OM System M.Zuiko 150-400mm f/4.5 TC 1.25 IS PRO 188-500mm

The OM System 150-400mm is a ridiculously sharp, best-in-class stabilized super-telephoto with a slick built-in teleconverter. It's a dream for handheld wildlife shooting, but the sky-high price and just-okay bokeh mean it's strictly for serious shooters. If you can stomach the cost, it's the ultimate reach weapon for Micro Four Thirds.

Optically, this lens is in the top tier of our database, delivering sharpness that makes you want to pixel-peep every feather. The built-in stabilization is the absolute best we've seen, giving you a rock-steady viewfinder at crazy focal lengths. Autofocus is solid and snappy with the MSC motor, though it lands right in the middle of the pack compared to the latest linear motors. The weak spot is bokeh, which is just okay, and the f/4.5 aperture means you're not getting a ton of subject separation or low-light leeway compared to faster glass.

Stacked against something like the Sony 200-600mm, you're trading a bit of full-frame light gathering for a massive reduction in size and weight. The Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 is a more versatile walkaround option but can't touch this lens for pure telephoto reach. Even the Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm, while a great all-rounder, is playing a different game entirely. This OM System lens isn't trying to be a jack-of-all-trades; it's a master of one, and it beats those competitors at the long game by a country mile.

Let's not dance around it: this lens costs as much as a used car. With a price spread of over $3,500 across vendors, you absolutely need to shop around. Best Buy currently lists it at the lower end of that range, which is where you should be looking. For the working wildlife pro who lives at the long end, the unique combination of reach and portability can justify the cost. For everyone else, it's a very expensive ticket to a very specific party.

This is the big gun for the Micro Four Thirds system, and it's built for one thing: getting insanely close to distant subjects without hauling a tripod the size of a small tree. You're looking at a 300-800mm equivalent reach that flips to 375-1000mm with the flick of the integrated teleconverter switch. It's a specialist's tool for birders and wildlife shooters who value portability, but the price tag will make your wallet file a restraining order.

If you need a versatile lens for portraits, landscapes, and general use, look elsewhere because this is a one-trick pony. The f/4.5 aperture and average bokeh make it a poor choice for subject isolation or low-light work outside of stabilized static shots. If you're not regularly shooting past 400mm, you're paying a massive premium for reach you'll never use.

This lens is for the dedicated wildlife photographer who has already committed to the Micro Four Thirds system and needs maximum reach in a package you can actually carry all day. If you're photographing birds in flight or skittish mammals at dawn, the combination of the OM-1 body and this lens is about as good as it gets without a sherpa. It's overkill for casual shooters, but for the right person, it's the reason to stay in the system.