One thing I am particularly enjoying about my new Sony lenses is that they have a nice, solid feel, are metal, no plastic anywhere (except on lens hoods), and they give off an aura of quality, looking sleek and elegant. They are a bit slippery, one has to hang on to them so that one doesn't slide right out of one's hands!
The most important part, the glass, is excellent, I have been very pleased with my results so far in each of the lenses I have. They're all nice and sharp, and they have especially pleasing bokeh, especially the ones which are designed to do so, where bokeh is particularly important.
When I bought my Sony NEX 7 several years ago I was impressed and delighted by the light weight and small size of those lenses, which were APS-C and among Sony's first mirrorless offerings. That was part of the attraction of going mirrorless back then. As time has gone on, though, Sony lenses have grown in heft and size, especially for full-frame mirrorless cameras. I guess the avenues of small, lightweight lenses are best experienced these days with micro 4/3 or with rangefinders......
All that said, though, there is no way of getting around the fact that if one is a serious wildlife/bird shooter, either a serious amateur or a professional who earns a living doing that, the lenses of choice are going to be large and heavy, especially the ones which are one constant aperture, usually offered on the major 300/400/500/600mm prime lenses, as opposed to many offerings of zooms which have variable apertures depending upon the focal length. My new Sony 200-600, with its comparatively slow variable aperture, is much more reasonably priced than, say, a 400 or 600mm f/2.8. It also is a bit lighter in weight, too, but a handful nonetheless!
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The telephoto end is what really helps keep me on m43. It know it’s not premium glass, but my P100-300 lens only tips the scales at just over a pound. That’s 600mm FF equivalent (not all things being equal, of course), and dual IS that can help you take a decent still shot down to 1/15s. You can also go with a pro long lens on m43, but it doubles the weight. I feel what I have is a good compromise.
When I first bought my Sony RX10 IV bridge camera with its 24-600mm lens and a 1-inch sensor, I was dubious about the quality of results, but was more than pleasantly surprised once I used it in different situations and saw the possibilities.... That camera weighs just over two pounds if I recall correctly, and, well, I'll admit that it spoiled me big-time for seeing what I could get at 600mm (35mm equivalent on a 1-inch sensor). Wow, that reach of 600mm is pretty darned cool! That's one reason I've now got the Sony 200-600mm in the household now. Weight and maneuverability of the two different devices -- A7R IV with 200-600mm mounted versus grabbing my RX10 IV and quickly running out on my deck to capture something interesting -- well, there's a HUGE difference in size, weight and ability to grab and run to get the shot!!! I have no intentions of giving up that RX10 IV any time soon, as it still plays a role in my photographic life. Since I am not shooting professionally for
National Geographic or any other agency, not a big deal what I choose to use when, but oh, boy, am I loving that 200-600mm! (I wouldn't mind if it did weigh a little less, though.......)
