The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II and the Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II is the longer of the two lenses at 196mm. The Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G with a length of 142mm, is 54mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G's 77mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G weighs 625g, 58% (875g) lighter than the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II's weight of 1500g.
Filter Threads
The Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G:
Lens Mounts
The Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has the Sony Alpha lens mount whereas the Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G has the Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount and Sony ZV-E10 II, Sony A6700 and Sony FX30 for the Sony E Mount.
Focal Range
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a focal range of 70-400mm and
5.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 600mm.
On the other hand, the Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G has a focal range of 70-350mm and 5.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 105-525mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
