| 70-300mm |
$996 average price |
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Buy the Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM SAL-70300G
(From Sony lens literature) The SAL70300G lens incorporates the optical performance of Sony's G series in a compact and flexible telephoto zoom lens ideal for sports and portrait photography. Constructed of 16 elements in 11 groups, with one extra-low dispersion element, this lens offers superb contrast and sharpness across its wide focal length range.
The use of extra-low dispersion glass compensates for chromatic aberrations which challenge long telephoto zoom lens design, maintaining excellent optical characteristics from center to periphery. Internal focus construction not only realizes compact size, but also a close focusing capability of just 47 inches (1.2m), unusual for a lens of this focal length range.
Focus drive is provided by Sony's Super Sonic wave Motor (SSM) technology. Silent and highly accurate, the SSM system is ideal for providing larger lenses with the speed and rotational precision often required by telephoto shooting. To match auto focus operation to the situation, a focus range limiter can be set to a minimum distance of three meters. A lens barrel mounted focus hold button locks focus if desired.
Available spring 2008, the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G lens will be available for about $800.
Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM SAL-70300G
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Sony A-mount - Black
Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM SAL-70300G User Reviews
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Sharp. Fast accurate AF performance due to SSM motor and la-ea4 adapter. Smoong focus ring. Distance scale. No stops on focus ring. Little to no distortion/CA fringeing. Not heavy at all. Big long deep lens hood. Firm tight fit with adpaterZoom ring is choopy. Not fast enough aperture. No stops in focus ring. No OIS stabilization.
Got this for 160 dollars used. Came with original carton, papers, reciept and the original price in 2018 was 650 dollars.
reviewed March 24th, 2021 (purchased for $160)
The image quality and sharpness is great. Corner2corner seems sharp though not as sharp as others. This zoom lens with complex elements for only 650 dollars what do one expects?
Works wonders with sony LA-EA4 adapter. Gives PDAF hybrid auto focus with my sony A7S mark 1.
AF performance is fast, queit and accurate. No focus point issues with back/front misfocus.
Little to no distortion no CA as far as i can see compare to the sony a mount 50mm 1.4.
Not as heavy as it looks. Very long lens especially with a ridiculously long lens hood hehe.
Very tight fit with adapter and adapter to lens.
Two things bad. The lens is f4.5-5.6 aperture. So not fast by any means. Then again you dont use this type of lens indoors and you are to use this outside in sunny light.
With the la-ea4 adapters 1/3 of stop robbing light due to mirror built in, gives f4.8-5.9 stop for lihht transmission. Image quality and bokeh is not affected.
No OIS stabilization. Means you need good light to get high shutter settings to stop motion.
The zoom ring is NOT SMOOTH at all especially near 300mm.
The good:
Very very fast and accurate pin point AF performance.
Smooth focus ring with distance scale.
Very good fit on adapter.
Not heavy as it looks. My sigma art 18-35 is way heavier.
Good ridiculous lens hood.
Very nice to look at glass from the front.
Mostly plastic but rigid plastic and constuction.
Has grippy like finish of the entire barrel.
The bad:
Not fast enough apperture.
No OIS stabilization
Needs good light to stop motion.
Choopy zoom ring
Mostly plastic.
For overall with all the quirks id give it 7.
Build quality id say 9.
For image quality its a solid 9. -
Great reach, sharpness, image qualitySometimes not fast enough
Pros:
reviewed January 16th, 2012 (purchased for $775)
1) good to great sharpness, even wide open, really sharp minimally stopped down at a wide range of focal lengths.
2) Very well made, with very smooth focus and zoom rings.
3) Doesn't get much softer all the way out to 300mm like many tele zooms
4) fast and quiet focusing (SSM is great for movies)
5) light weight for the covered focal lengths
6) minimal CA, vignetting, distortion
Cons:
1) Not fast enough in some situations.
2) Not cheap for the aperture range.
3) Not included in the A77/A65 firmware correction profile - yet. Would virtually remove all classical optical distortions.
4) Zoom mechanism will suck air (and therefore dust) into lens. Not sealed, and should be for G lens.
This is a good value, despite its price. Very smooth and quiet lens, and as someone else also noted, makes up in portability and convenience what it minimally loses in speed. Worth the money if you shoot much above 70mm and don't need the speed (and the major weight/cost downsides) of a 2.8 lens. IN general, I love using this lens - outdoors in decent light. -
Sharpness, colour, SSM, range vs sizeSlow-ish aperture
I've used this on both the a700 and a850 and it's a keeper for outdoor photography that doesn't demand the widest apertures. What you give up in speed verses an f2.8 lens, you gain in portability. The body is very well made. Plastic means it is lighter. Metal would make it more expensive and heavier. Your decision what you want. I absolutely love the colours this lens puts out. The bokeh is very nice, and it is sharp all over on both apsc and full-frame. The SSM isn't super fast but it is accurate and extremely quiet. I can't for the life of me figure out why Sony isn't making mid-range and wide zooms with a similar G specification. Read: Canon f4 series... I found a good used one which made it a good buy. Otherwise expensive new but it is a worthwhile investment.
reviewed September 29th, 2010 (purchased for $550) -
Very nice IQ even wide openToo dark for most uses
This lens produced some really sharp photos even wide open. However if shooting in any condition except bright sunlight, maximum aperture is too small for anything. Color a bit on the warm side.
reviewed August 20th, 2010 (purchased for $900)
