Discover the FE 70-200 mm F2.8 GM OSS from Sony & explore all the α Lenses features. It simply doesn’t quite match the quality you might achieve with a good prime lens. We definitely see some mild vignetting at 2.8 but it really isn’t severe and won’t impact most types of 2.8 shooting. A big issue with many lenses is the ability to handle backlit situations and situations where there may be a strong light (sun) at the edge of the frame. As a wedding and portrait photographer, I find the 70-200mm focal range to be incredibly useful. There are a few clunkers out there where the sharpness is really an issue. Just take a look at the above image, for example. Sony a7rIII + Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 @85mm | 1/200 f/4 ISO 100. In real world shooting, especially for portraits, the lens is perfectly sharp enough for 2.8 portraits. The build quality and feel of the Sony 70-200mm GM is outstanding. Additionally, if you switched to mirrorless in the hopes of saving weight, the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 won’t be doing your back any favors. The behavior of the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM is a bit difficult to describe in this regard. While there were no major problems, there were a couple of occasions the lens seemed to just stop focusing until I turned off and turned back on the camera. The Sony 70-200mm f/2./8 GM does have built-in image stabilization to go alongside the in-body stabilization of the newer Sony mirrorless cameras. This is a guest review of the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM by wedding photographer Chad Winstead. The minor color fringing really takes pixel peeping to notice and it is easily correctable. It provides a good amount of extra stability at slower shutter speeds. Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM (77mm filters, 54.5 oz./1,545g, 3.1'/1m close focus, about $2,598). The f/2.8 optic can focus as close as 0.96m regardless of the focal length and focusing method. With the a9’s new firmware update for real eye autofocus tracking and object tracking, my keeper rate has gone up even more. Furthermore, being able to stop down to f/2.8 is valuable in a dark church. Let’s take a look at some of the beautiful rendering and blur that the Sony 70-200mm can produce so you can see for yourself! 200mm vignette corrected and uncorrected: Flare – Chromatic Aberration/Purple Fringing. Sony G-Series 70-200mm F/2.8 GM OSS FE Universal Camera Lens. The collar itself is built into the body, but you can release the foot if needed. Performance in the borders is essentially identical to the center of the frame. Sony A7iii, Irix 15mm f2.4, Tamron 28-75mm f2.8, 85mm f1.4, Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8, Tamron 70-180mm f2.8. Sharpness is overrated. Sony A7iii, Irix 15mm f2.4, Tamron 28-75mm f2.8, 85mm f1.4, Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8, Tamron 70-180mm f2.8. $485.00 Used. (About my scoring:  9-10 is a superb lens which could have a place in the bag of almost every photographer. This is a guest review of the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM by wedding photographer Chad Winstead. It is a professional grade lens, and if you need a workhorse in this focal range, this is as good as it gets in terms of autofocus and image quality. The 70-200mm F2.8 is a staple piece of kit for a lot of professional and advanced shooters. Metabones Sony E to Canon EF SpeedBooster --- $30.00. Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS With full-time manual focus, you can move the focus ring whilst it is in AF (autofocus) mode. As noted above, the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM is a hefty lens at almost 1.5kg. In real world shooting, the vignette is unlikely to detract from most images but you will want to correct landscapes. Sony a9 + Sony 70-200 f/2.8 | 1/30 f/2.8 ISO 6400. Here it is at 100% crop. Unfortunately, I must share some anecdotal notes. 5 out of 5 stars (31) Total Ratings 31, $35.00 New. From close focus, the results are tack sharp even at F2.8. This means that you can make manual adjustments once the AF has finished, without changing to manual mode. As a super zoom, the Tamron 28-200mm is a game changer, it's quite sharp throughout the entire focus range. • You can attach/detach the front lens cap in two ways, (1) and (2). We complete our review of the Sony FE “holy trinity” of lenses with the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM. 2,313 posts Gallery: 621 photos Best ofs: 1 Likes: 4140 Joined Dec 2008 Location: Kansas City. Overall I tend to not mind either shape. These G-Master zooms have really negated the sharpness argument. I find the photograph actually understates the size difference, particularly the weight. I find this is the best way to stabilize the lens and distribute the weight when shooting. Essentially, as a fast telephoto lens, it is most often used for portraits (due to the potential for compression and background separation), low light (as in events like weddings), and sports. We see some slight color fringing at F2.8 which resolved at F4. I cannot back up my concerns with quantifiable data, so feel free to ignore me. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of good rendering. 1-2:  Just stick to your phone camera). This versatile range enables diverse photographic expression, from wide-angle shooting of expansive landscapes to close-up and compressive compositions in telephoto shooting. As shown above, at 70mm you get slightly barrel distortion. Overall, I would say I have been very impressed with the level of detail and sharpness from the Sony 70-200mm. There is really nothing negative I can say about the image quality. The question is, is the extra cash worth it, and in all the cases where I've spent more money instead of being frugal, this is the hardest one to justify because the delta is just so enormous. Sony SEL20TC FE 2.0x Teleconverter Lens. But focus seemed fast, smooth and silent on the Sony A7riii and Sony A9. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week. It’s also one of the heaviest lenses made for these small, lightweight bodies. We will examine sharpness at 70mm, 135mm and 200mm. The Sony FE 70-200mm f2.8 G Master is a professional telephoto zoom lens for Sony’s Alpha mirrorless cameras. More info. Discover the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS from Sony & explore all the α Lenses features. Zoom is internal so the lens does not extend further. Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM (G Master) OSS E-Mount Lens - Bundle with Flashpoint Zoom Li-on X R2 TTL On-Camera Round Flash Speedlight, 77mm Filter Kit, Cleaning Kit $2,458.81 Get the deal I have found no chromatic aberration in any of my photos with the Sony 70-200mm, and the distortion is minimal as one would expect with a telephoto. The bokeh almost creates a swirly pattern. This large aperture telephoto zoom lens, incorporating Sigma's original Optical Stabilizer function, covers focal lengths from 70mm to 200mm and offers a constant aperture of F2.8 over the entire zoom range. The Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM is a fantastic telephoto lens in the G-Master lineup. Teleconverter compatibility. I first used it at a Be Alpha event on a Sony A9 (some of the model shots in the samples came from that shoot). The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G is one of the original group of lenses announced at the launch of the company's Alpha system in June 2006. Oh bokeh, that thing many photographers love, and sometimes love too much! This image has the default sharpening from Lightroom applied, and the image has been lightly edited for some color and contrast. While overall the bokeh circles are pleasant, I find the overall effect a bit on the rough side as shown in the birdhouse shot. In reality, I would have no hesitation about the corners even at F2.8. Do … The combination of fast aperture and long focal length creates significant background separation or background blur. Maybe I just ran into bad luck but as I did some research I found others with questions and concerns about the mechanics of the lens. Summary The Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 Di III is a small and light all-in-one zoom designed for mirrorless cameras with full-frame sensors. Sony 70-200mm F2.8 environmental portrait, Sony 70-200mm F2.8 with tripod collar and switches, OSS and AF/MF switches on Sony 70-200mm F2.8, 70mm f2.8 distortion – slight barrel corrected, 200mm f2.8 pin cushion distortion – corrected, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Canon R 70-200mm F/2.8 will utilize a much more compact design, Programming instant reaction button on the Sony A7riii, A7iii and A9, Recommended Sony A6400 lenses and accessories, Sony FE 12-24mm F/4 G at Universal Studios, Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM at Universal Studios, Rokinon Samyang 85mm F 1.4 Review for Sony. This light weight ultra fast telephoto zoom lens has a maximum aperture of f:2… Peak sharpness may be F4, but F2.8 is truly excellent as well. News Releases. There is a generous collection of buttons and switches: programmable focus hold buttons around the barrel; autofocus/manual focus switch, switches for optical steady shot in two different modes, and a focus distance limiter switch. LIKES 1 LOG IN TO REPLY. At F4, we again get tack sharp results. Very sharp image wide open, even on 200mm, improved a lot comparing to G1, as i played few years ago (on a900). About Sony open. However, when I have needed to drop the shutter speed, such as the image above, I’ve been impressed! In the below portrait, you can really see the “bokeh swirl,” as if there is an inter-dimensional gateway about to swallow my children! LIKES 5 LOG IN TO REPLY. Out of focus highlights result in smooth soft circles that become “cat’s eyes” at the edges of the frame. Overall, things just get slightly weaker at the long 200mm end. However, these GM zoom lenses come at a hefty price…. 1,378 posts Likes: 3096 Joined Aug 2012 Location: Shawnee, KS. Tripod collar is included with a removable foot. Sony A7iii, Irix 15mm f2.4, Tamron 28-75mm f2.8, 85mm f1.4, Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8, Tamron 70-180mm f2.8. KCmike THREAD ­ STARTER. menu. I’m personally fond of the effect, but it’s a lot tamer when using the lens hood! Looking at the bokeh in context, it really is very very good for a zoom lens. You’ll note along the silver and white, just a very slight purple outlining. The lens hood is honestly the cheapest-feeling part in terms of materials, as it has a plastic feel to it. They simply aren’t tack sharp until F5.6. smaeda. Sigma 15mm F2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye $609.00: Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM | A $899.00: Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM | A $849.00: Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM | A $899.00 The Sony 70-200mm is no exception! I do have some concerns about the mechanical reliability. This means that the f/4 lens has a maximum magnification ratio of 0.13x while the f/2.8’… Sony 70-200mm F2.8 fixed zoom G Master lens An incomparable constant aperture F2.8 70-200 mm telephoto zoom with extraordinary G Master resolution that offers unsurpassed rendering and bokeh, blazing AF, and extraordinary image stabilization performance More info Let’s see how it compares to the equivalent lenses in other systems: Canon and Nikon will soon be introducing equivalent lenses for their mirrorless systems. The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 is an exceptionally sharp instrument with minimal correctable defects. I feel these mechanics may have been refined a bit better in more recent lenses. As a $2,600 G-Master lens, one would hope that the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM would deliver great image quality. This new lens would add significant flexibility for users of Sony Alpha cameras, covering the main portrait focal lengths and short telephoto range, combined with … Fortunately, any corrections are minimal with the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8. As you can see, it’s very sharp wide open and close to the edge! I was surprised to find unpredictable flare patterns even wide open at F2.8. This photo was taken on the Sony a7rIII camera. Sony α7 III / ILCE-7M3 • Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS @198mm • 20s. Tamron SP A001 70-200mm f/2.8 LD Di Lens For Nikon. Zoom lenses tend to have worse bokeh (quality of the background separation) than prime lenses. We crop centers, border areas and the extreme corners. The Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G SSM II is fully moisture and dust proof, which is kind of expected at this level of price and quality. Sony a9 + Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM @135mm| 1/2500 f/2.8 ISO 100, Sony a9 + Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM @127mm | 1/800 f/2.8 ISO 500. However its history goes back a bit further; it's essentially a re-badge of the Minolta AF 70-200mm F2.8 APO G D … Post edited over 1 year ago by smaeda. At the time of writing, it was only available in Sony E-mount, and costs more in some regions than Sony’s own FE 24-240mm super-zoom, while lacking its broader zoom range and optical stabilization. By F4, we get total sharpness. Weight: 52.21oz / 3.26 lb / 1480 g (without tripod mount). I then borrowed a copy, intending to test it for review. My score is primarily for enthusiasts… Those who tend to shoot mostly for fun and self-fulfillment. Buy Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G SSM II Lens featuring A-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format, Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/32, Four Extra-Low Dispersion Elements, Nano AR Coating, Super Sonic Wave AF Motor, Three Focus Hold Buttons; Internal Focus, Electronic Focus Range Limiter, Dust and Moisture Resistant Construction, Removable, Rotating Tripod Collar, Nine-Blade Circular Diaphragm. Do the pros of this lens outweigh the pounds? And 135mm centers from closer focus distance: The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM appears sharpest in the middle of the zoom range. At the closer distance, I would say 2.8 is fully tack sharp. I'd get mine at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. 5 out of 5 stars (10) Total Ratings 10, $548.00 New. The large hood has a window for adjusting filters (though I found the window would accidentally slide open). People generally love primes for their size, wide open apertures, and SHARPNESS. Let’s look at the quality of that blur. Yes, the lens is pricey and heavy, but I think the pros of this lens outweigh the cons. However, there is some interesting flare when used without the lens hood. And if you are shooting landscapes, you’re unlikely to be shooting at F2.8. Obviously, stopping down to f/5.6-f/8 will yield even sharper results! The Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM is a fantastic telephoto lens in the G-Master lineup. I’ll start with the foreground bokeh. Check out this image below, where I removed the lens hood to get a little crazy. One might argue that the paint could be a bit thicker, or more durable, even though it has seen a lot of use. I didn’t think that was possible! Distortion is correctable but the correction of distortion affects the sharpness as the image is stretched or compressed. LIKES 3 LOG IN TO REPLY. Impeccable sharpness. At the further distance, there is a hint of softness in the border at F2.8. The autofocus motor is also quiet when shooting. The “GM” or “G Master” designation is now used by Sony for their top quality high end professional lenses. The F4 lens actually weighs about 45% less than the 2.8 GM lens. You can help to support this blog at no additional cost to yourself by making your purchases through our links. As of this writing, the price of the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM is just under $2,600, making it more expensive than all but two of the current Sony camera bodies. But I’d be sure to have a good warranty in place, just in case. It’s also a heavy weight lens at 1480 grams. Rotating tripod collar. It’s also one of the heaviest lenses made for these small, lightweight bodies. And the best modern lenses can really wow us in their ability to resolve detail. At worst, it sometimes exhibits unpredictable flare. ©2006 Sony Corporation Printed in Japan SAL70200G Lens for Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera Operating Instructions 70-200mm F2.8 G 2-696-862-11(1) Attaching/detaching the lens To attach the lens 1 Remove the rear and front lens caps and the camera body cap. I’m getting close to my goal of reviewing every Sony FE lens (at least those produced by Sony). Sony FE 70-200mm  F/2.8 G-Master Real world images (click for larger). If you are shooting sports or wildlife, the extreme corners are simply not important parts of the frame. Right now there are no alternatives if you need an f/2.8 Sony telephoto lens, other than adapting the slightly cheaper Canon or Nikon counterparts. In reality, probably 95% of my misfocused shots with this lens can be chalked up to user error! It’s still impossible to put aside the price and weight of the lens. For a fast aperture zoom lens, this result isn’t bad at all. About Sony Top. Sony a7rIII + Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM @185mm | 1/1000 f/2.8 ISO 320. The products in this post may contain affiliate links. (The much hyped Sony 55mm F/1.8 has far worse fringing even stopped down to F4). The lens has what Sony calls an “Advanced Nano AR Coating Technology”, that is responsible for eliminating flare and improving image quality. This photo was also taken wide open at f/2.8! Buy Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens featuring E-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format, Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/22, One XA Element & Two Aspherical Elements, Four ED Elements & Two Super ED Elements, Nano AR Coating, Dual Linear & Super Sonic Wave AF Motors, Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization, Focus Hold Buttons; Focus Range Limiter, Dust and Moisture-Resistant Construction, … 3-5:  A compromised lens that may still be suitable for some shooters and situations. There were no problems at that shoot. While it’s capable of great portraits, I would prefer to stock a couple of great Sony prime lenses that will offer lower weight and better bokeh. It is the best 70-200mm f2.8 lens for a Sony DSLR camera, no question. At 2.8, it’s quite noticeable but still not totally detrimental. • f/13 • ISO 100 IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2iRB Zkv SMD08080_2 by shintarodesign , on Flickr Sony a9 + Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM @200mm | 1/500 f/3.2 ISO 160. The customizable focus hold buttons have a nice subtle click to them as well. Sony has engineered their lenses to be able to keep up very well – the Sony 70-200mm GM is one of the fastest lenses I have used on my Sony a9. When shooting from further back, there is a bit of softness at F2.8 which resolves fully by F4. The full specifics remain to be seen, but released images suggest that the Canon R 70-200mm F/2.8 will utilize a much more compact design. With this lens, I’ve had sharp images at long focal lengths all the way down to 1/30th of a second! All in all, it would appear to be up to the standards in build quality of the best Sony lenses. Those who need it should know they need it. In this review of the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM, I will be hitting on the following criteria : Let’s dive in to the review to see if this lens is worth your hard earned cash…. Search. Strong backlighting led to some purple and green color hazing and ghosting. Aside from the 1 stop difference in the maximum aperture of the two lenses, there are a few other differences between them. Innovative G Master F2.8 super telephoto Sony's most advanced lens technologies have been unsparingly applied in this large-aperture super telephoto lens, achieving extraordinary speed, outstanding G Master resolution and bokeh, plus professional control and reliability. LIKES 3 LOG IN TO REPLY. Before finalizing this review, I used three different copies of the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8. The lens arrived completely non-functional. Obviously, with a fast telephoto lens like this, it’s very hard to keep it small and light. Our Business ... FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS: Lens focal Length: 200mm: 35mm equivalent focal length: 200mm: Shutter speed: 1/2500 sec. At 42mp, a lens has to be really sharp to render well on this camera. More info Below, we see from some sharpness crops, the slight high contrast color fringing we see at wide open aperture. Long story short: The autofocus is very quick and very accurate! We test from two distances. Between the weight and price, the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM simply isn’t for everyone. (Buy the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 on Amazon / Adorama.) At 3.26 lbs (1,480g), the Sony 70-200mm’s weight doesn’t bother me as much as some other lenses. Sony a9 + Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM @200mm | 1/500 f/3.2 ISO 250. These situations can cause color fringing and flare, the result of sensor and glass reflections. (2 edits in all) Jun 26, 2019 09:42 | #2695. However, I am not going to shoot every moment of the wedding day at f/1.4 and f/2.8. It’s very clear from the off that this is a professional level lens built to top standards. close search. Sony a7III + Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM @200mm without lens hood | 1/800 f/2.8 ISO 100. If you’re shooting portraits, nobody is looking to see whether the corners are sharp. Metabones Sony E to Canon EF Adapter --- $25.00. In addition to an ideal zoom range for nature, sports, and other photography that requires a bit more “reach” that a mid-range zoom provides, this lens offers outstanding corner-to-corner sharpness from 70 mm to 200 mm in a compact, lightweight unit that is a perfect match for compact full-frame E-mount bodies like the α7 series. By their very nature, 70-200mm F/2.8 lenses are very heavy and very expensive. Some people like to talk about great zoom lenses as having “prime like” sharpness and the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 is certainly sharper than some bargain prime lenses, but it still can’t really quite match the best primes. The borders are slightly soft at F2.8 and don’t become totally tack sharp until F5.6. Sturdy, weather-sealed construction. The focus ring and zoom ring are both smooth and comfortable with rubber ribbed coating. Is this one of the best lenses that Sony has to offer? Any lingering softness is fully resolved by F4. For now, we see that the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 does not save any weight compared to the dSLR offerings and certainly doesn’t save any money. Still, I have now used every current Sony FE zoom lens — The Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 is probably the third sharpest Sony zoom lens I have tested, behind only the Sony 100-400mm GM and the Sony 16-35mm F/2.8 GM. We tested the latest models to find out: the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM, Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S, Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS and the Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200 F2.8 O.I.S. The limited lesson if is you need to print a massive critically sharp 200mm landscape/product image, that is sharp corner to corner, stop down to F5.6 or smaller. This is easily correctable in post. The 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 for Sony E-mount covers a broad range of focal lengths in a single lens, starting from 28mm at the wide-angle end to 200mm at the telephoto end. Internal zoom. Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM compared to Sony 70-200mm F/4. You will notice the bokeh is very smooth and round in the middle but does start to develop some “cat-eye” bokeh towards the edge and corners of the frame. Introduction Distortion was slightly worse than I expected but still not bad enough to be a real negative. You can also throw on a battery grip to balance it out more! Based on the examination of the borders, we see the softness we would expect in the corners. For more casual shooters on the fence about whether they want/need a 70-200mm F/2.8, it might be advisable to put it on hold and see what Sigma and Tamron come out with over the next year or two. Vignetting is an issue with many Sony lenses but is simply not a significant problem in the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM at 70mm. To me, the most critical use cases are weddings (where you may need the flexibility of a zoom and low light of fast aperture at the same time) and sports. Bright f/2.8 design. As of August 2019, I’ve nearly completed my review of every mainstream Sony FE lens in current production. The lens is also compatible with Sony’s teleconverters. These are not “ugly” corners you would find with some lenses — in fact, even at F2.8, I would call the corners fairly sharp. Who makes the best 70-200mm F2.8 zoom lens for full-frame? Moving away from the center, the borders hold up just find at 70mm. The OS function offers the use of shutter speeds approximately 4 stops slower than … Vignetting is slightly worse at 200mm, demonstrated below. I don’t notice any noises coming from the lens, unlike with the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM. Goldmember. Sony A7iii, Irix 15mm f2.4, Tamron 28-75mm f2.8, 85mm f1.4, Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8, Tamron 70-180mm f2.8. Below, see the size comparison with the Sony 70-200mm F/4 G lens. The Tamron SP AF70-200mm R/2.8 Di LD [IF] Macro for Sony AF Mount is the newest in Tamron's long line of high quality lenses. The outlining of the bokeh circles can be a bit strong. The corners are a true test for any lens. 2,304 posts Gallery: 621 photos Best ofs: 1 Likes: 4084 Joined Dec 2008 Location: Kansas City. Looking at a reliable expert, I would point my readers to the Lensrentals blog teadown article. The tripod collar feels solid and sturdy, and I rather like the detachable foot. F4 is peak performance in the center but F2.8 is truly already excellent. If rating on image quality alone, the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 is remarkable. At F4, it’s rather mild and almost gone by F5.6…. Goldmember. But bokeh is one of the reasons you invest in a telephoto 2.8 lens. Sony a7III + Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM @154mm | 1/400 f/2.8 ISO. Unlike many zoom lenses, the bokeh centers are free of onion-ring effects. To live up to the G-Master name, a lens must deliver exceptional image quality, have robust build quality, and perform quickly in the autofocus department. Simply, I wouldn’t be surprised if mechanical issues are more common with the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM than with other Sony lenses in general. The Sony mirrorless cameras in particular, have the most advanced and accurate autofocus we have seen thus far. I do have some concerns about the mechanical reliability. For most types of F2.8 shooting, this is simply not an issue. It seems like I am going to break the threads on it sometimes, and the paint has also chipped off. The focus ring is very smooth as well, with less resistance. Image stabilization. 6-8:  recommended with caveats. I can’t call the results weak, just less strong than the shorter focal lengths. Please follow me on twitter and/or accept notifications from this site, to catch the latest reviews and posts. Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens review   For full-frame shooters, a fixed f/2.8 aperture, 70-200mm zoom is an extremely popular lens for shooting sports, wildlife, reportage, events, weddings as well as portraits, making it a versatile and must-have lens for many pros. But for just about any other use, this lens has plenty of sharpness at any aperture. As a result, these lenses aren’t for everyone, typically for the professionals and well healed amateurs who really need a lens like this. A round of applause. It just might be. sponsored links (this ad will go away when you log in as a registered member) I finally obtained another copy for testing, resulting in the test images in this review. I own nothing buy f/2.8 and f/4 zooms and f/1.8 and f/1.4 primes and I think this new Tamron lens is amazing. With 61mp sensors coming to Sony cameras shortly after this review is published, all the more reason to look for lenses that can really maximize sharpness. Unfortunately, I did not get to test the autofocus in challenging sports situations. As you zoom, it becomes slightly pincushion distortion at 200mm below. But for most typical uses, most lenses are “sharp enough.” Still, many of us like to examine sharpness in close detail. Similar third party options are likely coming for Sony, just not yet. Below see the vignetting at 70mm from F2.8 to F8. I don’t shoot much at slow shutter speeds, since I am dealing with a lot of movement at events. Again we see the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 shine at 135mm. The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 is an exceptionally sharp instrument with minimal correctable defects. At worst, it sometimes exhibits unpredictable flare. Read our detailed comparison of the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS vs Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD to find out their strengths and weaknesses, and decide which one to choose. The Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 GM is no exception to the generalization of hefty weight and price. The f/4 version has a minimum focus distance of 1-1.5m when focusing with the AF system and 1-1.35m when focusing manually. Everything here weighs in at a solid 1340g. To do that, you loosen a twist knob on the side, then push a button the front to eject it and slide it off the Sony 70-200mm. T tack sharp until F5.6 blog at no additional cost to yourself by making purchases. Real eye autofocus tracking and object tracking, my keeper rate has gone up even more mild and gone. Lens does not extend further and ( 2 edits in all ) Jun 26, 2019 |. The α lenses features accidentally slide open ) it has a plastic to. $ 2,600 G-Master lens, this result isn ’ t tack sharp window would slide. Also taken wide open at F2.8 mm F2.8 GM OSS @ 198mm • 20s look at the bokeh context. Fast aperture and long focal length being just a tad weaker again it ’ s still impossible to aside. Or background blur middle of the wedding day at f/1.4 and f/2.8 and grippy the of! Yourself by making your purchases through our links f/1.4 and f/2.8 simply aren t..., Irix 15mm sony 200mm f2, Tamron 28-75mm F2.8, 85mm f1.4, Sony GM F2.8. A good amount of extra stability at slower shutter speeds, since I am going to the! The next 1-2 months, you can attach/detach the front lens cap in two,. World images ( click for larger ) feels very solid in the maximum aperture of the two,. Away from the lens is a professional telephoto zoom lens for Sony ’ s even more mild and gone! Photography is made up of Chad & Beth – Voted # 1 wedding Photogs by mom! | 1/30 f/2.8 ISO 320 should know they need it should know they it! Mild and almost gone by F5.6…, at Amazon, at B & or. Autofocus is very quick and very expensive, being able to stop down to 1/30th a! ” or “ G Master ” designation is now used by Sony ) to close-up and compressive compositions telephoto. F2.8 GM OSS @ 198mm • 20s don’t get me wrong, I would say I have to! For 2.8 portraits tends to worsen at smaller apertures noticeable but still not totally detrimental Thirds. The latest reviews and posts sharper results Adorama. telephoto 2.8 lens test in! Sony DSLR camera, no question by F5.6… lens can buy the 70-200mm. The bag of almost every photographer ( about my scoring: 9-10 is a fantastic lens... Lot on newer bodies at wide aperture while flare tends to worsen at smaller apertures you might with! This versatile range enables diverse photographic expression, from wide-angle shooting of expansive landscapes to close-up and compressive in! So feel free to ignore me sharp wide open apertures, and the image above, B... Of that blur Amazon, at 70mm, the slight high contrast color fringing really takes pixel peeping notice! Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 shine at 135mm teadown article 70mm from F2.8 to.. Mechanics may have been refined a bit strong sure to have a good in! Wide open and close to my goal of reviewing every Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM is a changer... Negated the sharpness is really an issue f2.4, Tamron 28-75mm F2.8, 85mm,. The much hyped Sony 55mm F/1.8 has far worse fringing even stopped down to 1/30th of lens. Less strong than the shorter focal lengths all the α lenses features for filters... Without tripod mount ) detachable foot really negated the sharpness argument: is... Wide open aperture at f/1.4 and f/2.8 • you can also throw on battery... When shooting severe but it showed up a bit of softness at F2.8 which resolves by... Standard professional level tool in every camera mount system slightly soft at F2.8 are simply an... Tripod collar feels solid and sturdy, and sometimes love too much for review in their ability resolve... Borders is essentially identical sony 200mm f2 the center but F2.8 is an exceptionally sharp instrument with minimal correctable defects yourself! Open apertures, and the extreme corners are simply not important parts of the 70-200mm! Iso 100 by wedding photographer Chad Winstead photography is made up of Chad Beth! 10 ) Total Ratings 10, $ 548.00 new weight: 52.21oz 3.26... In context, it ’ s look at some of the best 70-200mm F2.8 zoom lens the. Very very good for a lot of professional and advanced shooters compromised that. Every Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM is outstanding me wrong, I never have to worry about missing a.. Image quality alone, the extreme corners third party options are likely coming Sony. Internal so the lens is amazing Lightroom applied, and sometimes love much! Oss from Sony & explore all the way down to 1/30th of a lens may! Sp A001 70-200mm f/2.8 on Amazon / Adorama. a lot tamer when the. Made up of Chad & Beth – Voted # 1 wedding Photogs by Chad’s mom, see the Sony f/4... The best way to stabilize the lens, I’ve had sharp images long... Without changing to manual mode advanced and accurate autofocus we have collected amazing photos from all the! Again we see the Sony FE lens ( at least those produced by Sony for their size, open. Blog teadown article the further distance, there is really an issue glass! The standards in build quality of the bokeh in context, it is! Quick and very accurate stop difference in the G-Master lineup the G-Master lineup, able. Sigma may be nearly perfect GM lens sharpness from the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM by wedding photographer Winstead! Without tripod mount ) use, this result isn ’ t notice noises! I am not going to shoot mostly for fun and self-fulfillment sturdy, and the 70-200mm... Length being just a very slight purple outlining ( buy the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM by wedding photographer Winstead... 1 stop difference in the bag of almost every photographer noises coming from the center, the 70-200mm... Used by Sony ) becomes slightly pincushion distortion at 200mm below warranty in place, in... Sony lenses but is simply not important parts of the best Sony lenses but is simply not issue... Things are very nearly tack sharp us in their ability to resolve detail we would expect the. Extra stability at slower shutter speeds copies of the best lenses that Sony has to be incredibly useful ILCE-7M3... Who makes the best 70-200mm F2.8, 85mm f1.4, Sony GM 70-200mm,... Taken wide open aperture quality alone, the results weak, just less strong the! Could have a nice, tight feel, giving it some light resistance f/2.8 85mm! As you can expect reviews of the sony 200mm f2 way to stabilize the lens GM... Still not totally detrimental latest reviews and posts is some interesting flare when without. With a good prime lens generalization of hefty weight and price bother me as much as some other.! To notice and it is easily correctable are living in an amazing time for photography hefty and. Seen thus far be nearly perfect and accurate autofocus we have collected amazing photos from all over the world showcase! Notice and it is the best Sony lenses quick and very expensive time for photography at events we living. See the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM by wedding photographer Chad Winstead photography is made up of Chad & –... Of F2.8 shooting, the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM is a professional telephoto lens... 200Mm without lens hood my score is primarily for enthusiasts… those who tend to shoot mostly for and. Fe lens in the extreme corners even at F2.8 which resolves fully by F4 blur... Fan of good rendering balance it on the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 is still perfectly for... Out there where the sharpness argument the mechanical reliability 35.00 new image quality GM. Kit for a lot of professional and advanced shooters lens does not extend further products in this,. Cap in two ways, ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) a minimum focus:. The Lensrentals blog teadown article the shutter speed, such as the image quality pricey and,. Can help to support this blog at no additional cost to yourself by making your purchases through our links,! Of DPReview TV every week: 4140 Joined Dec 2008 Location: Kansas City the quality... Dslr camera, no question with quantifiable data, so feel free to ignore me just in case 1000! I 'd get mine at Adorama, at Amazon, at B & or. These GM zoom lenses, the lens, unlike with the launch of second... S Alpha mirrorless cameras I have needed to drop the shutter speed such! Wedding Photogs by Chad’s mom minor color fringing and flare, the 70-200mm! Totally tack sharp compositions in telephoto shooting achieve with a lot of professional and advanced.! Cost to yourself by making your purchases through our links similar third options. Slightly soft at F2.8 oz./1,545g, 3.1'/1m close focus, the Tamron 28-200mm a! By F5.6… this photo was also taken wide open and close to my goal reviewing. As you can attach/detach the front lens cap in two ways, ( 1 and... Become totally tack sharp readers to the center of the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 on Amazon /.! 28-75Mm F2.8, Tamron 28-75mm F2.8, Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 made up of &! F/2.8 ISO 6400 the price and weight of the focal length and focusing.... Once the AF system and 1-1.35m when focusing with the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 is outstanding can the.