The original FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS (still on sale for $2,599.99) was among the first set of lenses in Sony’s top-end G Master series, launched in 2017. The new edition, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II ($2,799.99), covers the same focal range, but sports a new optical formula that enables clearer results, faster focus, and a significant reduction in weight. It’s the best lens for pros shopping for a Sony zoom in the range, and although the price has increased from the first version, it earns our Editors’ Choice award just the same.
The Lightest 70-200mm Yet
If you’re used to picking up the original, 3.3-pound edition, the weight difference is immediately noticeable with the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (2.3 pounds). The new lens is also lighter than the RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM (2.6 pounds) for Canon’s competing EOS R mirrorless system, which previously held the distinction as the lightest 70-200mm F2.8 available.
Canon opted for an extending design for its 70-200mm, but Sony keeps things traditional with an internal zoom mechanism. The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II, which measures 7.9 by 3.5 inches (HD), therefore isn’t any smaller than the first version (7.9 by 3.5 inches) and doesn’t change in size when you zoom in or out. It supports the same 77mm filter size as its predecessor, and Sony bundles a reversible lens hood with a cut-out window so you can adjust a circular polarizing filter without removing it.
Sony goes for a white finish for the metal barrel, a typical choice for pro telezooms. The design incorporates a rotating collar and a tripod foot—lightweight or not, it’s smart to use for tripod work to keep the center of gravity balanced. I like that the foot comes off with just a thumbscrew and a button; it’s easy to keep it out of the way when you’re working handheld. But Sony didn’t make the foot compatible with Arca-Swiss tripods, so you still need to add a quick-release plate or swap it out for an aftermarket option.
The FE 70-200mm can withstand dust and moisture, much like Sony’s cameras, and its front glass features an anti-smudge fluorine coating. It’s certainly a premium lens, but a couple of well-made alternatives are also worth considering if you don’t have $2,800 to spend. The FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS ($1,500) covers the same range and includes stabilized optics, but can’t gather as much light.
The Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 ($1,200) is another option if you don’t mind relying on IBIS and can live with a bit less reach. Sigma has yet to release a mirrorless edition of its 70-200mm F2.8 Sports, a popular $1,500 option for SLRs that you can pair with Sony cameras via the MC-11 adapter. The SLR version is a good value, especially if you already have an adapter, but at around 4 pounds, it’s a lot to carry.
Handling and Autofocus
The FE 70-200mm may cost more than other lenses, but it handles like a dream. It’s not a featherweight in the same way a small prime is, but it doesn’t feel like a massive addition to your camera—it’s only a smidgen heavier than its natural counterpart, the FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM (1.9 pounds). The lens also balances well—Sony touts optics that remain fairly centered in the barrel and the reality matches up with the marketing. The internal zoom matters, too; it’s easy to set the focal length with a thumb-and-index finger grip because you don’t have to exert as much effort to extend the barrel.
The body features a ton of controls. Three function buttons, separated by 90-degree arcs, ring the collar between the zoom and focus rings. The three buttons are all tied to the same function, AF-ON, by default. You can remap them to do something else via the camera menu, but you can’t split them to perform different functions. I set the function buttons to cycle between human, animal, and bird detection when I tested the lens in the field with an a7 IV.
The GM OSS II adds an aperture control ring, something the first version of the lens lacks. The ring sits just behind the zoom, goes from f/2.8 through f/22 in third-stop increments, and has an A position if you prefer to control the aperture from the camera body. You can set the ring to click and settle in at third-stop increments (for photography) or turn smoothly and silently (for video). Finally, an Iris Lock switch, when engaged, prevents you from swapping between automatic and manual controls or vice versa.
Another set of toggle switches handle other functions—they sit together on the left, just behind the aperture ring. AF/MF switches the focus mode and a second toggle enables full-time DMF, a setting that lets you manually override autofocus in any focus mode. There’s also a focus limiter—you can limit focus to distant subjects only (3m to infinity) or over the full focus range, down to the 15.7-inch (0.4m) minimum. The lens manages 1:3 macro magnification.
Focus breathing isn’t completely absent when you rack focus from the closest macro to infinity, but the effect is barely visible for the types of focus rack shots videographers typically use. The Sony a7 IV adds breathing correction for video for this lens, completely removing the effect. There’s a slight crop factor that comes with using the feature, but you may see that as a benefit for telephoto subjects.
Two additional switches control the in-lens stabilization system. You can toggle it on or off with one and set its mode with the second. Mode 1 is a general-purpose setting, Mode 2 is for when you need to pan with a moving subject, and Mode 3 is for sports photographers who are often following moving subjects that change direction without warning.
Autofocus is as fast as it gets—four linear motors drive the focus and it snaps into place instantly. The speedier motors are especially important if you’re using a camera that can track subjects at 20 or 30fps, as the Sony a9 II or a1 manage respectively. The manual focus ring has a linear response too, so videographers can repeat the same focus pulls from shot to shot.
Both of Sony’s E-mount teleconverters work with this lens, so you can change its view to 98-280mm F4 with the 1.4x teleconverter or a 140-400mm F5.6 with the 2.0x. I tried the lens with the 2.0x and a7 IV and its focus speed and accuracy were just as good as without the extender.
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II: In the Lab
I opted to use the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II in the field along with the 33MP a7 IV, but stuck with the high-resolution a7R IV to see how the lens handles a 60MP sensor in the lab. Imatest shows that it delivers excellent resolution wide open (4,500 lines) and outstanding results when you stop it down (5,000 lines). This is as sharp a zoom as you can find.
We didn’t notice any visible vignetting even with Raw corrections turned off in Lightroom, and Adobe has a profile to remove the pincushion distortion the lens shows at the long end. You have to remove that yourself if you use a Raw converter without lens profile support.
The FE 70-200mm produces the blurred-background look—the bokeh effect—without too much effort. Its telephoto focal length isolates subjects from backgrounds and, when you use the lens wide open at F2.8, the backdrop can melt away into nothing, especially at 200mm. We don’t have any major complaints about the character of the blur—the lens doesn’t quite manage to avoid cat-eye highlights toward the edges of the frame at f/2.8, but highlights round out by f/4.
An Ultralight Build Makes the Difference
Sony’s G Master lens series is a big reason for its rise as a serious player in the profesional camera industry. The first edition of the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS remains an exemplary performer, but doesn’t benefit from the recent movement we’ve seen toward lighter, more carry-friendly full-frame photo gear.
The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II shaves a full pound of weight from its predecessor, and while the price has gone up by a couple hundred dollars, it’s a premium we recommend if you’re mulling between new copies of the lenses. You might be able to make peace with the heftier original if you purchase a used copy for less, but even then, you lose out on the new version’s faster focus response and on-lens aperture controls. These updates are enough to make the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II our Editors’ Choice winner for photographers looking for a midrange telezoom for the Sony system.
If a $2,800 lens is outside your budget, a few alternatives are worth considering. Sony’s FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS ($1,500) is one example—it’s an older lens that launched alongside the first generation of a7 cameras. We liked the lens when we reviewed it, but haven’t had the opportunity to test it with more recent bodies. The Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 (around $1,200) is another option; it skips in-lens stabilization and doesn’t quite get to 200mm, but weighs even less than the updated Sony FE 70-200mm. Photographers without a need for an F2.8 aperture can also look at the FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS, for a bit longer reach at around $1,275.
