Sony AF 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM A-mount lens review by whisperer

whisperer#11256 date: Jul-16-2013
sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 5 overall: 4.5	tested on: film camera: APS-C: 6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP; 16MP; 20MP; 24MP full frame: 12MP; 24MP; 36MP; 42MP; 61MP
ownership:	I own this lens
compared to:	Minolta 75-300 Minolta 85 1.4
price paid:	550 EUR (new)
positive:	Sharp at 70mm (but not tack sharp) Amazing colors Good bokeh SSM AF-D on A99 (although I don't really use it much) Looks great with the petal hood
negative:	Not sharp wide opened at 300mm but gets better stopped down (although you lose the bokeh)
comment:	Miles ahead of my old Minolta 75-300. Wanted something light to replace it that I could take with me everywhere but with pro quality, this was a no brainer. It's still heavy, but not excessively. Great quality overall, the zoom felt a bit too long on the A700 but it's great on the A99. The micro contrast and colors are amazing, it's the G glass magic I suppose. Now one bad thing about it: if once fell from a very low height inside a protective case and stopped focusing. Sony in the UK was rubbish so had it fixed in Portugal, no questions asked as it was still in the warranty. Good Sony service in Portugal, bad resistance to falls and knocks for a professional graded lens - or any lens for that matter! Otherwise the build is the best of all the plastic lenses I have. If you've got one, treat it like a newborn!