Sony E 70-350 G vs FE 70-300 G Comparison

I’ve owned the Sony FE 70-300 F4.5-5.6 G OSS lens since it was first released and used it a great deal on my Sony a6500 because the longest APS-C lens available for quite some time has been the Sony E 55-210mm.

However, with the FE 70-300 being a full-frame lens I always wished there was a smaller and less expensive APS-C alternative with a similar focal range, image quality and AF speed.

Thankfully that wish has finally been granted with Sony recently announcing the * Sony E 70-350mm G OSS lens for APS-C cameras.

I’ve already pre-ordered the new lens but since it won’t be available until October/November all I can do for now is to compare the specifications that we know about.

As soon as the 70-350 is in my hands I’ll be expanding on this comparison just like with my Sony 200-600 vs 100-400 Comparison.

Status: Rolling
Latest Update: September 6th, 2019. Added specifications comparison.

Before I get started if you are on Facebook then please do consider joining our Sony Alpha Wildlife Shooters Group. As soon as the E 70-350 lens is in my hands I’ll be adding images there. There are also lots of shots already in the group taken with the FE 70-300 lens.

Comparison Contents Menu

Specifications

Specifications Comparison

Lens Specifications	Sony E 70-350 F4.5-6.3 G OSS	Sony FE 70-300 F4.5-5.6 G OSS
Product Code:	SEL70350G	SEL70300G
Lens Mount:	Sony E-Mount	Sony E-Mount
Format:	APS-C	35mm full frame
Focal Length (mm):	70-350	70-300
35mm Equivalent Focal Length (APS-C):	105-525	105-450 mm
Focus Motors:	XD linear motor	Linear focus motor
Lens Groups / Elements:	13-19	13-16
Angle of View (35mm):	N/A	34°–8°10′
Angle of View (APS-C):	22°-4°40′	23°–5°20′
Maximum Aperture:	4.5-6.3	4.5-5.6
Minimum Aperture:	22-32	22-29
Aperture Blades:	7	9
Circular Aperture:	Yes	Yes
Minimum Focus Distance:	1.1-1.5 m (3.61-4.93 ft)	0.9 m (2.96 ft)
Maximum Magnification Ratio (x):	0.23	0.31
Filter Diameter (mm):	67	72
Image Stabilization (OSS):	Yes	Yes
Focus Limiter:	No	Yes (full / infinity-3m)
Zoom System:	Manual External	Manual External
Teleconverter Compatibility x1.4:	No	No
Teleconverter Compatibility x2.0:	No	No
Diameter (mm):	77mm (3-1/8 in.)	84mm (5-3/4 in.)
Length (mm):	142mm (5-5/8 in.)	143.5mm (5-3/4 in.)
Weight:	625g (22.1 oz.)	854g (30.2 oz.)
Press Release Date:	August 28, 2019	Mar 29, 2016
Price (MRRP):	$998.00 / £829.00	$1,273.00 / £1,079.00
Reviews:	N/A	Dvir Barkay

Let’s take a closer look at some of the more interesting specs here.

Focal Length and Aperture

The Sony E 70-350 G has a focal length of 70mm to 350mm and a variable aperture of f/4.5 – 6.3. From 70mm to 82mm it’s f/4.5, 83mm to 113mm it’s f/5, 114mm to 199mm it’s f/5.6, and 200mm to 350mm is f/6.3.

The Sony FE 70-300 G has a focal length of 70mm to 300mm and a variable aperture of f/4.5 – 5.6. From 70mm to 82mm it’s f/4.5, 83mm to 153mm it’s f/5, 154mm to 300mm it’s f/5.6.

Focus Motors

The E 70-350 G features the XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motor that can be found in the more expensive FE 135mm F1.8 GM lens along with the FE 400mm F2.8 GM and 600mm F4 GM lenses. It’s the first time ever that this focus motor has been included in an APS-C lens. The XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motor has been developed to deliver higher thrust and efficiency than previous types in order to make the most of the rapidly evolving speed performance of current and future camera bodies.

The FE 70-300 G features the older linear focus motors, so in theory the 70-350 should be the faster lens when it comes to focussing but we’ll have to wait to see if this is the case.

Zoom System

Both lenses feature external zoom designs and the lens barrels extend as you zoom. There is a lock switch to prevent zoom creep when set to the shortest and most compact focal length of 70mm.

Size and Weight

The E 70-350mm measures 142mm in length; the diameter is 77mm and it weights 625g without the lens hood attached. The FE 70-300 G is 143.5mm in length, has a diameter of 84mm, and weighs 854g without the lens hood, making the 70-300 around 229g heavier.

Aperture Blades

The E 70-350mm features 7 circular aperture blades, whereas the FE 70-300 G has 9 circular aperture blades. This should mean that the FE 70-300 is capable of producing slightly smoother bokeh.

Teleconverter Support

Neither lens supports the Sony 1.4x or the 2x teleconverters and they will also not physically fit.

Minimum Focus Distance

The minimum focus distance of the E 70-350mm is variable from 1.1-1.5 m (3.61-4.93 ft) depending on your focal length. The FE 70-300 on the other hand has a fixed minimum focus distance of just 0.9 m (2.96 ft).

Image Stabilization (OSS)

Both lenses feature optical image Stabilisation (OSS) but neither offer a Mode 2 for panning which can be found on lenses like the FE 70-200 F4 and the FE 100-400 F4.5-5.6 GM.

Range Focus Limiter

The E 70-350mm unfortunately does not include a focus range limiter switch on the lens body. The FE 70-300 G does include a limiter switch that allows you to select between full range or infinity to 3 meters.

Price

The Sony E 70-350mm has a RRP of $998.00 / £829.00 and the Sony FE 70-300 G has a RRP of $1,273.00 / £1,079.00, making the FE 70-300mm around $275.00 / £250.00 more expensive.

Still to Come

Once the Sony E 70-350 is in my hands I’ll be adding sharpness comparisons, comparing autofocus, bokeh, color rendition and flare control, chromatic aberrations, focus lock speed and accuracy, stabilization, minimum focus distance and also video performance.

Please do let me know in the comments below if you’d like to see a specific comparison, or have a suggestion as to how I can improve my comparisons here.

If you are not already a member of the Sony Alpha Wildlife Shooters Group that I run on Facebook, then please do consider joining. Our awesome members share some fantastic wildlife photos along with shooting tips and tricks. If you prefer shooting sports then I also run the Sony Alpha Sports Shooters Group.