Sony E 70-350mm 4.5-6.3 G OSS

Generally, we were quite pleased with the Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS although it's also clear that Sony had to accept some compromises in order to achieve the compact dimensions. The sharpness is very high between 70mm and 250mm but there is a more pronounced drop in quality at 350mm. It's not bad at all but you will see a difference there. The amount of pincushion distortions is a bit over the top in RAW files and there's also significant vignetting (for an APS-C lens) at maximum aperture. Thus it's a good idea to leave image auto-correction activated to handle this issue - and it does so flawlessly. As far as the quality of the bokeh is concerned - out of focus highlights are a bit on the rough side although it's fair to say that this is rather typical for long tele zoom lenses. It's still one of those areas where prime lenses outshine zoom lenses by quite a margin. However, the general bokeh is pretty smooth in the image background at least. The build quality is on a high level and comparable to other G-class lenses that we tested so far. It feels sturdy thanks to high quality materials and smooth control rings. It also features a dust and moisture resistant design. The AF speed is good for such a lens. The image stabilizer comes handy because most of today's APS-C Sony cameras do not offer a built-in stabilizer yet. Based on what we have seen, it can give you a gain equivalent to 3-4 f-stops. Overall, the Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS is a interesting option for those who prefer to keep the overall size & weight of their setup down to a minimum - after all this was one of the core ideas of the mirrorless paradigm. The price tag may be a bit steep but it's not too far off considering the optical and mechanical qualities.

The E 70-350mm is an attractive lens for any Sony APSC mirrorless owner who wants reasonable reach for sports and wildlife without the cost or heft of the really big guns in the system. It may not attain the ultimate reach, sharpness or brightness of the 200-600 or 100-400, but it’s less than half the price, not to mention considerably more manageable while still delivering respectable quality and focusing speed. If you’re thinking of going full-frame in the future, then the FE 70-300mm makes more sense for only a little extra, and if you don’t mind the heft and possibly slower focusing, Sigma has a number of affordable and very long zooms in its catalogue. But if portability and speed are important and you’re committed to the APSC format, then the E 70-350mm will quickly bring distant subjects close without breaking the bank or your back. Recommended.