Sigma’s 200mm f/2 DG OS | Sports is an ambitious lens. It’s a telephoto prime that delivers an enormous amount of light and an amazingly soft background defocus. It’s designed for photographers who need speed and subject isolation in one package, and it delivers on all three.

I think “Sports” in the name does a disservice to this lens. With an f/2 aperture, tack-sharp focus, and its amazing “bokeh,” it’s a fantastic portrait lens. As an occasional wedding photographer, this is definitely a lens I’d bring in my kit. 

I took the Sigma 200mm to Australia on a family trip that was complete with koalas, wallabies, birds of all types, and, surprisingly, a political protest. 

In testing, the lens produced tack-sharp images even at f/2, with smooth falloff, excellent contrast, and remarkably consistent sharpness across the frame. It’s a lens that inspires confidence the moment it’s mounted — solidly built, fast to focus, and equipped with one of the most complete control layouts of any modern prime.

That performance comes at a cost. The 200mm f/2 is heavy, expensive, and limited in close-focus capability. It also lacks compatibility with teleconverters, which limits its flexibility. But for photographers who want the expressive potential of a true f/2 telephoto, this is a spectacular creative tool.

Watch Our Hands-On Review Video

Design, Build, and Handling

The Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS | Sports is unmistakably a professional lens and not just because the external body is what I like to call “sports white.” The lens is rugged, with impressive weather sealing, and controls are exactly what and where a professional shooter expects to find them. 

It’s a large lens, noticeably so. But I found that Sigma has distributed the weight well enough that it doesn’t feel unwieldy when mounted on a full-frame body. I would normally hold the lens by the tripod foot, and it felt comfortable, and even when I’d hold the camera body and let it dangle, it had nice balance. 

The tripod foot, compatible with Arca-Swiss plates, is one of the most practical design decisions Sigma has made in recent years. Too many long tele lenses require you to put a tripod quick-release onto the bottom of the foot if you plan to go from tripod to handheld quickly. That’s a stability-reducing solution I dislike. Being able to slide this lens into an Arca-Swiss tripod head is great.  

Controls are abundant and nicely laid out. There’s an AF/MF switch, a focus limiter, and a three-position stabilization selector. Around the front barrel, three programmable AF-lock buttons are positioned so one is always within reach, regardless of the orientation of the camera. These buttons are individually customizable. I have one that toggles Dynamic Manual Focus, for example.  

The aperture ring can be locked and can be toggled between click and declick modes, offering flexibility for both stills and video shooters. While declicked aperture control is mostly for video use, I like to shoot with the aperture ring declicked, since I can see the effects of my aperture pulls directly in the viewfinder, and can see it displayed in the finder as well. 

Despite its weight, the lens handles surprisingly well. The large focus ring moves smoothly with a precise feel. Small focus adjustments are easy to make, and the throw of the lens (the distance you have to rotate the barrel to adjust) is short enough that quick focus changes are easy to make. 

The hood is equally beefy, featuring a rubberized end cap so the lens can rest vertically without scuffing surfaces. With its massive front lens element, I’d be hesitant to leave the lens hood off the Sigma 200mm f.2 for any prolonged time. Scratch that front piece of glass and you’re likely buying a new lens. 

The only challenge is endurance. At nearly four pounds, the 200mm f/2 is not a lens you’ll casually handhold for long sessions. When shooting a protest rally in Australia, I’d let the camera and lens hang around my neck between shots to give my arms a break.

Autofocus Performance

Sigma’s HLA motor system gives this lens the focusing speed and responsiveness expected of flagship sports lenses. Autofocus is fast, confident, and virtually silent. Combined with Sony’s subject-detection autofocus, it was able to lock onto people, birds, and animals with no problems. 

Capturing a koala isn’t particularly hard because they sleep twenty hours a day, but finding the eye of a koala while it’s sleeping is a tougher challenge, and the lens and camera combo had no problems with it. 

Unsurprisingly, it had no problems locking on to the eyes of birds, both big and small. Even quickly moving animals like hopping Walalby were no problem. This is a lens I’ll definitely put to the test with sports. 

Capture Rate – The one big Limitation From Sony

While the lens itself has no listed frame rate limitations, when shooting on Sony, the Sigma 200mm f/2.8 caps out at 15 frames per second. 

This is not a limitation of Sigma engineering; it’s a limit imposed by Sony. Sony has claimed that this is a limitation of the way third-party lenses use the E-Mount platform. Sony’s stand has been that their engineering and lens-to-body communication is what allows lenses to shoot above 15fps, but this is disengenuous at best. Sony provided third-party manufacturers access to the E-Mount for their designs, but has limits on the communication information it gives third-party developers. 

This is a “have your cake and eat it too” solution for Sony. Third-party development has helped make Sony cameras so popular with consumers. Third-party lens support has been the deciding factor in countless purchases. But Sony doesn’t really see the competition as too competitive. 

In any case, 15fps isn’t a problematic limitation for most cases. However, for sports shooters, buying a Sony with a Sony a9 II, a Sony a9 III, or a Sony a1 II body, being able to get the full performance of those bodies is important. 

The 15fps limit would be less of a drawback if Sony had not introduced its 50-150mm F2 GM just before the Sigma lens arrived. The Sony zoom is an important 50mm shorter than the 200mm, but it also captures at the full frame rate of Sony cameras. 

 Impressive Image Stabilization

Stabilization performance is particularly good. Sigma rates the optical system at up to 6.5 stops of correction, and in testing, handheld shots at shutter speeds as low as 1/10th of a second remained acceptably sharp when standing still. 

The lenses use what Sigma calls its OS2 algorithm, and that offers two distinct modes: one for general stabilization and another optimized for panning. Both perform well, and the second mode is especially fluid when tracking horizontal motion, but I’m not sure I noticed much difference. 

Image Quality

The 200mm f/2 DG OS | Sports is among Sigma’s sharpest lenses to date, and that’s saying something considering how superb the images from recent Sigma lenses are. At f/2, it delivers excellent central and mid-frame sharpness. I only noticed minimal softness toward the corners at f/2, but it was in no way problematic. Lens profiles were not available for the Sigma 200mm when I tested it, and I’m sure those will easily correct for any issues. 

Chromatic aberration is impressively low. In high-contrast backlit scenes, faint color fringing appeared at f/2, but it’s easily corrected. The fringing was mostly confined to the edges of leaves against the sky, a typical scene for chromatic fringing. 

The lens is comprised of 19 elements in 14 groups (2 FLD, 2 SLD elements). As a (really bad) rule of thumb, the more elements and groups, the more accurate the final image. Each bit of optics helps to correct the distortion of light coming in through the lens, so these groups are all working together to focus light precisely on the sensor. 

Background Defocus Champ

The number of aperture blades is the primary determining factor in the quality of background defocus in a lens. The size of the aperture determines the amount of defocus, but the aperture blades determine the quality of that bokeh. 

The Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS lens has eleven aperture blades. Nine is a typical number of blades for a lens with soft background defocus, but an 11-blade lens is the norm now in wide aperture lenses. 

Having this number of aperture blades is unusual for a sports lens. Foreground sharpness is usually the goal rather than background softness, but that’s what sets this lens apart from other sports lenses. It’s designed to be tack sharp on the foreground and blur the background for subject isolation. 

In practice, I think the images are some of the nicest I’ve seen from a 200mm lens, and as a former sports photographer, 200mm was a pretty common focal length.

Flare resistance is good thanks to lens coatings and the deep lens hood. Even with direct light sources near the frame, contrast remains intact. The optical design also minimizes ghosting, maintaining clarity in tough lighting conditions.

Chromatic aberration is minimal, though not completely absent. At wide apertures, any chromatic issues that might appear are nicely blurred. 

In this shot of a koala, the hair has no color fringing, even with strong back lighting. The leaves on the trees appear at this resolution to have chromatic coloring to them, but zoomed in, it’s simply a soft blur.

The bokeh rendering is simply gorgeous. The 11-blade aperture produces round highlights across much of the frame, and transitions from focus to blur are creamy and smooth. Whether isolating a subject against busy foliage or capturing portraits with shallow depth, the lens creates a distinctive, painterly separation that’s difficult to match with a zoom.

Real-World Use

This is not a general-purpose telephoto. The 200mm f/2 is a specialist lens — and that’s part of its appeal to me. It’s designed for situations where subject separation, speed, and light-gathering power matter more than convenience.

For indoor sports, concerts, and low-light events, the wide aperture provides a serious advantage over something like a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. In wildlife or outdoor work, it delivers incredible subject clarity and compression, though the 200mm fixed focal length means you only have one shot at composition. For birds and wildlife, the focal length might be too short, and for close sports work (like basketball), it might be too long. But for things like mid-court arena photography, tennis, mountain biking, and other sports where the photographer can be close to the action, it’s a perfect focal length.

The lens’s minimum focus distance of 1.7 meters limits close-up work, so it’s not intended for macro or tight product photography. I wish the lens could focus a bit closer than it does; it would be nice to use the sharpness and bokeh for short-distance work. 

Price and Availability of the Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS | Sports

The Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS | Sports is priced at $3,299 with current tariff pricing. and is available for both Sony E and Leica L mounts. It ships with a deep lens hood, case, and the new Arca-compatible tripod foot.

This lens represents the top of Sigma’s mirrorless telephoto lineup, joining the 70-200mm f/2.8 and 300-600mm f/4 lenses to form a complete Sports-series system. Availability through authorized retailers is strong, and Sigma’s four-year U.S. warranty backs the lens.

Final Thoughts

The Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS | Sports isn’t a lens you buy casually. It’s heavy, it’s specialized, and its frame rate is limited compared to Sony’s own options. With the existence of the Sony 50-150mm F2 GM lens, this Sigma glass has some tight competition. 

But when paired with a capable body and used in the right context, it’s one of the most impressive pieces of glass available today.

It’s sharp when wide open, beautifully built, and designed for photographers who care as much about how their images feel as much as how they look. Whether for portrait, weddings, events, wildlife, or other creative telephoto work, this lens is among the best pieces of glass ever made. 

For those who can justify the weight and price, the Sigma 200mm f/2 isn’t just another fast prime — it’s an expressive tool that defines what Sigma’s Sports line is capable of, and by extension what Sony’s camera system can do.

Australia is a great place to see koala, and to test lenses.

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The post Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS | Sports: Brilliant Lens With One Big Limitation appeared first on Imaging Resource.

An Unprecidented Macro Lens

Sony’s FE 100mm F2.8 GM OSS  macro lens is a rare creature, a lens that’s capable of creating a truly macro image while also being versatile enough to be a portrait lens with excellent image quality. It’s also one of the very few lenses that can achieve magnifications greater than life size. When using Sony’s teleconverters, it’s capable of shooting nearly three times life size, with fully functional autofocus. 

I have shot macro photography for decades, and my favorite shooting is of a category of macro I call hyper-macro. These images are at magnifications greater than life size, which reveal the smallest details in a subject. I have tested at least a dozen macro lenses, and for years, I shot the manual focus Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro. I loved the Canon macro because it was one of the few lenses that provided greater-than-life magnification. As a manual lens, it was cumbersome to use, and sometimes, successful shots were more accidental than intentional. 

The Sony 100mm FE F2.8 Macro GM OSS macro is one of the best, if not the best, macro lenses I’ve ever shot. Image quality is amazing, and coupled with Sony’s insect-detection AF, it’s able to focus on my favorite subjects with speed and precision that is beyond impressive. It easily moved Canon’s macro to second place, and Sony’s previous 90mm macro lens to third place.

With its optical image stabilization (OSS), especially when combined with Sony’s in-body image stabilization (IBIS), the lens has given me the ability to handhold subjects that would previously have required specialized tripods. It blows my mind that this lens lets me follow insects as they move from flower to flower without camera shake running the shot.

This is the best macro lens available today, and possibly of all time. It’s not without quirks, and it’s not without tradeoffs, but I’m already putting money aside to add this lens to my arsenal. 

Most “macro” lenses aren’t truly macro—they’re really just close-up lenses. A genuine macro lens delivers a 1:1 reproduction ratio, meaning your subject appears life-size on the sensor. Photograph a 7 mm bee, and it covers 7 mm of the sensor. On a 60-megapixel camera, that tiny bee alone makes up about three megapixels of detail, leaving plenty of room for creative background blur and composition.

A 0.67× “macro” only gets you about two-thirds life size, but Sony’s new FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS pushes things much further, or much smaller if you will. It can reach 1.4× native magnification, and when paired with a 2× teleconverter, up to 2.8× life size—so that same bee nearly fills the frame, revealing extraordinary texture and color.

At these levels, focus becomes razor-thin: at f/2.8, only about a millimeter is sharp at 1:1, and barely a third of a millimeter at 2.8×. Stopping down brings more of the subject into focus but cuts the light dramatically, often making a tripod or extra lighting essential. That’s the trade-off of true macro—tiny worlds, enormous detail, and a rewarding challenge.

In the past, capturing that much detail meant sacrificing speed or stability, but Sony’s built-in Optical SteadyShot (OSS)and in-body stabilization (IBIS) help counteract the light loss. Together, they make it possible to shoot handheld several stops slower while keeping even the smallest subjects sharp and steady.

If I owned this lens, I’d invest in a lens-mounted ringlight to help with illumination when stopped down. I used to photograph macros with Canon’s 90mm 1x-5x manual focus lens, and it was a fantastic system, but it was in an era pre-image stabilization and required a lens-mounted flash to light subjects enough to freeze them. 

Natural light is great in macro photography, but often having an additional lighting source aimed at the subject can help it pop against the background. With prices ranging from $30 to $300, there are plenty of options, including this Godox ring light. Godox is known for solid, affordable third-party lighting tools.

Godox RING72 Macro Ring LED Light

What We Think

The Godox RING72 Macro Ring LED Light is a portable, daylight-balanced (5600K) continuous light designed for macro and close-up photography, as well as creative portraiture. Featuring 72 LEDs in a circular design, it provides soft, even illumination with optional left/right control for shaping light and creating natural depth or distinctive circular catchlights in eyes. It mounts directly to most lenses via included adapter rings (49–77mm) and can run on either four AA batteries or an optional lithium-ion battery, offering flexibility for studio or field use.

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Lens Design – A Beefy Body With Good Tactile Controls

The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 GM OSS is a large lens, though not as large compared to other Sony lenses, and definitely not that large when you consider it does double duty as a portrait lens. 

At 750 grams (1.54 pounds), it’s certainly not the lightest macro I’ve used, and with a height of 118mm (4.75 inches), it’s a handful. But Sony’s previous 90mm 90mm F2.8 Macro G is 602 grams (1.32 pounds) and 130mm (5.14 inches) tall. 

The extra height of the new 100mm Macro is likely to accommodate the 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, which need a bit of space for the specialized mounts they require. 

Compared to Sony’s 135mm f/1.8 portrait lens, the 100mm macro is both smaller and lighter, so as a combined portrait and macro lens, it takes up less space and weight in your bag than dual lenses. 

For macro shooters, the weight and size are less of a concern than the controls (and much less of a problem than the image quality, which I’ll discuss shortly). This lens has every switch and function you could want as a macro shooter, though it’s also where one of my few “cons” crops up. 

The barrel of the lens has a focusing ring with distance markers in, something I didn’t realize I missed on lenses until testing this one. The markers are in feet, meters, and focus magnification.

In practice, though I don’t use the markers, because I’m either shooting in autofocus or I’ve got the camera on a tripod and am using Dynamic Manual Focus (DMF) to get much subject distance. DMF zooms in on your subject as you turn the dial, making it possible to get pinpoint accuracy without ever looking at the focusing ring. 

Buttons and Toggles: Lens Controls Make Macro Shooting Easy

There are two programmable buttons used by default for focus hold. I use these buttons constantly while shooting macro. Even with autofocus, sometimes it’s faster to stick the lens in manual and move the camera forward and back to get perfect focus. As an example, when shooting insects gathering nectar on a flower, you can hold focus on the edge of the flower so that when the bug comes around from beneath a petal, it’s in focus without having to rely on autofocus. 

There is an aperture ring that can be set to clicks between stops or smooth turning without clicks, which makes this a capable video lens. Moving up the barrel, there is a switch for OSS, as stabilization isn’t needed when shooting with a tripod. That’s followed by a focus limiter switch, which prevents the lens from trying to focus past macro distance to reduce focus hunting. 

Usually, DMF needs to be set in the camera’s menus, but the 100mm F2.8 Macro has a dedicated switch to enable or disable DMF. When shooting tiny stationary subjects, DMF is great, but when trying to focus on moving subjects, DMF can ruin a shot as the viewfinder is taken over with a magnification of the image. 

There are two ways to switch to manual focus on this lens, three if you count the programmable focus hold buttons. And one way drives me insane. 

Trouble With the Toggle – My one Gripe

The massive focus ring at the front of the lens doubles as a toggle between manual and autofocus. Pushing this collar forward sets the lens into AF/MF mode, where the camera menus determine if autofocus or manual focus is being used. Pulling the collar back switches to manual focus mode. 

And here is my biggest gripe about this lens. The force needed to switch between the two is minimal; you can slide it easily with two fingers, and you can even use a single finger to push it forward or pull it backward. The distance between these two settings is only a few millimeters.

I don’t mind having this control, but I think it requires a locking mechanism. I missed more than one shot where I accidentally switched to manual focus. A secondary issue is that I usually flip the lens hood backwards when shooting with the teleconverters, so the hood doesn’t bump into my subject. I like to leave it on the lens so I don’t lose it, but it covers about half of that collar, making it harder to use. 

But that is my one issue with the lens, and it’s not a dealbreaker by any means. The only thing I have to complain about on this lens is a switch I bump when I’m not paying attention. It’s rare that there’s only one “con” in a review, and that it’s such a small thing. 

Our Video Guide to Macro Photography

Internal Design Choices, Amazing Optics

The Sony 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS uses four of Sony’s fastest XD linear motors, where some of Sony’s earlier GM lenses only had one or two of these focusing motors. Sony says that the system focuses nearly twice as fast as its 90mm macro.  

These motors are pushing (or pulling) 17 lens elements in 13 groups, including 2 XA (Extreme Aspheric) elements and 2 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) to reduce image distortion. 

Generally, the more elements and groups, the better the image quality, as each of these optical components is designed to correct the light entering the barrel before it hits the sensor. 

The 100mm macro also employs all of Sony’s lens enhancements, like  Nano AR Coating II, which reduces ghosting and flare, and a fluorine coating on the front element to minimize grease and water adhesion. 

The aperture, which runs from f/2.8 to f/22, uses an 11-blade circular diaphragm. The number of aperture blades determines how soft the background defocus or “bokeh” will be. Many high-end portrait lenses use a nine-blade design, so an 11-blade aperture creates, in theory, much softer backgrounds. 

In practice, it’s hard to say if an 11-blade or 9-blade design would have the same look, but in a macro lens, the soft defocus of the background and foreground is a key part of an image’s appearance. 

The lens is dust and moisture-resistant, with sealed gaskets at all moving parts. I wouldn’t take this lens out in heavy rain, but I wouldn’t go out to shoot macro in the rain either. 

Subject Detection, or not

While the insect-detect autofocus worked well, not all subject detection modes work, due largely to how a macro lens works. Insects are easy to track when they occupy the majority of the frame. The part closest to the camera is the bug. 

I did get the insect AF to lock on bug eyes, though I’m not sure that was anything other than focus luck. I was as likely to capture an abdomen as an eyeball. I mean, can a camera really tell the difference between the eye of a bee or a spider? And what about earthworms and slugs?

Extremely close subjects, like those of my cat’s eyeball, are outside the capabilities of animal subject recognition. At a close distance, its eye is more of an abstract shape than a recognizable subject. Even with Animal AF on and limited to eye priority, it still focused primarily on the fur around his eyeball.

Eyes are usually detected by their position relative to the shape of the face. At this distance, there’s no such thing as a face. 

This is why manual focus is so important on a macro lens. Since the AF wasn’t locking on his eye, I simply put it in manual focus and moved back and forth until I saw the shot I wanted. 

If you’re going to shoot autofocus macro, put the lens in a super small focus point and control that point with the joystick or with tap-to-focus on the LCD screen to increase your chances of in-focus images. 

It’s not a knock on the lens, but it is an important consideration when shooting at hyper-macro distances. AF systems aren’t really designed to recognize a subject from a few millimeters away. 

As a portrait lens, it’s not the fastest to focus, but it is reasonably quick. It’s slow compared to similar focal lengths from Sony or even Sigma, like the 135mm f1.4 DG Art we reviewed. 

Image Quality and Resolution

With macro photography, and especially macro photography at 2.8x lifesize, image quality isn’t just crucial, it’s the whole point. You can get away with some softness in a distant subject shot with a prime lens, but you can’t have a blurry eye of a bee if that’s the subject of your macro. 

Macro shots are tack sharp. You could photograph the point of a tack and have it in focus. Even zooming in to two hundred percent, I see no image aberrations, although with such a narrow focus range, it would be hard to see them if they fade into the background blur. 

In shots of honeybees, the individual hairs of the insects are visible. They look so fuzzy, I want to pet them. (Fun fact, while honey bees aren’t okay with being touched, their larger bumblebee cousins are, and you can give them a light pet with your finger while they’re gathering nectar.)

The colors are rendered brilliantly on this lens, with good saturation and excellent tonality where the subject fades into background defocus. On flower shots, I tweaked the saturation, mostly because the lighting I used ended up making the images look flat. A ring light would have helped with the overall saturation. 

In portraits, the background blur isn’t as pronounced as on a f/1.8 or f/1.4 lens, naturally, but the softness is impressive with a good distance between subject and background. 

When I was being briefed on this lens, I had high hopes and also high expectations. I’m passionate about macro photography, and while I love the Sony 90mm macro, the specs of this lens, especially the ability to use teleconverters, seemed too good to be true. 

There are a few instances where a piece of camera gear meets all my expectations, and the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS is one of those lenses. 

The post Hands-On Review: Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS – The Best Macro Lens Ever Made? appeared first on Imaging Resource.

With its new 135mm F1.4 DG Art lens, it’s clear that Sigma is actively trying to outdo Sony’s own lens development. This new lens, the widest aperture 135mm for the Sony platform, joins the impressive 300-600mm and 200mm telephoto lenses in a list of products that keep making me say that this is a lens Sony should have made. 

To be clear, Sony makes fantastic lenses, optically some of the best lenses in the history of photography, and it has an impressive range of lenses that it released in a short period of time, considering it has only had eleven years since the original a7 was released. 

But there are always gaps in a company’s lineup, and there are always products that can be improved. Sony’s GM II lenses are a good example; the GM lenses feature Sony’s best lens tech when those lenses were released, but there’s always room to improve. 

Sigma is clearly targeting customers with features that aren’t found in Sony’s lenses. The 300-600mm F/4 is a fixed-aperture super-zoom, while Sony’s 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 is a variable zoom and is a stop slower than the Sigma lens at its widest focal length. 

The new Sigma 200mm F2 is a lens conspicuously missing in Sony’s lineup. Sports shooters love the 200mm focal length, and while Sony has a 300 mm, with a fixed aperture of f/2.8, it’s a full stop slower than the Sigma lens. 

Since I started testing this Sigma 135mm a month before it launched, Sigma also released the 35mm f/1.2 DG II ART, an aperture that, again, is wider than Sony’s own 35mm. 

That lens just arrived, and in my initial tests, it’s proving to be another amazing piece of glass. When Sony first started releasing lenses, they were coming just about every six to eight weeks. In addition to these pro-quality lenses, Sigma also released a new cinema lens and a consumer zoom lens. 

That’s five lenses in three months, an impressive rate for a company that’s not the manufacturer of the cameras. 

Watch Our Hands-On Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Review Video

The L-Mount Alliance is Speeding Sigma Lens Development

Sigma isn’t only producing this lens for the Sony E-mount system; their new lenses are also available for L-Mount, an open standard that Sigma helped launch. The L-Mount was a joint project with Leica and Panasonic, but now there are nine companies part of the standard. 

Developing lenses for two platforms makes it easier for Sigam to recoup its R&D budget. With Sony, Sigma is competing directly, but with the L-Mount, Sigma is producing lenses for cameras that (I am assuming) pay a licensing fee to use. 

This dual-purpose development, one for an existing market and one for its own market, is driving the pace of development. It’s a win-win for both platforms’ customers.

The Drawbacks of Sigma’s Lenses on the Sony Platform

There are, of course, some downsides to these lenses, although the most significant one is due to Sony’s constraints on manufacturers. Third-party lenses are not able to achieve the full frame rates of Sony’s lenses. For portrait lenses, being capped at 15 frames per second is not a major concern, but for Sigma’s sports lenses, it’s a significant purchase decision. 

Sony says that this limitation is due to its lens and camera engineers being able to work together to develop products that can communicate with each other to reach maximum speeds. This has always sounded like double speak. It’s been years since Sony released a camera with 20 frames per second speeds, and it’s nearly impossible to think that if they were able, companies like Sigma couldn’t have figured out how to get that speed or higher. 

Sony lets companies make lenses for its lens mounts, but it does not open up the full communications standards for lens and body. This is almost certainly the reason third-party lenses can’t keep up, and it’s almost certainly a limitation imposed to prevent lenses from offering the performance of Sony’s lenses. 

It’s Sony’s playground, so they get to make the decisions, but that playground is partially why the L-Mount Alliance was born. 

A 135mm Focal Length Lens is a Classic Portrait Choice

The 135mm focal length is ideal for portrait work, offering natural perspective and compression that enhances subject separation from backgrounds. In simpler terms, a 135mm focal length produces a nice-looking portrait, especially when shot wide open for a blurred background. 

The wider the aperture, the softer the background defocus is. This “bokeh” effect makes a subject pop thanks to the contrast between a hyper-sharp foreground and a blurry background. 

An 85mm focal length is another go-to lens for the portrait photographer, but many shooters prefer the 135mm length because it provides greater compression effects compared to an 85mm, making subjects “pop.”

My portrait tests with the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG ART showed what I’ve come to expect from Sigma’s ART series of lenses: incredibly sharp details and excellent tonality.

The Birds and the Bees

A wide-open 135mm is a natural portrait lens, and at f/1.4, it’s not surprising it’s sharp. Even a good manual focus 135mm prime produces tack-sharp images. 

The autofocus in Sony cameras, and the high-speed motors in the Sigma lens (more on that in a moment) make it a more versatile lens than just for portraits. 

When Sony released their 135mm F1.8 GM lens, the system was fast enough to shoot indoor basketball and accurate enough to nail eye detection while players were moving, and the aperture was wide open. 

While I didn’t get a chance to shoot a basketball game, I found some challenging conditions to test the focusing power of the lens, anyhow. 

Around dusk, two hummingbirds come to a feeder we have on our kitchen porch. Hummingbirds are notoriously hard to focus on in general, and you need a high shutter speed to freeze their wings mid-flight. 

I often photograph these adorable shiny birds with either my 24-70 GM II or the 70-200 GM, but even the f/2.8 aperture of those two lenses struggles with the low light at the end of the day. Pushing the shutter speed ot 1/4000th or higher on those lenses bumps up the ISO, which makes more noise. My main camera is the Sony a7R V, and the high-resolution sensor already has issues with low-light noise because of the high pixel count. 

The f/1.4 aperture of the Sigma lens is two full stops faster than the f/2.8 of my Sony zooms. Even if I were still shooting the f/2 Sigma 200mm I tested, there would be a full stop more light with the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG ART. 

With two full stops, I was able to shoot at 1/2000th of a second at f/1.4 at ISO 400 and 1/4000th at ISO 800, with the Sigma 200 F2 that would have been 1/2000 at ISO 800 and 1/4000th at ISO 1600. Going a stop further with the 70-200 f/2.8, I’d have been at ISO 1600 and 3200, respectively. 

Sony’s bird autofocus was able to dial in on the eye of the hummingbird, even when it was darting back and forth.

The shutter speed was so fast that I was able to catch a feather falling from the hummingbird’s wing. 

Another photo made possible by the telephoto focal length and wide aperture is of this bee (a honey bee?) resting one tiny foot on the wick of a candle. I think Sony’s insect subject AF might be unnecessary (at the size of a bee, what exactly is it looking for besides contrast from the background?), but it was active when I took this shot. 

A striking example involved photographing a bee on a candle wick, shot handheld at f/1.4 using Sony’s insect detect autofocus. The resulting image showcased both the lens’s shallow depth of field capabilities and the effectiveness of its autofocus system.

I also used the shallow depth of field to create this studio shot to mock up a wedding reception image. Thanks ot the bokeh, you can’t even tell that’s a bottle of Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider, and not Champagne. 

No portrait lens test would be complete without a shot of an adorable cat, so I used it to photograph one of our kittens, K-MEW-SO.

It’s All About the Bokeh

The background defocus on this lens is lovely, at least until it’s not. In shots like the one of my cat, it is smooth and creamy. (The bokeh, not the cat.) The father, the subject, gets from the background, and the more highlights in the background, the more the defocus resolves as “bokeh balls.” 

The Sigma lens has a 13-bladed aperture, a particularly high number. The Sony 135mm F1.8 has an 11-blade aperture, which was already considered a high blade count, but Sigma turned it up to 13. 

Generally, I like the look of these bokeh balls, but in a few instances, the resulting bright “balls” are distracting when mixed in with the darker bokeh areas.

I’m not sure what caused that highlight above the model’s head, as there weren’t any lights, though it’s possible that the sunlight that caused the hairlight was shimmering through a tree. 

This shot has a similar effect, where the white areas are definitely sky. With one positioned just behind the beak of the hummingbird, I find these distracting as well. I’m sure some photographers prefer this type of bokeh, and I like it too, just not when it detracts from the subject.

Sigma 135mm F1.4 Optical Design and Image Quality

As a general rule, the more high-end elements a lens has, the better the image quality. Groups of lens elements are used to direct light to the sensor with as little distortion as possible. The Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG ART has 17 elements in 13 groups. There are four FLD (Fluorite-like Dispersion) glass elements and two aspherical elements to control axial chromatic aberration, which typically affects large-aperture telephoto lenses.

Sigma 135mm F1.4 Autofocus Performance

Dual HLA Focusing System

Sigma’s Dual HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) system drives two focus groups independently. This floating focus configuration provides the force needed for precise focusing while maintaining speed comparable to Sony’s native lenses.

The system pairs nicely with Sony’s advanced subject detection modes, as the hummingbird photos showed. Even testing with insect detect autofocus showed off the reliable tracking and accurate focus acquisition.

Professional Features of the Sigma 135mm F1.4

Aperture Control and Video Functionality

The Sigma 135mm has a manual aperture ring, something all pro-level lenses should have. The aperture ring offers both clicked and de-clicked operation. De-clicked operation enables smooth aperture changes suitable for video work, while the clicked operation provides tactile feedback for still photography.

Sigma 135mm F1.4 Tripod Collar System

The included tripod collar rotates 360 degrees when loosened, making it easy to quickly switch from horizontal to vertical shooting while on a tripod. The collar can be completely removed for handheld shooting, reducing weight and bulk during handheld shoots.

The collar features Arca-Swiss compatibility and includes safety stopper screws to prevent accidental release from clamps. Sigma recommends screw-type clamps over lever-style versions for secure mounting.

Focus and Control Layout

Two AFL (Auto Focus Lock) buttons provide access whether shooting horizontally or vertically. Sony cameras can customize these buttons for various functions besides basic AF lock operation.

A focus mode switch allows quick changes between autofocus and manual operation. Manual focus operates smoothly with appropriate resistance for precise adjustments.

Sigma 135mm F1.4 Practical Considerations

Size, Weight, and Handling

At 1,430g for the L-mount version and 1,420g for the Sony E-mount, this is a substantial lens. I used it on several travel tripods I own without any issues, but the balance is front-heavy, so a sturdier tripod is recommended. The weight distribution remains manageable for handheld shooting, it has a nice balance, and I often carried the camera around by the tripod mount. 

Cinema cameras with base dual ISOstypicallyl around 800-1000 particularly benefit from neutral density filters when using this lens.

The 105mm front element will add slightly to the cost of this lens. Shooting wide-open in daylight for soft focus backgrounds requires a neutral density filter. Since very few lenses have a 105mm front element, most photographers will have to buy filters just for this lens. 

Sigma 135mm F1.4 Focus Breathing and Video Suitability

There’s minimal focus breathing when racking focus from infinity to a close distance, and vice versa. 

The de-clickable aperture ring, combined with quiet operation and manageable focus breathing, makes the lens an excellent choice for video applications. There is a manual focus ring, but it’s not a linear pull, so repeating focus pulls is more complicated than on a cinema lens and some Sony-branded primes. 

Market Position and Sony E-Mount Ecosystem

Sony’s reduced lens development pace compared to previous years creates opportunities for third-party manufacturers. While Sony offers an extensive lens selection, gaps remain that companies like Sigma can address effectively.

The more open Sony E-mount ecosystem contrasts noticeably with Canon and Nikon’s restrictive approaches to third-party development. Obviously, the more lenses are available for the E-Mount, the more useful Sony cameras become, and the lenses available for the system are now one of its chief selling points. 

Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG ART Final Thoughts

The Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art addresses a need in the portrait lens market through its combination of focal length and maximum aperture, but it’s a need that’s very specific. Several 135mm lenses don’t have such a wide aperture, and they produce excellent images. What they don’t do is let in as much light as the f/1.4 aperture does, and they don’t deliver the same level of bokeh. 

The build quality, image quality, and performance of this lens are exceptional. Aside from the occasionally irksome bokeh balls, the background defocus is second to none.

Should You Buy This Lens

Yes, if you want the fastest and widest aperture 135mm lens available for Sony E-mount or L-mount platforms. At $1,899.99, the price makes it a compelling choice. Wedding and event photographers will particularly appreciate the combination of subject isolation, fast focus speeds, and the removable tripod collar.

However, if you’re primarily shooting in good light or already own a 135mm f/1.8, the benefits may not outweigh the additional bulk and cost unless you specifically need that extra aperture. The 1,430g weight means this isn’t ideal for photographers who prioritize portability. Still, for Sony shooters looking to push their portrait work into new territory, this lens delivers capabilities that don’t exist elsewhere.

Sigma 135mm F1.4 Technical Specifications

• Lens Construction: 17 elements in 13 groups
• Special Elements: 4 FLD glass elements, two aspherical elements
• Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
• Minimum Focus Distance: 110cm (43.4 inches)
• Maximum Magnification: 1:6.9
• Filter Size: 105mm
• Dimensions: 111.7mm x 135.5mm (L-mount), 111.7mm x 137.5mm (Sony E-mount)
• Weight: 1,430g (L-mount), 1,420g (Sony E-mount)
• Diaphragm Blades: 13 (rounded)
• Angle of View: 18.2°

Price and Availability of the Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art

The Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art can be ordered now, and is shipping.

The post Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art Hands-on: A Portrait Lens Sony Should Have Made appeared first on Imaging Resource.

Watch Our Hands-On Review Video

Why the Sigma 200mm F2 is the Lens Sony Should Have Made

The Sigma 200mm f/2 DG DN OS | Sports joins the company’s 300-600mm f/4 as another sports lens that Sony should have created themselves. What makes this lens stand out is how it combines speed, build quality, and functionality in a package that feels purpose-built for professional use. The fixed focal length and wide f/2 aperture mean photographers can capture their best work in low light conditions. and the wide aperture makes for soft background defocus (bokeh.)

In our video I had been shooting with this lens all over Australia. Wildlife, botanical gardens, even a protest I stumbled upon in Sydney-and the images have been simply spectacular. This thing is tack sharp. I used it for several more weeks after I got home, and the performance and image quality really held up.

Sigma 200mm F2 Build Quality and Controls

Like Sigma’s 300-600mm f/4, this lens is built like a tank and features controls covering nearly every surface. The lens includes an autofocus switch, focus range limiters, two optical image stabilization modes, and two custom switches you can program to trigger various functions. The aperture ring can be clicked or declicked depending on your needs, and there’s a lock button on the opposite side.

If that wasn’t enough, multiple buttons on the lens barrel can be programmed for anything from focus hold to custom functions. Despite being a 200mm f/2-which typically means large and heavy-this lens is surprisingly compact. That wide aperture is genuinely difficult to achieve at this focal length, making Sigma’s engineering all the more impressive.

The tripod foot deserves special mention: it’s Arca-Swiss compatible, meaning you can drop it directly into compatible tripod heads without needing an adapter. This is the kind of thoughtful design that makes fieldwork easier.

Sigma 200mm F2 Autofocus Performance on Sony Bodies

Like Sony’s own sports lenses, the Sigma 200mm f/2 focuses incredibly quickly. I’ve been shooting it on both the Sony A9 III and A7R V, and on both cameras, autofocus has been instantaneous. Subject recognition works fantastically, and tracking performance has been flawless across wildlife, action, and documentary shooting scenarios.

The speed of this lens makes it perfect for sports, wildlife, and any situation where you need to react quickly. There’s no hunting, no hesitation-just immediate lock-on and reliable tracking.

How the Sigma 200mm F2 Compares to Sony’s 50-150mm F2

Before I wrap up these first impressions, I need to address the one lens that might make you think twice about the Sigma 200mm f/2: Sony’s recently released 50-150mm f/2. I’ve reviewed that lens as well, and it’s also excellent.

While 150mm and 200mm aren’t the same focal length, that 50mm difference matters less than you might think for certain types of photography. When you’re doing close-up work or shooting sports and events, having the flexibility to go from 50mm to 150mm at f/2 is genuinely useful. I’ve used that lens for sports and protests in New York City, and the versatility proved invaluable.

If you’re shooting with a high-resolution body like the Sony A1 Mark II or A7R V, you have some cropping headroom that can help make up for the 50mm difference. The 50-150mm f/2 and the 200mm f/2 both focus nearly identically and offer the same f/2 aperture. Your choice comes down to whether you value versatility or reach.

Sigma’s Growing Sports Lens Lineup for Sony

Sigma now has a 300-600mm f/4 that outperforms Sony’s 200-600mm lens in terms of Aperture, and they’ve added this excellent 200mm f/2. At this point, all Sigma really needs is a 400mm lens to complete what would be the perfect sports lens lineup for Sony shooters, and then they’d l have achieved it before Sony has done it themselves.

Should you buy the Sigma 200mm F2 DG OS Sport lens?

The Sigma 200mm. F2 is an impressive lens. Build, features, and performance are all exceptions. I would recommend this lens to anyone looking for an excellent close-sports or portrait lens that checks all the boxes.It’s currently priced under $3,500, which is right on the mark for a lens of this quality.

However, the limits on frame rates imposed by Sony means there are compromises compared to Sony’s own lenses.

For users that don’t need the extra 50mm the Sigma lens provides, Sony’s 50-150mm F/2 may be a better choice. Generally a few hundred dollars more expensive than Sigma’s lens, as a zoom it’s more versatile, and the build and image quality are equally impressive.

The post Sigma 200mm F2 DG OS Sport Lens Review – Blockbuster Performance From a Lens Sony Should Have Made appeared first on Imaging Resource.

The Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 ART is available in Sony, Fujifilm, Canon, and L-Mounts, making it one of the most compatible lenses with your chosen platform.

Our full written review is coming, but everything we cover in that is in this video.

The post Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 ART Lens Review – The Best APS-C Zoom Yet? appeared first on Imaging Resource.

On paper, the FE 50-150mm seems like an odd–or maybe even unnecessary–combination of focal lengths and aperture. A 70-200mm can capture most of the focus distance, while f/2 doesn’t seem that different from f/2.8. This lens perfectly exemplifies the aphorism “don’t judge a book by its cover.”

In the right situations, this is one of the best lenses I’ve ever used.

Editor’s Note: Our content system re-compresses images, reducing their colors and sharpness. For better image quality examples, check out our hands-on review and the slideshow videos below.

Our Hands-On Review Video

Our Sony 50-150mm f/2 GM Image Sample Slideshow

What Makes the Sony FE 50-150mm F/2 GM So Special

The f/2 aperture has much to do with it, but the overall package makes it a standout lens. The 50-150mm GM is one of a series of lenses that breaks convention with unique focal lengths and capabilities. Sigma’s recent 300-600mm f/4 DG OS lens is another good example, as are specialty lenses like the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD with its half-macro capabilities and super-telephoto length.

Let’s start with the eye-catching f/2 aperture, the standout spec of the lens, which, I think, will leave some people scratching their heads. Aperture values are a strange way to describe the amount of light hitting a sensor because they’re a mathematical way to describe both the opening of a lens and the focal length. It’s the kind of system only a Victorian mathematician could love.

How different could an f/2.8 lens be compared to an f/2 lens? The decimal point is deceiving, as f/2 has just slightly more than a stop of light gathering than f/2.8. To put this another way, f/2 to f/2.8 is the same light-gathering jump as f/2.8 to f/4.

The full stop of light gathering in the Sony 50-150mm GM is critically important to the target customer. Photojournalists, wedding photographers, portrait shooters, and nature/wildlife shooters can shoot in lower light conditions without cranking up the ISO.

The f/2 aperture also provides a level of background defocus that is uncommon in a telephoto lens in this focal length range. Again, the difference in background defocus from f/2 to f/2.8 is the same as from f/2.8 to f/4. Ask any portrait shooter if they’d rather have an f/2.8 or f/4 lens, and you’ll see why this is the go-to lens for many photographers and videographers.

Sports are no problem for the 50-150mm, even at f/2.

It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts

The wide aperture on the Sony FE 50-100mm f/2 GM wouldn’t matter if the image quality and performance weren’t superb. Sony is known for its image quality and handling of its pro-level glass; this new GM lens is no exception.

Internally, the lens contains 18 elements in 15 groups, including one XA, two ED, and one Super ED element. This mix reduces chromatic aberrations and maintains edge-to-edge clarity, even at f/2. The 11-blade aperture creates a smooth, buttery background.

But it’s not just about image quality. The dual linear motors and focus system enable fast, nearly silent autofocus. Sony’s newest focus motors in the 50-150mm range can easily keep up with the 30-plus frames-per-second capture rate of the Alpha 9 III and the subject-detection system.

Portraits at f/2 have an amazing, soft bokeh.

It’s Also What’s on the Outside That Counts

The Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM is surprisingly small. At 947 grams, it weighs just a hair over two pounds and is only six inches long (152.3mm) without the hood.

While it’s stockier than Sony’s 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II, it’s a tad shorter and lighter. The focal length range of 50-150mm likely keeps this lens from being an oversized monster; the 70-200 has a 130mm range, while the 50-150mm is only 100mm from widest to longest focal length.

Using the Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM

The lens is very comfortable. The tripod mount is removable, which is a welcome design for the handheld shooting I did at the rally and when shooting portraits. It has the usual complement of switches and controls, including aperture lock and settings for focal length range and stabilization.

I spent more than three hours walking along the protest route with the camera and never felt the lens was unwieldy. Sony’s early zoom rings had a lot of “throw,” meaning you had to crank the dial to change focal lengths. The FE 50-150mm has Sony’s more recent short-throw design, which makes it easy to compose a shot.

Sony’s wide-aperture lenses show how good its cameras’ eye-detect AF is. I shot the lens with the Alpha 9 III and the Alpha 7R V; in both cases, the lens focused instantly on my intended subject. This was no trivial feat when covering a political demonstration, where the faces of protesters were often partially obscured by signs and other marchers.

The controls on the lens’s body are well placed, though I largely consider them set-and-forget. If I switch to manual focus, I use the camera’s focus settings, not the lens switch. Likewise, I rarely change the image stabilization mode, and I like to use the lens with the aperture de-clicked so I can quickly switch between photo and video use.

I haven’t seen a switch on other lenses to control Dynamic Manual Focus (DMF). DMF is a hybrid of autofocus and manual focus. It uses a camera’s AF system for initial focus and allows that focus to be overridden with a turn of the focus dial.

DMF is particularly helpful if the AF locks on something other than the desired subject. A good use of DMF is portraits of people wearing glasses with thick lenses. Most AF systems lock on the frame or the surface of the lens, which can leave the eyes out of focus. With DMF, you can let the camera pick out the glasses and then make a slight adjustment to match the magnification of the lenses, leaving the eyes sharp.

DMF is normally a stand-alone setting in the focus menu, and while it can be programmed to activate with a custom button, having the switch on the lens is a huge time saver that will result in more in-focus images in tricky conditions.

After multiple hours of walking in drizzle and rain, I can confidently say the water resistance works. I had forgotten the lens hood at home, so I was able to accidentally test the front element coating Sony claims repels water. For my review of the Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens, I took the lens to the tropical aviary at the Central Park Zoo and was impressed that the front of the lens only fogged up a little. The 50-150mm f/2 seems to repel water, and the 400-800mm is kept from fogging.

Thankfully, the tripod leg is removable. I would only mount this lens to a tripod for video, so having a foot on the bottom would drive me insane during handheld shooting. Too many zoom lenses on the market have either no tripod foot or a tripod foot that can’t be removed.

While the lens is beefy, it’s not awkward in the hand. The 50-150mm f/2 GM is well balanced, and the internal zoom mechanism keeps the lens balanced regardless of the focal length.

The autofocus is blazingly fast. Sony’s GM line has always had the fastest focusing systems available at the time of their introduction, but the 50-150mm motors are some of Sony’s newest. As a result, newer GM lenses have significantly faster AF than first-generation GM lenses.

Sony has gone back and re-engineered their AF motors, and the recent GM II lenses take advantage of these new linear motors in the first generation of lenses like the 70-200mm GM II. The takeaway is that the GM moniker on this lens is equivalent to the GM II on the previous lenses.

The Proof is in the Looking

Most of my resolution and image quality tests were done with the lens wide open or close to wide open, since sharpness is good on most lenses when stopped down.

With the f/2 aperture, I get pinpoint accuracy on a subject’s eye while still having a creamy background defocus. The wide aperture showed off the detail possible with the lens’s optical design. This woman in a penguin costume is a good example of the resolving power of this lens. Shot from about 15 yards away on the Sony a7R V, the detail in her face is on par with the prime glass I use when shooting weddings.

The detail is exceptional. The small hairs on their ear are visible in one shot of a protester. I’m not sure I would have been able to see those hairs standing directly in front of them. The lens reminds me of Sony’s 85mm f/1.4 GM II, one of the sharpest lenses I’ve ever used.

These backyard wildlife shots show the razor-thin focus range of the lens when shot at f/2. Combined with the excellent subject-detection systems, it’s possible to track fast-moving subjects and still have pinpoint focus, with a fast sharpness that falls off into the smooth background defocus.

Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM Purchase Thoughts

The Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM is an interesting lens; some will find it perplexing. However, with a 70-200mm GM II already available, this lens won’t make sense for many users. On our briefing call about this lens, one reviewer questioned the 50-150mm value when wider aperture primes exist and current zooms are available at f/2.8.

I countered that this lens is designed for the people who need it most. It is similar to the Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 and the new Sigma 300-600mm f/4 Sport. Casual wildlife shooters might not need the Sigma lens’s wider fixed aperture, but those who do need it.

For wedding photographers, this is a no-brainer. The 50mm “standard” lens is a mainstay of portrait photography, and the f/2 is only a third stop slower than an f/1.8. The holy grail of wedding photography is a lens that can go from 50mm to 150mm without a variable aperture.

One of my passions is sports photography, and an f/2 lens provides a unique look not available from an f/2.8 or f/4 70-200mm lens. Likewise, wildlife photographers can get a look unmatched by other zooms. Photographing an elk in the distance is not long enough, but birds and other close-up subjects have a unique look.

Even landscape photographers may love this lens. This won’t replace a 16-35mm or even a prime 24mm lens, but being able to shoot at f/2 gives these photographers a range of previously unavailable options.

The post Sony FE 50-150mm F/2 GM Lens Review – Powerful, Expensive, Amazing appeared first on Imaging Resource.

A Closer Look at the Sony 400-800mm f/6/3 – 8 G OSS

David explains that this lens pushes the limits of focal length reach without breaking the bank. Perfect for Sony shooters, the lens fills a niche for photographers who need that extra reach when it counts. During a shoot at the Shawnagunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, David captured stunning shots of harriers flying at a distance-details that other photographers missed. This review highlights how the extra 200 millimeters over the popular 200-600mm version can make all the difference.

Autofocus and Image Quality

The review dives into the lens’s robust autofocus capabilities. Paired with Sony’s AI subject detection, the lens locks onto small, fast-moving subjects, delivering consistently sharp images even at 30 frames per second. Despite its maximum f/8 aperture at 800mm reducing the light intake-requiring higher ISOs in fast-paced scenarios-the overall image quality remains impressive. From edge sharpness to minimal chromatic aberrations, David’s shots of birds in flight and detailed close-ups of snow monkeys and sea lions prove that this lens is more than capable when it comes to delivering crisp, vivid photos.

Build Quality and Handling

David praises the construction and design of the 400-800mm lens, noting its solid weather resistance and durable build-qualities it shares with the 200-600mm version. The innovative internal zoom mechanism makes it easier to handle compared to external telescoping designs, providing steadier shots even when hand-holding. Weighing in at just over 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg), it’s hefty yet manageable for long shooting sessions, making it a reliable companion for both field and studio work.

Comparing the Options

While the Sony 600mm f/4 remains the pinnacle of long-range glass, the 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS offers a compelling alternative for those seeking versatility and affordability. If your budget is tight but you still crave the reach and performance for wildlife or sports photography, this lens could be your ideal choice. Additionally, compatibility with Sony’s teleconverters can extend its reach even further, opening up creative possibilities that push your photography to new heights.

Watch the Full Review of the Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS

Discover all the details-from autofocus performance and image quality nuances to handling and build reliability-in our full video review on Imaging Resource. Whether you’re an avid wildlife photographer or a sports enthusiast, this review will help you decide if the Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS is the right tool for your photography arsenal.

Visit the video now for an in-depth look and see the incredible images captured with this long-range powerhouse.

Where to Buy the Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS

The Sony 400-800mm f/6/3-8 G OSS is available from major camera and electronics retailers.

Watch Sony’s Launch Video for the FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS

The post Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Review – Ultimate Long-Range Lens for Wildlife, Sports, and Aviation Photography appeared first on Imaging Resource.

The Nikon Z 35mm lens meets the expectations of a $2,799.95 lens, with exceptional sharpness, lovely background bokeh, and excellent handling.

If you’re thinking “why would anyone spend $2800 for a 35mm lens,” you’re asking the right questions. For a casual or even advanced photographer the price and size of this lens makes it a possible poor choice.

For the professional portrait, wedding, or event photographer however, this lens will be a perfect addition to a camera bag.

We have a full review of the Nikkor 35mm F/1.2 S lens in the works, but my YouTube video is below. Unless we run into any specific issues when testing the lens, this preview is going to cover all of our thoughts in use, image quality, and value.

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm F/1.2 S Lens Pricing and Ordering

The Nikkor Z 35mm F/1.2 S lens is $2799.95 and is available from retailers and shipping now.

The post Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm F/1.2 S Lens Review – Nikon’s Best Ever appeared first on Imaging Resource.

(From Sony lens literature) Sony Electronics has announced the 50mm F1.4 G Master (model SEL50F14GM) as the newest addition to its acclaimed G Master full-frame lens lineup. This e-mount lens expands the Sony lineup with a premium 50 mm prime lens packed into a remarkably compact and lightweight design. The 50mm F1.4 G Master delivers first-class image quality, including high-resolution and naturally rendered bokeh known to Sony’s top-tier G Masterâ„¢ series. When paired with the latest Sony cameras, it is an ideal option for a wide variety of uses in both still and video including portraiture, landscapes, travel, and weddings. 

Sharp Imagery and Beautiful Bokeh 

The advanced optical design and elements unique to Sony’s top-of-the-line G Master series brings outstanding image quality to the 50mm F1.4 G Master. Spherical aberration control at both the design and the manufacturing stages contributes to beautiful bokeh. The lens offers naturally rendered bokeh with an 11-blade circular aperture and sharp realism is offered throughout maximum aperture range. Deep, creamy bokeh at F1.4 is ideal for a variety of shooting scenarios including making portrait subjects stand out from their surroundings. 

The 50mm F1.4 G Master is packed with two XA (extreme aspherical) elements that effectively correct field curvature and most types of aberration. This lens is also designed with one ED (extra-low dispersion) glass element that suppresses chromatic aberration to maintain clear and sharp images without color bleeding. The design combination of the XA and ED elements help achieve high-resolution throughout the entire frame. Sony’s original Nano AR Coating II on the lens suppresses reflections even in a backlit scene. 

In addition, the minimum focusing distance of the 50mm F1.4 G Master is up to 0.41 meters and maximum magnification is up to 0.16x when autofocus is used i. This level of close-up performance provides extra flexibility when shooting both stills and videos.  

Remarkably Compact Design for Maximum Versatility 

The 50mm F1.4 G Master has Sony’s most advanced optical design technology including the precisely positioned XA elements, high-thrust XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors, and the latest compact circular aperture unit. These elements are critical for realizing a large-aperture, high-resolution lens that is only 80.6 mm in diameter, 96.0 mm in length, and approximately 516 grams in weight. These measurements allow for a lens that is up to 33% lighter and 15% less volume when compared to conventional models with the same specifications ii. 

The compact size of the 50mm F1.4 G Master paired with a Sony camera body makes this lens extremely versatile in both still and video shooting situations. With this type of mobility and low-light performance, this lens is a great choice for everything from portraits, landscapes, weddings, and travel. The compact size also makes it an ideal lens selection for gimbal and drone operation. 

Fast, Precise, and Reliable Autofocus 

The 50mm F1.4 G Master’s autofocus is extremely fast and precise, making it an ideal choice for reliable content creation. The autofocus is as much as 1.9x fasteriii than conventional models with the same specifications ii. The lens’s focus group is driven by Sony’s high-thrust XD linear motors and incorporates an advanced control algorithm for smooth, responsive focus drive. When paired with the latest Sony’s Alpha cameras, this lens can quickly acquire focus and track subjects, even when using the shallow depth of field available at F1.4.  

The XD linear motors and control algorithm optimize response to control signals so that focusing is precise, and vibration is minimized for refined, quiet AF operation. This is extremely advantageous when shooting movies allowing movie subjects to be smoothly captured and tracked even when shooting at 120 fps or other high frame rates. The ability to leave focusing to the camera when shooting solo or with a small team can dramatically enhance efficiency and creative flexibility. Also, the 50mm F1.4 G Master features the latest lens technology to reduce focus breathing to ensure that the highest quality images are captured. In addition, the 50mm F1.4 G Master supports the breathing compensation iv function provided in compatible Sony’s Alpha cameras. 

Intuitive Operability and Outstanding Reliability 

The lens has been designed intuitively to help provide creators maximum workflow efficiency while shooting. Linear Response MF ensures that the focus ring responds directly and repeatably to subtle control when focusing manually. As an exciting evolution to the premium G Master line-up, the 50mm F1.4 G Master also features an iris lock switch, which is the first to ever be offered on a Sony prime lens. Additionally, this lens features a 67 mm thread mount, allowing for a filter to be interchangeable with the FE 24mm F1.4 G Master and FE 35mm F1.4 G Master lenses. 

Focus hold buttons and a focus mode switch provide extra shooting versatility for content creators. Customizable focus hold buttons are present in two locations, which can be further assigned to several other functions from the camera’s menus. The focus mode switch makes it possible to switch between autofocus and manual focus on the fly, to quickly adapt to changing shooting conditions. 

The 50mm F1.4 G Master’s front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels and allows for easy removal of fingerprints, dust, water, oil, and other contaminants.  A dust and moisture resistant design provides extra reliability for outdoor use in challenging conditions. These additions allow creators to use the lens with confidence in almost any shooting environment. 

Pricing and Availability

The new Sony 50mm F1.4 G Master lens will be available in May 2023 for approximately $1299.99 USD and $1799.99 CAD. 

The post Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM SEL50F14GM appeared first on Imaging Resource.

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All images copyright ©2023 by The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved.

All images copyright ©2023 by The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved.

The post Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM SEL50F14GM Gallery Images appeared first on Imaging Resource.