The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G is one of the aboriginal accumulation of lenses appear at the barrage of the company’s Alpha arrangement in June 2006. However its history goes aback a bit further; it’s about a re-badge of the Minolta AF 70-200mm F2.8 APO G D SSM, which aboriginal appeared aboriginal in 2003. At the time Minolta was alone authoritative blur SLRs (its aboriginal absolutely applied agenda design, the Maxxum/Dynax 7D, actualization afterwards the alliance with Konica in September 2004), so the lens is advised to awning the 35mm full-frame format, although by itself it aswell works on APS-C agenda SLRs. It’s accordingly a accustomed accompaniment to the Alpha 850 and 900 DSLRs, accouterment a absolute another to Canon and Nikon systems appear the top end of the market.
Like all fast telezooms, the optical blueprint is complex, with 19 elements in 16 groups and 4 Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) bottle elements for the alteration of bright aberration. The lens appearance a congenital ultrasonic-type ‘Super Sonic Wave Motor’ (SSM) for autofocus, able fast and bashful focusing. The Direct Manual Focus affection allows the user to abuse focus position manually at any time, and has two modes; ‘Standard’ prevents adventitious movements of the focus ring from interfering with connected AF operation, while ‘Full Time’ is about self-explanatory. The lens aswell appearance three AF-stop buttons abiding about the barrel, acceptance the user to lock focus easily; on Sony’s latest high-end DSLRs these can be assigned to added functions, conceivably a lot of agreeably abyss of acreage preview.
The 70-200mm F2.8G faces able competition, though, from agnate lenses such as the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II and Tamron SP AF 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro. And the amount hypothesis amid these lenses becomes somewhat complicated on the Alpha system; because while Canon and Nikon’s big-ticket fast telezooms add angel stabilization and weathersealing, this isn’t the case with the Sony (because all lenses are counterbalanced via the in-body Super SteadyShot system). The Sony lens accordingly offers almost little on cardboard to absolve costing added than alert as much, but of advance blueprint comparisons never absolutely acquaint the accomplished story. So let’s see what you in fact get for your money.
Headline features
- 70-200mm focal length range; fast F2.8 constant maximum aperture
- Ring-type ultrasonic focusing with full-time manual override
- Three focus hold buttons (function customizable from some camera bodies)
- Alpha mount for Sony and Konica Minolta DSLRS
Angle of view
The pictures below illustrate the focal length range from wide to telephoto, on 35mm full-frame and APS-C camera bodies:
70mm (full frame)
200mm (full frame)
70mm (APS-C; 105mm equivalent)
200mm (APS-C; 300mm equivalent)
Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G specifications
| Manufacturer’s product code | SAL-70200G |
|---|---|
| Street price | • US: $1800 • UK: £1530 |
| Date introduced | June 2006 (March 2003 as Minolta AF 70-200mm F2.8 APO G D SSM) |
| Maximum format size | 35mm full frame |
| Focal length | 70-200mm |
| 35mm equivalent focal length (APS-C) |
105-300mm |
| Diagonal Angle of view (FF) | 34º – 12º |
| Diagonal Angle of view (APS-C) | 23º – 8º |
| Maximum aperture | F2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | F32 |
| Lens Construction | • 19 elements/16 groups • 4 ED glass elements |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 9, rounded |
| Minimum focus | 1.2m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.21x at 200mm |
| AF motor type | • Ring-type ultrasonic • Direct manual focus – two modes (Standard and Full Time) |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Zoom method | Internal |
| Image stabilization | via camera body |
| Filter thread | • 77mm • Does not rotate on focus |
| Supplied accessories | • Front and rear caps • SH0010 Hood • Lens Pouch |
| Weight | 1500g (3.3 lb) (including tripod mount) |
| Dimensions | 87mm diameter x 197mm length (3.4 x 7.7 in) |
| Lens Mount | Sony Alpha only |
| Other | • 3 Focus Hold buttons • Reports focus distance information to camera body |
