topic Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts in Alpha & NEX interchangeable lens cameras

Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Ian5986 — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 08:32:22 GMT

I am considering this lens asI would like the extra reach over the 70-200 and the 100-400 is way out of my price range.

I would love to hear / see sample images from anyone on here using this lens and what they think of it.

I would be using it outside mainly for car racing, airshows and birds in flight.

Thanks,

Ian

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Pascale_F — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 11:02:08 GMT

I'll see if I can find anyone with any sample photos or advice for you, Ian. Maybe someone else in the community can help in the meantime.

Thanks,

Pascale

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Snowy55 — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 10:10:23 GMT

Hi Ian,

I have not had this lens for very long but here are some initial images I have taken. They are of a Tiger Moth. I have a similar interest in airshows. These are nothing special but may help your assessment. It is early days for me and I haven't had a chance to put it through its paces properly but my initial thoughts are it is a very good size when coupled with my A6500 and it focuses fast and quite reliably. I have used the Sony FE 70-200 F4 in the past with good results but agree the extra reach out to 300mm is nice to have. To me the camera/lens size factor is a big factor in my enjoyment.

Hope this helps a bit.

Cheers

Snowy

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Ian5986 — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 11:01:46 GMT

Thank you Snowy, this is exactly the sort of feedback / images I was hoping for - as good as the 70-200 is I want something a little longer and am leaning toward the 70-300 so your images make it easier for me to decide.

I would love the 100-400 but as good as it is, it is just too expensive!

Not finding any used FE 70-300mm versions here in UK so saving for a new one..........bit of luck they may do a cashback closer to year end (living in hope).

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Ian5986 — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 09:22:59 GMT

Thank you all for the feedback, I have now purchased this lens as Sony are offering the cashback.

It is smaller than I expected and balances well on the A7iii as well as being fast to focus and quiet in use - it also delivers great IQ.

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Snowy55 — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 21:27:55 GMT

That is great to hear Ian.

Cheers

Snowy

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Vandraattila — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 09:33:48 GMT

I have problems with it, but I do not know if it is a camera problem, (Sony Alpha 7) or of the obiective. Yesterday was the first time I have observed, it (is is new). Using AF-s seems Ok, but with AF-c (also with sports preset, which uses also Af-c) the autofocus is very very slow (more seconds...) I have posted a question on this site about the problem, I have got no answer yet.

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Ian5986 — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 18:56:55 GMT

I am planning on trying the 70-300 on my A7iii next week when we are off to Slimbridge (a bird sanctuary not too far from where we live) - will post how I got on after the fact...........crossing my fingers all works well as I am only taking the Sony kit.

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Snowy55 — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 12:59:41 GMT

Hi Vandraattila

I tried my 70-300 on my Sony A7 (first generation A7) when I first got the lens but it was only a very brief test. It focused OK but wasn't as fast to focus as it is on my A6500, which is the camera I intended it for. I may get an A7III at some stage. I can't retest it for you as my A7 is in another country I'm afraid. Having said that I suspect the A7 may just be a little overmatched by the 70-300 for sports use. I mainly use my A7 with legacy, manual focus Minolta Rokkor lenses such as the 50mm f1.4, for which it is ideally suited. I also have the kit lens for it and a 55mm f1.8 and it handles those auto focus FE lenses very well. I don't think of my A7 as a sports camera but it is still a superb camera for portraits, landscapes and so on. Sorry that's not much help for your situation I know.

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Vandraattila — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 10:57:25 GMT

@Snowy55 wrote:
Hi Vandraattila
I tried my 70-300 on my Sony A7 (first generation A7) when I first got the lens but it was only a very brief test. It focused OK but wasn't as fast to focus as it is on my A6500, which is the camera I intended it for. I may get an A7III at some stage. I can't retest it for you as my A7 is in another country I'm afraid. Having said that I suspect the A7 may just be a little overmatched by the 70-300 for sports use. I mainly use my A7 with legacy, manual focus Minolta Rokkor lenses such as the 50mm f1.4, for which it is ideally suited. I also have the kit lens for it and a 55mm f1.8 and it handles those auto focus FE lenses very well. I don't think of my A7 as a sports camera but it is still a superb camera for portraits, landscapes and so on. Sorry that's not much help for your situation I know.

"Having said that I suspect the A7 may just be a little overmatched by the 70-300 for sports use."

If so, my question is, why there are no spcifications which attract the attention the customer? I was very happy buying this camera, having the intention to use it for birding... Now I learn from you, that is not suitable for for sports...
I have bought this camera, in the intetntion to make photos in Australia (I am from Romania) Now, I am i Melbourne, and my photos are not Ok, after spending 2500+ Euros... It is my four month income...

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Snowy55 — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 12:15:44 GMT

I don't work for Sony, it's just my opinion. All I can write is I'm happy with the Sony A7 and think it is a wonderful camera for what I use it for. As I mentioned I pair the 70-300mm with my A6500 and it works well for my requirements. The A7 and 70-300 focussed well enough but required a little time to do so, perhaps not fast enough for birding. I didn't try it for that purpose so can't offer any further comment.

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Vandraattila — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 10:57:17 GMT

@Snowy55 wrote:
I don't work for Sony, it's just my opinion. All I can write is I'm happy with the Sony A7 and think it is a wonderful camera for what I use it for. As I mentioned I pair the 70-300mm with my A6500 and it works well for my requirements. The A7 and 70-300 focussed well enough but required a little time to do so, perhaps not fast enough for birding. I didn't try it for that purpose so can't offer any further comment.

I have made some experiments today. The AF-c is OK with the 50mm lens, and also with the 70-300 if I use it at 70 mm. If I use it with 300 mm trying to make several photos of a departing car, the auto focus is ok, then "lost" and and Ok again after a while.
conclusion : The real problem is, that using this lens for subiects being far from me, AF becomes very slow. For subiects at 3-4 m it is OK. it is not an AF-c problem, onlz of speed of focusing at distant subiects.

Thanks anyway for your opinion.

Attila

Re: Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5 - 5.6 - user thoughts

Snowy55 — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 02:58:19 GMT

I have now been to an airshow and so have some further thoughts on this lens for that particular purpose. The aishow was Avalon 2019 in Victoria, Australia. The ambient temperature was around 35 to 38 degrees C with probably 7/10's cloud cover. We arrived early so got a good position on the fence line. My 70-300mm is coupled with my Sony A6500 and I was very pleased with the results. Focus was fast and accurate for the vast majority of shots with any misfocuses most likley my fault, not the lens or camera. The A6500/FE 70-300 combo works well for this purpose, not all that heavy and reasonably well balanced. Here are some photos I took on the day.

RAAF FA18sRAAF RoulettesRAAF FA18