What's your first GM lens and why did you choose it?

[Superflyalpha]

The reason you had choose the lens and what did you use to shoot with?

[ST]

First GM lens

70-200 F2.8 OSS GM II

I just got it a few weeks ago, and I've been ecstatically happy with it. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the 2x teleconverter I had planned to get with it - until today. I picked it up late this afternoon and plan to check it out tomorrow. 

Here's an example of why I wanted the 2x teleconverter. I would have liked to fill the frame with these photos, but I couldn't crop that much without degrading the results. Taken two days ago. All at 1/2000-1/2500, F2.8, 200 mm, ISO 100.

History - what I used to shoot with

I had used the FE 24–105mm F4 G OSS Lens (SEL24105G)  as my daily all-around lens for about five months, and I was very happy with that. I also got the PZ 16-35 F4 for some environmental portraits, landscape and some video. I walk outdoors daily, and lately, there has been more wildlife, but most of those creatures were beyond the reach of the 24-105. And since I often walk in the early hours, I wondered about how much more I could photograph with a wider aperture.

Why did I choose the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II?

See the list below of the lenses I considered. I have shown the features that mattered most to me. 

• Weight and, to a lesser extent, size
  • I have to be able to carry it for 10 miles
  • Use it hand-held
• Versatility 
  • widest to the narrowest field of view 
    • Wildlife and landscapes
  • fastest aperture
• Performance
  • All three lenses below get great reviews
  • Autofocus speed
  • Image quality

 

I considered 

1. FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (SEL70200GM2) with 2x Teleconverter Lens (SEL20TC) 

   1045 + 207 = 1252 grams / 88 x 200 mm + 62.4 x 42.7 mm (total length 242.7 mm)

   • This combination would give me a fast zoom
     • F2.8 for 70-200

       and with the teleconverter

     • F5.6 for 140-400 
   • Reviews of this combination suggested that I should get comparable results at 400mm to the FE 100-400 F4.5-5.6 GM below 
   • Internal zoom
   • All the latest GM II features (announced 2022)
     • XD Linear Motors
     • Aperture ring
     • 3 mode OSS
   • Shortest minimum focus distance 0.4–0.82 m

2. FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS (SEL100400GM) 1,395 grams / 93.9 x 280 mm at 400 mm

   • Older GM design (announced 2017)
     • Linear motor and Direct Drive SSM
   • External zoom
   • Minimum focus distance 0.98 m/3.22 ft

3. FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G) 2,115 grams / 111.5 x 318 mm

   • Not GM 
   • Announced 2019
   • Minimum focus distance 2.4 m
   • Internal zoom
   • Too heavy to carry for the duration of my long walks, and I'd probably need to carry
     • a tripod or monopod
     • a second lens for more typical landscape shots
   • I had a chance to try this lens on my camera today. It was challenging to hand-hold it at 600 mm.

[GunslingerMedia]

I got the 16-35mm 2.8 GM because Amazon randomly offered a 5 installment payment plan on it, no interest, no credit check, just straight up. I had 400 bucks so I got it. It blew me away how good it was. I started photography/videography with the A7C the day it came out, and had been using a ton of third party lenses. Samyang, Viltrox, my mind set was I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, I just wanted to get the shot, but I wasn’t happy with the shots I got. When I put that G Master on I felt like I had been living a lie. It was so much better, the colors in my photos were so much better, my videos looked clearer and more in focus. Made me rethink every purchase I ever made. I sold everything, ended up getting a Canon R6 because I couldn’t afford an A7Siii and wanted 10 bit video, and sold the R6 to get an A7IV the day it came out. I had a lot of cheap lenses then, now I’m down to three, the 14mm GM, the 24-70 GMii, and the 28mm f2. Now I feel like if I don’t use the best glass I can get, I’m doing a disservice to my images, and I am ready to spend a lot of money to have quality over quantity. 

[CarolineJensen]

400 GM! I am using it for wildlife! 

[tonygale]

The 24-70GM was my first, I bought it when it came out as an upgrade to the 24-70/4, I have since replaced it with the 24-70/GM2. I also have several other GM lenses, all amazing

#Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS #FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM #FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II 

[ST]

First GM lens

70-200 F2.8 OSS GM II
I just got it a few weeks ago, and I've been ecstatically happy with it. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the 2x teleconverter I had planned to get with it - until today. I picked it up late this afternoon and plan to check it out tomorrow. 
Here's an example of why I wanted the 2x teleconverter. I would have liked to fill the frame with these photos, but I couldn't crop that much without degrading the results. Taken two days ago. All at 1/2000-1/2500, F2.8, 200 mm, ISO 100.

History - what I used to shoot with
I had used the FE 24–105mm F4 G OSS Lens (SEL24105G)  as my daily all-around lens for about five months, and I was very happy with that. I also got the PZ 16-35 F4 for some environmental portraits, landscape and some video. I walk outdoors daily, and lately, there has been more wildlife, but most of those creatures were beyond the reach of the 24-105. And since I often walk in the early hours, I wondered about how much more I could photograph with a wider aperture.

Why did I choose the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II?

See the list below of the lenses I considered. I have shown the features that mattered most to me. 

• Weight and, to a lesser extent, size
  • I have to be able to carry it for 10 miles
  • Use it hand-held
• Versatility 
  • widest to the narrowest field of view 
    • Wildlife and landscapes
  • fastest aperture
• Performance
  • All three lenses below get great reviews
  • Autofocus speed
  • Image quality

I considered 

1. FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (SEL70200GM2) with 2x Teleconverter Lens (SEL20TC) 
   1045 + 207 = 1252 grams / 88 x 200 mm + 62.4 x 42.7 mm (total length 242.7 mm)

   • This combination would give me a fast zoom
     • F2.8 for 70-200
       and with the teleconverter
     • F5.6 for 140-400 
   • Reviews of this combination suggested that I should get comparable results at 400mm to the FE 100-400 F4.5-5.6 GM below 
   • Internal zoom
   • All the latest GM II features (announced 2022)
     • XD Linear Motors
     • Aperture ring
     • 3 mode OSS
   • Shortest minimum focus distance 0.4–0.82 m

2. FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS (SEL100400GM) 1,395 grams / 93.9 x 280 mm at 400 mm

   • Older GM design (announced 2017)
     • Linear motor and Direct Drive SSM
   • External zoom
   • Minimum focus distance 0.98 m/3.22 ft

3. FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G) 2,115 grams / 111.5 x 318 mm

   • Not GM 
   • Announced 2019
   • Minimum focus distance 2.4 m
   • Internal zoom
   • Too heavy to carry for the duration of my long walks, and I'd probably need to carry
     • a tripod or monopod
     • a second lens for more typical landscape shots
   • I had a chance to try this lens on my camera today. It was challenging to hand-hold it at 600 mm.

A quick update to my post above. 

I got the Sony FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G) 13 days ago and despite my reservations above

• It's a fine lens (G is still great vs. GM)
• While the minimum focus distance is 2.4 meters, it's not as big an issue as I had imagined
• The internal zoom is great, and the 1/4 turn to go from 200-600 mm is terrific
• I'm getting used to the weight, and I have carried it at least 7 km for 12 of the past 13 days

Here are a couple of shots.

 

[jordanphotog]

70-200 F2.8 OSS GM II

I have the 70-200 G A-mount that I was using with an adapter on my A7Riv and A1 but the lens is tired and not so advanced.  The GM II is so much lighter (not allowing for the weight of the adapter even) and the AF is amazing.

Amazing lens, I'll not look back at this decision!