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Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS for Sony A6000 or something else?


Smorton
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Greetings

 

I am looking for a telephone for a Sony A6000 and I eventually would like to (or would like to keep my options open) move to Sony full frame.  I was quite interested in the  Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS lens until the recent announcement of the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6.  Is there an alternative in this range I should be looking at?  Travel photography is what I am interested in.  Would like the best IQ possible within limits.

Again, I recognize this is a premature question, but it be prudent to wait and see how the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 compares to the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS?  I used the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS and thought the image quality was quite good.

Any input appreciated.

 

Smorton

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The G series are/will be good. I have the SEL70200, I think its quite good too. Alternative might be the 24-240. I'm thinking of using a Batis 85 rather than the 70-200 for hiking, its better IQ and lighter ... no zoom, thats the down side.

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For travel photography, the 24-240, is the lens to get.

 

But it also depends on how much you want to spend, the E mount 55-210 is super small and light compared to the FE tele zooms and so cheap it does not really put a dent in your wallet. Image quality is excellent also.

 

The A6000 with 55-210 attached won't weight enough for you to notice the extra weight.  It is a very small and light package, something to consider.

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I moved up to an a6300 from an a57, and I also got a 70-200 f/4 G OSS with it, among other lenses. So I'm pretty new with this lens. However, it's my favorite lens of all time so far! For the type of photography I like to do, it is really sharp all around, responsive, and just plain fun. I would sleep with this lens, I love it so much. But I wouldn't travel with it. It is heavy and it's long and it's white and very noticeable around other people. I, too, am waiting to see how the 70-300 tests out, especially with the SAR Forum folks. I sure could use that extra reach!

 

With my a-mount a57 system, handed on down to my daughter, I had a DT 55-300 f/4.5-5.6 SAM and I loved the reach on that, and I thought my shots were pretty good, but compared to the 70-200 f/4 G OSS the shots just weren't as crystal sharp. In my personal experience, the 70-200 beats the a-mount 55-300 hands down. So let's see how the e-mount G version works out.

 

Caveat: The a6300 is so much better for me than the a57 that I can't attribute how much the improved clarity is solely due to the lens versus the improved camera. Probably a mix of factors. 

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Since you are undecided as to what suits your needs,

but it seems you do need *something*, go for the 55-

210 since it will leave you enuf spare change, if over

time you discover you need something entirely else.

And if it does prove to be just right for your needs it's

also an excellent performer to settle on as a keeper.

 

Sometimes, given finances, experience, etc etc there

may be a major difference between "best choice" and

"best lens", but in this instance it's quite likely there's

very little daylight between the two. 

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Smorton -  I think that if a lens is right for you, it's right for you because it does what you want it to do, not because it's on sale. $100 off still means you're spending $1400 plus tax. Let's say you buy it, and then the reports of that 70-300 come out and are fantastic and you've already spent your budget? But... maybe your budget is more expansive than my budget, so it's not for me to say? And revisit what Golem said about the 55-210 because that makes a lot of sense. Unless you have a target deadline for a shoot, or to travel, you might consider waiting a couple of weeks till the lens is released and reviewed. So it cost you $100 to wait, but then you make an informed decision. I tell you these folks on the SAR Forum have lots of experience and you will certainly get lots of opinions. And this is all my opinion, so if it differs with what you really want to do, please accept my apologies for being impertinent. 

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I have the 70-200mm and it's a nice lens but quite big and I wouldn't bother with it when travelling.

 

Generally I take my 18-200mm and A6000 as an all purpose kit. Probably pop in the little 16-50mm so I have an almost pocketable inconspicuous camera though IQ with that is acceptable rather than good. 

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Keep in mind the crop factor on the A6000. That 70-200 will appear like a 105-300 lens. 105mm is rather tight and you will certainly need a wider lens for other duties when travelling.

 

The 55-210 is a little wider, 82.5mm and a little longer at 315mm.  A quick price check says I can purchase this lens for $195.

 

If the primary purpose was not travelling, but wildlife photography, then I'd say the 55-210 is not the correct choice.

 

In regards to the new 70-300 FE lens, it does look very much like my A mount 70-300G.  That is not a bad thing, the 70300G is excellent.  My point being, one might be able to look at the SAL70300G lens reviews to get an idea of what the SEL70300 performance might be like.

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Smorton: I think it's just clear that the 70-200 (which I have and use mostly on my a7rii, but also use on my A6000) is the best choice.  This is a highly rated lens for clarity by DXO; it has two levels of image stabilization, and it will be good on a variety of future cameras as well.   The 70-300 is smaller, lighter, and with more reach, BUT at the price of being slower, which will frequently make a big difference at dawn and dusk, and more, it is almost certain that its smaller size means it will lack the clarity of the 70-200.  Also of note, with the number of pixels now in the cameras, lens clarity is almost more important than zoom.  Last point, in my experience, when I go beyond 200mm I almost have to have a tripod to achieve clarity. There goes the size advantage.        

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  • 7 months later...

Greetings all,

 

What about the Sigma 70-200mm F/2.8 OS with adapter. I recently bought this to use with my canon body and purchased Kipon - Canon EF to Sony E mount adapter. All functions are working well including Image Stabilizer(OS in Sigma series)  and  AF. However focusing speed is not super fast( Not a big deal and still able to manage) Still under observation. Currently not doing photography full time and not yet tested lens properly due to busy schedule of full time job. It is fast lens with 2.8 constant aperture. With Canon it is working perfect. I Will update full review here in  near future after fully test. Like to know about your idea.

thanks a lot

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