Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS Review and Results

By Jean Rydberg

Sony has dominated the full frame mirrorless market in recent years with the exceptional autofocus system and high resolution sensors of their Alpha line. And if you’re a macro shooter with a Sony Alpha camera, the best choice is the Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS lens.

The FE 90mm F2.8 was released in 2015 and quickly became a favorite of Sony shooters around the world. It features 1:1 magnification and a respectable minimum focusing distance of 11.02” (0.28m).

This review covers the lens build, specifications, and performance underwater. We've included examples from a wide variety of Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras including crop sensor compact mirrorless and professional full frame mirrorless.

Sony a1 | Nirupam Nigam

nirupam nigam sony 90mm macro using the sony a1 camera in an ikelite underwater housing

Sony a1 • f/22 • 1/200 • ISO 320 © Nirupam Nigam

Sony a1 • f/16 • 1/200 • ISO 320 © Nirupam Nigam

Sony a1 • f/22 • 1/200 • ISO 320 © Nirupam Nigam

Physical Appearance

As you would expect from a G Master lens, the build quality is solid. The lens is weather sealed making it dust and moisture resistant - though of course not waterproof outside of the housing! The exterior of the lens is plastic which helps to keep the weight down to 1.33 lb (602g). The lens is 5.14” (131mm) in overall length and 3.11” (79mm) diameter with a 62mm filter thread on the front.

There are two switches on the side of the lens: Optical Steady Shot ON/OFF and a Focus Limiter switch. Typically we recommend leaving OSS ON and the Focus Limiter set to FULL.

Sony a7R III | Steve Miller

steve miller using a sony 90mm macro inside a sony a7riii inside an ikelite housing

Sony a7R III • f/13 • 1/125 • ISO 160 © Steve Miller

Sony a7R III • f/16 • 1/30 • ISO 100 © Steve Miller

Sony a7R III • f/20 • 1/30 • ISO 100 © Steve Miller

Sony a7R III • f/13 • 1/125 • ISO 160 © Steve Miller

Image Stabilization

Sony’s built-in Optical SteadyShot (OSS) system works well providing up to 3-4 extra stops of image stabilization. This particular helps us underwater where we float in the water column in addition to hand-holding the camera.

The lens is exceptionally sharp. It pairs amazingly well with the Sony A7R Iv, which boasts the highest resolution of any full frame camera at 61 MP. We were able to capture images with the Sony A7R IV and 90mm macro that seemed to embellish almost microscopic detail that could be cropped to any heart's desire.

- Nirupam Nigam, Bluewater Photo

Sony a7C II | Jean Rydberg

jean rydberg sony 90mm macro lens on the sony a7c ii inside an ikelite underwater housing

Sony a7C II • f/11 • 1/160 • ISO 100 © Jean Rydberg

Sony a7C II • f/18 • 1/160 • ISO 100 © Jean Rydberg

Sony a7C II • f/8 • 1/80 • ISO 100 © Jean Rydberg

Focus

The focus motor is exceptionally smooth and quiet. The focus drive is completely internal and the lens does not extend or retract as you focus at different distances. Internal focus lenses are slightly more enjoyable to shoot and provide more consistent results when using external diopters on the front of your lens port.

The 90mm has a working aperture range from f/2.8 to f/22. While we rarely desire to go beyond those limits it could be a deal breaker for super macro photographers. The exceptional Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro lenses (both EF and RF) have a working range down to f/32.

The focus ring on the lens moves forward and backward to switch between autofocus and manual focus. This is worth bearing in mind when installing it in an underwater housing.

Sony a6500 | John Brigham

john brigham sony 90mm macro lens with the sony a6500 inside an ikelite underwater housing

Sony a6500 • f/11 • 1/40 • ISO 1250 © John Brigham

Manual Focus

We prefer leaving the lens set to autofocus and using back button focus via the camera’s AF-ON button to shoot a hybrid auto-manual technique. The autofocus is particularly fast and accurate when shooting with a newer a7-series camera. Sony’s subject tracking autofocus is among the best on the market and can be a huge advantage when shooting fast moving fish and behavior shots.

If you want to go full manual focus, this is possible in DL system housings by adding the optional Manual Focus Gear # 5509.47.

Sony a6400 | Nirupam Nigam

nirupam nigam sony 90mm macro on a sony a6400 inside an ikelite underwater housing

Sony a6400 • f/10 • 1/160 • ISO 200 © Nirupam Nigam

Sony a6400 • f/5.6 • 1/160 • ISO 200 © Nirupam Nigam

Sony a6400 • f/10 • 1/160 • ISO 200 © Nirupam Nigam

Sony a6400 • f/5.6 • 1/60 • ISO 400 © Nirupam Nigam

Conclusion

The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens retails around $1,098 here in the USA and is well worth it if you want to focus on the small stuff underwater. It’s our top macro lens if you’re shooting a full frame Sony mirrorless camera.

The 90mm will absolutely be a great investment in your underwater photography. However if you’re shooting a crop sensor camera like the Sony a6400 or a6700, a shorter focal length can be an easier entry point. You may consider the Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro instead which is smaller, lighter, and about half the price.

Jean Rydberg, daughter of Ike Brigham, became President & CEO of Ikelite in 2006. Prior to that, she wisely pursued a degree in Astronomy & Astrophysics to prepare herself for the challenges of running a technology-driven manufacturing business with global distribution. Jean fully embraces the need to travel outside of her hometown of Indianapolis to experience good diving. She believes that any camera is capable of amazing results in the right hands, and anyone can become a great photographer given the right advice. When she's not working she's spending time with her husband, cats, and two daughters (though not necessarily in that order).

Nirupam Nigam is a dedicated underwater photographer and fisheries scientist. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Underwater Photography Guide and the Marketing Director at Bluewater Photo. While growing up in Los Angeles he fell in love with the ocean and pursued underwater photography in the local Channel Islands. He received degrees in Aquatic and Fisheries Science and General Biology, at the University of Washington. Check out more of his photography at photosfromthesea.com and his reviews at uwphotographyguide.com and bluewaterphotostore.com

Ambassador Steve Miller has been a passionate teacher of underwater photography since 1980. In addition to creating aspirational photos as an ambassador, he leads the Ikelite Photo School, conducts equipment testing, contributes content and photography, represents us at dive shows and events, provides one-on-one photo advice to customers, and participates in product research and development. Steve also works as a Guest Experience Manager for the Wakatobi Dive Resort in Indonesia. In his "free" time he busies himself tweaking his very own Backyard Underwater Photo Studio which he's built for testing equipment and techniques. Read more...

John Brigham is the Vice President & head of product development at Ikelite. He was born with a flair for design and an entrepreneurial spirit as son of Ikelite founder Ike Brigham. He worked his way up in the business and is a natural fit in the R&D side of things. John dives the equipment as much as possible to test product and put himself in the "fins" of the user. You may also find him on the other end of an email or phone call when you reach out for product advice and support. When he's not underwater he's flying drones, setting off rockets, training his German Shepherd "T2", and spending time with his family.