I own this lens, and I do not own an APS-C camera. I use it with my A7R IV when I need more range than my 70-200 can give me. And for that exact reason, I really love it's compactness, modern AF motors, stabilization and sharpness.
Is the a7r IV better in crop mode than a6600? Cause wanted to upgrade my a6100 to a6600, but its out of stock everywhere, was thinking about a7r IV instead, but don't know if its any upgrade if I would use in crop mode mostly with my 70-350
@@Patrick-vi9xr A7R IV has 28MP roughly in crop mode and better dynamic range than a6600. Also more dials and buttons and a higher quality EVF. But autofocus should be pretty much the same. It's a large price difference, so it may not be worth it. It might be worth waiting for a new crop sensor body or just get on a waiting list for the a6600 or try and find one used.
I have a question, can you force using this lens in full frame mode? (setting the non auto super35 mode) If its the case, could you provide images how does the image circle looks in a few focal lengths?
In two months is the departure of the cruise ship in direction of Antarctic. It will be my lifetime adventure in my 74 years. After watching your videos you convinced me to buy this lens additional to the Sony a6400 with the lens 18-135 mm. Thanks for the reviews, it's exactly, what I was looking for.
I've had this great lens for a few years now. First used on a a6000 and now on a6600. It was so great to see Sony release a great quality longer focal range lens for APS-C. Makes such a great relatively small setup at a reasonable price compared to going down the full frame route.
For any owner of A6400 or A6600, this is a must lens. For bird photography this combined with these APS-C bodies is a perfect handheld combination. Its so handy that can be taken along during any trip.
This review just confirms my feeling about this lens. As an old bird photographer with bad back and knees, this lens alone has kept me in the Sony system. I totally agree with you about the need for Sony to bring out an upgraded, sports oriented, APSC body. I bought this lens to go with my crop bodies (currently A6600) but I predominately shoot it an my A7IV because of the big improvement in AF and tracking. Even with the sacrifice of 10mp in image size, it's worth it to me. Maybe the A7R V will be my ultimate solution if it includes the top of the line AF.
Though the A7-IV has better autofocus, the A6600 is a more than capable sports and wildlife camera. I shoot all my birdphotography with the A6600, because the AF is fast and accurate and the crop size sensor gives me extra reach.
@@MoLetalis Agreed., but what a difference a year makes. I'm now the proud owner of an A6700, and once again, Sony has greatly improved the AF for us birders. Pretty soon, I'm going to have to stop blaming the AF for my mediocre bird photos!🤪
Love this on my A7iii and A7iv, and A7Rii. On these FF bodies, compared with the 200-600mm, other than slightly less DOF a7 525mm equivalent, compared to the 600mm full frame and the APSC size images, it is just astounding. It is used more than the 200-600mm these days! No back ache!
You're my go to channel for lenses Dustin. I bought this lens for my A6500 a few months ago, and I'm astounded by it. I got it used, less than a year old without a scratch for $700 CA. I hummed and hawed for about three hours before I hit the request to purchase on Kijiji. A real sleeper where there's very little reviews on it on RU-vid. Thanks!
Nice review, and yes its true this is a great lens, i have one on my new A6700. Went to a zoo with this combination and the AI focus with this lens gave me superb photos!
This was a good lens on the a6000. It really comes to life on the a6700 with the updated ai autofocus. The 20-70 G on a full frame and this lens on a crop body make an amazing landscape/walk around combo.
Love this lens, purchased it 2 weeks ago for my Sony a6400. I have the 55-210 but couldn't keep up when shooting in continuous mode. The 70-350 has no problem with its focus motor keeping up wow. For Canadian's if you purchase this in Alberta (The Camera Store for instance) you can save almost $100 on taxes. I live in British Columbia and the lens would have cost me $1,129.99 taxes in, buying online in Alberta it was only $1048.95 taxes & shipping included via Canada Post. Great Review as always Sir. D. Abbott.
Thank You Dustin, Hearing your critique and high praise complete my research in order to purchase the Sony 70-350mm G lens. I am so impressed with my Sony A6600, coming over from Fuji XT-1, Nikon D300, etc. You're the best in in-depth, and real world photography reviewers. Kudos.
Owned it, never used it, sold it - 1 1/2 years later I just ordered it again. In Germany it was just sold for dirt-cheap 498€ / USD 540 incl. taxes after cashback - new, by most of the established retailers. Beyond, great review, now looking even more forward having this lens (again).
If Sony came out with a stacked sensor APSC body it would seize the day and lenses like this would be a popular option. Even if it was $2500 I would buy one for birding
God same. I shoot professionally with an A7iv but I really want a stacked sensor apsc for wildlife. Only option is the fuji H2s but that's a whole other lens system.
Isn’t that what you get in crop mode on a FF sensor (e.g.a7IV)? I’m leaning this direction simply due to being 1/3rd the weight of the most recent Tamron FF telephoto. Being older, weight of gear has become a real factor.
In your review of the Tamron 18-300, you said this Sony 70-350 lens is about 10% sharper on the MTF and that it's stronger optically. Would you say the difference in sharpness is visually notable? (For a hobbyist.) I plan to use it to shoot wildlife/birds but also to walk around a city and get architecture details. I just find the price of the Tamron to be a bit more appealing (found one at $450). Also the fact that I don't have to relegate it to being a dedicated telephoto lens, because it starts at 18mm and not 70mm. I just don't want to give up optical performance for cost reasons alone, i'm unsure "how much" of a disparity there is in the real world results between the two.
I too own this lens and from my perspective it is everything Dustin says. I also have the 18-134 Sony zoom, which is almost as good. I do wish they would bring it out in a G Master series. I too am particularly waiting anxiously for a new Sony APS-C camera - like a 6700R and a resolution north of 50 Megs and also a higher resolution viewfinder. Cheers .
Great review! Bought this lens few weeks ago, love it for fast AF and really compact size, but mine copy of 70-350 gives often a lot of CA if I shoot wide open, it isn't as clean as in your review, need to close to F8 to get clean images. Before 70-350 I tried tamron 70-300 because it was way cheaper, while sharpness is similiar for both lenses, the faster AF, stabilization and smaller size of 70-350 makes it much better for my a6100 ;).
This lens is the apsc gem in E-mount and I think if it was only a couple of hundred dollars cheaper it could be a system seller by it's own. I can't agree more about the lack of real sport and wildlife oriented apsc camera with better ergonomics and even higher specs than A1! Let's hope it's gonna happen this year finally when it's already too late!
Have you tried shooting at 30fps with the A1 with it? I wonder how good it performs. Also, the image circle covers the FF sensor until about 186-ish mm. So it's more useful than we think, it doesn't need to be always used in APS-C mode.
This lens basically covers 70 to 525 mm on one lens which is ridiculous and almost on par with the new Sigma 60-600, for a small fraction of the weight and size.
Just an excellent review - I will buy this to round out my lens system for my 6400 and 6500. This should be way better than the old heavy manual Sigma 75-300 4.5 - 5.6 I have.
Hi Dustin, great review as always. How would you compare this lens on A7RIV with Tamron 150-500? Does an additional resolution warrants the weight and size difference? I would mostly use it for comprised landscapes and occasionally for large wildlife.
Hello Dustin, thank you very much for this review. Some other reviews mention that this lens actually has a near FF image circle especially at the wider ends. I wonder if you'd perhaps be willing to take the trouble to test it and comment on the quality of it when used in FF mode on a FF sensor. Regardless, many thanks for your reviews and hard work.
@@DustinAbbottTWI did Sony send this to you to review or did you ask for it first? If sony sent it first, its interesting. What are they upto? Drumming up interest in apsc again recently. First with the 3 new lenses , then they restarted selling a6400, 6100 and even 6600 and a7c is back in stock. And now they are sending experts to review their apsc lenses. Perhaps something is cooking in sony lab in apsc department and thats interesting.
Thanks for the excellent review! I've been considering this for my own A6600. The two comparisons that I've been hoping someone would make would be to the Fuji XF 70-300mm, which I'm very pleased to hear you have in house, and the Tamron f/2.8-5.6 28-300 Di III RXD for full frame. The latter may seem like an odd comparison, but on APS-C the 42-300mm FF equivalent zoom reach has some focal range overlap. If sweet spot advantage comes into play for the Tamron, and it might given its MFT diagram, there's a chance it could provide better performance in the overlapping focal range. That's while also providing very useful wide end coverage and a much shorter minimum focus distance...but losing OSS and the extra reach.
Great video, thanks. This lens is on my wish list and it's interesting that the price here in Canada is still CAD $999 which is the same price in the USA. That equates to ~ CAD $1332 at today's exchange rate. Amazing that the Canadian price is so much lower here. Quite unusual to see.
Unfortunately i sold this lens when i thought i was moving from sony to Fuji. Big mistake. Now Im having to buy back my lenses. This is one that I miss.
@@DustinAbbottTWI right now im on the 28-200 on the a6600 and is considering if i should trade it for a 70-350 if its sharper or keep the 28-200 incase I upgrade to a ff later on.
Thank you for the review. I just started my photography journey and I have this lens with the A6700. May I ask what setting you used to capture the flying ducks?
I have this lens for Sony A6600. I’m pleased with the results, but I’m wondering if the Sony 209-600 would be worth investing in for Sony A7IV. I love my first full frame camera, but have no telephoto lens yet. I hear crop is better than full frame due to extra reach. Is full frame telephoto better in your opinion?
I really love the 200-600mm. It's obviously a whole other size of lens, but using that internal zoom in the field is fantastic, and if you pair it with a good focusing camera it can do wonders.
Excellent review! Thanks! Can you compare it to the Tamron 70-300? This would be my alternative choice with the opportunity to shoot it with a FF camera later on.
I'm afraid I've got many other projects I've moved on to, so I can't go back to more comparisons, but I will say that the Tamron is also very good optically and reasonably sized for a full frame lens covering this focal length. The biggest Tamron weakness would be a lack on in lens stabilization, so you're relying on IBIS, while the Sony will be a bit smaller, has a slightly larger focal range, and has in lens stabilization.
What do you mean by "putting a focus point" referring to the pic of your cat? I'm noticing the same thing when there are branches or other objects are in the way of the subject.
Did you compare raw footage without lens correction in the video? I own that lens and raws have awful chromatic aberration without correction. They are nothing like in this video. After applying correction (or using jpeg format) everything starts to look more or less normal. I wonder if this is normal for this lens.
Hi, thanks for this. I'm french. I see on documentation of ILCE-7RM2 (ALPHA 7 R II) this "If you attach an APS-C compatible lens to the camera and set [APS-C/Super 35mm] to [Off], shooting may fail." What is your advice ?
Thanks for the video, I own the Sony 70-350mm G and also the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM MK2 and I bought the Sony 2X teleconverter to use it with the 70-200mm and sell the 70-350mm, but for surprise Mine, the 70-350mm at 350mm at f/6.3 and f/8.0 is so much sharper than the Sony 70-200mm + Tele 2X at 400mm at f/ 5.6 and f/ 8.0. I do not know what to do now! I think I'll return the 2X. I like about the 2X is the great magnification at the long end. what would be your advice? Thanks.
Good question. They are both very high performing lenses, though obviously designed for two different sensor sizes. I would probably choose the lens that suited my camera
@@DustinAbbottTWI Thank you, Dustin. I already own the 70-350 and would get only $500 if I sold it to B&H, so I'd lose $500, but that would pay for the Tamron. Ain't photography fun? 😉
It really depends on what you want to do with the lens. If you want to do travel or general purpose, the 18-300 makes sense. If you want a dedicated action/sports lens, go with the Sony
@@sbsid1994 I tested Sony 70-350. It makes sharp photos. However it is too 'zoomy' for me. I realized that I dont need a zoom lens and sent it back. If 70mm not to close for you (to begin with) I would buy it. If not buy the Tamron. The most important decision is if you need a zoom lens
@@aydin.berlin I agree . ..I tested 70 mm focal length for shots ans 70 mm itself isn't as bad but with the crop factor it's actually 105 which make it hard to focus on a spot .. especially smaller things like butterflies or squirrels. 18 pushes you back enough so you can quickly fill it in the frame and zoom at the right time to not miss the shot. I discarded all the bigger zoom lenses for the same reason and also the weight in their case.
Hi Dustin, i can’t decide which lens to take, 70-350mm or 70-200mm F4. I am planning to do soccer game photos mostly 5pm-7pm Is this 70-350mm lens can do the job well enough for this kind of situation? Thank you
Hi Dustin. I shoot on the A6000 and I am considering buying this lens. I'm planning though to switch to a full frame Alpha next year. Should I buy the Sony FE 70-300mm then ? On my A6000 will it be equivalent optically ? I know that with the crop mode on the A7IV or A7RIV I'll be able to use the E 70-350mm though. I just want the best lens out of the two, even if I have to compromise for about a year with a lens that is not specifically developped for APS-C. Thanks in advance !
I'm considering this lens for my a7IV full-frame Sony camera. As I'm getting older, I like the idea that it's only 1/3rd the weight of the Tamron FF telephoto that's been reviewed here. Is anyone else using it with their larger Sony a7? (PS. I have an extra copy of a Batis 85mm (mint condition) that I need to apply to purchasing the Sony 70-350mm. Does anyone need one?)
Hi Dustin, considering only AF speed/accuracy and image sharpness, which lens would you buy? Sony 70-350mm G or Tamron 150-500mm VXD. My cameras are Sony a7IV and zv-e10 (APS-C). Thank you very much!
Hmmm, the Sony probably has a very slight edge in both metrics, but the Tamron could be more effectively used on both cameras if need be. The Sony is the much better size match to the ZV-E10.
It was designed in continuation with 18-105 f4 G lens - both having OSS too (and distortion) given that many aps-c bodies did not have IBIS. I did consider it for the a7r4 but as the r4 has ibis the OSS was redundant. Also given that the FF tamron lens (500+gms) had come out. I had earlier adapted SLR Voigtlander lenses - also light(500+) & giving more light tho MF. I do feel that the lens is overpriced because it had and still has a monopoly in the aps-c light OSS mode. The FF G 70-300 is better in terms of optics and came out at a far lower price. And given the a7c -sony is not that interested in the aps-c line whose compact advantage is now minimal.
@@DustinAbbottTWI In relative terms - it was one of their early lenses & their cameras did not have the high res or AF systems - when they brought out the 70-350 the lens design was more developed for mirrorless - distortion/software integration & they were making it as a packet for the sony aps-c. In all fairness to sony now they are giving us lenses of optimal quality from size -optics -af at albeit high but fair prices - also allowing for 3rd party to make lenses for less but perhaps not at the same level. In this case they still have a monopoly & they still don't have a modern ff 300. So the choice is either the500gms(500$) tamron or the aps-c sony. A FF lens on a high res body means that one crop it however one wants or use it one the aps-c mode. I wonder what your assessment would be
Hi Dustin, I own and like Sony 70-350, but I would not call it's stabilisation as much effective. It's rather about 2, maybe 2.5 stops in my amateur testing (at 350mm). Are you sure about those 6 stops?
Tried handheld photo with a6100 + tamron 70-300, never had a chance do to sharp photo at @300mm with less than 1/80s with tamron, while with sony 70-350 (@350mm) I could do sharp photo with 1/16s, so i think stabilization is working really good in this lens, but it's my only lens with stabilization, so I have no real comparison.
@@Patrick-vi9xr You seems to be rock steady man 😁. 1/80 at 300mm (450mm FF eq.)? Another question is what you count as sharp photo and what is your % success at those speeds.
@@MrMartinek99 Im surely far from rock steady :D, Im not shooting that low shutter often, it was more for testing purpose to see what the lowest shutter I can do while handheld, % of sharp photos at that low shutter will be around 15%(sony 1/16s, tamron 1/100s), around 75%(sony 1/250s, tamron 1/640s) around 90% (sony 1/500s, tamron 1/1000s), that is for still objects at maximum focal, for fast moving birds I need to use 1/500s or higher, no matter if its sony or tamron.
Hi Dustin. How would this lens compare to the Tamron 18-300 for Sony e mount? In particular, over the 70 to 300 range that they can both cover? I'm interested in one of these 2 lenses for my Sony A6400. Thank you
