Sony FE 70-200mm f/4.0 G OSS Lens Durability Question

[Smorton]

Greetings:

I was about to order a Sony FE 70-200mm f/4.0 G OSS Lens but I noticed that a search reveals that this lens breaks in two on occasion.  In one instance it occurred when it was opened as shipped from B&H.

See:  http://www.amazon.com/review/R2R8K71...94&store=photo

http://www.sonyalphaforum.com/topic/...for-sel70200g/

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57414839

Any users of the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4.0 G OSS Lens have a similar experience?

Would insurance be warranted with a purchase like this?  Is there any insurance that is recommended?

Any input is highly appreciated.

Smorton

[shadowblade]

Greetings:

I was about to order a Sony FE 70-200mm f/4.0 G OSS Lens but I noticed that a search reveals that this lens breaks in two on occasion.  In one instance it occurred when it was opened as shipped from B&H.

See:  http://www.amazon.com/review/R2R8K71...94&store=photo

http://www.sonyalphaforum.com/topic/...for-sel70200g/

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57414839

Any users of the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4.0 G OSS Lens have a similar experience?

Would insurance be warranted with a purchase like this?  Is there any insurance that is recommended?

Any input is highly appreciated.

Smorton

Many lenses are designed so that they break cleanly in two when subjected to a hard impact. It makes for a much easier repair than if it just broke randomly throughout the lens.

[Smorton]

I am not sure if I find that comforting.

Thanks though.

Smorton

[brianrybolt]

So far my lens is fine.  Although never dropped, it's been in the truck of my car, on the floor behind the drivers seat (in a bag).  Been shooting in hostile conditions - no problem.  Very fine lens.

[Smorton]

Thanks.

It must be somewhat isolated.  Or I hope it is.

I think extended insurance is somewhat of a hollow promise although I don't know for certain.

Thanks

Smorton

[brianrybolt]

Thanks.

It must be somewhat isolated.  Or I hope it is.

I think extended insurance is somewhat of a hollow promise although I don't know for certain.

Thanks

Smorton

Always insure your gear!  It's not an 'if' proposition but a 'when' for breakage/theft.

[E.J. Peiker]

I've had the lens for over two years and it's been on 5 continents from temps exceeding 50C to temps well below zero, in desert and in rain and driving ice.  At least in my case, the lens has not missed a beat.  My lens was one of the very first shipped in North America but NA got the lens a couple of months after Asia but it's still a relatively early lens.

[Smorton]

Thanks.  That is reassuring.

I am going to buy it, this week hopefully.

Smorton

[emreguclu]

Thanks.  That is reassuring.

I am going to buy it, this week hopefully.

Smorton

Hi Smorton,

I am about to buy the same lense due to its price and weight. I will mostly use it for landscapes and sometimes to shoot indoors especially school ceremonioes of my daughter

I had the same concern when I saw the same issues on B&H and some DPreview posts. What is your experience so far in regards to durability?

How sharp is the lense in corners @200m - f8-11 range? I have seen some reviews but most of them are  like brickwall tests not real life experiences of Landscape Photographers.

Cheers,
Emre

[FabienP]

Hi Smorton,

I am about to buy the same lense due to its price and weight. I will mostly use it for landscapes and sometimes to shoot indoors especially school ceremonioes of my daughter

I had the same concern when I saw the same issues on B&H and some DPreview posts. What is your experience so far in regards to durability?

How sharp is the lense in corners @200m - f8-11 range? I have seen some reviews but most of them are  like brickwall tests not real life experiences of Landscape Photographers.

Cheers,
Emre

On my copy of this lens, sharpness in corners (at infinity) really starts to fall apart beyond 165mm on an A7RM2 at f/8 - f/11. At least on high MP cameras, this zoom lens should IMO be marketed as a 70-160mm lens. In my experience, it is better to use it at 160mm and crop the image instead of going all the way up to 200mm.

At the time when I switched from a Canon 5DII to an A7, I made systematic comparisons with the Canon EF70-200 f4 IS (with the Metabones Mk3 adapter). The 10 years old Canon lens was outperforming the newer and more expensive Sony lens in the 135-200mm range. On the other hand, the Sony lens was better in the 70-100mm range. IS on the Canon was also more predictable with a higher percentage of sharp photos. This was before the availability of IBIS.

Durability seems good enough, though.

I wonder how the newer Sony FE 70-300 f/4.5-f/5.6 G OSS performs compared to the FE 70-200 f/4 beyond 135mm. Is someone aware of a direct comparison between those two lenses at infinity?

Cheers,

Fabien