Sony 300mm f2.8 G Master Review: No Pushups Required

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Last Updated on 03/05/2025 by Chris Gampat

In the world of journalism about the photography world, I tend to be one of the youngest people in the room (I’m not counting YouTubers as accredited journalists.) And with that said, I often hear the cries from older men along the lines of, “It’s heavy” when discussing many telephoto optics that they’re trying to belittle. But you can’t really belittle the Sony 300mm f2.8 G Master — because it’s got a lot going for it that’s going to satisfy tons of photographers who use it. While Sony seemingly marketed it a lot to sports photographers, I think that it’s fair to say that sports departments are closing down all around the world. So who will shoot with it instead?

Some images in this review were shot while on an all-expenses-paid press junket to Sony Creative Space. Sony paid for Uber transportation for us from our base in NYC to and from the location. We declined to stay at a hotel or anything else beyond some refreshments during the testing period. But, the majority of the images in this review were shot on our own bill. Phoblographer’s editors are trained to resist temptation in the industry, and as such, the opinions in this review are our own. We stand by our words, and transparency is the key here. You can read more about our transparency here.

Tech Specs

These specs are taken from our original coverage of the lens.

Lightest full frame 300mm f2.8 yet at 51.9 ounces
Designed for G Master sharpness
Two linear XD autofocus motors
Function ring quickly enters into APS-C crop mode
Magnesium alloy construction that is dust and moisture-resistant
Redesigned hood with one-handed unlock
Shipping in Spring 2024 for $5,999

Ergonomics

The Sony 300mm f2.8 G Master is, well, honestly perfect. Granted, the last time that I’ve held a lens like this was years ago when Canon believed that no one was buying mirrorless cameras. It’s big, but it has to be. It’s lightweight and has a ton of controls on it. And by default, the focusing ring can override the focusing on the camera. For birding photography, this is pretty important.

Holding the lens for long periods of time is also very manageable. I’m not even kidding I’ve held modern Sigma prime lenses that seem bigger, heavier, and nowhere as well balanced. This is a lens that I could see myself using all day on a hike or something.

Updates Feb 2025

I did feel the need to use a monopod during my first shoot with the Sony 300mm f2.8 G Master on a Sony a1 II body, as I was shooting with it for a long period of time. That day however, I didn’t have a monopod at hand. However, once you use this lens for a few weeks, you’ll get accustomed to handholding it for long periods of time, provided you have a comfortable shoulder strap.

Build Quality

This lens is said to be weather resistant and dust-resistant. We weren’t able to put it through a test accordingly to figure this out because the weather was just fine here in NYC. In our tests though, Sony’s G Master lenses are as good as we’ve found previously with other brands. They’re much better than their lower end products and their G series. So when paired with the right cameras, we’re sure that the Sony 300mm f2.8 G Master will do just fine. But we have to see when we get a review unit in — this was a pre-production unit.

Ease of Use

This lens is simple to use. Put it on your camera, point, focus, shoot — and then enjoy the images. There are tons of controls on it. And if anything, I wish that it offered a focus limiter that limits the focus to a closer range instead of a further range. But when combined with the image stabilization and overall performance of Sony’s cameras, I think that photographers will be in love here.

Focusing

The Sony 300mm f2.8 G Master is a beast to use, and that’s partially because of the autofocus performance. It’s incredibly fast but it’s not always accurate. When using it to photograph birds in branches and leaves, it did alright. The lens and camera surely needed help though. Touching up the focusing manually helps here. But otherwise, in good lighting, I think that this lens will perform pretty well.

Update Feb 2025

When Animal AF tracking was turned on, the Sony A1 II using firmware 2.0 didn’t quite pick up the horses as they came around the bend of the racetrack to the final stretch. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, but it was noticeable enough to make me wish that this lens came came with an inbuilt teleconverter. A stark reminder that even the best AF systems have limits when tracking fast-moving subjects in complex environments. Something that Sony can correct with a firmware update, no doubt. But when it mattered the most, as the horses thundered towards the finish line, the lens and camera were able to lock on and hold focus on the leading horse until such time as I had the AF button engaged. The Sony 300mm f2.8 autofocus handled the chaos of the racetrack with the kind of precision and reliability that you expect from a quality professional lens like this.

Image Quality

Again, there isn’t much to complain about or really say except that it’s good. The bokeh is creamy — and what else would you expect from a lens like this? It’s also sharp — considering that the E mount doesn’t have anything else like this, there’s no point in complaining.

Here are a few other sample images that we shot using the a9 III and the Sony 300mm f2.8 G Master.

Update Feb 2025

The G Master annotation instills trust in whoever handles a lens with this badge. The Sony 300mm f2.8 GM is an excellent example of what Sony’s R&D team can produce when they put their minds to it. Some of the fastest horses in the world were no match for the AF speed and accuracy of this lens, creating some amazing results at the track for me. In all honesty, aside from cropping and some slight shadow boosting, most of the images below don’t have any other retouching done to them.

Jockey in blue rides a racehorse wearing number 5, in action during a race on a track with a digital timer in view.

Jockey in blue and white racing silks riding a brown horse during a race, blue banner in the background.

Jockey in a blue racing uniform and helmet stands with a focused expression in a crowded area.

Person in a suit using a large professional camera lens at an outdoor event.

Jockeys riding horses in a close race on a grass track, with one horse leading in blue silks.

Jockey in blue silks riding a gray horse labeled number 7 during a race, with a blurred background.

Jockey in blue races a gray horse wearing number 7 bib on a track, with blurred lights in the background.

Jockey in blue Emirates racing gear adjusts helmet, holding a whip under arm, blurred crowd in background.

Jockey in blue races a brown horse on a track at night, with motion blur conveying speed.

Jockey in blue riding a brown horse during a race at night, with a AZIZI sign in the background.

Two jockeys racing horses on a track, with the lead rider in blue and the other in red, under stadium lights.

Two men in traditional attire sit at a white bench, chatting and smiling in an outdoor setting.

Two jockeys in action on a racetrack, one in blue and the other in blue and white stripes, riding horses under lights.

Jockey in a blue helmet and silk attire, looking downward with a focused expression.

Jockey in blue and white attire riding a gray racehorse on a racetrack.

Three jockeys on horses race on a grassy track, with a large screen and fence in the background.

Jockey in blue adjusts helmet while sitting on a horse at a racetrack, with blurred spectators in the background.

Jockey in red and black attire rides a brown horse at a racetrack, surrounded by other jockeys and people.

Jockey in light blue outfit and helmet, making a surprised face, with a man in a suit in the background.

A jockey in a blue uniform and white helmet, with arms crossed, looks intently.

Photographer in a white shirt captures photos at an outdoor event with blurred people and lights in the background.

A man in traditional Middle Eastern attire gestures with his hand at an outdoor event.

Jockey in black and yellow gear on a horse, with blurred spectators and stadium seats in the background.

Boy leaning on a barrier, surrounded by people, looking intently at something.

Jockey wearing a blue racing outfit and helmet, smiling, with people in the background.

Two jockeys in blue silks race side by side on a grass track at Dubai Racing Club, under bright lights.

Horse with jockey in light blue and white racing on a grassy track, with AZIZI signage in the background.

Jockey in a blue outfit and red helmet, looking to the side at a horse racing event.

Jockey riding a racehorse on a sandy track, with motion blur and a blue barrier in the background.

Jockey in blue attire and helmet stands in a busy setting, looking sideways.

Jockey in blue silks riding a racehorse on a track, with another horse and rider close behind.

A jockey in a red helmet and blue jacket looks focused.

A jockey in a helmet and gear, looking forward with focused expression, in black and white.

First Impressions

I spent less than 24 hours with the new Sony 300mm f2.8 G Master in my possession. And I truly didn’t have the time to take it out into a situation that I’d actually use it in. Sony’s own demo setup was lit for a cinematic look — and didn’t represent how people would photograph otherwise. So we’re looking forward to giving it a real test in real life situations when it comes in for review. Stay tuned!