Review on 📷 Sony Alpha 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS Super-Telephoto APS-C Lens: Exploring Ultimate Zoom and Image Quality by Matthew Maggot

It's hard to fault the excellent Sony 100-400 but as a longtime pro I'm sometimes hesitant to take a 3lb lens on the road or long hikes except country with it. I was looking for a lighter option for long telephoto shots and have heard good things about this Sony 70-350. I wanted to be happy with the compromise of having to use it in APS-C mode and getting 26.2MP files on my A7R4, which normally outputs 61MP. The copy I received wasn't as sharp as I had hoped. I've heard good things about the fast 70-350 linear motor that's also used in Sony's fastest telephoto lenses, but I was probably expecting too much and was a bit disappointed when I tried it for the first time. I have a second order and will update the review when the replacement is as clear as some have noted. Of course, it's really hard to compete with the $2,500 Sony 100-400. Most APS-C shooters will be happy with this Sony for 40% the cost of the much heavier 100-400. In the meantime I may have found a surprise winner, the Tamron 70-300 f4.5-6.3. I didn't review it at first because common wisdom tells us that we should NEVER consider telephoto lenses without image stabilization (IS). A pro might dismiss the sub-$500 Tamron at first, but it really is very sharp unless you look into the corners. With long glasses, corner sharpness isn't that important to many of us, although for a wide-angle lens it would be a deal killer. Why own both 100-400 and this Sony or Tamron? In other words: weight. The Sony 100-400 is a well-balanced and manageable three-pound device. Tamron weighs only 19 ounces and is 20% cheaper! This Sony 70-350 weighs 22 ounces and has a longer range with more weight, although it is slightly shorter than the Tamron. In APS-C mode, this Sony gives me a really impressive range of 105-525mm. At the long end, the Sony 100-400 maxes out at f5.6, while this lens shoots 1/3 stop slower at f/6.3. It delivers reliable images with the benefits of image stabilization. However, my score with this lens including the Sony OSS was not much better than with the Tamron without. Here is a link to my review of the not-so-well-built Tamron: https://www.amazon.com/review/R2SD7APT0NVX1G/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B08K3MXZCZ I hope this overly long review has been of little help. Keep shooting harder!