My name is Pepa Valero and I'm a family and portrait photographer from Spain. My go-to kit is the Alpha 7 IV coupled with the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens, but I've always wanted to have a small telephoto zoom to broaden my scope and give me more flexibility. Having a longer focal length lens also gives me that beautiful soft bokeh which I very much like to use for family photography in particular. When Sony approached me and asked if I’d like to try the new FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the lens I’d been waiting for.

When I'm shooting I like to stay very mobile so I was delighted to see that the lens was very small and light. Despite its size, it felt very solid in the hand and balanced well with my Alpha 7 IV. I took some quick test shots and found the focus speed to be super fast and silent - two very important features when shooting. Kids are dynamic and are in constant motion, but with this lens I was able to follow their rhythm and capture clear shots without losing detail. Every jump, every laugh and every fleeting gesture was captured, freezing those moments full of energy and spontaneity.

How did you find the lens sharpness and performance?

When it came to shooting, the lens didn't disappoint. It was sharp, and captured the hues and textures of skin very smoothly. I haven't used long focal lenses much to be honest, so I found the perspective fascinating. I loved the soft, blurred backgrounds and I took advantage of the lovely light at dusk to capture some landscapes with my subject as the focus. Even shooting against the light, the lens had no issues snapping focus very quickly and tracking the subject as they moved. I literally didn't have to worry about keeping focus as I soon realised the combination of camera and lens could handle that, which left me free to concentrate on the composition.

How did you find the macro capability of the lens?

The macro aspect was a pleasant surprise and I wasn't expecting it to focus as close as it did! For my kind of images, it meant that I could go in close but not be on top of my subject, which always makes for a more relaxed approach. The detail the lens can capture, even at minimum focus is outstanding, and this is something I'll be looking to work with more in the future.

With this lens, I've honestly found the perfect partner to my regular kit, and it still fits in a small camera bag. I'm now covered from 24mm to 200mm with the best performance I could have hoped for.