Used Sony G Series 70-400mm F4-5.6 SSM II Lens

2021-10-12T20:00:00

I purchased this lens to use on my Sony alpha A77 & A57 cameras and I am so pleased I did. The images I have taken are so crisp and sharp, the autofocus is so quick and more to the point silent, a great plus point when photographing wild life. Another great feature is the zoom range and the images are so good right through the zoom range. As my cameras have cropped sensors this give the equivalent of 105 to 600 mm lens. The only down side is I now need to save up for a body with a full frame sensor

Snoquest

Originally posted at

2020-12-26T13:17:38

Love this lens! Amazing quality and image sharpness!

Ricardo S.

2020-10-13T14:24:02

Razor sharp and fast. Some have complained about the weight but there are plenty of much lighter lower quality lenses if you want something light.

Gary B.

2020-03-15T20:00:00

Bought this a few years ago and it's an amazing lens, which has won me a prize worth over €3000

Maryk

Originally posted at

2019-02-15T19:00:00

I travelled 400 miles return trip to get this Lens as it was the only one in the UK, and did not want it Being bumped about in delivery, worth every penny in fuel. I some times use a third party converter with it and it holds at F8. WELL WORTH THE MONEY IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT.

the c.

Originally posted at

2019-02-06T19:00:00

Got to be my favourite lens, pin sharp, smooth fast auto focus and fantastic clarity. Replaced my faithful Minolta zoom for this with no regrets. Fabulous on my Sony a99ii and super long and just as good on my a77ii.

Mal1958

Originally posted at

2018-10-15T20:00:00

I bought this lens to replace the mark 1 version that has given good service over the years from Svalbard to the Falklands and from Japan to Churchill. The new lens gives sharp results and good colour like the previous lens, but with improved autofocus speed. Here are a few photos with my new lens from a safari to the Masai Mara a week ago.

TomSMCC

Originally posted at

2018-08-22T20:00:00

Great additional lens solid well manufactured with good features a little heavy so may need support of mono stand or tripod

Dons S.

Originally posted at

2018-04-24T20:00:00

Although I haven't had time yet to extensively use and test my SAL 70–400mm F4–5.6 G SSM II, the test shots I have taken with my a99M2 and a77M2 show fantastic levels of sharpness and clarity with great colour and contrast. The lens also autofocuses when using my 3rd party, Kenko Pro 300 2x converter on the a99M2. As I mentioned I haven't used it extensively yet, but my only slight gripe is, I find the balance a little front heay at 400mm on the a99m2 with batterie pack/grip.

Aardwolf6886

Originally posted at

2018-01-13T19:00:00

I own a number of Sony lenses that I am very happy with but eventually bought the lens I really wanted for wildlife (and other) photography. The build quality of this lens is very good. The auto focus is also very fast and quiet and the picture sharpness and quality gives you a professional grade super zoom lens. I would definitely recommend this lens to anyone wanting the best possible results.

DeLemmon

Originally posted at

2017-08-18T09:53:13

Very nice lens, exceptionally sharp.

TOMMY S.

2017-07-25T20:00:00

A good lens, i use it for wildlife photography, the lens is easy to use, auto focus extremely fast and quiet .picture quality is excellent

Caknow

Originally posted at

2017-07-15T20:00:00

I've taken very few shots with this lens because it has failed twice. The focus (both manual and automatic) is stuck. This time it is stuck at about 40 ft. The first time stuck at less than 30 feet. I will have more spent in repairs than I have in the purchase of my other high quality lenses.

trs182005

Originally posted at

2017-06-02T16:48:07

The first really good zoom I have owned While heavier than expected, the pics I have shot in the short time I've used it screams....what took you so long! The reviews I read prior to purchasing the lens were right on and better capable of stating the case then I am

MARK T.

2017-05-11T07:01:08

Works for me in the way I wanted/expected though it is a little heavy but the weight actually helps me stabilize my camera when taking hand-held shots.

Teresa H.

2017-04-04T09:36:44

I use this lens on my A99II. It's a fantastic combo - fast and very accurate focusing, excellent sharpness, resolution, contrast and color. The color and contrast are as good or slightly better vs my Zeiss 24-70 F2.8 GII. I also prefer this combo vs my Canon 5DSR/L Series Zoom(s). As for downsides: 1. It's a tank (but extremely well built with high quality materials - at least as well built as my Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS II). 2. While seal is good on my A99II, I wish it was just a tiny fraction tighter. Overall, this is one of my favorite lenses.

Michael A.

2016-12-05T08:49:17

The focal length range from 70-400 is very useful when you spot a composition close in and are able to take with the 70mm. Also the F4 aperture is good up till about 120mm FL. Nice to have that extra exposure over other zooms that start at F4.5. Using the LAEA3, i find this lens quick to focus even at the long end. I'm using this lens on a A7rII. In crop mode, this lens is effectively a 600mm lens with 18mp. Finally, the lens is very sharp across the field. Also, the hood is long and therefore effective in keeping sun and rain off the outer lens. Of course, a plastic sleeve should be used if shooting in the rain. There's not anything i can think of i would change about this lens - love it.

PHILIP B.

2016-11-14T07:44:08

I use this lens on a Sony A77. Prime lens throughout, fast focus ,

KENNY N.

2015-09-14T20:00:00

Getting great results with this lens. Very sharp photos. Highly recommended.

thepars85

Originally posted at

2015-09-10T20:00:00

I bought it two months ago and its living up to all its expectations. It could do with a 1.4 converter.

Heron

Originally posted at

2015-09-10T20:00:00

Had this lens a few weeks ,quick to focus great range.As a wildlife photographer good at tracking birds in flight with a77 sharp wide open

woody10

Originally posted at

2015-06-27T20:00:00

i got the 70 > 400 just about 5 weeks ago & i am so glad i did , it is the best lens i have ever owned pic quality is second to none . Sony's done a real good job highly recommend this one .

snapperoo

Originally posted at

2015-05-26T20:00:00

I have used this lens a few times now and am very happy with the results. Auto focusing is very fast and quiet, the build quality is excellent. I am very happy with the resulting images.

Joe801

Originally posted at

2015-04-29T20:00:00

I do a lot of birds in-flight shots and am one of those who like to travel light without having to carry any pods with me. The lens is reasonably well built, compact enough and coping well on both static and dynamic shots throughout the zoom range while handheld. The focus is fast and sharp. It works extremely well with both A77V and A77 Mk2 when it comes to locking on and tracking a fast moving subject. A great lens to have and am glad that I bought it. One little nag is that the lens is not weather sealed and doesn't has a zoom barrel lock. Therefore, when you carrying it around with camera facing downward, the zoom barrel will slide out on its own. A risk of surface dusts being drawn back into the inner housing when the zoom is pulled back in. Sample images below were all taken handheld.

Lukias

Originally posted at

2015-04-06T20:00:00

The lens looks good and is good. I find the auto focus very quick and effective even hand held and the lens is heavy. Not a lens to be carrying long distances hanging from your neck!! A dream to use on a tripod, very pleased with build and picture quality.

gunner004

Originally posted at

2014-12-31T19:00:00

I used the original 70-400mm on a couple of occasions and received the new one as a Christmas gift from my father. The quality is sharp and focuses much faster then the original model. Even at 400mm the images come out sharp and crisp. The only complaint I have is there is no lock on the lens when your walking. It will zoom all the way out to 400mm so be prepared.

FliWayne

Originally posted at

2014-12-06T19:00:00

Bought this lens to replace an 80-200 f2.8 and 300mm f2.8 from my film days and to complement my Sony SAL 16-50 so that with these two lenses I can travel much lighter than previously. I wanted the extra reach of the 400mm end and the tripod collar so did not opt for the lighter 70-300. I received the lens a few days before a winter trip to Colorado and hoped I would be able to get familiar with it quickly. I do shoot the occasional bird or wildlife image but I use the lens primarily for landscape work and extracting compositions from larger scenics. I also plan to use it to shoot butterflies and dragonflies in our garden. It is used on A77 and A700 bodies. I'm very impressed with the build quality and fit and finish of the lens. My trip included stops at Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Rocky Mountain national parks. The temperature was consistently below freezing at all three places and well below zero in the mountains at sunrise above 11,000 feet. Despite the lack of weather sealing I had no issues with the blowing sand of the dunes or the blowing and falling snow in the mountains. The tripod collar allows quick transitions from portrait to landscape orientation and because I do use a polarizer for most of my outdoor work I found the window in the hood allowing access to the filter rim to be extremely useful. The hood itself is light and I might question its long term durability but it fits securely and clicks in place assertively. This lens and my 16-50 are the first lenses I've had with the SSM focusing motor/system and I'm blown away by its speed and silent operation. I'm very much looking forward to using it on butterflies in the spring. This is a heavy lens but no more than I expected and still considerably lighter than my 300. My only mild complaint is the lack of a zoom lock like the one on the 16-50. I often carry the tripod mounted rig over my shoulder and with the lens pointed down it will zoom all the way out. Because of that I would rate it 4.95 instead of a perfect 5 stars but do highly recommend this lens. Will review its butterfly performance once the opportunity presents itself.

WILLIAM F.

2014-11-16T19:00:00

bought to replace sigma telephoto lens, i have already noticed how much quicker this lens focuses and how much better the detail is it was well worth buying this lens

thorpy

Originally posted at

2014-11-13T19:00:00

I bought this as a supplement to my 70-200 f2.8 to get extra."reach" for those distant subjects. I did wonder about the logic of owning two zooms with similar ranges but this lens is so sharp it rivals my 24-70 Sony Zeiss so I am certain it was a good idea. I don't think its been off my camera since I got it, it's that good!

RickyD01

Originally posted at

2014-11-06T19:00:00

Bought this specifically for wildlife and bird photography, so has proved great purchase with excellent build quality, fast autofocus and excellent colour reproduction on images

Goredolf

Originally posted at