Sony FE 70-200mm 4.0 Macro G OSS II

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS macro II is a high-performance lens with an interesting form factor. Optically, it isn't flawless - no lens is - but with a bit of digital trickery, the results are great. In terms of resolution, it is up there with the best in class. The center quality is excellent throughout the zoom range at relevant aperture settings. The outer image field is good to very good. The contrast level is also extremely high for a zoom lens. Image distortions are fairly pronounced in RAW images, with some pincushion distortion towards the long end. Auto-correction handles this nicely. The RAW vignetting is slightly higher than average for a lens in this class. The same goes for lateral at 70mm - but, once again, this isn't really relevant with auto-correction. The quality of the bokeh is good, but not on prime lens level. Out-of-focus highlights show a subtle onion ring substructure and a bit of outlining. The rendering of the general out-of-focus blur is quite nice, and there's also minimal bokeh fringing (LoCA). The build quality is excellent, although it's debatable whether the switch to an extending zoom design is a good thing. However, as a result, it is one of the shortest tele-zoom lenses around. Needless to say, the lens also features a dust- and moisture-resistant design. The control rings turn smoothly, and there are heaps of switches for customization. A dedicated aperture ring is - surprisingly - missing. Improvements compared to its predecessor include a faster AF motor, better image stabilization (including synced with the camera IS), and focus breathing compensation on camera bodies where this is supported. The most important upgrade is its macro photography capability. It's not just by name like on many other "macro" zoom lenses, but the image quality remains also impressive. Macro enthusiasts may still prefer a "true" macro lens because the Sony lens ends at 1:2 object magnification. Overall, it's an attractive package with evolutionary progress in image quality and revolutionized macro capability ... but it's also extensive for what it is. Still, highly recommended!

The Sony FE 70-200mm f4G OSS II updates one of the oldest full-frame lenses in the mirrorless lineup, now sharper in the extreme corners at large apertures, focusing faster, and supporting focus breathing compensation on the latest bodies. But the two biggest upgrades are considerably closer focusing, delivering 0.5x magnification throughout the range, plus compatibility with teleconverters, doubling that reproduction to 1:1 and your reach to 400mm. Meanwhile the extending barrel which makes it shorter when zoomed to 70mm, is a double-edged sword. It certainly lets you squeeze it into a smaller bag, but many will be understandably anxious about the sealing, and only time will tell if it’s as robust against the elements as its non-extending predecessor. I should also add the older Mark I version essentially matched the sharpness in the middle of the frame, and was already plenty fast enough to focus on pro sports, so keep an eye out for deals. And if you love the range but are happy to carry a heavy lens for a brighter f2.8 aperture, there’s Sony’s original 70-200 2.8 G Master available for little more than the Mark II f4G, not to mention Tamron’s 70-180 2.8 coming in at around half the price. Either way the new 70-200 f4G Mark II delivered excellent performance across the board in my tests and is easy to recommend if the spec and price matches your requirements.

Highly recommended - A slick design, excellent results and focusing down to true macro distances.