Upgrade to FE70-200F/4 - G

[MVDH]

Currently I have a NEX-6 and SEL18-200 (original, silver) lens and although I very much like this lens I find it too soft and not sharp enough at the long end near 200 mm. I'm mainly interested in landscape/nature photography.

Since I'm looking for better Image Quality at the long end I am considering upgrading to the FE70-200. No intention to upgrade to FF in the very near future, but who knows in a few years. I do intent to upgrade to A6100/A700 as soon as it becomes available.

This is what I expect from the upgrade, but I would like to hear your opinion. I'm especially interested in experience from people that have used both lenses: is the upgrade worthwhile the money.

Upgrading from SEL18-200 to FE-70200 will hopefully give me:

PROS:

- better optics resulting in better sharpness/IQ overall and especially better at the far end where 18-200 is not that good;

- faster, allowing me to shoot at higher shutter speed or lower ISO in poor light when needed -> better IQ;

- internal zoom, meaning no annoying "lens creep";

- possibility to use on full frame if I might upgrade from APS-C to FF in the future;

- better dust/moisture resistance;

- hopefully faster auto focus (e.g. for birds in flight / sport);

- easy access bottom to turn of OSS for use on tripod (no need to dig into the menu)

- focus hold button;

CONS:

- less range in focal length, not suitable for "one lens does it all" occasions.

- larger minimum focus distance -> less magnification -> less suitable for close-up photography (flowers, bugs, mushrooms, etc.);

- larger and heavier;

So my main question is How good is FE70-200 compared to SEL18200?... Has it much better IQ to justify an upgrade?

And for those that made the upgrade: did you sell your SEL18200 or did you keep it and still use it for those "one lens only" occasions.

 

[morec]

I'm in very similar situation, having the Nex-6, the silver SEL18200, and wanting better quality at the long end and more reach.

I've been also debating between getting the 70-200 or the LA-EA4 adapter and a 300mm or longer A mount lens. Have you considered the adapter?

The 70-200 should offer much better quality and it's quite faster, but the price is high and offers the same reach so, for me, it's not a obvious choice.

I've decided to wait for the next Sony lens roadmap, and meanwhile keep using the SEL18200 and get a good and inexpensive legacy manual 300 or 400mm.

So, my advice is to wait for the next roadmap, and keep using the SEL18200 the best you can.

To get the most out of this lens forget about using at 200mm f/6.3. Stop it down to f/7.1, or if possible f/8, and it gets a little sharper.

 

[Tommygun45]

I used to own the 18200 Silver version and I got plenty of good shots from it. Even at 200 my images were pretty crisp on my old 5n. I ended up selling it though to fund other gear, namely the RX100MKIII. I am finding the RX redundant now though. The A6000 is so compact with the 35 that I would rather use that combo when going out to dinner or to the beach or something that I am thinking of selling it. I do enjoy it though.

The past few weeks however I have been researching the 70200 with the intentions of purchasing it soon. Having a one year old now she is active and is moving around outside. My 1670 is nice for most occasions but I'd like better subject isolation and to be able to shoot her from further away to use different compositions. The 70-200 by all accounts is excellent. I haven't found a report of a bad copy of the lens yet and everyone who uses it sings its praises.

I don't have time to find a link but there is a video of guys doing a Sony promotional video using mostly the A6k and 70200 to shoot surfers. You can see plenty of their samples in that video and they are amazing. Granted the guys are pros but it certainly shows the capabilities of the lens.

Also, I got my 1670 from wink camera in Japan. It arrived in Massachusetts after like 5 days shipping, and it saved me $300. My copy is excellent. They also sell the 70-200 for $1149. A far more palatable price than the $1499. You can find them on ebay. Of course there are risks involved, but I am not sure what those actually are. People just seem to talk about them all the time. "Gray market" this and "not warrantied" that. Ive never had a problem with a lens and can't imagine Sony wouldn't fix a lens like this regardless of where its from.

 

[Tommygun45]

I'm in very similar situation, having the Nex-6, the silver SEL18200, and wanting better quality at the long end and more reach.

I've been also debating between getting the 70-200 or the LA-EA4 adapter and a 300mm or longer A mount lens. Have you considered the adapter?

The 70-200 should offer much better quality and it's quite faster, but the price is high and offers the same reach so, for me, it's not a obvious choice.

I've decided to wait for the next Sony lens roadmap, and meanwhile keep using the SEL18200 and get a good and inexpensive legacy manual 300 or 400mm.

So, my advice is to wait for the next roadmap, and keep using the SEL18200 the best you can.

To get the most out of this lens forget about using at 200mm f/6.3. Stop it down to f/7.1, or if possible f/8, and it gets a little sharper.

 

[Stflbn]

Unless I need something specific, my go-to setup for events lately has been 70-200G on my A7ii and 18-105G on my A6000.

I still wish there was a 24-105 FE option.

 

[zackiedawg]

Upgrading from SEL18-200 to FE-70200 will hopefully give me:

PROS:

- better optics resulting in better sharpness/IQ overall and especially better at the far end where 18-200 is not that good;

Yes. Definitely.

- faster, allowing me to shoot at higher shutter speed or lower ISO in poor light when needed -> better IQ;

Yes.

- internal zoom, meaning no annoying "lens creep";

Yes.

- possibility to use on full frame if I might upgrade from APS-C to FF in the future;

Yes.

- better dust/moisture resistance;

Yes.

- hopefully faster auto focus (e.g. for birds in flight / sport);

Yes.

- easy access bottom to turn of OSS for use on tripod (no need to dig into the menu)

Yes.

- focus hold button;

Yes.

CONS:

- less range in focal length, not suitable for "one lens does it all" occasions.

Yes.

- larger minimum focus distance -> less magnification -> less suitable for close-up photography (flowers, bugs, mushrooms, etc.);

Questionable. The 70-200mm F4 does have a larger minimum focus distance, but also has enough resolution gain that it may at least partially make up for it...I know it will on the A6000 - I don't know for sure on the 16MP sensors as I never tried it on those. And of course a closeup lens attached to the 70-200mm can take care of the minimum focus distance issue. Depends on how much you shoot that type of stuff.

- larger and heavier;

Definitely.

So my main question is How good is FE70-200 compared to SEL18200?... Has it much better IQ to justify an upgrade?

That's the sticky point - it's up to each person to determine how much better it is, and whether that's worth the extra money. For me, it's better - noticeably, and most obvious at 200mm and when subjects are more distant. If it would really hurt you financially to buy the lens, and you would only want to do so if you felt you could get the same IQ/value proposition, then maybe it's not worth it - but if you want better, and are willing to pay to get it, I personally find it very worth it.

And for those that made the upgrade: did you sell your SEL18200 or did you keep it and still use it for those "one lens only" occasions.

I don't have the 18-200, but used the 55-210mm before I went to the 70-200mm - while never an all-in-one solution, I do still intend to keep the 55-210mm lens because it's still a good option to have when smaller and lighter is desirable and I still need longer focal lengths...I would most definitely keep an 18-200mm lens alongside the 70-200mm for much the same reason - when I want a smaller, lighter, more convenient travel telezoom, and especially in the case of the 18-200mm, an all in one travel lens ( I use an 18-250mm on my DSLR for much the same reason).

 

[MVDH]

My SEL18200 seems to be broken and cannot be repaired (it's still fine at the center, but the edges are bad) and I now think that a lot of poor sharpness at the long end with my SEL18200 is due to this problem with the lens: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3867437

I've decided to give the FE 70-200 F/4 a try and rent it for a week to try it during my hodiday in Northern France. I'll take the SEL10-18 + SEL35F15 + FE70-200 for my NEX6 and see how this will work for me.

I always liked the versatility of the SEL18200 as a single travel lens without need to switch lenses.

 

[Dirk W]

I have both and would never let the 18-200 go if I had to choose, for the reasons that you mentioned and its great versatility.