Flight From Callahan County

I have found the replacement for my Olympus 75-300mm MFT lens. It's an adapted vintage four-thirds Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD lens. The Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD with Four Thirds MMF-3 adapter on my Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III. The release of the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS for the micro four thirds system several months ago seemed to be the solution for my need to move up to a longer lens for flower and bird photography. The reviews have been good and the test images I have seen are impressive. However, the $1,500 USD price is a little bit expensive for my budget. I had been using the  Olympus M.Zuiko 75-300mm F/4.8-6.7 ii for several years. It is light-weight, auto-focus is quick, keepers are very sharp, and I can hand-hold throughout its focal range. However, I have often wished for a little longer reach, and the bokeh in shots with defocused background is very unpleasant. Back when an Olympus OM-D E-M5 was my pri...

The Olympus (now OM Digital Solutions) announcement last year of its new M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS lens immediately grabbed my attention.  As an enthusiast micro four thirds amateur, I have a variety of prime and zoom lenses but none to cover the longest telephone range.  My lens lineup includes an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II, but I have found it just a bit short on some occasions. In additional to the 400mm reach of the new lens, it can focus very close throughout its zoom range, making it valuable for shooting macro/closeup images of flowers and insects at a distance. Another benefit is compatibility with the standard Olympus MFT teleconverters, the 1.4x MC-14 and the 2x MC-20. However, the large size and its hefty price tag of $1,500 USD have made me rethink the the value this lens would be for me. I used to do a lot of photography on mountain hikes but never pursued birds or wildlife. But as I have gotten older my hikes have become less strenuous w...