These are the best Olympus lenses for sports photography when you want fast autofocus, long reach, and rugged, weather-sealed handling in a kit that stays handholdable from sidelines to bleachers. The cornerstone tele zoom is the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40–150mm f/2.8 PRO (80–300mm equiv.), a lightning-quick, constant-aperture workhorse with a focus limiter and crisp rendering for basketball, volleyball, tennis, and daylight field sports; pair it with the MC-14 teleconverter to reach 112–420mm equiv. without sacrificing AF confidence. For elite outdoor action and wildlife-grade stadium reach, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150–400mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO (300–1000mm equiv. with the built-in TC) sets the benchmark: Sync IS steadies pans, internal zoom keeps balance perfect for tracking, and weather sealing shrugs off dust and rain. Prime shooters who demand maximum separation and speed should look to the M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4 IS PRO (600mm equiv.), a tack-sharp, stabilized super-tele that takes the MC-14/MC-20 gracefully for soccer, football, track, and birds-in-flight at the same venue. For budget-friendly flexibility with real reach, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 100–400mm f/5.0–6.3 IS (200–800mm equiv.) delivers crisp files, quick AF, and optical stabilization that pairs well with IBIS—great for daylight baseball, surfing, and field events—while the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150–600mm f/5–6.3 IS (300–1200mm equiv.) pushes even farther for motorsports and distant sidelines in good light. Indoors under uneven arena lighting, fast primes shine: the M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO (90mm equiv.) and 75mm f/1.8 (150mm equiv.) freeze action with clean, flattering compression for hockey, gymnastics, and court sports; the M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO (50mm equiv.) handles team huddles, bench shots, and walk-and-talk interviews with creamy backgrounds and quick, silent AF. Versatile mid-range zooms still earn a spot in the bag: the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12–40mm f/2.8 PRO II (24–80mm equiv.) covers pre-game storytelling, locker-room details, and trophy moments, and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12–100mm f/4 IS PRO (24–200mm equiv.) adds Sync IS for gimbal-like B-roll and run-and-gun tournament coverage in mixed weather. Across the lineup, ZERO coatings preserve contrast under stadium lights, internal focusing maintains balance for fast direction changes, and focus-limiter switches reduce hunting through crowds and fencing. Paired with OM-1/OM-5 strengths—class-leading IBIS/Sync IS, Pro Capture to buffer pre-shutter peak action, blackout-free bursts, Face/Eye AF and subject tracking—you can nail split-second plays and smooth sideline video without a monopod. Practical picks: choose the 40–150/2.8 PRO (with MC-14) for most field and court work; step up to the 150–400/4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO or the 300/4 IS PRO when distance and consistency decide the image; deploy the 100–400 IS or 150–600 IS for daylight reach on a budget; and grab the 45/1.2 PRO, 75/1.8, or 25/1.2 PRO for indoor arenas and low-light gyms. Whether you’re freezing a last-second layup, tracking sprinters off the blocks, or isolating pitchers on the mound from the outfield rail, the best Olympus lenses for sports photography combine speed, stabilization, and weather-sealed reliability—delivering decisive-moment sharpness without the bulk of larger formats.