Sony's budget A-mount telephoto zoom — basic 75-300mm range for the early Alpha DSLR system.
The Sony 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 is a budget telephoto zoom for Sony's A-mount system, originally a Minolta design inherited when Sony acquired the camera division. It provides basic telephoto reach for A-mount DSLR and SLT cameras at the lowest possible cost.
Optical quality is basic — acceptable centre sharpness at moderate focal lengths but soft at 300mm and in the corners. Slow variable f/4.5-5.6 aperture. Autofocus is body-driven screw-drive — slow on most Sony bodies. No image stabilisation in the lens — relies on body SteadyShot.
Sony A-mount with 55mm filter thread. Approximately 460g. Full-frame coverage. No weather sealing. Minimum focus distance 150cm. Plastic construction. Available in a few versions with minor differences.
Very cheap used. A-mount is discontinued — limited future. Body SteadyShot compensates for the lack of lens IS. The Sony DT 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 SAM or the Tamron 70-300mm VC are better. Only useful for existing A-mount users who need basic telephoto on an extreme budget.