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70-200mm	$2,798 average price

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Hands-on Review

Can Sony improve upon one of its original G Master lenses with its first Mark II version?

by Jeremy Gray | Posted 10/13/2021

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 156mm, f/2.8, 1/640s, ISO 125. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Sony has announced its first Mark II version of a G Master lens, and the company selected a popular lens to update, the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM. The new 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens incorporates numerous new features and improvements, including a lighter design, better controls, a new 11-blade aperture unit, a faster autofocus system, improved performance when recording video, and more.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/640s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The original 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lens released in 2016, and since then, Sony has developed significant advancements across multiple areas, including optical design and autofocus performance. Sony believed its progress across these key technologies justified making a mark II version of the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lens. However, the new lens isn't replacing the old one. They will coexist in Sony's lineup, at least for now.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/250s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Ahead of the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II's announcement, we were able to go hands-on with the new lens alongside the Sony A7R IV and Sony A1 cameras. These cameras put the new optic's resolving power and improved autofocus performance to the test.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/4, 1/125s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II key features

• 65th Sony E-mount lens
• First mark II G Master lens
• Full-frame telephoto zoom with constant f/2.8 aperture
• Physical controls for zoom, focus and aperture
• New OIS mode 3 option
• 29% lighter than its predecessor at 1,045g
• New optical design with 17 elements in 14 groups
• Includes 2 ED, 2 Super ED, 1 aspherical element and 1 XA element
• New autofocus system with dual floating focus groups and 4 linear actuators
• Up to 4x faster AF than original 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lens
• $2,799.99 USD / $3,499.99 CAD

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 200mm, f/3.5, 1/500s, ISO 125. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Lens design and handling: A surprisingly lightweight lens with excellent build quality

The first thing you notice when you pick up the new 70-200mm II lens is its weight. And by that, I mean that it doesn't feel heavy at all. It is a very lightweight 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. The new version is 435g lighter than the original 70-200mm f/2.8 GM, an impressive 29% weight reduction. To have a lighter lens that simultaneously performs better is quite the accomplishment by Sony's engineers.

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens has the same dimensions as the original 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens. However, the new verson has an aperture control ring, a few new bells and whistles and weighs 29% less.

The 1,045g GM II lens has essentially identical dimensions as the original 70-200mm GM. The lens is 200mm (7.87") long, and its maximum diameter is 88mm (3.46"). The lens has a 77mm filter thread. Taking a quick look at the lens, it looks identical to the original. There are some differences, though, including a new OIS Mode 3 option. When you pick up the lens, after immediately noticing the weight difference, you may also notice that the zoom ring has improved torque. It's swift and smooth to rotate through the zoom range. The wide ridged rubber focus ring feels good too.

The new lens includes SteadyShot Mode 3. There's also an IRIS LOCK switch beneath it. There are a lot of switches on the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II lens.

You'll also notice the new dedicated aperture control ring. It feels nice and can be set for clicked or smooth (de-clicked) modes. I like using it clicked, but the smooth ring rotation may be better for video applications. So unlike its predecessor, the new lens lets you adjust focal length, focus and aperture all via dedicated controls. The aperture can also be locked to 'A' using the IRIS LOCK switch on the lens. And the aperture control ring directly controls the aperture diaphragm. The lens isn't communicating with the camera first, but rather, it's offering direct electronic control of the aperture.

The aperture control ring can be clicked or smooth. The ring feels great in use. The focus and zoom rings also feel excellent. The zoom ring has a revised torque mechanism and the resulting rotation is smooth and quick.

For comparison, the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens is only 25g heavier than the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 II and is smaller when collapsed at only 146mm (5.74") long. Granted, the lens extends when zooming, which impacts the overall balance of the lens in the hands. The Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lens weighs 1,360g and is slightly longer than the Sony zoom at 220mm (8.66"). The Nikon lens has a nice OLED information panel, something the Sony lens lacks, but that's unlikely to be a huge selling point for many photographers. All three lenses deliver strong performance, but it is interesting to see the overall size and shape difference.

The lens hood has a new design. There's a rubber edge and there's a sliding door to access a screw-on filter (77mm).

I've already discussed how light the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II lens is, which is great, but it also balances very well, making it feel even lighter in practice. The build quality feels very good, too. The lens is sealed against dust and moisture, and the front element has a fluorine coating.

The little details of the lens's design pay dividends. The lens includes a focus limiter switch, a focus mode switch, including with DMF option, and a revised lens hood. The lens hood has a sliding door to easily rotate a filter while the hood is attached, which is a nice touch. It also has a rubberized edge, improving durability. The Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II looks and performs like a professional lens, and importantly, it feels like one too.

Image quality and performance: Superb sharpness headlines overall impressive image quality

The Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens incorporates 17 elements in 14 groups. This is significantly fewer elements than the original GM lens, which has 23 elements in 18 groups. Sony's progress with glass is on full display with the new, more efficient design. Less glass equals less weight, and more advanced optical design means, all else equal, improved image quality.

Shot on Sony A1 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/500s, ISO 1600. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The GM II includes two ED lenses, two Super ED elements and an aspherical ED element. Plus, it has an XA element. The original GM lens includes the same types of elements, although in greater quantities. The new version includes Nano AR Coating II to suppress ghosting and flare.

How do these elements impact actual image quality? In real-world testing and in my typical outdoor test scene, the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II lens excelled. It is a remarkably sharp lens. Let's take a closer look.

All the crops seen below are 100 percent crops from raw image files converted in Adobe Camera Raw using default settings and built-in lens correction profiles enabled. I have selected specific images to show, but you can download the full-size raw files for each test scene and aperture in the Gallery.

70mm

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/2500s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 70mm - full scene. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

At 70mm, image quality is excellent. Looking at the entire frame, there's a minor vignette. It's barely noticeable and not at all distracting. At f/2.8, aberrations are well controlled, too. The railing in the foreground occasionally brings out purple fringing or longitudinal chromatic aberration (LoCA), but the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II exhibits excellent control of these optical issues.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/2500s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 70mm - 100% center crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/2500s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 70mm - 100% bottom right corner crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Considering sharpness, the lens is very sharp wide open in the center and extreme corner of the image area. The corner performance is excellent, especially considering that 70-200mm lenses sometimes struggle slightly at the wider end. The Sony doesn't struggle at all.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 70mm, f/4, 1/1250s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 70mm - 100% center crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 70mm, f/4, 1/1250s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 70mm - 100% bottom right corner crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Stopping down the lens increases overall sharpness slightly. It improves from excellent to "slightly more excellent." Stopping down to f/4 improves the consistency of exposure across the frame, eliminating the minor vignette you can see at f/2.8.

135mm

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 133mm, f/2.8, 1/2000s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 135mm - full scene. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

At 135mm (133mm, technically), the lens performs even better than at 70mm. There's no visible vignette and sharpness remains excellent. Control over aberrations also remains very good. I can't find any evidence of fringing or chromatic aberrations.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 133mm, f/2.8, 1/2000s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 135mm - 100% center crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 133mm, f/2.8, 1/2000s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 135mm - 100% bottom right corner crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

I don't think I can differentiate the f/2.8 and f/4 images in terms of center sharpness. There's perhaps a touch more contrast and punch in the extreme edge of the frame, but it's tough to tell even at 100% view on the files from the A7R IV. Excellent performance again from the 70-200mm GM II.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 133mm, f/4, 1/1250s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 135mm - 100% center crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 133mm, f/4, 1/1250s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 135mm - 100% bottom right corner crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

200mm

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/2000s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 200mm - full scene. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

At 200mm, which is where I found myself shooting quite a bit with the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II, performance is good, yet again. Like at the extremely wide end, there's a slight vignette, although I think it's even less noticeable than the already-barely-noticeable vignette at 70mm f/2.8.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/2000s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 200mm - 100% center crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/2000s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 200mm - 100% bottom right corner crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

While center sharpness remains excellent at f/2.8, I think that extreme corner performance is worse at 200mm than 70mm or 135mm (133mm). That isn't to say that the performance is bad, but there's slight a softness present at 200mm in the corners that isn't visible at other focal lengths. Stopping down helps a bit.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 200mm, f/4, 1/1000s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 200mm - 100% center crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 200mm, f/4, 1/1000s, ISO 100. Sharpness test shot - 200mm - 100% bottom right corner crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Nonetheless, performance at 200mm is very good. The peak detail level is really good at f/2.8. It's great that you can take full advantage of the lens's impressive resolving power without stopping down at all, allowing photographers to harness the light-gathering capabilities of the lens without any compromise in image quality.

Overall

The Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens delivers incredible image quality. The lens is sharp at f/2.8 from 70mm to 200mm. The only negative thing I can say about the image quality is that there's a slight vignette when shooting wide open at the extreme focal lengths and minor corner softness at 200mm, and that is about as nitpicky as it gets. The lens's resolving power and control over aberrations is excellent. Is a part of this fantastic performance due to fancy software corrections in-camera? Perhaps. Regardless of precisely how Sony pulled it off, the combination of intelligent optical and software design results in top-notch imaging performance that is nothing short of fantastic.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 95mm, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 400. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Autofocus: Amazing autofocus performance across the board

Sony is breaking new ground with its first GM II lens by including four XD Linear Motors for autofocus. The 70-200mm GM II is the first large-aperture tele-zoom lens with four linear AF actuators. The impact of the novel autofocus system in real-world use is significant, as autofocus is incredibly fast on the A7R IV and A1 cameras.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 175mm, f/2.8, 1/640s, ISO 250. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The lens acquires focus very quickly and is swift when adjusting to a moving subject. It's also very accurate. Sony promises an improved hit rate, and for what it's worth, I am very impressed by the hit rate I achieved during my hands-on time with the zoom.

Part of the reason for improved AF speed is the new optical design. The lens's focusing groups are in two smaller independent groups, allowing for faster autofocus. It's difficult to overstate just how quick the focus is when shooting. Sony says it's about four times faster in internal testing. I can't comment on that, as I didn't have access to the original GM lens during my testing, but I can say that the GM II is incredibly fast. At least when zooming, the focus tracking performance is improved, too, by up to 30%.

Shot on Sony A7R IV at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/500s, ISO 2000. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Although I'm not a big video shooter, the new lens is worth discussing within the context of videography. The new autofocus system should deliver reduced focus breathing, reduced focus shift while zooming, and reduced axis shift while zooming. This all adds up to a lens that will be a better choice for video work than the original GM lens. Not to mention that the GM II's lighter weight could be a big deal when working on a rig.

Shot on Sony A1 at 173mm, f/3.5, 1/640s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Considering close-focus performance, the GM II lens focuses to 0.4m at 70mm and 0.82m at 200mm. The maximum magnification is 0.3x, which is better than the original GM lens, which has a max magnification of 0.25x. It's not a macro lens, but its close-focusing capabilities are nonetheless impressive. It opens quite a few possibilities with different types of photographic subjects.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/250s, ISO 800. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The lens includes Sony's Direct Manual Focus (DMF) technology, and its focus ring offers linear rotational focus. The focus ring has a nice feel, and manual focusing feels natural and easy to do. The autofocus is so good that there are very few times I would want to focus manually, but if I did, the lens would be up to the task.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/50s, ISO 160. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Overall, the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens delivers upon its promise of top-notch autofocus performance. It is excellent. The lens focuses extremely quickly and very accurately. It handled everything I threw at it with aplomb, including low-light AF, close-up focusing, subject tracking, and more. I have perhaps never been quite as impressed with a lens's autofocus capabilities.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/500s, ISO 320. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

In the field: Many improvements make the lens especially fun to use

Beyond an improved design, new optical design and advanced autofocus performance, the 70-200mm GM II incorporates a new 11-bladed aperture unit. The new aperture unit combined with the XA element, which is built to surface precision down to 0.01 microns, delivers good bokeh.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/200s, ISO 250. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The out-of-focus area is soft, and out-of-focus highlights are mostly circular, smooth and free from distracting aberrations. As you get nearer the edge of the frame, bokeh is less circular and a bit more oblong, but it's far from poor performance. When you get close to your subject, which is fairly easy with the impressive close-focusing distance, bokeh is even more impressive. Out of focus objects both in front of and behind the subject are rendered nicely.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/250s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Unsurprisingly, the lens includes optical image stabilization (OIS). The lens includes three OIS modes. Mode 3, not available on the original 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lens, adds even more stability and keeps the viewfinder image very steady. The image stabilization mode works well across the board, although I often stick with the standard mode 1. Nonetheless, the more options, the better.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Using the lens is a generally enjoyable experience. The lightweight design pays dividends when out in the field. When shooting from my kayak, having a lightweight lens is great. It's an easy lens to handhold for extended periods.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/8, 1/200s, ISO 200. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Working on a tripod with the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II lens is good too. The lens has a removable tripod foot that is robust and rugged. There's a locking dial to rotate the lens around its foot, and there are four markings every 90 degrees. A good tripod foot doesn't seem too important until you've used a bad one, and the Sony has a good one.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/8, 1/1000s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Another design element that is helpful in the field is the new lens hood. The reversible lens hood is easy to put on and remove, but it also includes a sliding door slot to allow filter rotation while using the lens hood. For someone like me who loves shooting with polarizing filters, this is a helpful feature.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 160. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The 70-200mm focal length range is a versatile one. The 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II works well for a wide range of photography applications. The combination of an f/2.8 aperture and excellent autofocus means the 70-200mm lens is good for sports and event photography. It's also good for wildlife, although 200mm is a bit short for many wildlife opportunities. The lens is compatible with Sony's 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, of course, which would be worthwhile additions to a kit.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/640s, ISO 200. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

With nice bokeh and a good close-focusing distance, the lens also works well for many different portrait situations, including full-body, half-body and close-up portraits. Paired with Sony's good eye-detect autofocus and tracking, it's a great portrait lens.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/500s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Although not often thought of as a traditional landscape lens, a 70-200mm lens can work well for landscapes. In the case of the new Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II, the excellent image quality and good control of aberrations and vignette make it a great choice for landscape and nature photography.

Shot on Sony A1 at 70mm, f/8, 4s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

There's no doubt that the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens is a great lens to use in the field. It is lightweight and well designed. It's also well-suited to a wide range of situations.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/200s, ISO 200. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Hands-on Review Summary

A fantastic upgrade to an already excellent zoom lens

What I like most:

• Good build quality and design
• Excellent image quality
• Very sharp wide open
• Excellent autofocus
• Good close-focusing performance
• Well-suited to many photographic situations

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/3.5, 1/640s, ISO 100. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

What I dislike:

• I wish bokeh was more circular across the frame
• Expensive

As you can see by my 'What I dislike' list above, there's very little not to love about the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens. It is a fantastic lens. The excellent performance comes at a steep price, but not one that's incommensurate with its peers. Should everyone spend nearly $3,000 on a 70-200mm zoom? No, of course not. But for those who choose to buy it, it's money well spent.

Shot on Sony A1 at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/200s, ISO 320. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

• • •

Pricing and Availability

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS G Master II lens is scheduled to go on sale in December 2021 with a retail price of $2,799.99 USD ($3,499.99 CAD).