Sony wins for price and performance

The Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS really delivers

Sony has come up trumps with its FE 200-600mm. Building on the success of the FE 100-400mm G Master, the newer, bigger lens adds a third stabilisation mode and a more effective autofocus range limiter switch that can lock out both the short and long sectors. Image quality and all-round performance are superb, as are handling and build quality.

For Canon and Nikon DSLRs, as well as for full-frame mirrorless cameras via adapters, the Sigma 150-600mm Sports is our top choice for performance at a reasonable price. However, the Canon RF 100-400mm is a much more compact and lightweight option for EOS R system mirrorless cameras, and relatively inexpensive. The Nikon Z 100-400mm is an excellent but comparatively pricey lens for Nikon’s mirrorless Z system cameras.

The Tamron G2 is an appealing alternative if you want maximum telephoto reach in a smaller, more lightweight package than the Sigma Sports lens. Taking downsizing to the extreme, the Panasonic 100-400mm is the most compact and lightweight lens in the group, but delivers a mighty effective telephoto reach for MFT cameras, equating to 200-800mm. The Fujifilm 100-400mm for APS-C format X-mount cameras is larger and heavier but a great buy at the price. Finally, the Pentax 150-400mm has some seriously advanced features and great handling, but lacks optical stabilisation and comes up a bit short on telephoto reach for full-frame K-mount bodies.