olympus DSLR's sensor is half the size so the angle of view is narrower than the same lens on a 35mm camera making it appear to be magnified but alas, it is not. It's like taking a picture with a 300mm lens on a 35mm camera and "cropping" the edges of the picture by 50% and expanding what's left over of the picture to fill the area that has been cropped out. The object in the image will just appear to be twice a large if you took the same picture with this lens! When I first found this out I was quite angry because of the ignorant wording used by 4/3rds supporters like "600mm focal length equivalent" is BS! When focusing from a close object to a far one, prepare yourself for some loud death noise from the motor. DOF is a lot larger as well with 4/3rds format. Some see this as an advantage, I on the other hand do not. No Nice blurry backgrounds @ F/5.6...

Other Thoughts: Do not fool yourself with Zuiko lenses! They are not nor will they ever be 2x the listed focal length. But also keep in mind that Zuiko glass is among the finest made right now if not the finest. The real advantage of the best Zuiko glass is that the F/2.8 lenses can be effectively used with 1.4 and 2.0 teleconverters without the loss of too much light by virtue of their insane brightness. I love my Zuiko 200mm F2.8/F3.5 so much I could spank babies with it.

Pros: So far, over 200 pictures taken during trials. Seems quick with Auto Focus which surprised me. Has adequate contrast for a close focus big zoom telephoto. I could not be happier with it so far. In studio tests and some outside snaps, this lens more than meets my expectations. I have not tested it with two of my three Olympus SLR bodies yet. It will get a good work out though.

Cons: The barrel seems to extend a long way in use, and to shut down, you need to zoom back in. This is normal for a big telephoto lens I suppose. The weight was a bit more than I expected.

Other Thoughts: Beautiful fit and finish. For the style of photography I do, this is a great lens value. New Egg was quick on getting the product to me and they were below the cost of most of the web camera dealers. Thanks New Egg.

Pros: Excellent range on this glass, excellent value, perfect for my needs since photography is a hobby and I really enjoy shooting pics with a tele-photo. Can be used for decent macro shots too.

Cons: Slow to focus and sometimes hunts in AF mode, but if you want something faster (i.e. Zuiko 50-200mm SWD/f2.8-3.5), it will cost you.

Other Thoughts: Took some hand held shots with my Olympus E-510 and was very impressed. May try to snap some of the lunar eclipse tonight if the weather in the upper mid-west allows it. Giving it a 5 for it's performance to value ratio.

Pros: I just got the lens.
The previous reviewer: You think this lens is heavy? Think again. Look around quickly. There is no other 600mm (35mm equivalent) autofocus lens on the market this light and this good! The Nikon 70-300mm VR lens is 20% heavier and only reachs to an effective 450mm on the Nikon D300. Plus, this Zuiko lens focus down to 1:2! And I get the save effetive image stablizer inside my Olympus E-510.
I couldn't ask for more regarding what it offers. Ideal for casual wildlife shots.

Cons: F/5.6 on the tele end. But that is what makes this lens so light.

Pros: It is a good beginner to moderate lense. It is a good price and does not break the budget. It takes very good pictures but needs good light for those photos.

Cons: It is quite heavy compared to other lenses.

Other Thoughts: NewEgg ROCKS!!!!