Two-minute review

The new Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM is the world’s first full-frame zoom lens that goes up to 800mm. That's like your phone having a 30x zoom setting with no perceivable loss in image quality.  

What’s more, the RF 200-800mm is compatible with Canon’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, meaning a potential unprecedented reach of up to 1600mm (though I’d avoid this setup and I’ll explain why, later). 

It’s a competitively-priced lens and a winning combo for hobbyist wildlife and sports photography with Canon's flagship APS-C mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R7, with which its maximum reach extends to an effective 1200mm thanks to the sensor format’s 1.5x crop. 

I can also see the RF 200-800mm being popular with the full-frame Canon EOS R8, or even with EOS R5 owners for whom sports and wildlife is more of a side hustle or passionate hobby. It’s the EOS R5 that I paired the lens with for a short review period ahead of the worldwide announcement.

The lens, which weighs 72.3 oz / 2,050 g and measures 12.36in / 314 mm in length, has a lovely and well-balanced feel to it when paired with Canon’s DSLR-style mirrorless cameras like the EOS R5. Its heaviest elements are at the rear, rather than at the front, which was a trait of front-heavy Canon DSLR lenses.

As you move through the zoom range the lens physically extends in length, and I’d advise keeping the sizable lens hood (supplied) attached to reduce lens flare. As such, at 800mm this is a chunky lens, although it still feels good in use and can easily be carried by hand for extended periods. 

I really like the additional function of a ‘smooth’ or ‘tight’ response for refined or quick zoom adjustments, made via a dedicated control ring. In fact, all of the control rings and buttons have a lovely feel to them, while the build quality in this weather-sealed, weather-resistant lens feels top drawer, despite it not donning the pro grade L-series nomenclature.

Such a long lens, of course, requires image stabilization, and Canon says the RF 200-800mm is equipped with 5.5-stops of optical stabilization, that goes up to 7.5-stops when paired with the sensor-based stabilization on board enthusiast and professional cameras such as the EOS R7 and EOS R5. 

The reality is that it’s possible to get sharp handheld shots at the 800mm telephoto setting almost every time with shutter speeds as slow as 1/30sec – an impressive feat, although your subjects will need to be stationary at such slow shutter speeds or else you’ll get motion softness and blur. 

And the lens isn’t all about getting close to distant subjects because its close focusing distance at 200mm is a mere 0.8m from the camera sensor (that's less than 0.5m from the front end of the lens), resulting in a generous magnification ratio. In a picture I took of tiny, cold season berries (see gallery, below), you can appreciate how close the lens can get when set to its minimum focusing distance.

The elephant in the room is the modest maximum f/6.3-9 aperture. I have no problem with these aperture settings regarding depth of field – believe me, you can acquire a lovely shallow depth of field with an 800mm lens at f/9 (see the pictures of ducks at 800mm in the gallery below). No, it’s the impact on what shutter speed is possible at f/9 to freeze fast-moving action that's the issue. 

For photographing birds, you’ll ideally use a shutter speed of around 1/1000s to get sharp detail. Pair that with the f/9 aperture and you’ll need bright sunlight to get the right exposure in your action photos. That’s why using a 2x teleconverter with the RF 200-800mm is unrealistic, because the maximum aperture at 1600mm becomes f/18. However, with such a long reach already, the teleconverter is a bit overkill anyway.

I tested the 200-800mm lens over the course of a bright afternoon with intermittent sun and cloud, which proved ideal conditions for this lens. It’s in low light that the maximum f/9 aperture becomes tricky; you’ll really be pushing your Canon camera’s high ISO performance.

However, that modest maximum aperture is the sacrifice you pay to gain a relatively lightweight full-frame lens with such a decent zoom range and long reach at the telephoto end. 

Image quality at the wide 200mm setting is really sharp, while at 800mm you lose a little clarity, something I’d expect from a lens with such a wide zoom range. If you're only ever needing the telephoto end, it could be worth looking at the RF 800mm f/11 IS STM instead.

When the sun was out, I tested the lens’ ability to control flare by shooting towards light, dappled through a willow tree. This same test allowed me to see what bokeh (the quality of out-of-focus light) looks like.

Smooth and circular bokeh is seen as the holy grail of out-of-focus light, but in the corners the RF 200-800mm’s bokeh has a pronounced cat’s eye effect. I don’t personally mind cat’s eye bokeh. More importantly, I didn’t see much evidence of chromatic aberration or onion ring distortion in the RF 200-800mm’s bokeh – it looks decently smooth. Overall, image image quality is surprisingly good. 

After a short time with the lens and getting a feel for its zoom range, handling and overall image quality, I think it makes a compelling choice especially with the EOS R7 for safari, shooting grassroots sports from the sidelines, and especially for birdlife, in fair weather. 

Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM: Price and availability

The Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM list price is $1,899 / £2,299.99 / AU$3,499 and the sales start date is December 2023. It's a decent price considering the features on offer, and the pricing certainly favors those in the US.

A decent quality lens hood comes in the box, along with the usual front and rear lens caps. 

Should I buy the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM

I had the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM lens for an afternoon outdoors in fairly bright weather, photographing birds and closeup subjects. 

During this short review period, I was able to take pictures across the 200-800mm zoom range, of distant subjects and of close subjects at the minimum focus distance, plus around and towards bright light to test how well the lens can control flare. 

Using the various aperture settings has allowed me to check the quality of bokeh, and how sharp image detail is.

First reviewed November 2023

Two-minute review

The medium telephoto zoom is one of the most versatile lenses on the planet; capable of fulfilling the needs of almost every type of photographer from wildlife to weddings, landscapes to sports, and far beyond. The 70-200mm focal range is most common, but the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 bucks that trend, slightly, to provide a Z-series lens with a much more palatable price tag than the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S. 

The 70-180mm costs $1,250 / £1,299 / AU £2,099, so it’s considerably less expensive than the 70-200mm f/2.8. This makes it a great option for enthusiasts and those on a budget who would like a constant f/2.8 aperture and a weight of just 1lb 12.1oz / 795g. It’s also fairly compact at 3.3 x 6in / 83.5 x 151mm, making it a versatile ‘carry around’ lens if you don’t require a wide-angle focal length. 

While slightly reduced from the norm, the focal range doesn’t hinder shooting in real-world situations since there’s only a loss of 20mm at the long end. And although image quality isn’t on par with the 70-200mm f/2.8 (we’ll cover that in more detail later), it remains an impressive performer. 

The Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is part of a trio of Z-series lenses from Nikon, along with the Nikkor Z 17-28mm f/2.8 and Nikkor Z 28-75mm f/2.8. All three lenses provide a constant f/2.8 aperture alongside full-frame focal lengths ranging from a wide-angle 17mm up to 180mm. All three lenses also have the same 67mm filter thread, which will be most useful to photographers and videographers using screw-in filters since a single set of filters will cover all three lenses.

When I first picked up the 70-180mm, I was immediately struck by the slightly lower build quality than the professional spec 70-200mm f/2.8. Don’t get me wrong, it’s well built, looks good and feels solid in the hand, but it naturally doesn’t exude the premium look and feel of the more expensive professional model. However, the smaller size and lighter weight meant that it was comfortable to carry around attached to a Nikon Z 7II for long periods - a huge plus point. 

Controls are virtually non-existent on the lens. There's just a zoom lock to hold the lens at 70mm and avoid zoom creep when walking around, but it’s a useful feature. Unfortunately, the 70-180mm doesn’t feature optical Vibration Reduction (VR) / Image Stabilization (IS), so you can only take advantage of IS if you’re using a full-frame body with In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS). APS-C Z-series cameras do not offer IBIS, so there’s no option for VR here. 

The 70-180mm is constructed of 19 elements in 14 groups, which include five ED elements, one super-ED element and three aspherical elements, with a nine-blade circular aperture providing pleasing bokeh. Focusing is internal, so the front element doesn’t rotate during focusing. This is great when using filters, although the lens barrel does extend when the zoom ring is rotated. The zoom ring itself, sitting towards the front of the lens, is large and comfortable to use. The narrow focus ring sits behind and offers a comfortable amount of resistance when turned to manually focus.

The minimum focusing distance of the 70-180mm is impressive at 70mm with a distance of just 0.89ft / 27cm and 2.79ft / 85cm at 180mm. This is on a sliding scale as you increase focal length, but at 70mm, you can get pretty close to small subjects, which further increases the usefulness of the lens. The 70-180mm can be used with the Nikon Z 1.4x and 2x teleconverters to increase the focal range at the expense of the maximum aperture and can also be used with APS-C Z series models where the focal range extends from 105-270mm with the f/2.8 remaining effective.

The lens is least sharp at the extreme ends of the f/2.8 to f/22 aperture range at all focal lengths, with the sharpest results between f/5.6 and f/11. F/2.8 and f/4 are more than sharp enough to use, but at f/16 and f/22 diffraction, or a loss of overall sharpness, is most noticeable. 

Edge sharpness is also at its lowest with the aperture wide open and increases as the lens is stopped down to the middle settings, but this is common with most lenses. There’s also some vignetting at f/2.8 which reduces significantly at f/4 and is gone once you stop down to f/5.6. Optical distortion is also minimal, which is impressive for a medium-range lens like this. 

Overall, the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is a solid performer and provides photographers with a cost-effective medium telephoto zoom with that all-important constant maximum aperture. Plus, the relatively light weight, compact size and decent image quality make it a lens well worth considering, whatever subjects you shoot.

Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 photo samples

Should I buy the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikkor Z 70-180 f/2.8

The Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 was tested over several shoots to determine how comfortable the lens is to use handheld for several hours. Photos were taken at different aperture settings and focal lengths to test handling, sharpness, and distortion. Static and moving subjects were shot to test autofocus performance.

Most images were shot simply to see how the lens performed in different situations, while others were shot specifically to compare the results. This allowed me to test all aspects of the lens in a real-world environment that’s closer to how photographers will use the lens themselves, rather than relying on statistics and lens charts.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve covered almost every conceivable subject and used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I’m also aware of the factors that are most important to photographers and aim to test cameras and lenses in a way that reflects this.

First reviewed October 2023

Two-minute review

Long telephoto zoom lenses have generally become less expensive and therefore more accessible over the past 10 years or so. The 150-600mm focal range has become something of a benchmark in this area, often sitting within what you might call an affordable price range considering how expensive professional telephoto lenses can be.

The Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR delivers a similarly versatile focal range, making it ideal for wildlife and sports photography in the main, and comes in at a reasonable $1,697 / £1,799 / AU$2,999. Sure, the 180-600mm isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s far more affordable than professional telephoto lenses, offering enthusiasts who shoot with Nikon Z-series cameras the longer reach they’ve been craving.

The arrival of this lens couldn’t come at a better time for Z-series camera owners, who have been lacking a native Z-mount lens with this focal range. Although the Nikon FTZ and FTZ II adapters are fantastic for allowing you to use F-mount lenses with Z-series cameras, their performance is never on a par with a native lens; and the adapter mount adds additional length, albeit small, to any attached lens.

The 180-600mm is a fairly large and indeed long lens at 12.5 x 4.4 in / 315.5 x 110mm. And with the tripod collar included, the weight of the lens is 4lb 11.5oz / 2,140g, so there's certainly some heft to it. That said, it isn't the heaviest telephoto zoom available, and during a four-hour handheld shoot while walking around a country park, the 180-600mm attached to a Nikon Z 7II remained comfortable to carry.

In order to deliver the wide focal range on offer, the Nikkor's weight is a result of the size and construction of the lens. It’s made up of 25 elements in 17 groups, which include six ED elements, one aspherical element, and a fluorine-coated front element. The maximum aperture is variable between f/5.6-6.3 depending on the focal length selected, which still results in a large 95mm front element.

Enthusiast lenses can sometimes be lacking in the build quality department, but that’ certainly isn't the case here. The 180-600mm looks and feels solidly made, with smooth focus and zoom rings alongside internal zoom and focusing, which means the lens doesn’t extend when zooming and the front element doesn’t rotate when the lens is focused.

The Zoom ring also provides a short rotation, which allows you to quickly and comfortably change the zoom factor without having to reposition your hand to maintain the zoom. Although the lens does have dust and drip sealings, Nikon doesn’t claim that it’s a weatherproof model, so shooting in torrential rain – for instance – could be problematic. Full weatherproofing would be the natural choice for a lens of this type and, unfortunately, it isn’t included here.

Controls on the lens are minimal, with just a manual focus/autofocus switch and an autofocus range limiter switch towards the rear end of the lens. There are also four customizable L-Fn buttons, which allow you to map several functions to the buttons that are conveniently positioned towards the front end of the lens. Unfortunately, there are no vibration reduction / image stabilization controls here, which means you'll have to delve into the camera menus to adjust these settings. This isn't a deal breaker, but a dedicated set of controls would have been extremely useful.

The lens balances well with Z-series bodies, although the Z 7II used for testing is comedically small in comparison to the lens. And if you find the lens too cumbersome for prolonged handheld use, the tripod collar and quick-release foot allow you to move between handheld shooting and a tripod or monopod quickly and easily.

The 180-600mm also works with the Nikon Z 1.4x and 2x tele converters, enabling you to  extend the focal range further if required. However, this does mean a reduction in the maximum aperture. One way around this is to use the lens with an APS-C camera to increase the effective focal range from 270mm to 900mm, retaining the f/5.6-6.3 maximum aperture.

When it comes to overall performance, autofocus is fast and near-silent, locking onto static and moving subjects, and tracking them seemingly effortlessly. It’s just what you want from a lens that’s designed for shooting often fast-moving and distant subjects. This speed and near-silence are thanks to the fast stepping motor that also makes the lens useful for video using autofocus when tracking moving subjects, although videographers typically use manual focus in the majority of situations.

Close focusing isn’t mind-blowing, with a sliding scale of distances depending on the zoom factor; but looking at the extremes of the zoom range, the minimum focus distance at 180mm is 4.27 ft/ 1.3m, while at 600mm it almost doubles to 7.88ft / 2.4m. This does allow for capturing small subjects closeup, but what’s achievable is far from a macro reproduction ratio.

Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR photo samples

Moving beyond autofocus, another feature that’s also highly effective is the 5.5-stop vibration reduction / image stabilization. During testing, I was shooting below 1/100 sec at 600mm in some situations, and although some did exhibit camera shake, many were perfectly sharp. Of course, a steady hand is still required when using image stabilization to get the best from the feature; but the 180-600mm is a fantastic performer in this area.

In terms of image quality, which is one of the most important aspects of any lens, images are captured well between the maximum aperture and f/11 throughout the focal range. They’re certainly not as sharp as more expensive lenses, but overall sharpness is beyond adequate. A small amount of chromatic aberration is visible along high-contrast subject edges in some situations, but this is minor, and can be removed effectively in Lightroom or other Raw processing software. If you shoot in JPEG, you can switch on in-camera corrections to deal with this.

Should I buy the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3

The Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 was tested over several shoots, including a four-hour session to determine how comfortable the lens is to use handheld over several hours. Photos were taken at different aperture settings and focal lengths to test handling, sharpness and distortion, while vibration reduction was put through its paces by shooting at slower shutter speeds than normal. Subjects covered also included static and moving subjects to test autofocus performance.

Most images were shot simply to see how the lens performed in different situations, while others were shot specifically to compare the results. This provides the ability to test all aspects of the lens in a real-world environment that’s closer to how photographers will use the lens themselves, rather than relying on statistics and lens charts.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve covered almost every conceivable subject and used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I’m also aware of the factors that are most important to photographers and aim to test cameras and lenses in a way that reflects this.

First reviewed October 2023

Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7: Two minute review

Nikon has taken some time to release the Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 Lens. It is the company’s first for its mirrorless Z-mount cameras with APS-C size sensor (Nikon calls this lens format 'DX'), the first of which, the Nikon Z50, was unveiled in 2019, a year after the first full frame Z mount cameras (which Nikon calls 'FX'). As I write this in 2023, there are now a total of three APS-C cameras in the system, with the retro-inspired Z fc and Nikon Z30 joining the ranks.

With the 'DX' cameras being some of the best beginner mirrorless cameras and appealing more to the entry-level market, it is logical that to date, all four of the Z-mount DX lenses are zooms, with focal length coverage from 12mm all the way to 250mm, plus fairly modest aperture settings. There is an obvious gap for prime lenses with large apertures, but up to now, this has been covered by using a full-frame Z-mount lens on DX-format cameras. 

Now, Nikon has introduced the Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 - a compact prime lens that provides roughly the equivalent field of view to a 36mm lens on a full-frame sensor camera, such as Nikon’s popular Z6 II or the Nikon Z8. However, it’s really best to think of this as a 35mm equivalent focal length lens, for all intent and purposes. 

The 35mm equivalent focal length is always a good place to start when you introduce prime lenses. The field of view offers a natural feeling, close to that of human vision, but allows some periphery so that images and video created don’t feel too close and tight. The f/1.7 aperture setting offers an equivalent depth of field to an f/2.5 full-frame lens, so it is a nice combination for creating shallow natural-looking images and depth of field. 

Externally, there is little to talk about on the lens. It has a very basic design with a small section of barrel, with most of the circumference being taken up by a ribbed manual focus ring. Besides the lens designation and branding, there is little else to note. 

It is as small and light as you would expect, weighing just 135g and measuring 70mm x 40mm. It has a small 46mm filter thread, and with the front lens element being much smaller than the barrel, the included HN-42 lens hood cones slightly inward to prevent light from hitting the lens element at acute angles. Overall, the build is best described as being ‘neat’.

Internally, the construction comprises 9 elements in 8 groups, with two aspherical elements, and the aperture features seven rounded blades. The only real item of note looking at the specifications is that the minimum focus distance is a reasonably close 18cm, which makes the lens an interesting choice for close-up work, particularly for those who are shooting video.

I had the Nikon Z fc for my test of the 24mm f/1.7 lens, and they made a perfect pair, being pocketable if you happened to be wearing a parka jacket with huge pockets. Still, for the rest of us, it would slip very easily into small sling bag, making the combination ideal for a weekend away. 

While away for a few days and also shooting a little bit closer to home. I found the Z fc and 24mm f/1.7 combination snuck into a small sling bag that was actually designed to hold a tablet and a few accessories, so it was a nice size to carry around. Photographing my kids playing, as well as general snaps of animals at a petting zoo and some landscape shots in less-than-ideal lighting, the lens performed well. The autofocus of the lens and camera kept up – although it wasn’t lightning-quick, I also wouldn’t expect it to be. 

What it did do is live up to my expectations; it was a great carry-around lens that, with a 35mm equivalent lens, gave a similar field of view that I am used to having on a smartphone, but offering much better image quality and sharpness that I would ever get from even the latest phone. 

Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7: Price and release date

The Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 Lens costs £289.99/US$279.95/AU$499 and is on sale now. As it it is the first Nikon DX prime lens, there is little to compare it to within the range. The most obvious alternative lens from within the range is the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens, which should prove to be a great all-purpose lens, although it lacks the larger f/1.7 aperture for low light shooting. It costs £329/US$309.95/AU$449.

Sigma produces a series of 3 lenses DX lenses for the Nikon Z, the same lenses available for most other APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mounts. Of these, the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN is the closest match to the Nikkor 24mm f/1.7. The Sigma lens has a narrower field of view at 45mm equivalent lens, which, along with the f/1.4 aperture, makes it more suited to portrait shots but less useful as an everyday walk-around lens. It costs US$399 / £349/ AU$699.

Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7: Image quality

The beauty of a fixed focal length in this standard range is that detail is usually pin-sharp, and the 24mm f/1.7 is no exception. In the very center, details such as hairs on animals – in the case below, a goat – are perfectly defined. 

There is impressive detail resolution, even when shooting wide open. However, it is at f/2.8 to f/4 that I found the sharpest of the aperture settings. There is some drop in quality towards the edges of the frame, but the quality is impressive, especially when the lens's size and price are considered.

I didn’t notice any chromatic abberation in my real-world images, but by shooting through trees into a bright, overcast sky, I could force the issue by overexposing slightly and then viewing the image at 400%. Then, I could see some magenta along the edges. No one in their right mind would do this, so rest assured chromatic aberration isn’t an issue, and again, there is in-camera correction.

There is some vignetting with the correction turned off. Shooting a brick wall as part of my testing (brick wall construction is not a hobby of mine), shots taken at f/1.7 had heavy vignetting in the corners that took a +100 adjustment in Adobe Camera Raw to correct. Stopping down to f/4, and the shading in the corners had gone. All that said, vignetting correction is just a few button presses away, and it gets rid of vignetting entirely, even at f/1.7, so unless you are an absolute lens purist, you don’t ever have to worry about it. 

Again, with curvilinear distortion correction turned off in the camera, some pincushion distortion is present. A quick shift of the distortion correction in Adobe Camera Raw to -6 straightened everything up, and the image looks virtually identical to the image straight out of the camera with the in-camera correction switched on.

The overall conclusion is to leave the in-camera corrections all switched on and shoot away quite happily, knowing the images will be virtually perfect. 

Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 sample images

Should I buy the Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 lens?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikor 24mm f/1.7 lens

I tested the Nikor 24mm f/1.7 lens by taking it away with me for a few days away. I used it on a Nikon Z fc and took various images, just as someone would take it with them on their travels. This included scenic images, shots of my children, shots of animals at a petting zoo, as well as some detail shots to test the close-up ability and to see what the background bokeh looked like. 

During the real-world testing of the lens, I used a variety of different aperture settings and focusing methods to see how the lens performed.

I accompanied these images with some test shots of a brick wall to test vignetting and curvilinear distortion, as well as the tried and tested method of looking for chromatic aberration by shooting an overcast sky through tree branches. 

First reviewed October 2023

Two-minute review

Sony’s 50th full-frame lens, the FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS II, is a comprehensive update of the (almost) 10-year-old Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS stalwart. It’s part of a recent wave of smaller and lighter second-gen Sony lenses, in this case, it's 15% smaller and lighter than its predecessor, weighing 794g / 28.1 oz, and measuring 149mm / 5.8in long. 

Lens size is a big deal when you shoot with Sony cameras – they are smaller than most and can feel off-balance with a big chunk of glass on the front. I paired the 70-200mm F4 II with the Sony A7C R, which is one of the best travel cameras, plus the crop-sensor Sony A6700 (with which the lens focal length is increased 1.5x), and both cameras proved an excellent fit with the lens. 

If this mark II version of the lens was only smaller and lighter it could be worth an upgrade for that reason alone, but it’s also the beneficiary of a total redesign, which has given it sharper image quality, faster autofocus and next level macro focusing. Yes, it’s smaller, lighter, sharper, quicker and more versatile than the original, and one of the best Sony lenses around.

The 70-200mm lens is already a versatile focal length – my own Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 G DSLR lens was my most-used lens for many years for portraits, weddings and events, and also proved to be an adept tool for sports, wildlife, landscape photography and more. Sony’s 70-200mm F4 II happily works in these fields, but also adds class-leading macro focusing capability, up to 0.5x magnification at any focal length, with a minimum focus distance of 0.26m / 0.86 ft at 70mm, and 0.42m / 1.38ft at 200mm.

Add the 2x teleconverter with an unchanged minimum focus distance and the macro capability is doubled to 1.0x magnification – that’s 1:1 life size. I’m generally not a fan of teleconverters; even the very best soften the image and can affect color rendering. In fact, you can see the minimum focus distance in action, plus the color shift of the same scene shot with and without Sony's 2x teleconverter, in the sample images below. In any case, the 0.5x magnification without teleconverter beats any other 70-200mm lens and adds another string to the bow of this versatile zoom lens. 

This is also a well-made and complex lens, with customizable function buttons and no fewer than five switches covering features such as a focus range limiter (including a new macro setting), full-time direct manual focus, SteadyShot optical stabilization and a zoom-lock that fixes the lens in its closed position when not in use – otherwise the lens barrel extends when zooming. 

Sony also says its new linear XD focusing technology, comprising four ‘high-thrust’ focus motors, increases autofocus tracking precision, even while zooming, and ultimately achieves what is 20% faster focusing than in the 2014 version. 

Camera tech has moved on in the 10 years since the original 70-200mm F4, too, and when you use the 70-200mm F4 II’s new focusing skills with a Sony camera equipped with the latest Bionz X processor and AI-autofocus chip, focusing is super intelligent, quick and reliable. For this review, the 70-200mm F4 II and A7C R have given me lightning-quick and reliable autofocus for photos and smooth video autofocus. 

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II: price and release date

The Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II lens costs $1,699 / £1,749 / AU$2,699 and includes a lens hood and removable tripod collar. It was available from August 2023. That's an understandable price increase given the improvements in this second-gen model, somewhere between the F4 original version, and the current pro-level Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 II version. 

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II: Image quality

An array of advanced aspherical and extra-low dispersion elements suppress lens distortion and render sharp detail, while the 9-blade aperture produces what Sony describes as ‘exquisite full-frame bokeh’. 

You can see from my self portrait below (taken remotely using the Sony Creators' app, at the lens' widest possible F4 aperture) that bokeh is smooth with no aberration or onion-ring distortion, while the shape at F4 is fairly round in the center of the frame, yet distinctly cat-eye in the corners. I’ve included cropped areas of the picture for a better look. 

If I were to take the exact same picture under identical conditions with Sony's 70-200mm F2.8 lens instead, or a prime lens with an even wider aperture, then bokeh would appear larger, and most likely even rounder. For an F4 lens, bokeh is actually very pleasant, but portrait specialists would choose an F2.8 or wider for that 'exquisite' bokeh.

Flare is also really well controlled in this backlit scene, and I’ve included a different macro photo of a spider and its web (in the same gallery) with stronger backlighting, and flare is mostly absent in that example, too. The included lens hood helps to reduce flare in these kind of scenarios.

A close look at the detail in the eye of the same self portrait reveals super-sharp detail, right where it matters. This single portrait photo alone displays many excellent attributes of what is an impressive telephoto zoom, paired with a reliable autofocus system in the latest Sony mirrorless camera.

Cast your eye over a wide range of photos, some of which are included in the gallery below to show the breadth of subjects you can capture, and it's clear the 70-200mm F4 II is a highly capable all-rounder. Image sharpness is maintained from the center to the edges of the frame, there's virtually no barrel or curvilinear distortion (the 70-200mm lens isn't known for either), and even in the corner of woodland photos with bright background light punctuating the tree cover, there's virtually no chromatic aberration. Put simply, there's very little fault to pick at in this excellent lens.

The image quality disparity between the pricier and heavier Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 pro lens and this second-gen F4 model has diminished somewhat and arguably the choice isn’t about overall image quality anymore – or even depth of field, because the F4 aperture gives an extremely shallow depth of field with a full-frame camera. Instead, it comes down to whether or not you need the extra stop of light, or particularly big bokeh.

Personally, I regularly rely on the wider F2.8 aperture for events and wedding photography in particular, where light is often dim. However, that Sony F2.8 lens is much heavier, and if you mainly shoot in daylight and would prefer a travel-friendly lens, then the F4 II is a no brainer.

Overall, the second-gen 70-200mm F4 lens is notably better - and more versatile - than its predecessor in almost every regard. The sting is the costlier list price, although it’s worth the extra money if you want a lighter lens better balanced with your Sony camera, together with its refined image quality and closer focusing. 

Should I buy the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II lens?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II lens

I've had my hands-on the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 lens on several occasions, for short and extended periods of time. I used it extensively while I was writing my Sony A7C R review, in a generous variety of scenarios that allowed me to fully test its capabilities. 

At a pre-launch event I was able to test its close-up photography opportunities with the 2x teleconverter that increases its maximum 0.5x magnification to 1.0x. I've also happily used the lens for macro shots without the teleconverter at my own leisure. 

It's been attached to the travel-friendly A7C R and A6700 cameras, making for an ideal size-match, and I've shot everything from portraits to landscapes with it, plus low light sequences that push the lens' AF motors. I've also used it for general travel photography, for which this lens is a lovely companion. 

First reviewed September 2023