The Sony 70-200 F/4 MACRO : A Tremendous Enjoyable Lens!

Sony simply introduced the brand new 70-200 f/4 G Macro lens. I have already got this lens for about 2 months and did plenty of pictures with it. On this article I’ll talk about all the pieces what this lens is about. And sure, it has macro capabilities! Let’s get began.

Full Disclaimer: I’m a Sony Europe Ambassador and Sony requested me if I needed to check out this lens. I do should ship this one again.

Please notice that this text can be accessible as a video, the place I’m going by means of many of the pictures and inform about my expertise. You may watch it on YouTube:

The Forest Shoot.

On this article I need to do issues slightly bit completely different. Earlier than I really present you all types of specs and pictures of the lens, I need to dive in one of many first shoots: A forest images shoot. As a result of after I first heard about this lens I used to be tremendous and forest images got here to thoughts instantly. Why? I shoot most of my pictures within the forest with my 70-200 f/2.8 GM II (or 100-400). I additionally at all times carry my Sony 90mm Macro within the forest. This provides weight. The brand new 70-200 f/4 might probably be these 2 lenses in 1. In fact, it’s not precisely the identical because the 90mm macro can do extra ‘actual’ macro with nearer focus distance however nonetheless: More often than not I exploit my macro within the forest is for little mushrooms, little leaves, flowers and so forth. And never tremendous macro pictures of bugs. So in idea, and in my thoughts, this might work.

In order that’s the very first thing I did. On a summer time morning with the solar peaking by means of the bushes, I went to a neighborhood forest to do this out. Within the forest, I comply with the sunshine. Listed below are a few of the pictures from that morning:

I began photographing this ‘see-through’ the place cyclists stored coming throughout the body. As you possibly can see, I used slightly bit of a better ISO and quick shutter pace to verify the bicycle owner is sharp. I then began to see the sunshine rays coming by means of the bushes behind me and began to give attention to that:

I’m nonetheless utilizing slightly bit greater ISO within the forest, primarily as a result of the leaves are shifting from the wind. I don’t need them to be blurry so I attempt to maintain the shutter pace not extraordinarily gradual. I additionally underexpose so much right here, to place extra give attention to the sunshine rays.

One other instance of an underexposed shot the place I simply comply with the sunshine. The sunshine within the forest is shifting continuously, lightning completely different patches of bushes each time. By underexposing you get an amazing impact to focus on this.

I then observed this path the place the sunshine was hitting fantastically by means of the bushes in the course of the trail. I setup my tripod and whereas I used to be doing that, I heard goose on a regular basis. Apparently they’d a nest close by they usually did a phenomenal fly by means of by means of the tree alley. I didn’t get that shot, but. I then simply adjusted my shutter pace to very quick and moved up my ISO and easily waited. And sure, they stored flying by means of the alley 🙂 So I stored taking pictures in burst, attempting to catch the geese of their flight. The above picture is likely one of the outcomes.

And right here’s how the lens seems to be on the digicam. It’s fairly compact and extends once you zoom. Look intently and also you see there’s a tripod foot(mount) connected on the lens. You may really take away that mount if you want. As a result of the lens is compact I didn’t use the tripod mount a lot anyway.

Right here’s a more in-depth look:

So on this forest picture session, I’m utilizing the setup on a lightweight weight tripod and continuously simply maintain the tripod with the digicam/lens connected to maneuver it. This works comfortably because the setup isn’t heavy in any respect. You would select to shoot a number of hand-held within the forest with greater ISO, however right now it was nonetheless somewhat darkish within the forest. I later proceed to shoot with out the tripod.

After taking some basic forest pictures, I made a decision to do a fast Bokeh take a look at:

Zoomed within the bokeh seems to be good in my view, fairly tender. It could possibly’t match the 70-200GM II nevertheless it’s not unhealthy in any respect. Somewhat bit extra zoomed out the bokeh will get a bit extra busy.

I continued my stroll and targeted a bit extra on the little issues. I prefer to stroll by means of forests and simply see random issues, like fascinating leaves, textures and see the place the sunshine hits. At this level I eliminated the digicam from the tripod and continued hand-held for extra flexibility.

After which I began to note which you could transfer a lot nearer to topics then along with your ‘regular’ 70-200. Bear in mind, it has the ‘MACRO’ tag written on it.

Right here targeted on slightly go away that was fantastically lit. You can begin to see the macro capabilities of the lens. I did some extra of those through the use of a more in-depth focus distance. This time, with the lens vast open:

Look how good and tender the bokeh begins to look once you get shut to things and go into ‘macro’ mode.

Right here I used to be utilizing one other leaf partly in entrance of the lens to create that foreground bokeh which provides a pleasant dreamy impact.

Then I began to search for smaller issues than simply leaves. I discovered some tiny flowers in little openings within the forest.

Discover that every one these pictures are taken vast open at f/4 . I simply love the dreamy look it creates. The main target airplane (as it’s with macro) could be very slender so it’s important to focus exactly.

The above pictures have been tiny flowers taken at across the minimal shut focus distance, which means I couldn’t focus any nearer or get them greater within the shot. Nonetheless, there’s a little magic trick this lens can do: It accepts (versus the previous authentic 70-200 f/4) teleconverters! Which means I can get a more in-depth macro performance (and extra vary) by attaching the 1.4x (or 2x) teleconverter!

Right here now we have an identical flower as above, shot nearer with the 1.4x tc connected:

Nonetheless handheld and it was not uncomfortable to carry. Some extra examples:

Abruptly, bizarre issues are so enjoyable to {photograph} with this setup.

This was not so bizarre nevertheless, or a minimum of one thing I had not seen earlier than. It seemed like slightly purple mushroom on a leaf to me, however after analysis I found they have been galls.

In order that type of sums up my first forest stroll with the lens. Was it what I anticipated? Really : Sure! It’s tremendous versatile, compact, and the macro pictures come out nice with the additional bonus of including the teleconverter. I’m certain plenty of folks (me included) are going to like this. Additionally vital to notice: The picture stabilisation on all of that is nice for hand-held taking pictures.

Specs

So now that i’ve given you a fast abstract of what’s attainable with this lens, let’s check out the design, the buttons and its specs:

Initially: it’s compact. However sure, it does lengthen once you zoom. And it has MACRO written on it. Als discover that this isn’t a GM lens, however ‘simply’ G. Right here you possibly can see it subsequent to the 70-200GM II

The GM II is greater and heavier, however doesn’t lengthen. The distinction after all is of no shock, because the GM is f/2.8 over the whole zoom vs f/4 of the G OSS II. The GM II weighs 1025gr and the G OSS II weighs 794gr. The unique 70-200 f/4 G weighs a tiny bit extra at 840gr. The distinction isn’t THAT massive, however the G OSS II is extra compact AND after all has the Macro functionality (and it accepts tele converts too)! It’s a really fascinating alternative of Sony as they might’ve most likely made it lighter and even smaller, however they selected to do one thing completely different. Innovation is initially why I went with Sony greater than 10 years in the past, and these sorts of issues simply put a smile on my face.

It’s nevertheless vital to notice that despite the fact that it has written MACRO on the lens, it is not a ‘actual’ macro lens, which means it does not have 1:1 magnification. It is at 0.5, however once you connect a 2x teleconverter it is 1:1 (and with the 1.4 it is in between). Unsure who invented when you possibly can name a lens ‘macro’, however to me the magnification is nice sufficient for many of my wants.

Right here we see a close-up of the lens with the tripod mount included. Like I discussed earlier than: you possibly can really simply detach this entire mount together with the ring to make the lens lighter. It’s additionally compact sufficient simply to mount it in your digicam with out the usage of the tripod mount. That does nevertheless put extra stress in your lens mount.

The buttons are just like all Sony telephoto lenses. In the event you look intently you now additionally see the MACRO possibility on the focus swap. You may select to focus solely very near the lens and ignore additional focus distances to cut back looking of the lens. Nonetheless, you don’t have to set the swap to MACRO to {photograph} macro. I simply left it to Full on a regular basis and that labored simply positive.

Normally the lens feels very strong like another new Sony lens and has quick AF with the brand new AF motors inside. I’m not going to dive an excessive amount of into all of those phrases and specs, as I need you to see extra precise picture materials. Let’s proceed!

Sharpness

Now earlier than we transfer on to extra enjoyable pictures, let’s discuss concerning the sharpness of this lens slightly bit. I’ll not bore you with sophisticated diagrams and graphs with each single aperture examined in opposition to a cardboard. As a substitute, I merely pointed the lens on a reasonably constructing and in contrast it to the very good sharpness of the 70-200GM II.

All pictures have been taken on the A7RV from a tripod from the (virtually) identical spot.

Listed below are the outcomes:

Sony A7RV – Sony 70-200 f/4 G Macro – 70mm – f/4 – 1/800s – ISO100

Right here’s a middle crop of the picture above:

And a crop from the precise edge:

As you possibly can see, the element at 70mm vast open is definitely nice. I examined this in opposition to the 70-200 GM II and I can’t actually see a distinction. There’s additionally subsequent to no Chromatic Aberration on the sides. I’m impressed.

Now I did the identical exams on f/8 and f/11. The outcomes at 70mm should not a lot completely different. Barely higher sharpness, however mainly on par with the 70-200 GM II. The place it differs although, is on the longer focus lengths. Particularly on the sides. Let me present you:

Right here we see a shot of 200mm at f/4 (vast open). The middle sharpness continues to be nice:

The highest left nook:

Right here we will see the sharpness falling quick a bit. Let’s examine it to the identical nook crop of the 70-200 GM II with precisely the identical settings:

The distinction right here is important. The GMII is definitely tack sharp at f/4 within the corners.

Once we shoot at f/8, the corners are higher, however the GM II nonetheless beats it in nook sharpness. The middle sharpness is sort of an identical. In fact, this comes as no shock: The GMII is far more costly, and easily a sharper lens typically. It (after all) additionally has a smoother bokeh with it’s f/2.8 aperture.

Animals

Again to regular taking pictures classes: subsequent to strolling round within the forest, I additionally liked to {photograph} animals with this lens. Listed below are 2 mini collection I took of household of Scottisch Highlanders on the Dutch Veluwe and slightly household of sheep. Because it’s summer time, all of them have their little infants which makes for some tremendous cute pictures.

Let’s begin with the sheep. Once I walked as much as them they have been instantly tremendous excited by me and my gear. Sniffing me from each facet and shortly realizing that my gear was not meals, they shortly misplaced curiosity and continued doing their factor.

All of those pictures have been taken at f/4 vast open.

With these sorts of pictures I attempt to get low and get on eye stage with the sheep. This provides nice depth to the picture with each a foreground (grass) layer and a backdrop. The collection was taken about an hour earlier than sundown throughout good golden gentle coming by means of the bushes.

This was the start of the shoot once they have been coming as much as me to see if I had any meals. Discover how the background bokeh on this shot is extra busy than the earlier shot. It’s because right here I needed to zoom out to 116mm and the opposite shot was taken at 200mm. At 200mm the bokeh could be very good.

Nonetheless even at 70mm you will get some good bokeh as will be seen on this shot. This little man was curious and coming as much as see to get some consideration.

Additionally notice that the Animal Eye af labored completely nice with all of those pictures. It virtually at all times snapped proper on high of the attention with excellent focus.

One other instance of the foreground/background bokeh from a distance and the right focus by means of all of it. One other factor to notice is that the sharpness at f/4 is just nice. Right here’s a crop of the above picture:

And one other one when the solar already set decrease and all of the grass seemed golden.

Final shot of the sheep picture session when the solar virtually set.

Highlanders Household

I did an identical factor photographing slightly household of Scottish highlanders that have been grazing in a discipline on the Dutch Veluwe. In addition they simply had infants which have been extraordinarily fluffy and cute.

One of many mother and father having fun with the afternoon gentle.

2 little infants noticing me getting near the bottom and pondering: “What the hell is that this man doing.”

One of many infants cleansing herself. I used to be not really that shut as that is already an about 2x crop of the unique picture. Excellent give attention to the attention once more, see an ever nearer crop:

Because the solar set decrease, all the pieces turned extra gold, actually complimenting the brown fur of those lovely animals.

Right here the solar simply set. I like this picture the way it exhibits the ‘wildness’ of this place within the Netherlands, with the tree because the backdrop.

I really feel like you’ll have a basic thought of what’s attainable with this lens concerning animals. One of many issues you’ll discover is that you simply don’t at all times want the f/2.8 (just like the GM II) to get these dreamy outcomes. On this case it’s all f/4. It’s all concerning the distance of taking pictures and the precise angle. In fact, if you wish to get a good dreamier look (that I like), the GM II might even be higher for these sorts of shoots.

Now let’s take a good nearer have a look at the bokeh of this lens with extra extra examples:

Flowers & Bokeh

Folks that know me know that I like photographing flowers. And with this lens It’s nice, as you possibly can focus nearer than you usually can with a regular telephoto lens. This additionally permits you to create good bokeh balls, even at f/4. Listed below are some pictures the place I targeted fairly shut which good bokeh balls as a backdrop:

And once we get nearer, the bokeh turns actually easy as now we have seen earlier than. Please notice that this was not even shot with the teleconverter.

Listed below are some extra examples of a poppy shoot that I did close to my home. These poppies have been simply standing subsequent to the highway and I spent about an hour photographing them from completely different angles. It will provide you with a good suggestion of what sort of bokeh you possibly can create through the use of nearer focus distances:

If you wish to be taught extra about how I do these sorts of pictures, be happy to take a look at my article on How to {Photograph} Tiny Spring Flowers.

Let’s get slightly bit nearer for extra summary macro pictures. These have been taken at minimal shut focus distance:

So no teleconverter was used for the above flower pictures. Let’s check out some macro pictures with the 1.4x Teleconverter connected. However earlier than we try this, let’s check out the precise shut focus distance distinction:

Shut Focus Distance Comparability

To get an thought of how shut you possibly can focus in comparison with a ‘regular 70-200’ I took a photograph of some flowers in my front room. Right here’s a photograph that was targeted as shut as attainable with the 70-200 GM II at 200mm:

Now let’s check out how shut I can get with the OSS G II MACRO :

That’s fairly a giant distinction. Clearly, it doesn’t have MACRO within the title for nothing :). Let’s now connect the 1.4TC:

We will now get much more magnification.. And you may also connect the 2x TC to get much more magnification if you’d like.

Teleconverter

Lastly, let’s check out some extra Macro pictures with the 1.4 teleconverter connected.

Tremendous dreamy picture of a flower with a really slender focus airplane. I like these sorts of dreamy pictures. When photographing these flowers exterior I observed bees actually appreciated them. So I spent a while observing and photographing them. An Fascinating reality is that we’re taking pictures macro right here at 280mm. Not the simplest, however you don’t should get tremendous near a topic to get the macro shot. On this case I used to be simply sitting within the grass and the bees weren’t be bothered by me in any respect, as I used to be not sitting tremendous near the flowers.

Please notice that these pictures are positively not straightforward to get. I used to be taking pictures bursts of pictures to attempt to catch the bees in flight, and a few of them with the insect AF of the A7RV got here out nice, however positively not all of them 🙂 These bees are tremendous quick in flight.

Landing! This was really the identical sequence because the earlier picture, with the setting solar behind and an amazing silhouette of the bee.

I actually liked the element on the bee on this picture.

Modifying

The entire pictures on this article have been processed, some lower than others. In the event you like my postprocessing work and need to be taught from me: I’ve a full modifying course on panorama images accessible with many pleased college students already. You’ll find it right here: www.edityourlandscapes.com

Right here I clarify my full workflow. It’s aimed toward each novices and superior folks. We even have a neighborhood the place everybody can present their work and ask questions, and for me to often give recommendation and suggestions on folks’s work.

Please not that I don’t run any adverts on these articles or on my web site. This text can be not paid or sponsored by anybody 🙂 So in case you are excited by supporting in any means, trying out the course is likely one of the methods!

Closing phrases

This text turned out fairly lengthy with plenty of instance pictures. That is just because I actually loved the flexibility of this lens and I needed to point out you all the pieces. I hope my pleasure comes by means of on this article. As a Sony ambassador I typically obtain gear in return for selling it. That was not the case with this lens. I merely borrowed it earlier than the discharge and should return it quickly. However I’m 100% shopping for it, as this lens is a number of enjoyable and nice to hold round for a wide selection of pictures.

Let’s summarise some issues on the finish right here:

• Normally , the 70-200 f/4 G OSS II Macro is a number of enjoyable to make use of due to its versatility.

• Shut focus distance is sweet for a lot of use circumstances, however is after all not so shut because the ‘actual’ Sony 90mm macro. It is 0.5 magnification, with the 2x teleconverter it is 1:1.

• It weighs 794 grams, about 50 grams lower than the unique. Not THAT massive of distinction, BUT it has the macro operate AND:

• It accepts teleconverters, each the 1.4x and 2x.

• It’s transportable, however does lengthen when zooming.

• Has a detachable tripod mount.

• Respectable Bokeh. Nice bokeh when utilizing absolutely zoomed in and nearer to topics.

• Nice quick AF.

• Nice sharpness even at f/4 within the heart and even with the teleconverters.

• Not a lot Chromatic Aberrations (really I didn’t discover any, even at f/4).

• Stunning rendering with not a lot flare.

This may really be my favorite telephoto lens as a result of its versatility. I actually can’t wait to do this out for different functions, like photographing the forest throughout autumn the place I can each {photograph} all of the bushes and the little mushrooms on the bottom. Or bringing it to Tuscany to {photograph} rolling hills and on the identical time take macro pictures of the flowers and the dew drops within the grass. Many potentialities!

In the event you appreciated this text, contemplate subscribing to my e-newsletter to get you notified on when new articles come out. If you wish to help me, you possibly can check out my modifying course (www.edityourlandscapes.com) or just use certainly one of my referral hyperlinks once you buy the lens or another gear (it gained’t be any dearer for you, however I’ll get a small fee).

Gear used on this article:

Sony A7RV

Sony 70-200 f/4 OSS II G Macro

Sony 1.4x Teleconverter

Thanks for studying!

Albert