A Traveler's Review: Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS Lens

Quick Summary of Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS Lens

If you are short on time, here is a quick summary of the pros and cons of using the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS Lens for travel and a link to check the recent discount on the lens below:

What to Look For In Travel Telephoto Lens?

Focal Lengths: When it comes to telephoto lenses, one of the first things you have to look out for is the focal length.

For travel applications, having a zoom telephoto lens will allow you to be flexible and adapt to whatever situations you might find yourself in so going with a zoom lens instead of a prime lens is definitely the way to go.

For landscape/street photography, the maximum focal length of 200mm should be more than enough but if you are looking for a lens to do wildlife photography, you are going to need something with more reach.

Here's one thing to consider. The benefit of buying Sony telephoto lenses over third-party lenses is they support teleconverters which will give you the ability to extend the focal range of your lenses without having to buy another lens, which is something third-party lenses like Tamron and Sigma can not do.

With the Sony FE 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, you can essentially extend the 200mm focal length to 280mm or 400mm respectively allowing you to adapt your telephoto lenses for wildlife without having to buy another lens. Definitely, something to consider before buying a telephoto lens.

Weight & Size: Now, in an ideal world, I would prefer a telephoto lens that is lightweight and can go as long as 600mm for wildlife but unfortunately, in the real physical world, the longer the focal length, the heavier and bulkier the lens gets so you will have to strike a balance between the focal length you need and the weight and size of the lens you are willing to carry.

This also applies to the aperture you need for your wildlife lenses as well. In an ideal world, I would like to travel with a 200mm - 600mm F2.8 lens that weighs less than 1 kg (35 oz) but that is just physically impossible and so if you want to find a wildlife lens that is the right size and weight, you are going to have to sacrifice the reach and the aperture you want and go for what you actually need instead.

Image Quality: As I mentioned before, when it comes to picking the right telephoto lens, it's all about balance. The telephoto lens you ended up picking should allow you to produce images that are sharp enough for you.

Since you will likely be using your telephoto lens on the extreme end of the focal length most of the time, you will have to make sure that the lens you picked up can produce an acceptable image at that focal length.

Always look for sharpness in the corners of your images. If the telephoto lens can produce sharp enough images corner-to-corner throughout its range then that lens is a good option to consider.

Price: Last but not least, the price of the telephoto lens must be in an acceptable range that you can afford. There are many telephoto lens grades out there with varying price points from as cheap as 300 USD all the way to over 10,000 USD.

There are extremely expensive lenses built specifically for sports journalists that cost an arm and a leg and then there are consumer-friendly lenses that are affordable and = are more than capable for normal use cases.

Find a budget you are willing to pay for a wildlife and landscape lens and then balance it out with the other 3 points I mentioned earlier (image quality, focal lengths, and size & weight) and find you will find a lens that is perfect for you.

Why Did I Choose the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS Lens?

After upgrading my camera from the Sony a7C to the new Sony a7R V, one of the highest resolution cameras out there with its incredible 61-megapixel sensor, my old Tamron 70-300mm, which had served me well over the years, is no longer cutting it in the image quality department.

With such a high-resolution sensor, I needed a glass that will allow me to utilize the benefit of my new camera to the max, and the Sony 70-200mm GM II lens, which is considered to be one of the sharpest lenses Sony has ever produced, really delivers.

The fact that Sony was able to cut down the weight from its previous version by more than 28% with a weight of only around 1045 grams while also providing the F2.8 aperture, which is something that I solely miss when I was shooting with the Tamron, really made the upgrade worthwhile for me.

With the F2.8 aperture of the Sony 70-200mm GM II OSS lens, I can finally use the lens in low light without sacrificing the image quality like when I was using the Tamron 70-300mm which has an aperture range of F4.5-6.3. It was unusable in low light!

With the Sony lens, I can also use a 2x teleconverter which allows me to extend the focal range to 400mm, beyond the 300mm I had previously with a fixed aperture of F5.6 which is way one-stop faster than the Tamron.

It is definitely a much-needed upgrade from the Tamron in almost every way from its increased reach and versatility with the ability to use a teleconverter to the image quality and speed.

What I Love Most About the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS Lens

Fast Aperture at F2.8, Beautiful Bokeh

One of the most exciting upgrades for me is the fast aperture of the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS lens. When I was using the Tamron 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 lens, I always avoid using it in the evening and at night as the lens did not perform well in low light due to its slow aperture.

The Tamron was always hunting for focus and the images produced are rarely acceptable in that condition whereas for the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens, the faster aperture allows me to shoot during the blue hour, which is one of the best time to shoot, without having to worry about the lens not performing.

I can also use it for summer events and festivals that are often held in the evening in town squares in many cities around the world. The ability to shoot in low light came in handy when I found myself at the Spirit of Tengri music festival when I was in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Plus, the lens produces some of the most delicious bokeh effects, thanks to its tight focal length and the F2.8 aperture. The lens is replacing my Sigma 85mm F1.4 lens as I found the fixed focal length too limited.

If you are looking for a telephoto lens that can perform well even in the poorest of lighting conditions, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS lens is definitely one of the best lenses to consider.

Extremely Fast Autofocus

With its 4 high-thrust XD linear motors, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS lens is 4 times faster at focusing on moving subjects than its predecessor which comes in handy for travel applications as moments often come and go very fast.

With my old Tamron 70-300mm lens, the lens always have difficulty hunting for focus when at 300mm. I often have to zoom out first to 70mm to focus and then slowly zoom back in to keep the focus. That is not the case, for the Sony lens as it performs extremely well and is snappy at all focal lengths.

With the AI-powered autofocus system of the Sony a7R V, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens can always keep up with it and I rarely ever miss focus using this lens with the Sony a7R V when I was shooting music festival in Kazakhstan with a lot of moving subjects.

The autofocus also performs extremely well with the Sony FE 1.4x and 2x teleconverters which is something that can't be said for the lens' predecessor. If you want a fast autofocus lens to pair it with a fast-autofocus Sony camera, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is a perfect match for you.

Unprecedented Sharpness

The sharpness of the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is also unprecedented at all focal lengths with the lens performing extremely well even at 200mm.

Even when attached with a 2x teleconverter which is known to degrade image quality quite a bit, the lens remains sharp throughout its focal range allowing me to reliably use it for landscapes without the fear of creating unusable images, which is something I can not say for the Tamron 70-300mm.

Comes with Optical stabilization (OSS)

The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens comes with optical stabilization (OSS) inside which in conjunction with the built-in stabilization in most Sony cameras, does help a lot to keep your shots sharp when shooting at 200mm and beyond when using the teleconverter.

Coming from the Tamron 70-300mm which does have optical stabilization, the fact that I no longer have to hold my breath to shoot when I am at the maximum focal length is definitely a breath of fresh air, both figuratively and quite literally! 😂

Relatively Lightweight

For an F2.8 telephoto lens with OSS, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is surprisingly lightweight and well-balanced, unlike its predecessor. The lens weighs only 1045 grams, a 29% weight reduction compared to the previous version, and all the elements are designed to provide a non-front-heavy balance allowing me to easily mount it on a tripod or use it on a gimbal.

Although it is heavier than the previous lens I had, the Tamron 70-300mm which weighs around 625 g (1.38 lb), with the way faster aperture of the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens opens me up to more opportunities for night shots, I believe it is worth the trade.

If you are looking for the lightest telephoto lens with a maximum aperture of F2.8, you won't find anything lighter than the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II len.

Works with Teleconverter

One of the main reasons why I decided to choose this lens over other third-party lenses is the fact that I can use the Sony FE 1.4x and 2x teleconverters which allows me to increase the focal range to 280mm and 400mm respectively without me having to buy another lens.

For travel, this is extremely useful for when you find yourself wanting more reach to shoot faraway subjects like wildlife or when you are in a place where it is impossible to zoom in with your feet like at an event or when you are on top of a mountain.

With its already fast autofocus and incredible sharpness of the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens, there is very little degradation when using the lens with a teleconverter which is great and something that can't be said for its previous version. If you plan to use a teleconverter with your telephoto lens, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is a no-brainer.

What I Hate Most About the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS Lens

Extremely Expensive

The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is by far, the most expensive lens I have ever bought and I bought it secondhand also! For all its incredible benefits, Sony has also a price to match it with the lens retailing at a whopping 2,798 USD!

With that price, you can buy 5 Tamron 70-300mm lenses and you still have almost 200 USD left. The price is extremely expensive for anyone and it is only worth it if find yourself shooting mostly in the 70-200mm focal lengths or if you plan to use it with a teleconverter so you do not have to buy another lens. If not, then I find it hard to justify the steep price.

Not very discrete

The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens with its all-white exterior and its massive size, the lens will definitely draw a lot of attention to you which will make it hard for you to stay discrete when you are shooting.

When traveling, this means that you will be drawing unwanted attention to you and your camera which is not ideal especially when you are in a crowded place where thieves or even security can easily spot you and flag you down.

I always feel a bit conscious when I walk around a city with this huge lens attached to my camera over my neck. There is just no way to be discrete when I am using this lens so I kinda accept it but if you are looking for a telephoto lens to be discrete, this is not the lens to buy. It might be worthwhile to go with something smaller and in black like the Tamron 70-300mm or Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 lenses.

Tripod foot not Arca-Swiss-compatible

For unknown reasons, Sony is refusing to design a tripod leg that is compatible with Arca-Swiss quick-release tripod heads which is a shame because third-party lens manufacturers like Sigma has already been incorporating it into its telephoto lens line-up like the Sigma 150-600mm F5/-6.3 DG DN.

With an Arca-Swiss-compatible tripod lens collar, you will be able to easily mount the lens without having to attach an extra Arca-Swiss plate on it like what I am doing now. Sony, please for the love of god, add the Arca-Swiss support to your lens collar!

Sample Photos From the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS Lens

A photo is worth a thousand words so here are some of my favorite shots I took with the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS lens paired with the Sony a7R V camera:

The Verdict: Extremely Versatile Telephoto Lens with a Price to Match

The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is definitely one of the most versatile lenses I have in my arsenal. I often find myself using the lens for all kinds of applications like landscape, events, and even street photography and it is always delightful every single time.

The quality is unmatched by any other telephoto lens and if you have a high-resolution camera like I do, you can be sure that you are using the camera to its maximum potential with this lens. The fact that I can adapt the lens with a teleconverter is also something I really appreciate.

With the Sony a7R V on APS-C mode attached to the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens and a 2x teleconverter, I can reach more than 600mm while still retaining the sharpness and quality of my images, thanks to the high-resolution sensor of my camera and the sharpness of the lens, which is unprecedented. For a single lens, that is extremely versatile and you might be able to justify the price.

That said, one of the greatest drawbacks of this lens is its almost unreachable price tag at over 2900 USD retail. It is quite an investment and if you don't find yourself shooting at this range very often, the lens is definitely not worth buying for you. You might be better off with the Tamron 70-300mm or Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 lenses instead.

Also, with this lens, I often find myself extremely conscious when using it because of the attention it gets and it is something that I do not like to feel when traveling.

This might be something I might be able to get used to it but it is definitely something to consider. With this lens, you are essentially throwing discretion out the window and you are going to embrace it or you might be better off with other telephoto lenses instead.

All in all, if you can justify the price, there is no better and more versatile lens to get than the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, you might consider the Tamron 70-300mm or Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 lenses instead although you won't be able to use a teleconverter with it. For more reach, you can also go with Sony 200-600mm lens for better reach or the cheaper Sigma 150-600mm lens. Both of these are more suited for bird photography than the Sony 70-200mm lens.

To check the latest price and discounts on the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS lens, click the link below:

Check Price

Want to take your photography game to the next level? Here are some resources to help you upgrade your work and photography gear:

Lightroom Presets: If you are looking for a quick way to make your travel photos look like mine, you should check out my newly released Lightroom Preset Collections.

Camera: Sony a7R V, the highest resolution full-frame camera out there, is my go-to camera when I travel. All of my recent photos and videos are all from this beast.

All-Around Travel Lens: Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens is the lens I mounted on my camera the most. The lens covers most of the ranges I need for travel from wide to telephoto. If I have to take only one lens with me on my travel, it would be this lens.

Ultra-Wide Lens: Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lnes: An ultra-wide lens I often use to shoot expansive landscapes and capture massive architecture I stumble upon while traveling.

Telephoto Lens: Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is one of the most versatile lenses to have. It is great for picking out details in landscapes and capturing wildlife when combined with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter.

Portrait Lens: Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Lens is the most compact and lightweight 85mm F1.4 lens out there. It's sharp and produces stunning bokeh for subject separation, perfect for portraits and street photography.

Drone: DJI Mavic Mini 2, a perfect drone for those who travel light. It weighs less than 250g and smaller than an iPhone when folded and can capture 4K video as well as 12 megapixels RAW photos. More than enough for its size.

Bag: Langly Alpha Globetrotter is a camera bag I use to carry all these lenses as well as other essentials when I'm traveling.

Further Reading for Photography

Looking for more photography articles like this? Here is a collection of articles you might like:

• For a complete list of travel lenses to buy for Sony Full-Frame cameras, check out: The Best Travel Lenses For Sony Full-Frame Cameras.
• Looking for the very best travel full-frame camera to buy for your next trip? How about the Sony a7C, the smallest full-frame camera with an EVF in the world? Check out my review: A Traveler's Review: The Sony a7C Camera
• The king of travel lenses has arrived. The Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM II lens is hands down the best travel all-purpose zoom lens I have ever owned. Here's why: A Traveler's Review: Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens.
• The new king of landscape/architecture lens is here. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 Lens.
• For the best landscape/architecture travel lens, you just can't beat the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens.
• Looking for a lightweight and affordable landscape/architecture travel lens that is also extremely capable? Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Lens.
• Looking for the best travel portrait lens to buy for your next trip? You can't beat the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art Lens.
• Looking for a compact and lightweight travel telephoto lens for wildlife and landscapes? You are going to love this lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Tamron 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 lens.
• Wondering which Sony mirrorless camera is right for you? The Best Sony Travel Cameras to Buy in 2025.
• For more photography resources like this, visit my Photography page.