First Impressions with the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM

I have extensive experience with macro lenses. I’ve owned at least half a dozen of them at this point and have regularly used another half dozen over the last decade or so. My love for macro lenses extends so far that it’s literally the only lens I have for my personal Fuji GFX100S. So, when Sony’s PR team reached out to me and asked for my signature on an NDA about an unannounced lens, I was quick to assess that it was for a macro lens. And upon offering up my signature, I saw it – the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM.

To the average shooter, the Sony 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM is just another macro lens introduced in the last decade or so. They all seem to fall within the ~100mm range, and they all appear to feature f/2.8 optics with some built-in image stabilization. However, this Sony option has a lot under the hood that separates it from the competition, and we’ll delve into all of that. But let’s first discuss the macro aspect.

What is the Big Deal About Macro?

You’ve likely heard of macro lenses, and if you’ve visited a photo forum, you’ve seen dozens of photos of hyper-detailed subjects, such as eyeballs, flowers, and insects. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story when it comes to macro lenses. Because of their design and purpose, macro lenses generally are a culmination of all the best features put into a single lens. Macro lenses are historically among the sharpest lenses available from each manufacturer, due to their specific use case. Macro lenses are also historically the most accurate when it comes to autofocusing, due to their particular use case. While that does often sacrifice a little speed in the autofocus motor, macro lenses are the most accurate and powerfully resolving lenses available from each manufacturer. The added benefits are, of course, that the minimum focusing distance is usually very short, and while macro is in the name of these lenses, macro photography is not the required use for them.

So What Makes the Sony 100mm f/2.8 GM Different?

The Sony 100mm f/2.8 GM appears to share many similarities with its competitors at first glance, but a few subtle tweaks and changes make this lens stand out above the competition. For one, whereas many 100mm macro lenses offer a 1:1 magnification ratio (read more about what that means here), the Sony 100mm f/2.8 GM features a 1.4x magnification level. Its 17-element, 13-group optical design promises that this lens sits in the best-in-class category in optical resolution power, and the Nano AR coating helps eliminate ghosting and flaring.

What makes me so excited about this lens, though, is its compatibility with the Sony FE 2.0x teleconverter. When shooting beauty macro, I find myself having to get extremely close to my subjects, while attempting not to obstruct the light I have particularly placed on them. By adding a Sony FE 2x teleconverter, you effectively double your focal length to 200mm and also double the magnification level, increasing it to 2.8x magnification.

As mentioned above, while macro lenses generally offer among the best options in terms of sharpness and autofocus accuracy, they usually come with a cost: speed. Macro lenses are typically slower compared to other prime lenses. Still, Sony has addressed this issue with the help of four XD linear motors, giving this lens the fastest autofocusing system I’ve ever seen in a macro lens.

Using the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 GM

As mentioned above, Sony provided me with an advanced copy of this lens to test in my studio, enabling me to compare its performance with that of the competition. Obviously, Sony has given me full rein to express my opinions and thoughts and offered no compensation for this offer. As I often am a cynic on the topic of the latest and greatest lens, taking the position that most lenses will out-resolve your skills as a photographer, I found myself deeply impressed with this lens. My usual go-to camera and lens setup is the Fujifilm GFX 100s, paired with my Fujifilm 120mm f/4 Macro lens. While the lens is macro only by name (offering only a 0.5x magnification level), it does offer incredibly close focusing prowess and unparalleled sharpness. To my surprise, my expectations that I was using the best macro photography combo were dashed when I mounted the Sony 100mm GM lens on a Sony a7R V. The lens focused faster and produced sharper images, all while outshining the magnification level of the Fuji medium-format kit.

Lens Comparison

When comparing the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 GM, it made the most sense to compare it to the most premium macro lens available, the Fujifilm GF 120mm f/4 Macro. However, there are several lenses in that same focal range that are worth considering. Most notably, the table of comparisons sits below.

The comparison between the Fujifilm GF 120mm f/4 Macro and the new Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 GM Macro is nothing short of complicated. The Fujifilm system is nearly double the resolution of a Sony a7RV, with roughly double the minimum focusing distance. Instead of doing the math behind it all, I opted to compare the Sony system with a 2x teleconverter attached, giving it a 200mm focal length and a more evenly matched magnification level. The result is two very different image crops, but when cropped at 100%, we’re able to really see where the Sony’s sharpness shines.

My time with the Sony 100mm f/2.8 GM Macro has been incredibly limited – and came during a week of absolute chaos (laptop battery caught fire, canceled flights, and so much more). However, this brief time with the Sony 100mm f/2.8 GM Macro has convinced me that Sony has managed to create the sharpest macro lens on the market today, and has me eager to spend more time testing it. For now, my first impressions have left me very, very impressed. Please let me know in the comments below if you’d like to see a full review of the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 GM Macro, which is now available for preorder with an expected release date in the coming weeks.

Author: Zach Sutton

I’m Zach and I’m the editor and a frequent writer here at Lensrentals.com. I’m also a commercial beauty photographer in Los Angeles, CA, and offer educational workshops on photography and lighting all over North America.

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