Sony FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS

Reviewers found it very sharp wide open across the frame, with almost no longitudinal or lateral colour. Background blur is smooth and highlights stay round thanks to the 11-blade aperture. Autofocus is described as among the fastest and most decisive of any Sony lens, and it handles the 1.4x converter with almost no loss of image quality.

The common criticism is that 300mm is a narrower focal length than many wildlife shooters want, so it is mainly a sports, events and portable telephoto lens. Testers also mention the high price and the 2m close focus, which limits close-up nature work compared with zooms like the 100-400 GM.

Owners use it most for field sports, motorsport and birds in flight, and many say they bought it because it is light enough to hand-hold for a whole event without a monopod. The balance on the camera and the focus hold buttons and function ring come up often, as does the quality of the results with the 1.4x converter.

Complaints are about price, the fixed focal length compared with a 70-200mm or 100-400mm, and a tripod foot that is not Arca-Swiss compatible. Some owners note that prices in Sony's US store have risen well above the launch price.