Review: The Sony 200-600mm with Rachel Hannah

Wildlife photographer Rachel Hannah who usually shoots with a Sony A7 IIISony A7 III and Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3, needed more reach from her lens. So, she tried out the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3. Let’s hear how she got on.

I was really excited to try out the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens, paired with my Sony A7 III, over the Christmas period. I’m an outdoor and wildlife photographer, so my main lens is usually the Sigma 100-400mm so I can really capture the details. I’ve always found myself wanting that bit extra in terms of focal length, especially when I’ve been out capturing wildlife, so it was great to test this lens out in the field.

To really put this to the test I took a couple of trips to an area close to home where I knew there were owls hunting, including my favourite—the barn owl. I had never captured them on camera up until this point, but it was one particular species I desperately wanted to check off the list.

The Sony FE 200-600mm is quite a heavy lens, and I did get some feedback in my wrists a few times, so I would definitely recommend a tripod of some sort to take the strain off. However, seeing a barn owl hunting, and capturing it in action, made it all worthwhile.

Despite its heaviness though, the autofocus—compared with my Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM—was incredible and so much faster. It was a good test on the owl as it was flying back and forth across the marsh but never once did it struggle to focus on the subject. My first thoughts were impressive.

Away from the field, I took the lens into my local woodland to test it out on some woodland wildlife and this lens did not disappoint. I really do enjoy trying to capture creamy bokeh with my wildlife shots and, at f/6.3, I was able to achieve that.

The lens has three Optical SteadyShot modes, which allow you to capture sharp images in handheld shooting under various conditions. I used mode three, which is better for capturing sport or wildlife. Another point that impressed me was the fact that unlike my Sigma 100-400mm, the lens barrel doesn’t extend out, which gives it a more professional solid feel.

I was toying with the idea of whether to try the 600mm prime lens instead. However, the 200-600mm is perfect for being able to find the subject and then zoom in to the desired focal length. Trying to find a particular bird in the tree at 600mm was a bit of a challenge.

Getting the photos back on the computer for editing and I was really impressed with the sharpness and quality of images the lens produces. Being able to crop into the photos again in post-processing and still retain the quality is a big bonus for me. For the price of this lens, it’s well worth investing if you’re into nature or sports photography.

Thanks, Rachel. You can see more of Rachel’s work on Instagram @itsrachelhannah

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This article is part of the MPB Guide to Wildlife Photography & Videography, our comprehensive look at how to create wildlife imagery, with camera recommendations, advice and interviews with experts.