Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Performance Review
Comprehensive evaluation of the Sony telephoto zoom lens across key performance metrics
92
General
Weather-sealed metal mount, 1.04kg, includes lens hood
89
Optics
70-200mm zoom, OSS stabilization, 34°-12.5° angle
95
Aperture
Constant f/2.8, 11 rounded blades, f/22 minimum
96
Focus
Silent motor, 0.4m min distance, full-time manual
98
Benchmarks
53 P-MPix sharpness, 0.4% distortion, 3µm CA
88
Portability
1.04kg weight, 88mm filter size
93
Overall Score
The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II excels with professional-grade optics and constant aperture, though its 1.04kg weight affects portability. Outstanding focus performance and benchmark results make it ideal for professional photographers.
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Professional Telephoto Zoom Lens Specifications
Build Quality
Weather Sealing
✔ Splashproof
Protected against dust and moisture with enhanced seals
Lens Mount
Metal (Sony E)
Durable metal mount for secure attachment and longevity
Physical Specifications
Weight
1.04 kg
Lightweight magnesium alloy construction (30% lighter than previous model)
Filter Size
88 mm
Front element accepts standard circular filters
Features
Lens Hood
Included
Reversible petal-style hood for flare reduction
Front Element
Non-rotating
Maintains filter orientation during zooming
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Premium Telephoto Zoom Lens Technical Specifications
Optical Performance
Telephoto Reach
200 mm
The 200mm maximum focal length provides substantial magnification for isolating distant subjects while delivering a compressed perspective effect.
Wide-End Focal Length
70 mm
At 70mm, the lens captures a moderately wide field of view suitable for portraits and group shots while maintaining pleasing background separation.
Vibration Compensation
✔ OSS
Incorporating Sony’s Optical SteadyShot technology, this lens effectively counteracts camera shake to ensure sharp handheld shots even at slow shutter speeds.
Field of View (Wide)
34°
When zoomed to 70mm on APS-C cameras, the lens provides a 34-degree diagonal angle of coverage for capturing environmental portraits.
Field of View (Telephoto)
12.5°
At 200mm on APS-C bodies, the narrow 12.5-degree angle of view is ideal for tightly framed sports or wildlife photography.
Reproduction Ratio
0.3x
While not a true macro lens, the 0.3x maximum magnification enables detailed close-up photography of moderately sized subjects.
Zoom Ratio
2.9x
The 2.9:1 zoom range offers versatile framing options from medium telephoto to super telephoto perspectives.
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Professional Telephoto Zoom Lens Technical Details
Aperture Characteristics
Maximum Aperture
f/2.8
The large f/2.8 opening enables superior light gathering capability, permitting faster shutter speeds to minimize motion blur while creating pleasing background separation.
Telephoto Aperture Performance
f/2.8
Even at the 200mm telephoto setting, the lens maintains its bright f/2.8 maximum aperture for uniform exposure control and subject isolation across the zoom range.
Diaphragm Blade Count
11
The eleven-blade diaphragm mechanism produces exceptionally smooth out-of-focus areas, with the high blade count contributing to more circular bokeh patterns compared to lenses with fewer blades.
Curved Diaphragm Design
✔ Yes
Featuring precisely curved aperture blades, this premium lens creates more natural-looking defocused backgrounds with smoother transitions between in-focus and out-of-focus areas.
Minimum Opening (Telephoto)
f/22.0
When stopped down to f/22 at the long end, the lens achieves maximum depth of field for landscape work while preventing overexposure in bright shooting conditions.
Minimum Opening (Wide)
f/22.0
The f/22 minimum aperture at the wide end provides consistent exposure control throughout the zoom range while maximizing front-to-back sharpness when needed.
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Professional Telephoto Zoom Lens Technical Specifications
Focusing System
Infinity Focus Capability
✔ Yes
The lens achieves precise focus at infinite distances, crucial for landscape photography where both foreground and distant elements need to be sharply rendered.
Integrated Focusing Motor
✔ Yes
Equipped with an internal focusing drive system that enables autofocus functionality regardless of the camera body’s capabilities.
Instant Manual Override
✔ Yes
Allows immediate manual focus adjustment in autofocus mode without needing to switch modes, providing seamless control during shooting.
Quiet Focus Mechanism
✔ Yes
The lens incorporates a near-silent focusing system that operates quickly and discreetly, ideal for video work and quiet environments.
Closest Focusing Distance
0.4 m
With a minimum focus distance of 40cm, the lens can capture detailed close-up shots while maintaining excellent image quality throughout the zoom range.
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Professional Telephoto Zoom Lens Technical Specifications
Optical Benchmarks
Resolution Performance
53 P-MPix
Achieves excellent resolving power as measured by MTF analysis, indicating superior detail reproduction capability across the frame.
Color Fringing Control
3 µm
Demonstrates minimal chromatic aberration with only 3 microns of color separation, ensuring clean edges without noticeable fringing.
Overall Optical Rating
41
Earns a high composite score in standardized optical testing, reflecting its exceptional performance across multiple image quality metrics.
Geometric Accuracy
0.4%
Exhibits negligible distortion at just 0.4%, maintaining straight lines and accurate proportions throughout the image area.
Light Transmission
3.1 TStop
Maintains efficient light throughput with only 0.3 stops of transmission loss compared to its f/2.8 aperture rating.
Corner Illumination
-1.2 EV
Shows minimal light falloff at the edges (-1.2 EV), producing evenly illuminated frames with barely noticeable corner darkening.
