Sony 300GM

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sh1209

sh1209

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So I joined the Sony Pro program a few weeks ago for the included benefits, One of which being evaluation loans of equipment. I took delivery of the 300GM yesterday with a 2X TC. I only got to take it out for about an hour yesterday evening. First impressions is, it's so small, lightweight and just a pleasure to use. Unfortunately we're having heavy rain so I decided to set up some exotic subjects inside my home today to do some IQ testing. These are done with the 600f/4, 200-600,100-400 and obviously the 300GM. These are taken at 62 feet from our entry door to the back of the living room on a tripod using a remote shutter. This honestly seems like splitting hairs with some of the results just about being impossible to decide which is best. I hope to be able to get out for more real world experience but from what I am seeing so far, The 600GM could possibly be finding a new home depending on how this goes.

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Both the primes put the 200-600 to shame IMO but man it is really hard to pick a winner between the two primes. The 300 with the 1.4x TC also destroys the 100-400mm which is a very good copy of that zoom. For someone like myself that rarely uses a TC for anything especially on the 600GM, this might be the way to go.
 
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The size difference in this lens is insane. Here it’s pictured next to the 600GM, 200-600 and 100-400. The bare lens image quality blows the 600GM away and that’s a high bar to cross.

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sh1209 said:
The size difference in this lens is insane. Here it’s pictured next to the 600GM, 200-600 and 100-400. The bare lens image quality blows the 600GM away and that’s a high bar to cross.

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We’ve been telling you :). It’s also why you’ll get the a1mk2. We keep telling you how good the a9III. Throw the 50MP sensor at it and you will want it.
 
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There is only one reason I still have the 200-600 and that’s for my spouse to use. I haven’t touched the lens in 3 years. The 300GM has its place. It won’t replace my 600GM but it’s nice when I want to travel lighter and don’t think I’ll need more than 600mm.
 
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DavidT said:
It’s also nice to see my 200-600 isn’t the only one that’s not really a 600mm. It’s closer to 560. When at its minimum focusing distance it’s even worse. Another thing to love about a prime!
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It takes a lot to impress me the amount this lens has. This could be a godsend to me with the injuries to my arms without losing any IQ over the big prime. Man what a difference it is going out with a lens this small and capable.
 
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These are some shots I took near dark last night with the 2X TC
While I am not claiming these are wall hangers, the IQ with a 2X TC at high ISO impressed the hell out of me. It just destroys the 200-600 for sure
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sh1209 said:
Man just from the short time I’ve tried it, I really do foresee it being my main lens. The weather is supposed to be much better here tomorrow so I look forward to getting out and trying it
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It's an amazing lens, it's such a pleasure to shoot with. Didn't come across many Sony guys shooting the 300 2X combo in the area where I shoot quite a bit earlier in the year but I'm seeing more and more people with that combo.
 
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Jose Raposo said:
It's an amazing lens, it's such a pleasure to shoot with. Didn't come across many Sony guys shooting the 300 2X combo in the area where I shoot quite a bit earlier in the year but I'm seeing more and more people with that combo.
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The only other lens I’ve ever seen do good with a 2X tc is the 70-200GMii which is a fantastic lens as well. Sony really hit it out the park with the 300
 
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So, for any of you guys that do own the 600 GM and shoot with a 300 GM, have you ever considered selling your 600 GM and just using this lens? I hope to be able to figure that out by the end of the week And depending how on how much I get out hopefully it will be an easy decision.
 
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sh1209 said:
So, for any of you guys that do own the 600 GM and shoot with a 300 GM, have you ever considered selling your 600 GM and just using this lens? I hope to be able to figure that out by the end of the week And depending how on how much I get out hopefully it will be an easy decision.
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I sold my 600GM and use the 300 with 1.4/2.0 converters. Image quality is great , very compact and easy to travel with especially as I travel a lot by plane. Also (I have said this many times on this forum) in Europe a lot of bird/wildlife photographers work from hides so a 600 is totally useless due to close distance to subjects. unlike in the States where often the 600 is used with a 1.4/2.0 converter as most photographers don’t work from hides.
 
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sh1209 said:
So, for any of you guys that do own the 600 GM and shoot with a 300 GM, have you ever considered selling your 600 GM and just using this lens? I hope to be able to figure that out by the end of the week And depending how on how much I get out hopefully it will be an easy decision.
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I've put some serious thought to doing that. During my first few months with the 300, my summer subjects suited the lens perfectly. I literally didn't touch the 600 for 2-3 months. If those type of summer conditions and subjects were the norm year round I'd sell the 600. But I told myself I was probably getting ahead of myself and would need to go through the winter first to see if the 600GM creeped back out of the closet. Well it certainly has, been using it more 50/50 with the 300GM. That is mostly due to the light levels and somewhat due to the subjects.
So everyone will need to make such a decision on their own based on their own subjects, light levels and tolerance for the heavier lens. Do you need f/4 at 600mm? Do you need 840mm or even 1200mm?
There is no doubt I much more enjoy being out shooting with the lighter/smaller 300GM. Just like I've always enjoyed my smaller lenses over the years like EF300II, EF400DOII, 500PF, Z400/4.5.
I've never been a huge fan of TCs on the other Sony lenses. The only lens I'd been happy with the 2xTC was the 70-200II (borrowed briefly from a friend). The 300GM is the only other lens that it works well on. It is terrible on the 400GM and mediocre on the 600GM (IMO, YMMV).

So I'm keeping the 600GM. But I can certainly see people being very happy just using the 300GM and TCs.
 
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arbitrage said:
I've put some serious thought to doing that. During my first few months with the 300, my summer subjects suited the lens perfectly. I literally didn't touch the 600 for 2-3 months. If those type of summer conditions and subjects were the norm year round I'd sell the 600. But I told myself I was probably getting ahead of myself and would need to go through the winter first to see if the 600GM creeped back out of the closet. Well it certainly has, been using it more 50/50 with the 300GM. That is mostly due to the light levels and somewhat due to the subjects.
So everyone will need to make such a decision on their own based on their own subjects, light levels and tolerance for the heavier lens. Do you need f/4 at 600mm? Do you need 840mm or even 1200mm?
There is no doubt I much more enjoy being out shooting with the lighter/smaller 300GM. Just like I've always enjoyed my smaller lenses over the years like EF300II, EF400DOII, 500PF, Z400/4.5.
I've never been a huge fan of TCs on the other Sony lenses. The only lens I'd been happy with the 2xTC was the 70-200II (borrowed briefly from a friend). The 300GM is the only other lens that it works well on. It is terrible on the 400GM and mediocre on the 600GM (IMO, YMMV).

So I'm keeping the 600GM. But I can certainly see people being very happy just using the 300GM and TCs.
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To be honest with you, I have never used a 2X converter on my 600 GM and only rarely use the 1.4 X. I find as you state cropping in is just as good and sometimes better. I’ll have to admit a sort of thought you and others were full of crap about that 300 prime but From what I’ve had it out so far I’m absolutely amazed by it the size and weight make it just a pleasure to hike with compared to the 600. The weather has been pretty terrible here for the last couple days so I’m hoping I will get some good light with it this week and try it with the 1.4 and 2X. I also want to see what it’s like with the bare lens. I can say without a doubt from using it inside the house yesterday that without any converter, the image quality is very noticeably better than the 600 GM and that is really saying something. I am not sure what a pristine used 600 GM would bring in the used market but I suppose I could test the waters and see I would imagine I could get between 11 five and 12 for it considering the condition but it’s hard to say nowadays.
 
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sh1209 said:
To be honest with you, I have never used a 2X converter on my 600 GM and only rarely use the 1.4 X. I find as you state cropping in is just as good and sometimes better. I’ll have to admit a sort of thought you and others were full of crap about that 300 prime but From what I’ve had it out so far I’m absolutely amazed by it the size and weight make it just a pleasure to hike with compared to the 600. The weather has been pretty terrible here for the last couple days so I’m hoping I will get some good light with it this week and try it with the 1.4 and 2X. I also want to see what it’s like with the bare lens. I can say without a doubt from using it inside the house yesterday that without any converter, the image quality is very noticeably better than the 600 GM and that is really saying something. I am not sure what a pristine used 600 GM would bring in the used market but I suppose I could test the waters and see I would imagine I could get between 11 five and 12 for it considering the condition but it’s hard to say nowadays.
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The bare lens is for sure the best IQ of any Sony super telephoto lens. The AF speed of the bare lens is faster than the 600 and 400 lenses. I think those two things combined is what allows it to give excellent IQ with the 2x and keep the AF speed fast enough. The 600GM does have faster AF than the 300/2x though. But the 300/2x still managed to shoot swallows and diving KFs etc.
 
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sh1209 said:
So, for any of you guys that do own the 600 GM and shoot with a 300 GM, have you ever considered selling your 600 GM and just using this lens? I hope to be able to figure that out by the end of the week And depending how on how much I get out hopefully it will be an easy decision.
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Nope. For me the 300 is handy when I want to go smaller and lighter and mostly for it for when traveling for work and need a smaller lens to avoid checking any luggage. My 600 remains my primary lens and I don’t see that changing. I shoot the 600 with a TC probably just as much as I don’t so often need a little more length.
Now my 400 on the other hand I’ve considered selling but for now I haven’t made any decisions.
 
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arbitrage said:
The bare lens is for sure the best IQ of any Sony super telephoto lens. The AF speed of the bare lens is faster than the 600 and 400 lenses. I think those two things combined is what allows it to give excellent IQ with the 2x and keep the AF speed fast enough. The 600GM does have faster AF than the 300/2x though. But the 300/2x still managed to shoot swallows and diving KFs etc.
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Hopefully the decision will be more clear cut before the end of the week. I really don’t want to take a financial beating on the 600 GM, but it’s really looking like I would be just fine with this lens and the addition of the second tele converter.
 
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In my situation as well 90 to 95% of my shooting is done while hiking I will typically go out and walk anywhere between two and 5 miles and I’ve done that for quite some time with the 600 GM on my cotton carrier vest this lens here Would absolutely be more conducive to my type of shooting as well, but I would see no reason whatsoever to keep both of them.
 
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sh1209 said:
To be honest with you, I have never used a 2X converter on my 600 GM and only rarely use the 1.4 X. I find as you state cropping in is just as good and sometimes better. I’ll have to admit a sort of thought you and others were full of crap about that 300 prime but From what I’ve had it out so far I’m absolutely amazed by it the size and weight make it just a pleasure to hike with compared to the 600. The weather has been pretty terrible here for the last couple days so I’m hoping I will get some good light with it this week and try it with the 1.4 and 2X. I also want to see what it’s like with the bare lens. I can say without a doubt from using it inside the house yesterday that without any converter, the image quality is very noticeably better than the 600 GM and that is really saying something. I am not sure what a pristine used 600 GM would bring in the used market but I suppose I could test the waters and see I would imagine I could get between 11 five and 12 for it considering the condition but it’s hard to say nowadays.
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Well we might be full of crap but you just have to learn to get that check book out and come along for the ride with the rest of us lol.
 
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