Sony has long been working on its mirrorless camera system, and now it’s launching second-generation lenses, the latest being the camera giant’s 50th full-frame lens, the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS II.
This isn’t just a refresh for (almost) 10-year-olds Sony FE 70-200mm f/4G OSS Firm, yet completely redesigned and fully updated. Notable improvements include a smaller body, a higher level of macro focus, and what Sony claims is faster autofocus and sharper image quality.it may be one of them best sony lens So let’s take a look at how this second-generation model has evolved.
Incredibly close focus
Professional mid-telephoto zoom lenses are more often associated with events and sports than macro lenses, but the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G II breaks new ground.Its close focus capabilities have been greatly improved, which Sony claims is a world first; constant 0.5x magnification capability any focal length.
our Macro Lens Instructor The terms are explained in more depth, but 0.5x magnification renders half-life-sized subjects on Sony’s full-frame image sensor (36x24mm in size). Here, the minimum focus distance is 0.26m/0.86 ft at 70mm and 0.42m/1.38ft at 200mm.
The 70-200mm F4 II lens is also compatible with Sony’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, which, when paired with the latter, double the maximum magnification to 1.0x life-size. The first generation models were nowhere near as good for close-up photography, and indeed, neither were any other lenses in this category.
Redesigned compact body
The exterior of the lens is unmistakably Sony’s pro-grade, and rather complex, containing no fewer than five switches covering features like the focus range limiter (including a new macro setting), full-time direct manual focus, and SteadyShot optical stabilization.
But it’s also a lens that’s 15 percent smaller and 15 percent lighter than the original. It weighs 794g/28.1oz and measures 149mm/5.8in long, which fits nicely within Sony’s typical compact mirrorless Alpha cameras. When you compare its size to Sony’s heavier-duty FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II, the two are in a different class—you have to really want the extra aperture that the f/2.8 version brings.
It’s a shame that the barrel extends when you adjust the zoom rather than the internal focus, but Sony says this type of design is necessary in order to make such a compact lens — and there’s clearly a travel-friendly ethos here. A saving grace is the zoom lock switch, which prevents the lens barrel from extending as you move.
faster operator
Another factor in shrinking lens size and increasing focus speed is the use of Sony’s new Linear XD AF technology. It consists of four “high-thrust” focus motors that improve AF tracking precision even when zooming, and ultimately achieve what Sony claims is 20% faster focusing than the 2014 version.
The lens’ optical structure is adorned with a series of advanced aspheric and ultra-low dispersion elements that suppress lens distortion and reveal sharpness, while the 9-blade aperture mechanism produces what Sony describes as “exquisite full-frame bokeh”.
That’s all impressive, and this new compact, versatile zoom lens means a lot in Sony’s full-frame mirrorless camera ecosystem, even though it’s pretty pricey at $1,699 / £1,750. We’ve got our hands on this lens for now, so keep an eye out for our full review coming soon.
