Rank #6 in Best Telephoto Zoom Lens 2026: 8 Ranked, and Two Spec Sheets That Don't Add Up
OM System M.Zuiko 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II is at number 6 in this guide. It is a Micro Four Thirds super-telephoto zoom, listed at £1,024.00 with a 4.6 out of 5 rating from 44 ratings, and on a Micro Four Thirds body its 100-400mm range gives a 200-800mm equivalent field of view - a figure repeated in the product name, the model name and the item highlight.
The numeric fields are why it sits mid-table. Maximum Focal Length and Minimum Focal Length are both listed as “400 Millimeters”, which cannot both describe a lens whose own name is 100-400mm, and a separate field gives a Fixed Focal Length of “40 Millimetres” on something the same listing calls a zoom. The rating distribution does hold up: 73 five-star, 18 four-star, 5 three-star and 4 one-star average out at 4.56, which rounds to the 4.6 shown on the page - though those bars add up to 100 against the 44 ratings listed. Unlike the Sony and Nikon lenses elsewhere in this guide, the aperture fields here are the right way round, at 6.3 f maximum and 22 f minimum. Everything on this page is taken from the Amazon listing as we found it, not from any testing of our own.
How those 44 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.6 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £1,024.00 |
|---|---|
| Amazon rating | 4.6 out of 5, from 44 ratings |
| Rating breakdown (as listed) | 73 five-star, 18 four-star, 5 three-star, 4 one-star - the bars add up to 100 |
| Maximum Focal Length (as listed) | 400 Millimeters |
| Minimum Focal Length (as listed) | 400 Millimeters |
| Fixed Focal Length (as listed) | 40 Millimetres |
| Zoom Ratio | 4:1 |
| Maximum Aperture | 6.3 f (minimum aperture listed as 22 f) |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“As described. Good lens for non-professionals and those who don't want to carry a heavy lens. More flexibility than the OM 300mm as it can range from 100 -400 ( 200 -800). Sharp lens but does soften at 400mm so if you want additional range by a OM MC 14 teleconverter.SII syncs stabilization with the camera making handheld shots easy. All round great lens to have in your arsenal.”
“Fantastic lens for the money, brilliant sync is and people are complaining about the size and weight, you obviously haven't tried lugging around a full frame lens of same focal length of 200-800mm”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best Telephoto Zoom Lens 2026: 8 Ranked, and Two Spec Sheets That Don't Add Up.
Questions people ask
What cameras does the OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II fit?
The listing gives the mountings as Micro Four Thirds and OM System, and the compatible camera models as OM System, Olympus OM-D & Pen and Panasonic G-Series. The lens mount field also lists Olympus OM and Olympus Pen F.
Is the lens really 100-400mm?
The product name, the model name, the item highlight and the camera lens field all say 100-400mm (200-800mm for 35mm standard). The Maximum Focal Length and Minimum Focal Length fields both say 400 Millimeters, so those two fields cannot both be right.
What aperture does it have?
The name gives F5.0-6.3, while the spec sheet lists a Maximum Aperture of 6.3 f and a Minimum Aperture of 22 f. There are 9 diaphragm blades.
Does it take teleconverters?
Yes. The listing states it is fully compatible with the MC 2.0 and MC 1.4 teleconverters for getting closer to the subject.
How big and heavy is it?
The listing gives a length of 205.6mm and a weight of 1,300g, with a 72mm filter size, and describes it as optimal for travelling and manoeuvring.
What stabilisation does it offer?
The listing describes synchronised in-lens optical image stabilisation with up to 7EV steps of correction, aimed at sharp handheld images of fast-moving subjects such as birds in flight.
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