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My review of the 70-400mm G as well as a few shots (C&C Welcome)

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kjamison

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I was little skeptical about this lens when it was first released. After having used it for a bit, here are a few thoughts.

1. It is heavy. This makes the 70-300mm G (which is a great lens!) feel like a toy.
2. I got used to the silver after about an hour.
3. Fast Autofocus on the A700.

4. Sharp as a tack. I don't have time to post 100% crops, but the below pictures are ridiculously sharp even at 100% for all of the pixel peepers out there.
5. Amazing IQ.

This lens has thus far more than met my expectations.

Here are four shots taken with it recently. Very little pp in #1-3. A little bit more in #4 for a "dramatic" effect.









Thanks for looking. C&C welcome.
 
While the images are small, it looks like the lens is very sharp, as you state. What body is it mount on?

Darrell
 
I used it on an A700.

I will try to get some 100% crops up later today.

Also, I used a monopod with the lens which helped bear the weight of it!
 
Beautifully captured. Thank you for sharing.
 
I got some good captures there last week, plus a lot of interest in my 70-400G (and envy) from other camera shooters.

Nice shots! Looks like the light was a little better for you though.
--
FEM2008
 
Has anyone else noticed that the force that must be used to operate the zoom is pretty extreme! I really have to twist mine to zoom from 70-400 I almost feel like the mount is getting extra torque applied thats not needed. I understand we dont want zoom creep but damn I don't need a work out every time I zoom in and out!~
--
Email : [email protected]
'Always Looking For New People To Walk The Streets Of NYC With In Search
Of The Perfect Shot'

http://www.SonyProPhoto.com

'Equipment List'
Sony 70-300SSM G (Is What It Is)
Sigma 90mm f2.8 Macro (Sharp)
Sony 50mm f1.4 (Tack Sharp!)
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 ( !!Sharp Sharp Sharp !! )
Tamron 20-200 F2.8 Macro XD Di :) (I LOVE this lens!!)
 
Mine is a little stiff, but I would not call it extreme. It loosened somewhat after some use. Pitty it is not as smooth as my beercan or 70-200G though. Sony probably did that due to heavy glass inside and zoom creep.

My 100 macro focus ring was extremely stiff that I almost returend it. After some use, it beacme pretty comfortable as well.
--
FEM2008
 
Here is the first picture I posted.



Here is a 100%.



Here is another one I took.



Here is the 100% crop.



To be honest, the pictures looked sharper on my computer before they've been sent to smugmug. I don't know how to get around that.

I did take these at The Wilds. I was bummed to miss the bison, but other than that it was a good trip.

All in all I'm very impressed with this lens. Excited to take it to northern MN in a few weeks to shoot some eagles, bears and hopefully a moose.
 
William Curtindale said:
I have the 70-400mm G (silver) and shot side-by-side with a 70-300mm G (black) in outside hot sun for a full day. The silver lens stayed cool to the touch while the black lens got so hot is was unconfortable to touch.
Click to expand...
I found the same thing in my western trip where I used it sometimes for hours on end mounted in the sun shooting hawk nests.

The Tamron 200-500 also gets too hot to be comfortable to use.

While staying a lot cooler, the silver does not have the glare of smooth white lens finishes. Those two things alone are plenty of practical reason to prefer the silver. These are not artworks, they are tools intended to be used.

Walt
 
I just got th 70400g lens. Not as sharp on F5.6 400mm. What F stop did you use?
--
Alpha700 Minolta 70-210mm f4 Sony Zeiss 16-80mm Sony 100mm macro
 
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