Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS

Reviewers found it very sharp at f/2.8 across most of the range, with smooth backgrounds, low chromatic aberration and effective OSS. It was rated the best native option for Sony shooters at launch and a good partner for the 1.4x converter.

Criticisms include the weight, a price above Canon and Nikon equivalents at the time, some copy-to-copy variation, and slightly weaker 200mm corners. Next to the GM II, testers note slower and less decisive AF with high-speed bodies and noticeably more focus breathing.

Wedding and sports shooters who used it for years praise its rendering and reliability, and it remains popular on the used market now that the II exists. The teleconverter performance and close-focus distance are well liked.

The common complaints are its 1480g weight on small A7 bodies, occasional AF hunting in low light on older bodies, a lack of an aperture ring, and reports of decentred copies that needed service.