Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master OSS II

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master OSS II telephoto lens

The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 II is the first version update in the history of G Master lenses. And this is not a small round of improvements, but a complete redesign of the lens. The optical structure and autofocus have been completely rebuilt from scratch.

• 30% or over 400g lighter than the previous model (the world's lightest 70-200/2.8 lens!)
• Completely redesigned optical design, sharper image and less distortion
• Optical 5.5-stop effective image stabilization
• Up to 4x faster autofocus and 30% faster tracking
  
  

The most important feature of the lens is the image quality and there is perhaps the least to write about it with this new model. This is because the image quality is top-notch. The resolution at different focal lengths, focusing distances and even at the edges of the image is top-notch. Distortion and color aberrations are controlled or minimized.

This is a tool for demanding professional photography in a portrait studio where even the smallest deviations are visible, or for nature photography in difficult conditions when lighting cannot be controlled. The Sony FE 70-200mm captures these situations as realistically as possible and without distortion, meaning the responsibility for expression is transferred to the photographer.

Image quality is more than just MTF readings that measure sharpness. The Sony FE 70-200mm II features 11 rounded diaphragm blades and the design is designed to not only achieve raw resolution but also beautifully rendered out-of-focus areas. In other words, the bokeh is in order.

Autofocus

The first Sony 70-200mm F2.8 lens used a ring-type focusing motor, this new II version uses the same linear XD focusing motor as the 400mm F2.8 super telephoto. This focusing motor is almost silent, very fast and there are no less than four of them in the lens! Focusing also works great when using the 1.4x and 2x teleconverters.

Sony's latest top-of-the-line bodies, such as the A1, are so fast that they set completely new demands on lenses, both in terms of AF performance and resolution, and the 70-200mm II meets these demands.

Size and usability

The Sony FE 70-200mm II is close in size to the first version, meaning it doesn't have a Canon-style telescopic structure, but the focal length change is handled internally - the lens is still a compact package of the same size.

But the weight has dropped by a whopping 400g in the update . This bodes well when shooting sports on the sidelines or observing the wonders of nature, every gram counts at the end of the day when the camera is ready to shoot most of the time to capture the most important events.

Since the mechanical quality of a professional-level lens cannot be made lighter, the lightness is explained by a simpler optical structure, meaning there are fewer lens elements and the new focus motors weigh less.

Like the previous version, this one is also weather and dust protected to withstand harsh conditions.

The Sony FE 70-200mm adds a bunch of buttons. There are Focus hold buttons for locking focus or activating EyeAF, adjustments for limiting the focus area, and switching focus to manual mode. Manual focus correction can be turned off, as can image stabilization. The stabilization settings now have a third mode, which makes it easier to frame fast-moving subjects.

The included tripod collar is reversible and removable.

Image quality in video recording

Sony has gained a foothold in video production with the A7S and Cinema series cameras, and this group is what they aim to serve when designing new lenses. The Sony FE 70-200mm GM II lens suffers from the so-called focus breathing phenomenon much less than its predecessor (and other Sony zooms), meaning the image size does not change disturbingly when the lens is focused.

And this lens achieves impressive focus tracking, as the closest focusing distance is only 40cm , both at the minimum focal length and at the telephoto end. The focus ring behaves linearly, meaning that using follow focus systems is natural.

Sony doesn't promise that the lens is completely parfocal, but it's close to that, especially when shooting video. That is, when you focus the lens at 70mm and zoom to 200mm, the focus remains almost perfectly in place, which also makes it easier for the camera's autofocus to work because the corrections are only small.

A soft protective pouch and a new lens hood are included. The lens hood has a hole for rotating polarizing filters and adjustable gray filters, and a silicone edge so the lens does not slip on a table or floor, for example.

Specifications

• Compatibility: Sony FE mount
• Focal length range: 70 - 200mm (cinema equivalent on APS-C cameras 105-300mm)
• Aperture: f/2.8 (min. f/22)
• Optical construction: 17 elements in 14 groups, 11 rounded diaphragm blades
• Closest focusing distance: 40cm
• Filter thread: 77mm
• Optical image stabilization
• Dimensions: 88 x 200mm
• Weight: 1045g (without tripod collar)

Sales package contents: lens, lens hood, lens cap, rear cap, case, tripod collar.