A 300mm f/2.8 prime is normally a lens built for a tripod or monopod — the combination of reach and aperture has always come with serious weight. Sony's FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS, released in November 2023, breaks that assumption entirely: at 1,470 grams, it's officially the lightest 300mm f/2.8 telephoto prime lens on the market for any manufacturer, mirrorless or DSLR, light enough that Sony designed it from the ground up for handheld shooting rather than assuming a support.
A magnesium alloy body houses 20 elements in 16 groups, including one ED and three Super ED elements to control chromatic aberration, with an internal focusing design that keeps the barrel length fixed while focusing. An 11-blade rounded diaphragm produces smooth out-of-focus rendering, and reviewers have consistently found autofocus speed and center sharpness at f/2.8 hold up to the standard set by Sony's other G Master primes — genuine flagship performance in a body that no longer demands a monopod to use comfortably.
