Today marks a major upgrade to one of the most popular lenses in the Sony G series of lenses for full-frame mirrorless cameras— the Sony 70-200mm G II Lens. For Sony shooters, there is a lot to love about this new lens.
Key Features of the Sony 70-200mm G II Lens
- 15 percent smaller and 15 percent lighter than predecessor
- Macro capability
- Compatible with Sony 2.0x teleconverter
- Designed for full-frame E-mount, compatible with crop sensor
- Built-in image stabilization
- Tripod collar for better stability on a tripod
What’s New About the Sony 70-200mm G II Lens?
Smaller Size
The key selling point on the new Sony 70-200mm f/4 G II lens is certainly the reduced size and weight from the original 70-200mm f/4 lens. This new lens is roughly 15 percent smaller than its predecessor and is lighter as well. No matter your photographic genre, a more compact lens saves both space in your kit and takes weight off your back. This particular lens does so without losing out on any capabilities. In fact, it even adds versatility by giving you the ability to shoot macro.
Macro Capabilities
You can expect to see impressive macro capabilities on the 70-200mm f/4 G II lens — a feature not commonly seen on a 70-200mm zoom lens. Spanning a wide 70-200mm focal range gives the photographer options in their macro shoot, unlike a traditional prime macro lens which has a fixed focal length.
Even for photographers who don’t consider themselves macro shooters, this feature is certainly welcomed for the opportunity to get close to your subject, or capture abstract imagery while out shooting. Best of all, the macro mode is easily turned on with a switch on the side of the lens, allowing you to pick up focus closer to the lens. With the switch set to macro, you’ll get quick focusing speeds where the camera only hunts for focus close to the lens. Then, simply turn it off for fast focusing speeds at all other ranges outside of the macro distance.
For those who need additional reach from their telephoto, this new lens is compatible with the Sony 2.0x teleconverter. This allows you to reach a maximum focal distance of 600mm in crop sensor mode. This is quite the reach for a lens of this size, and offers the photographer versatility in the field.
Additionally, on some of the high megapixel sensors offered by Sony, you can crop your image to extend the reach of this lens even further for the perfect photo.
Tripod Collar
Despite the compact size and weight of this lens, Sony still included a tripod collar. This allows you to mount the lens directly onto a tripod. This is an excellent feature for those who want an additional bit of stability when using a tripod or monopod. Having the tripod collar allows the camera and lens to be mounted further out and closer to the center of all the weight, giving you more balance when shooting.
Who Should Buy This Lens?
Designed for Sony full frame E-Mount cameras, this lens pairs extremely well with any of Sony’s mirrorless cameras. Additionally, you can put this lens on any of Sony’s mirrorless crop sensor cameras, giving you the full-frame equivalent of 105mm-300mm. Regardless of your choice of camera, this lens is a great pick for both telephoto and macro shooters.
No matter your photography niche, a telephoto lens will always come in handy in the right situation. The excellent 70-200mm focal range gives you coverage to really narrow in on your subject and get rid of the clutter that you’d see when using a wider lens.
Portraits
Portrait photographers will love the beautiful bokeh and sharp images from the new 70-200mm F/4 G II lens. Wildlife and sports photographers who demand more range can easily pair this lens with the Sony 2.0x teleconverter to reach 400mm on a full frame camera, or 600mm in crop sensor mode.
Macro
Macro shooters should also think about picking up this lens, which has an incredible amount of versatility compared to most macro lenses. With the option to switch to macro on the side of the lens, it has never been easier to quickly grab some macro shots then quickly switch back to your normal shooting. Even if you don’t normally shoot macro, just owning a lens with its capabilities may encourage you to take close-ups every now and again when the opportunity arises.
If you still aren’t convinced, consider the fact that this lens is 30 percent smaller than the original Sony 70-200mm f/4. For landscape and cityscape photographers who carry their gear for long periods of time, this small-sized and lightweight lens is perfect. Traditionally, telephoto lenses are known for taking up a lot of space and being heavy to carry, but the new 70-200mm f/4 G II Lens defies the odds.
With a lens this compact and light, it’s a must-have lens for any Sony shooters
Comparable Lenses
This lens is the newest version of the Sony 70-200mm F/4 G lens, released in 2014. With nine years of difference separating the two lenses, you’ll definitely be seeing upgrades that make this lens a must-have. It is certainly worth the upgrade if you’re an owner of the original Sony 70-200mm f/4 lens, as the new version is both lighter and more compact. If that isn’t enough to convince you, it also has macro capabilities that are not seen on the original lens. For those that don’t mind carrying a larger lens with a wider maximum aperture, the Sony 70-200mm F/2.8 is also an excellent choice.
Conclusion
There is a lot to be excited about in the latest lens upgrade announced by Sony. A smaller size and weight, and the addition of macro shooting, of the new Sony 70-200mm F/4 G II Lens is an upgrade that will be well received by the photography community.
