Every time a new camera or lens is released it feels like camera manufacturers receive orders that “exceeded expectations”. Sony has just announced the 300mm f/2.8 GM which was expected to be released in February 2024, but the company has had so many preorders placed it is already having to reassess the expected delivery.
When will camera manufacturers begin to anticipate much higher order volumes? I can’t remember the last time a mirrorless camera or exciting telephoto lens was announced, released and shipped on time. There always seem to be delays that leave customers waiting months (the Fujifilm X100V still has long wait times years after its release) for their order to arrive because demand has been so high. From a keeping-customers-happy-perspective it would make more sense to accommodate a higher number of orders than expected and have a few extras sat on the shelf ready to ship surely?
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Sony started accepting pre-orders for the Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens on November 16 and on the very same day it shared an announcement on the official Sony Japan site to warn customers “It may take some time for the product to be delivered”. The company also thanked customers for their patience and reassured customers it would respond to queries as quickly as possible.
News of this lens first surfaced in January 2023 when Sony announced it was in the developing stages. We were lucky enough to get our hands on it recently and were blown away by the image quality, build, and performance. It’s marketed as the world’s lightest 300mm f/2.8 lens but we can’t get over just how small it is - at only 265mm long and weighing 1,460g it’s not that much heavier than the Olympus M.Zuiko 300mm f/4 Pro (227mm, 1,270g) for Micro Four Thirds systems.
With a lightning-fast dual XD linear focusing system, optical image stabilization (although Sony hasn’t confirmed how many stops), a smooth focus ring, a customizable control ring and beautiful, circle bokeh, it’s no wonder this lens has been popular among the pros - especially since we’ve waited 15 years for it.
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