Sony 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS review
If you’re here then we can assume two things: you’re interested in bagging a lens with a longer reach and you’re a fan of Sony’s world-renowned cameras and lenses, like the Sony 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS.
If that’s true, you’re in the right place, and we are going to break down why Sony’s superzoom is the perfect telephoto lens and even made it onto our list of best bird photography lenses.
Offering a very competitive rival to the likes of Canon and Nikon, the Sony 200-600mm features a respectable variable F5.6-6.3 aperture across the focal range, as well as a tough design featuring full weather sealing and a brilliant DDSSM focusing motor that helps you romp your way to netting those fast moving captures.
It’s also a rare example of a superzoom with complete internal focusing.
SONY 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS SPECS
Focal Length – 200-600mm
Max aperture – F5.6-6.3
Min aperture – 32-36
Aperture blades – 11
Filter diameter – 95mm
Weight – 2115g
BUILD AND HANDLING
Tipping the scales at 2115g, it finds itself right in the heart of the competition and remains a viable handheld option for those needing to quickly frame unexpected subjects or move about a hide exploring the angles.
There’s also a tripod mount to allow for securing to a monopod or gimbal head for an extra level of stability.
It’s also one of the rare internal zooms in this class, meaning the barrel doesn’t extend – a real boon for keeping balanced on Sony’s svelte bodies.
On the barrel you’ll find an array of switches allowing you to control your focus type, focus range limits and OSS image stabilisation modes.
The rubber focus and zoom rings are generous and smooth, though lack hard stops at each extreme, and there are also three customisable focus hold buttons to give you the freedom to make your own experience.
A dust and moisture-resistant construction helps to give you the confidence to take this into the field, even when the weather turns a touch inclement… A.K.A, British Summer!
PERFORMANCE
Sony has added in some brilliant tech to this lens, allowing for brilliant performance and ease of use. Sony’s OSS (Optical Steady Shot) image stabilisation is great to help steady camera sway associated with using longer lenses and works in combination with the camera’s in-body image stabilisation.
While it does a good job helping out, it’s not quite got the chops of some of its rivals, such as Canon’s RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM.
It really helps that it feels pretty well balanced in-hand and features internal focusing to help reduce camera shake, something you’ll be really thankful for if you’re planning on putting in a full day’s shooting.
Sony’s Direct Drive SSM focusing system ensures fast and accurate focusing, allowing you to take advantage of the company’s excellent AF tech. In fact, it does a stellar job capturing action shots of birds-in-flight, as well as working with Sony’s AI subject detection tracking algorithms found in cameras like the Sony A7R V.
The optical performance is brilliant, with the central image appearing sharp across the focal range, even wide open.
Thanks to Sony’s Nano AR Coating, it does a brilliant job combatting ghosting and flare – a bonus when your subject is flying a little too close to the sun.
The optical design includes an 11-blade circular aperture which creates very pleasing bokeh, meaning you’ll have no trouble getting some gloriously blurry backgrounds.
VERDICT
Despite falling under the ‘G’ badge, we’d be more than happy if this was sold under the G Master flag – Sony’s premium lens branding. An excellent choice for any bird, wildlife or sports photographers that are looking for a versatile superzoom with a tight internal zoom mechanism.
While many first-party optics are a bit on the pricey side, Sony’s 200-600mm remains competitively priced against the available third-party options. It also offers a rugged user-friendly build, top-notch autofocus and great image quality.
This lens is a must for anyone invested in Sony’s E-mount looking to improve their bird photography.
90.0 Score
Pros
- Outstanding autofocus
- Iconic styling
- Tough build
- Competitive price
- Internal zoom
Cons
- Drops 50mm on the wide end
- Slightly narrower aperture than competition
Final Verdict
Despite falling under the ‘G’ badge, we’d be more than happy if this was sold under the G Master flag - Sony’s premium lens branding. An excellent choice for any bird, wildlife or sports photographers that are looking for a versatile superzoom with a tight internal zoom mechanism. While many first-party optics are a bit on the pricey side, Sony’s 200-600mm remains competitively priced against the available third-party options. It also offers a rugged user-friendly build, top-notch autofocus and great image quality. This lens is a must for anyone invested in Sony’s E-mount looking to improve their telephoto-requiring photography genres.
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