FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

nandbytes wrote: Idleidolidyll wrote: Hmmm. I bought the f4 version before the f2.8 FE was released. Once I get my f4 fixed, should I keep it or buy the f2.8? Is there a hell of a lot of difference or is that extra stop of light all there is (no extra sharpness, same bokeh etc)? I had the original GM which was sharper than the f4 version with better rendering too. I imagine the new version will be both sharper and also faster focusing than the f4 version. plus you have the option of using TCs which you don't with f4 version. plus you have more buttons and switches which is always good thing The main reason to buy the f4 version is to save on size and/or money. I'd argue you are better off buying the tamron 70-180mm which is also a fair bit sharper than the f4 so you are better of cropping anyway for that last bit of extra reach. of course you didn't have such options when you bought your f4.

I already have the FE f4 G OSS and I don't need to use a teleconverter as I have longer lenses.
Faster focus isn't a big deal, I never had any problems shooting mountain bike action or motocross with it.
Really, that f2.8 setting would need to be at least as sharp, or sharper, than mine at f4 for me to bother selling the f4 and buying the 2.8

One of things I learned yesterday is that the original 70-200 GM has mechanical manual focus just like the A-mount SSM lenses. It may be the only Sony E-mount lens with that feature.

QuietOC wrote: One of things I learned yesterday is that the original 70-200 GM has mechanical manual focus just like the A-mount SSM lenses. It may be the only Sony E-mount lens with that feature.

Cool! It feels a little bit like a gap in reality. It seems to be mostly true :

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2017/02/completing-the-teardown-of-the-sony-fe-70-200-f2-8-gm-oss-part-ii/
"This is at least partially a fly-by-wire-focusing lens so inside the focus ring is a magnetic strip. When you turn the ring a sensor reads the strip and sends a signal to move the rear focusing elements accordingly. The front focusing elements can be controlled mechanically by the ring or through the ring USM."

Thanks for bringing it to my attention, I really thought there were no Sony E-mount lenses with even partially mechanical manual focus rings. Though the 90G makes a pretty good impression.

I can report that I have now seen and briefly used this lens at Sony stand at Finnish Nature Photograph of the Year event. The most striking thing for me was the weight, the weight of this new lens was quite similar to Tamron 70-180 I had with me, whereas the older Sony FE 2.8/70-200 GM was significantly heavier. Although on smaller lenses I like to use the aperture ring, I have to say that on this sort of lens it felt bit odd as if you do hand held photography and want to change the aperture via this control ring you pretty much have to change your grip on the lens barrel to do that. Image quality seemed to be fine, although I haven't made any proper comparisations on that.