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Sony A long glass

Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I'm at a disadvantage here since I never shot Sonys long zooms past the 70-200. Forget price for a second what's the best they make I know they have a 70-300 and a 70-400 but which lens is better and lets go a step further better than the Sigmas and Tamron lenses. Also which works better now with the new A7rII. Certainly like to see them using the LA-E3 adapter too for the extra AF points and functions.
 
MikeEvangelist

MikeEvangelist

Member
I've especially wondered about how the Sony 70-400mm (mark II) would compare to the Tamron 150-600mm that I'm currently using. The Tamron starts to soften above about 400mm, so I thought the Sony might be an alternative. It's slightly faster, and if it's any sharper at 400mm, I could just crop when I need a bit more reach. It's also marginally smaller.
 
D

dmward

Member
Wondering the same thing.
150-600 and A3 adapter arrived Thursday afternoon and I've been doing some testing.
Its a nice lens. smaller than I thought it would be. Then I saw a used 70-400 GII and the same thoughts crossed my mind about overall performance comparison. Especially since I have time to decide about which lens to keep.
 
JMaher

JMaher

New member
Curious as well. I have 2 friends with the 150-600 and the result seem to be good but the 70-400 also seems like an interesting choice. These appear used often enough.

Jim
 
D

dmward

Member
Here is a link to comparison page on DPReview site.
They have reviews of both lenses so its possible to look at comparisons.
 
MikeEvangelist

MikeEvangelist

Member
dmward said:
Here is a link to comparison page on DPReview site.
They have reviews of both lenses so its possible to look at comparisons.
Click to expand...
Interesting. If I'm reading these correctly, looks like the 70-400mm isn't really any better than the Tamron (except vignetting). I was hoping for more.
 
D

dmward

Member
MikeEvangelist said:
Interesting. If I'm reading these correctly, looks like the 70-400mm isn't really any better than the Tamron (except vignetting). I was hoping for more.
Click to expand...
That's my take as well.
Distortion is a bit more as well.

Both easily corrected in Lightroom. So, no benefit to the Sony option I can see.
 
H

hcubell

Well-known member
Guy Mancuso said:
New version of that lens. Looks pretty good too

Sony 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G2 Telephoto Zoom Lens SAL70400G2 B&H
Click to expand...
Guy, I used the Sony A Mount 70-400 II zoom lens on the A7RII in Africa for over two weeks. Very impressed with it. I rented it from Lens Rentals. Though I don't have extensive experience with the Nikon and Canon equivalents, I do know a sharp file. I (think) I have attached a file shot at 400mm f/9 ISO 100 1/1600 second on a bean bag.
 

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J

Jim DE

New member
I own both the 70-400 G1 and the Tammy 150-600 but only use them on A mounts. The Tammy will stand toe to toe with the Sony at 7.2 or more aperture and 550mm and under on a apc. I think the 70-400 wins on the FF a99 imo


Sorry I can't tell you how they work on my a7rII but I see no reason to use them on that body so no need for a 3 adapter
 
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V

Vivek

Guest
Personally I avoid buying any old/new A mount glass. I think Sony ought make a decision on what they are pushing. If the A mount is dead then they should close shop on the lenses as well. This waffling around has to stop.
 
Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Vivek said:
Personally I avoid buying any old/new A mount glass. I think Sony ought make a decision on what they are pushing. If the A mount is dead then they should close shop on the lenses as well. This waffling around has to stop.
Click to expand...
They do need to stop waffling about on the A mount. Kill it I say and move on to FE but better see those lenses first like what we are talking about
 
GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I tested the 70-400 GII and tamron 150-600 A mounts side by side briefly for a couple of days using both the LEA3 and LEA4 last week before my current safari trip. I was more interested in AF and functionality using the A7RII vs resolution testing.

i found that I preferred using the 70-400 with the LEA4 but the extra reach and my need for mid-long tele actually had me decide to go with the Tamron in the end. The versatility of the 70-400 range is huge for most situations and it worked well on both adapters but I decided that the extra reach but in a full telephoto zoom was going to be better for this trip (plus I have the 70-200 and 24-240 as needed for the other ranges).

Build quality of both is excellent and the shorter body and balance of the 70-400 was nicer since the Tamron racked out to 5-600mm becomes a pretty long lens.

Big difference in price between the lenses if buying new. I actually bought the Tamron for this trip but long term I would likely get the Sony but I'd rather wait for a native FE lens and get full functionality vs 7/8th with the adapters.

Qualitatively very similar up to 500mm on the Tamron. I didn't have a lot of chance to dial in the best apertures but I will know a LOT more about it in a few days shooting in the bush. I figure that I'll heed the stop down to f7 or f8 when going very long. I wanted the extra reach which kind of trumped the identical performance I saw in my admittedly limited tests.

The two day rental from lensrentals.com was worth it for the $160 to compare them hands on. Certainly cheaper and more ethical than buy/return I thought.
 
J

Jim DE

New member
If one thinks about the diameter at the lens aperture for a say 70/200 f2.8 FE lens would have to be then the FE reduced size advantage goes out the window. I really think they will need both systems personally. The A for long fast glass, higher frame rates and the fastest AF systems they can build. The the E mount for short tele and under with a smaller footprint and easier to move around with.

I just don't see the need or an advantage for a smaller body with a slower frame rate and slower AF system on the back of a 500 or 600mm fast lens mounted to a gimbal on top of a RRS tripod for BIF. The form factor of larger bodies just make panning and handling much more comfortable. Is the SLT the perfect answer? Nope but neither is on sensor focusing at this point in time. I just don't see BIF or sports with glass longer than 200mn as a design intent for these FE bodies at the moment.

Sony is saying nothing about abandoning A mount. Fact iis its execs state just the opposite it is only on forums we keep hearing the gloom and doom like we also see with the lossy compression RAW's on FE forums only. I literally stopped going to one such forum entirely and even deleted its web addy from my favorites because of all the "sky is falling" "witch hunting" to find anything at no matter how ridiculous the criteria you have to go through to see these so called deal breaking issues with the a7rII. I assure anyone they will do the same thing on each and every new body that hits the market because those individual in some twisted way validate their purpose on this planet by doing this crap. I got sick of it...
 
D

dmward

Member
If I were really into shooting subjects that require long lenses the larger body on a monopod/gimbal is a reasonable option.

In my case, its a matter of wanting something that I can pull out when a situation arrises where a long lens is the right tool. And, wanting to keep everything down to one camera platform.

I can always put the battery grip on the A7RII if bigger works better with the lens.

The telescoping zoom function is a benefit, for me, since it makes the lens shorter for carrying around.

I think I'll use F8 as kind of a default aperture. Seems like the beginning of the sweet spot and a reasonable aperture for most focal lengths.

I'll know more next week after getting to try it at the BMW Championship.
 
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