During 2021, Sony has been on a roll with the launch of some outstanding lenses, including the Sony 50mm F1.2 GM and the Sony 14mm F1.8 GM lenses. You can view sample images in my Sony 50mm F1.2 GM Gallery and Sony 14mm F1.8 GM Gallery. Well, Sony has done it again with the updated Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens!
With its latest-generation GM lenses, Sony seems to be able combine superlative performance (for example, in terms of sharpness) with low weight. The first-generation Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM lens weighs 1480g. The new Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens weighs an incredible 1040g and is even sharper than the original lens.
In my Canon days, the Canon 70-200mm F2.8 lens ended up in my camera bag most of the time as it was such a versatile lens, which was capable of great performance compared to the other Canon lenses available at the time. It’s wonderful to now have the same choice with Sony. With a maximum aperture of F2.8, the lens is capable of producing some nice bokeh, particularly at 200mm.
To test the lens, I took it to Cambridge to photograph my younger daughter taking place in the Emma Sprints rowing race on the River Cam. What stood out was the speed and accuracy of the autofocus when paired with my Sony A1 camera. It proved a superfast, super-accurate combination – ideally suited to sports.
While it was freezing cold at the time (which limited how many photos I took), I am looking forward to photographing more rowing competitions with the Sony 70-200mm GM II lens when it becomes a little warmer!
You can view my sample photos here:
Samples Images of the Sony 70-200mm GM II Lens
Cambridge University Rowing Gallery
I will add photographs to these galleries in due course.
Other pages you may be interested in:
Best Sony Mirrorless Lenses for 2022 | Sony 100-400mm GM Sample Images | Photographing the Battle Of Britain Air Show | Sony 14mm F1.8 Sample Images