Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS review

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS takes the weight off, but it doesn’t come cheap

Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS
(Image: © Sony)

Digital Camera World Verdict

For those that don’t demand a ‘trinity’ 70-200mm with a faster f/2.8 aperture, this f/4 lens is a more lightweight and easily manageable affair. It still comes with a heat-reflecting white paintjob and handling exotica aplenty but performance isn’t entirely great and it costs about the same price as independent 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms from the likes of Sigma and Tamron.

Pros

  • +

    High-end handling

  • +

    Good build quality

  • +

    Mostly good performance

Cons

  • -

    Pricey for a 70-200mm f/4

  • -

    Mediocre edge-sharpness

  • -

    Noticeable fringing and distortion

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The Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS delivers a classic telephoto zoom range, making it highly versatile for everything from weddings and events to sports and wildlife photography. Naturally, it’s an f/stop slower than 70-200mm f/2.8 ‘trinity’ zooms but the upside is a saving in weight and cost, at least compared with Sony’s own-brand trinity FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.