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Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II E Mount Review

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Main Features

  • 70-200mm Focal Range
  • F2.8 Max Aperture
  • Image Stabilization (up to 5.5 stops)
  • Weather-sealed
  • Filter Thread: 77mm
  • Max Format: 35mm FF
  • Sony E Mount
  • Weight: 1,045g / 2.30 lb
  • Dimensions(øxL): 88mm x 200mm
  • Min Focus Distance: 0.4m
  • Max Magnification: 0.3x
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Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Overview


Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is a Fixed aperture Auto Focus (AF) Telephoto Zoom lens with Optical Image stabilization and 35mm FF max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with E Mount cameras.

Sony replaced the older Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II vs Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS


What type of photography is the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens good for?

The type of photography that you are planning to use the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated its suitability to various photography scenarios:

Photography Type Suitability
Bird/WildlifeGood
SportsGood
PortraitAverage
TravelFair
StreetFair
WeddingAverage
Walk AroundAverage
VloggingPoor
LandscapeAverage
MacroAverage

Lenses in Sony E Mount with Same Focal and Aperture Range
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
Compare
35mm FF 1480gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is a member of Sony's GM series of lenses. GM stands for G Master and represents the top of the line lenses on the Sony E mount line-up. Below you can see the latest lenses in this series.

GM Series Lenses in Sony E Mount
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II
Compare
35mm FF 547gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 50mm F1.4 GM Lens Sony FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Compare
35mm FF 516gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
Compare
35mm FF 695gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
35mm FF 1045gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM Lens Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM
Compare
35mm FF 460gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM Lens Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM
Compare
35mm FF 778gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM Lens Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM
Compare
35mm FF 524gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM
Compare
35mm FF 847gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

Reasons to Buy Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II Lens

Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II lens in a list form to help you determine whether it offers the features you need.

PROs
Optical Image Stabilization (up to 5.5 stops)
Weather-sealed
Autofocus
AF/MF Switch on Lens
Aperture Ring
Stabilization On/Off Switch on Lens
Focus Range Limiter
Focus Hold Button
Iris Lock
Breathing Correction with Supported Cameras
De-click Switch
Compatible with Sony Teleconverters
Hood supplied
Filter Adjustment Window on the hood
Tripod Collar
Full-time Manual Focusing
Focus Distance Limiter
Internal Focusing
Fast Aperture at Wide end
Fast Aperture at Tele end
Constant f2.8 aperture throughout the range
Covers Full-Frame Sensor
11 Diaphragm Blades for Smooth Bokeh
Report a correction

Buy Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II from Amazon or B&H PHOTO


CONs
Heavy


Lens Mount

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is compatible with cameras that have a Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A7C Mark II, Sony A7CR and Sony A6700.

Sony A7C Mark II with Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens Size
Sony A7C Mark II with the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens
Sony A7CR with Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens Size
Sony A7CR with the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens
Sony A6700 with Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens Size
Sony A6700 with the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens

Size, Weight and Filter Thread

Size and weight is a very important decision factor when searching for your next lens. Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II has a maximum diameter of 88mm and total length of 200mm. It weighs 1045g / 36.9 oz.

Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II and Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM (Sony E mount) to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life. Check the detailed comparison of these two lenses here.

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II vs Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM Lens Size Comparison
Comparison image of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II and the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM Size and Weight

https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-inhand.jpg
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Size

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II has a filter thread of 77mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II:

  • 77mm Variable ND Lens Filters
  • 77mm Circular Polarizer Lens Filters
  • 77mm Clear Protection Lens Filters




Focal Range

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 300mm.

https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-controls.jpg
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens Controls



Teleconverter Compatibility

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is compatible with the Teleconverters below. With the use of these TC/extenders, you can find how the total focal reach and effective aperture of your Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II changes below:


Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Focal Range and Aperture Change with Teleconverter
Model Coverage with TC Aperture with TC Street Price
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter Lens Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter 98 - 280mm F3.92 Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 2x Teleconverter Lens Sony FE 2x Teleconverter 140 - 400mm F5.6 Amazon B&H Photo

Weather Sealings

https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-sealing.jpg
Weather Sealings of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II

The Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is a weather-sealed lens, which provides extra protection to prevent water and dust get inside the lens and camera body under light rain, snow and wind. In order to have effective protection, you have to pair the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II with a weather-sealed camera body such as the Sony A7C Mark II, Sony A7CR and Sony A6700.

Optical Image Stabilization

The Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II features an optical image stabilization system which helps to reduce the blur that occurs due to shaking during hand-held shooting. Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II's stabilization system is effective up to 5.5 stops.

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II also has a Stabilization On/Off switch on the lens body so you don't need to delve into your cameras menu to disable or enable the IS.

Lens Breathing Correction Compatibility

The Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is compatible with Sony cameras that features Breathing Compensation/Correction. This feature adjusts the size of the frame dynamically in-camera during video recording by applying a certain percentage of crop in order to minimize change in framing.

Sony cameras that has the Breathing Compensation/Correction feature are:

  • Sony Alpha A7C Mark II
  • Sony Alpha A7CR
  • Sony Alpha a6700
  • Sony ZV-E1
  • Sony Alpha A7R V

Tripod Collar

With a total length of 200mm and a weight of 1045g, the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is a large lens. Fortunately, it comes with a tripod collar which you can use to attach the lens directly to a tripod or monopod instead of attaching the camera. This connection helps to better balance the lens/kit combination.
https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-tripod-collar.jpg
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Tripod Collar

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II MTF Charts

Below you can find the MTF chart of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II which would give an idea of the its contrast and resolution from the center to its edges.


https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-mtf-chart-1.jpg
MTF Chart of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II

https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-focus-mechanism.jpg
Focusing Mechanism of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II

Zoom Method

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II features Rotary (internal) zoom method where the length of the lens doesn't change while you are zooming in or out. Even though this design has a size disadvantage in general compared to extending designs, it has the benefits of better sealing against dust and moisture, no zoom creep and no weight balance shift while zooming.

Maximum Magnification Ratio

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.3x and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.4m. For a non-macro lens, the 0.3x is considered a high magnification and will come handy for close-up shots.

Below are the 3 Telephoto Zoom type Sony E mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:

  • Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS II: 0.5x - (Compare)
  • Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6: 0.31x - (Compare)
  • Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM: 0.25x - (Compare)

Aperture

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is a fixed aperture lens with a constant max aperture of f2.8 from 70mm all the way to the 200mm .

Focal Length Max Aperture Min Aperture
70mm F2.8 F22
200mm F2.8 F22

Optical Formula

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II's optical formula consists of 17 elements in 14 groups . Following special elements are used in this design:

  • 1 XD extreme aspheric
  • 1 ED aspheric
  • 1 aspheric
  • 2 Super ED
  • 2 ED elements

https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-optical-structure.jpg
Optical Construction of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II

Lens Hood

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II comes with a removable cylindrical shaped lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos. The model number of the hood is ALC-SH167.

A practical feature found on Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II's lens hood is the Filter Adjustment Window which lets you adjust rotating filters such as Polarizers and Variable NDs filters without needing to remove hood.

https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-hood.jpg
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens Hood


What's in the Box of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II:

  • Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Lens
  • Sony Lens Hood for FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Lens
  • Sony ALC-F77S 77mm Front Lens Cap
  • Sony ALC-R1EM Rear Lens Cap
  • Removable Tripod Mount
  • Soft Case
  • Limited 1-Year Manufacturer Warranty
  • Body Colour

    Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II is available in White color.

    https://cameradecision.com/lenses/img/other/Sony-FE-70-200mm-F2.8-GM-OSS-II-withcamera.jpg
    Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Attached to a camera

    Popular Comparisons of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II

    Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Top Alternatives of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens
    Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
    Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Lens Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM
    Compare
    35mm FF 1,070 g / 2.35 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS
    Compare
    35mm FF 840 g / 1.85 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200 F2.8 VR S Lens Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200 F2.8 VR S
    Compare
    35mm FF 1,440 g / 3.17 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD Lens Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
    Compare
    35mm FF 815 g / 1.79 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
    Compare
    35mm FF 1,480 g / 3.26 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II Lens Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II
    Compare
    35mm FF 1,500 g / 3.30 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
    Compare
    35mm FF 1,395 g / 3.07 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
    Compare
    35mm FF 695 g / 1.53 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo


    **This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II Alternatives in Sony E Mount
    Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
    Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS II Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS II
    Compare
    35mm FF 794 g / 1.75 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS Lens Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS
    Compare
    APS-C / DX 345 g / 0.76 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS
    Compare
    35mm FF 840 g / 1.85 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
    Compare
    35mm FF 1480 g / 3.26 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD Lens Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
    Compare
    35mm FF 815 g / 1.79 lb AF Amazon B&H Photo

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    Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Detailed Specifications


    General
    Brand Sony
    Lens Type Zoom
    Lens Type Telephoto Zoom
    Lens Mount Sony E
    Max Format 35mm FF
    Focal Range 70-200mm
    Image Stabilization Yes
    Colour White
    Zoom Method Rotary (internal)
    Power Zoom No
    Zoom Lock No
    Zoom Ratio 2.9X
    APERTURE
    Max Aperture F2.8
    Min Aperture F22.0
    Aperture Ring Yes
    Diaphragm Blades 11
    Optics
    Optical Elements 17
    Optical Groups 14
    Special Elements 1 XD extreme aspheric, 1 ED aspheric, 1 aspheric, 2 Super ED, 2 ED elements

    FOCUSING
    Min Focus Distance 0.4m
    Max Magnification 0.3X
    Autofocus Yes
    AF Motor Type Linear Motor
    Full Time Manual Yes
    Focus Method Internal
    Focus Distance Limiter Yes
    Distance Scale No
    DoF Scale No
    PHYSICAL SPECS
    Weight 1045g
    Diameter 88mm
    Length 200mm
    Weather Sealing Yes
    Filter Thread 77mm
    Filter Notes -
    Hood Supplied Yes
    Hood Code ALC-SH167
    Tripod Collar Yes
    Report a Correction
    Frequently Asked Questions about Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
    is the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II a Weather-sealed lens?
    What is the Minimum Focusing Distance of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
    is the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II an Autofocus (AF) lens?
    What is the Filter Thread Size of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
    Does Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II have Image Stabilization?
    Does Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II have Aperture Ring?
    What is the Maximum Magnification Ratio of Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II


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