Is the most EXPENSIVE micro four thirds lens ever made worth it? “Big White” Review!
OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO Lens — AKA “Big White”
OM System loaned me this lens for a recent trip, and I was like, "Yeah, okay, cool, send it along. Thanks." But when it arrived… and I realised which lens it was: the Olympus Pro 150-400mm f4.5 constant, also known as Big White. It's the most expensive Micro Four Thirds lens ever made! So, needless to say, my expectations were sky-high. Is it worth the hefty price tag? Let me show you what I got up to with this lens and share my thoughts and feelings.
Olympus 150-400mm f4.5 First Impressions
If you're used to travelling with lighter Micro Four Thirds gear, this is going to be a bit of a change of pace. It's blummin’ massive, weighing in at 1.8 kilograms. Someone commented that it's like carrying a trumpet, but the music is much sweeter, and I thought that summed it up perfectly.
It's not light, small, or cheap — going against the grain of what many Micro Four Thirds enthusiasts love about the system — However, it is smaller, cheaper, and lighter than any full-frame counterparts offering this focal length and aperture… so, ya know… it’s pretty amazing.
Big White Build Quality and Features
This lens has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. On one side, you've got plenty of tactile options like the focus limiter, stabilisation, and autofocus switches. On the other side, there's the built-in teleconverter. Yes, you heard me right. You just need to flip a switch, and you're at 1.25x tele! That takes the long end to 500mm — 1000mm in full frame terms. The lever is the most satisfying thing in the world to engage, and you can do it without taking your eye off the viewfinder.
The focus throw is nice and short, which is a huge benefit when you're quickly trying to track birds. My method involves starting a little wider, getting the bird in the viewfinder, and then slowly zooming in to position myself properly. I found this lens super intuitive to use and I was really impressed with the number of keeper shots I achieved, even on my first outing with the lens.
Handling and Stabilisation
I've been kneeling with this lens for many of my shots, and it's all been handheld. The stabilisation is superb, and it hasn't been that fatiguing to hold for a few minutes at a time while waiting for the action. Although this lens isn't small, it has internal zoom, so it's nicely balanced at every focal length. I haven't found it hard to handhold at all; it's been really, really nice.
Conversely, the other lens I had with me, the OM System 150-600mm (blog review here) has been a bit of a pain in the back — literally. Because it isn't internal zoom, when you're at the long end, you really feel it in your arms and back. It knocks the centre of balance completely off. Having internal zoom on Big White is worth its weight in gold.
OM System reserves lens stabilisation sync for their high-end pro lenses, and Big White has built-in stabilisation, as you'd hope for the price. As a Pro lens, it also unlocks faster burst mode features in the OM1 and OM1ii. With Pro lenses on OM System cameras, you can get up to 50 frames per second versus 25 with a non-Pro lens. Pairing Big White with the OM1 Mark II has been brilliant, to be honest. A match made in heaven! I’m really proud of the photos I managed to get in the Faroe Islands (full photography guide to the Faroe Islands here, if you’re interested!)
Big White — Clever design features!
A lot of bird photography, particularly puffins, involves holding and waiting for the action to happen. With the lens being centrally weighted and easy to hold, combined with excellent stabilisation, I was able to keep everything steady, even in the harsh winds of the Faroe Islands.
The coolest, most underrated feature is the bracket boi, which is actually an Arca Swiss plate. Why don't all camera brands do this? It's longer, making it very nice to hold, and I found it really comfortable to walk with using that as the grip.
Also, the lens bracket has stops at every quarter turn, making it easy to quickly move from portrait to landscape without messing up your composition if you’re shooting on a tripod. Everything about this lens screams “premium”… as you’d hope for the price.
The Problem with white…
The white colour of this lens looks super premium, but for wildlife, I'd probably stick some sort of vinyl or camo on it. When I went to a birdhide looking for kingfishers, I wondered if the bright white lens reflected more light and scared them off. I waited for two and a half hours and didn't get any kingfishers. I could just be being paranoid? But who knows! For sporting events, to keep the equipment cool, sure… keep the white. For wildlife photography outside of snowy environments? Camo O’clock.
The built-in teleconverter is a game-changer
The lens is f4.5 constant all the way through, making it relatively fast for a super telephoto lens, and it's super sharp wide open throughout the range. Even with the 1.25x teleconverter engaged, it only knocks the aperture to f5.6, which is still very usable and sharp wide open.
The shots were super sharp with the teleconverter, and it is so handy to be able to switch it on instantly, without much aperture penalty.
Is the Olympus 150-400mm f4.5 Pro worth the Price?
Back to the price – yes, it's high. But the lens is as premium as you'd expect for the price tag and offers something unique with its fast constant aperture and versatile focal range.
It's perfect for high-end enthusiasts and professionals who shoot birds and wildlife, or sports regularly. I can't afford this lens to be honest! And it's going to be the saddest thing to give it back. But if I was out in the bird hide every weekend, or shooting sporting events? I’d get to saving. There isn’t anything better for the micro four thirds system, and full frame equivalents are double the price again!
So is the Olympus 150-400mm f4.5 for you?
For the right person with the right budget and enthusiasm for what this lens can offer, it's superb. There’s nothing better, in fact. Paired with the OM1ii, it's the best combination of lenses and cameras I've ever used.
My expectations were high because of the price, but after using it extensively in the Faroe Islands, I can see why it costs what it does. It's the best lens I've ever used – sharp, well-balanced, and perfect for bird photography.
So, is it worth it to go on the run and keep this lens? I'm seriously considering it. Jokes aside, if this lens is too expensive, check out my OM System 150-600mm review here (opens in new window). It's cheaper, longer, and heavier, but I think offers great value if Big White is out of your budget.
Check out Big White Used at MPB here: MPB UK, MPB US, MPB EU
Learn more about a dream photography trip to the Faroe Islands with my guide here!
And finally, if you like my photos, check out my presets here. They’re all I use and they’re blummin’ brilliant. If I do say so myself!