The Olympus 40-150mm f2.8 PRO was my second “forever purchase” lens and pairs perfectly with the 12-40mm PRO. Even more than its little brother, the feel of this lens is exceptional – well-balanced, has premium construction, and is solid without being too heavy. The 80-300mm zoom coverage at a constant f2.8 gives a lot of flexibility when you need a little more reach, and it can be paired with the MC-14 and MC-20 teleconverters to give a 210mm (420mm equiv) and 300mm (600mm equivalent) field of view. This combo was so fun to shoot that it ultimately led to picking up the Olympus 300mm f4 PRO, but that’s a lens for another review!

Some samples (click for a larger view):

I like this lens quite a lot for capturing subjects, and it provides a more unique perspective on landscapes than the traditional wide angle. Around 23% of all my keeper shots have been taken with this lens, including in combination with the teleconverter pair.

In terms of drawbacks, the only aspect I’m not 100% sold on is the tripod mount; as I do all of my out-and-about shooting handheld, I’ve removed it and only re-attach it for specific tasks. Special mention goes to the integrated lens hood for this lens, which is such a clever and well-executed idea.

I can see myself using this lens, along with the others in the f2.8 PRO trinity, for a long, long time.