Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS Review

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS is a high-performance macro lens designed for Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras. Offering a true 1:1 magnification ratio, this lens is an excellent choice for photographers interested in macro, portrait, and even product photography. With superb image quality, quick autofocus, and built-in Optical SteadyShot (OSS), the 90mm macro lens has earned its place as a top contender in the world of macro lenses. In this review, we will dive deep into its features, build quality, image performance, and more to determine whether this lens meets the needs of both enthusiasts and professionals.

Check current price here

Features / Specifications

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS boasts a series of high-end features aimed at providing exceptional performance for macro, portrait, and even general-purpose photography.

Focal Length: 90mm (135mm equivalent on APS-C).
Maximum Aperture: f/2.8, offering a good balance of depth of field control and light-gathering ability.
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.28m (0.92 feet), providing a 1:1 magnification ratio for true macro photography.
Optical Design: 15 elements in 11 groups, including a Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass element for controlling chromatic aberrations.
Coatings: Sony’s Nano AR coating to reduce reflections, flare, and ghosting.
Aperture Blades: 9-blade circular aperture for smooth, pleasing bokeh.
Autofocus System: Direct Drive SSM (Super Sonic Motor) for fast and quiet autofocus performance.
Stabilization: Optical SteadyShot (OSS) for handheld macro photography and videography.
Filter Size: 62mm.
Weight: 602g (1.33 lbs).
Size: 139.5mm (5.5 inches) in length, with a diameter of 79mm (3.1 inches).
Weather Sealing: Dust and moisture resistant to handle challenging environments.
Additional Features:
- Focus limiter switch for improved AF speed.
- Focus hold button for fast, one-touch locking on to a subject.

Build Quality

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS impresses with its professional-grade construction.

Materials: The lens is made from a mix of metal and high-quality plastics, providing a premium feel without excessive weight.
Weather Sealing: The lens is dust and moisture resistant, which is crucial for outdoor macro photography or shooting in adverse conditions.
Finish: The matte black finish gives the lens a refined, high-end look and feels sturdy enough to withstand frequent use in the field.
Focus and Zoom Rings: The focus ring is wide, smooth, and easy to operate with precision, making it ideal for manual focusing during macro work. The zoom ring has just the right amount of resistance to prevent accidental shifts in focal length during handheld use.
Buttons: The lens features a customizable focus hold button for quick and easy focusing control, an excellent addition for both macro and portrait photographers.

Size, Weight, and Dimensions

While the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS is a bit larger and heavier than many prime lenses in the same class, it is relatively lightweight considering its focal length and macro capabilities.

Weight: 602g (1.33 lbs), which is heavier than standard prime lenses but appropriate given the advanced optical design and stabilization system.
Dimensions: The lens is 139.5mm (5.5 inches) long and has a diameter of 79mm (3.1 inches), making it fairly compact for a macro lens with this focal length.
Portability: While not the most lightweight lens, the 90mm is still manageable for handheld shooting, and its relatively small size compared to some other macro lenses makes it a good option for both fieldwork and studio use.

Image Quality

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS excels in optical performance, delivering stunning image quality that holds up in a variety of scenarios, from macro to portraiture.

Sharpness

Center Sharpness: The lens is impressively sharp across the frame, even at its widest aperture (f/2.8). Center sharpness remains excellent throughout the aperture range, with minimal softening at the edges.
Edge Sharpness: The edges show a slight softening when shot wide open but improve quickly as the lens is stopped down to f/4 and beyond. The lens performs exceptionally well for macro work, where edge sharpness can often be a concern with other lenses.

Color and Contrast

Color Reproduction: The 90mm macro lens produces vivid and natural colors. This is especially important in macro photography, where true color representation of small details matters. Skin tones also appear very natural, making this lens ideal for portraiture as well.
Contrast: Excellent contrast, even in high dynamic range scenes. The lens handles both highlights and shadows well, providing images with depth and dimension.

Flare and Ghosting

Nano AR Coating: The lens features Sony’s Nano AR coating, which effectively reduces flare and ghosting. This is a significant advantage in high-contrast lighting or when shooting towards bright light sources.
Control of Ghosting: Shooting into strong light sources does not produce noticeable ghosting, which is particularly beneficial when shooting outdoors or in bright, challenging conditions.

Bokeh

Bokeh Quality: Thanks to its 9-blade circular aperture, the bokeh produced by the 90mm macro lens is smooth and pleasing, making it well-suited for portraits and close-up shots.
Background Blur: The lens offers excellent subject isolation with beautiful background blur, especially at its wider apertures (f/2.8-f/4).

Optical Aberrations

Chromatic Aberration: Minimal chromatic aberration is visible, even in high-contrast scenes. The Super ED glass helps eliminate color fringing, particularly around high-contrast edges.
Distortion: Little to no noticeable distortion at any focal length, making it suitable for both macro and general-purpose photography.
Vignetting: Slight vignetting is visible when shot wide open, especially at close distances, but it’s minimal and can be easily corrected in post-processing.

Autofocus

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS offers fast and accurate autofocus, driven by the Direct Drive SSM (Super Sonic Motor). This results in:

Speed: Autofocus is quick enough for both stills and video, even in macro mode.
Accuracy: The lens focuses quickly and accurately, with minimal hunting, even in low light.
Noise: The autofocus system is virtually silent, which is critical for video work, particularly when capturing close-up or wildlife subjects.

Performance in Photography and Videography

Photography

Macro Photography: The Sony FE 90mm excels in macro work, with true 1:1 magnification and excellent detail retention. Its ability to focus closely, combined with excellent sharpness and bokeh, makes it a go-to choice for close-up work, including flowers, insects, and small product shots.
Portrait Photography: The lens's f/2.8 aperture, sharp center, and pleasing bokeh make it a fantastic choice for portrait photographers, producing soft, creamy backgrounds and stunning subject isolation.
General Use: The lens’s sharpness, optical performance, and build quality make it an excellent all-rounder for photographers who need a high-quality medium telephoto lens for a variety of applications.

Videography

Stabilization: Optical SteadyShot (OSS) allows for smoother handheld shooting, reducing camera shake during video capture, particularly useful in macro videography.
Autofocus Performance: Autofocus is fast, accurate, and near-silent, making it suitable for video applications, where noise can be distracting. The Direct Drive SSM motor ensures smooth transitions between subjects when tracking focus.

Use Cases

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS is an excellent lens for a variety of specialized photography:

Macro Photography: Perfect for capturing fine details of small subjects with incredible sharpness and detail.
Portrait Photography: The lens produces beautiful bokeh and excellent subject isolation, making it a solid choice for both environmental and studio portraits.
Product Photography: The macro capabilities and sharpness make this lens ideal for capturing fine details in product shots.
Wildlife Photography: With its telephoto reach, the 90mm macro lens can also be used for shooting wildlife in some scenarios, though its macro focus range may limit this.

Price

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS is priced at around $1,098 USD, which is relatively affordable for a macro lens of this quality. While it's not the cheapest macro lens on the market, the optical performance, build quality, and additional features such as OSS make it a great value for serious photographers and videographers.

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS stands out as a top-tier macro lens with excellent optical quality, fast and reliable autofocus, and built-in stabilization. It is suitable for macro, portrait, and product photography, offering superb image quality with minimal optical flaws. While the f/2.8 aperture may not offer the extreme background blur seen in faster lenses, its image quality and close-focusing capabilities make it a versatile tool for a wide range of shooting scenarios. Whether you're a professional or an enthusiast, the 90mm Macro lens will deliver outstanding results.

Conclusion

Rating

Our overall rating: 9.0/10