The Gold Master Telephoto Zoom – Filling a Gap in the FE lens Lineup
Perhaps the most exciting thing about the new FE 70-200 f/2.8 GM lens, when compared to the current FE 70-200 f/4.0 G lens, is that when Sony’s new FE 2.0x teleconverter is attached to this lens it is transformed into a 140-400 mm f/5.6 lens – this fills one of the last gaps in the FE lens lineup.
The 2.0x teleconverter is specifically designed for the FE 70-200 G Master and doubles the effective focal length of the lens with a loss of 2-stops of light. The resulting f/5.6 aperture is, however, the same focal length of the SAL 70-400 f/4.0-5.6 G lens at the longer end of the zoom range and is perfectly adequate, I believe, for wildlife photography.
Previously the only options to E-Mount users, looking for a long telephoto zoom to use with one of the A7 series cameras, would have been to use a lens such as the SAL 70-400 f/4-5.6G SSM II and an LA-EA3 or LA-EA4 adapter. Although this is possible, it is not a perfect solution for E-Mount users who want to retain both the quick On-Sensor Phase-Detection AF and Lock-On AF functionality. It was also a ‘far-from-adequate’ solution for owners of the original A7 and A7R cameras, as the SAL 70-400 G has no OSS (Optical SteadyShot or Image Stabilisation/Vibration Reduction). The new lens, when married to an A7RII, gives us both the Fast On-Sensor Phase detection AF and Lock-On AF capability. If you don’t like the idea of the 2-stop loss of light to achieve the 400mm focal length I would advise going for the 1.4x Tele Converter and then using the lens in APS-Crop mode – giving an equivalent focal length of 420mm at f/4 and 18 megapixel files.
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens and FE 2.0x Teleconverter for BHPhoto
Note > One look at the shape of the Tele Converter will tell you that this is specifically designed for the G Master lens only and should not be purchased to use with the FE70200F4G lens.