New Kid on the Block: Versatile, & Deadlier Than Ever

70-200 Versatility

In today’s blog post we again see the incredible versatility of the 70-200 lenses, more specifically today, the brand new Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM II, a huge improvement in virtually all areas from the previous version. All four of today’s featured images were created in a span of less than 15 hours, and for eight of those I was sleeping. If you are inspired by what you read below, please purchase your copy using either my B&H affiliate link or from Bedfords, using the BIRDS AS ART code at checkout. Doing so will not cost you a penny more and helps me to keep all the great educational stuff coming. And please consider selling your Sony 100-400 and your version one Sony 70-200 via the Used Gear Page. Click here to learn how to do that.

While you are marveling at versatility of this lens, take a moment to leave a comment letting us know which is your favorite image and why you made your choice.

Your Pick In-the-Field Sessions

The beauty of the Your Pick In-the-Field Sessions plans below are that I am free most days from now till mid-January. We can schedule sessions to coincide with the perfect weather forecast. They are ideal for central Florida locals or folks visiting the region for whatever reason. Interested? Get in touch via e-mail or better yet, try my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up. Inquire for couples and group rates.

Indian Lake Estates In-the-Field Sessions

Two hours of intensive instruction: $300.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Sunset shoot: $100.00. Guest room lodging available. Mix and match.

Sunny mornings with east winds are best. Likely subjects include ridiculously tame Sandhill Cranes along with Black and Turkey Vultures, Crested Caracara, Limpkin, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and more. Bald Eagle possible; chicks coming soon.

Lakeland or Circle B Bar Preserve

Two hours of intensive instruction: $325.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Guest room lodging available. Mix and match.

Sunny mornings with east winds are best at Lakeland. Likely subjects include point-blank American White Pelican, Anhinga, Limpkin, Common Moorhen, White Ibis, a variety of wintering ducks including Ring-necked and Wood Ducks, and more.

Cloudy mornings or afternoons (shooting session only) are best at Circle B Bar Preserve. Likely subjects include Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Common Moorhen, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Alligator, Wild Boar, and more.

What’s Up?

Sunset Icterid flock flight blur photography was superb last night for ten minutes after the sun set as there was some nice sky color and the flocks were quite cooperative. The new Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens, the subject of today’s post, is superb for flock blurs with the 2X TC and the a1. When I first half-pressed the shutter button on this rig a few nights back, I knew instantly that I would be selling my Sony 100-400. As I priced the lens to sell, that happened quite quickly — well sale pending anyhoo.

Today is Saturday 18 December 2021. Despite the mostly cloudy forecast the sun rose in a hazy sky and I had some fun down by the lake, mostly with a Great Egret hunting in the marsh. I was two minutes late getting to the vulture tree. As I drove up the resident male Bald Eagle flew buy, scared the the beejeezus out of about 40 vultures, and then flew off with a large stick for its nest. The female has been sitting low on eggs for about two weeks now. The worst part of the whole thing is that the wind and light were perfect and the bird flew a perfect flight path. If only I had been two minutes earlier …

Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 38 consecutive days with a new one.

Please remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!

Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know late yesterday that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!

Brand New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard to get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager-to-please.

Important Note

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Please Remember Also

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was created on 16 December 2021 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 346mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. Multi-metering +2 1/3 stops; AUTO ISO set ISO 200: 1/25 sec. at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Shutter Priority mode. AWB at 5:38:38pm just after sunset. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Icterid blur

Amazing Autofocus

From the moment that I pressed the shutter button on the a1 with the new Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM lens attached I was blown away by the speed and responsiveness of the AF system, and that was with the 2X teleconverter on! I knew that Sony had done something different and had come up with something really special. I was not at all shocked when I found this in the product description:

Among the biggest improvements with the 70-200mm II is a vastly superior autofocus system. Now comprised of 4 XD Linear motors, the lens now performs up to four times faster.

It is always a pleasant surprise when the reality lives up to the hype.

This image was created on 17 December 2021 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 640: 1/640 sec. at f/10 (stopped down 1 2/3 stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:42:52am on a clear morning. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane, about 9 months old — head portrait

Fast, Small, and Light!

This super-fast (f/2.8) lens is absolutely tiny. And, at just under 2.3 lb (reduced by approximately 29% to previous model), it is a veritable feather. It is so small and light that I found myself using it with my gripped a1; the rig handled like a dream. With the 2X TC and an a1 with one battery and a card the rig tips the scale at 4.6 pounds making it eminently hand holdable for just about everyone.

Superior Zooming

The zoom mechanism is fast and smooth. Best of all, a simple twist of the wrist enables you to zoom through the entire focal length range. From 70 to 200 requires less than 85° of rotation. And I just love the internal zoom; the length of the lens does not change as you zoom.

I can’t wait to get this lens to San Diego and to Homer!

So Why f/10?

With the incredible close focusing of the 70-200 GM, I was sitting very close to the cranes and was trying to create some super-tight feather detail pattern images. I failed in those efforts, but when the opportunity arose for a head portrait, I stuck with the f/10 aperture.

What Don’t I Like About Image #2?

Does anything about Image #2 bug you? One thing about it bugs me. What is it?

This image was created on 17 December 2021 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 800: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:17:19am on a clear morning. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Turkey Vulture braking to land

As a Flight Lens

Though I only had a few chances to photograph birds in flight, I was thrilled with the results. Bird-Eye/Face Detection performance was superb with this lens with static subjects, with slowly moving subjects, and with birds in flight. Despite the ease of hand holding and the relatively short focal lengths of 140-400mm, I managed to clip a few wingtips by being too greedy.

Filling a Big Hole …

One of the huge holes in the Sony telephoto lens line-up has been the lack of a 300mm f/2.8 lens. Adding the 1.4X TC to the 70-200GM II comes close to filling that hole with a 98-280mm f/4 zoom lens … Though this combo is one full stop slower (f/4 vs. f/2.8), it is about half the weight and half the price of a typical 300 f/2.8 …

This image was created on 17 December 2021 on the lot across the street from my home at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1600: 1/200 sec. at f/8 (stopped down one sstop) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:36:27am in the shade of my torso on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection set performed very well. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #4: Baby katydid on yellow wildflower

Outstanding Close-Focusing

The lens alone focuses to less than 16 inches at 70mm and to about 32 inches at 200mm. With the 2X TC at 400mm, the rig focuses to less than 34 inches — substantially closer than the closest-focusing of the 100-400 lenses. That makes it ideal for all manner of medium-sized and large flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, and just about all subjects about 2 inches or larger.

Foot and Rotating Collar

The new Sony 70-200 comes with a removable lens foot. The rotating lens collar is built in. A P-10 plate is best for this lens. If anyone tries to sell you a low foot for this lens, have them arrested. It is plenty low enough as it comes out of the box.

Lazy …

I spotted the situation for this image as I was pulling into my driveway. I had not yet put a P-10 plate onto the lens foot that was left on the dining room table anyway. So I hand held. I was lucky to make one very sharp image out of about twenty. Next time in similar conditions I will put the lens on a tripod and focus manually.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.