Overview: Sony 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS lens

I’ve all the time discovered the 100-400mm focal vary actually helpful, however just lately questioned if I would like a necessity a 100-400mm lens.

I personal (and like) the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6, but in addition have the great 70-200 f/2.8 Mark II, and after I add my 1.4x tele-convertor, I’ve a 98mm – to 280mm f/4 lens that’s sooner, small, lighter and sharper than my FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6.

And, if I exploit a brand new 50MP + physique, I can simply crop in to get nearer. So when Sony launched their 100-400mm f/4.5, understanding it might be just a little heaver and bigger than both of the above mixtures, I used to be curious: would it not be value upgrading?

If value isn’t a difficulty, and also you need a sharp, quick 100-400mm lens, that basically isn’t that heavy or giant (given what it’s), properly perhaps sure, however learn on.

The construct

At 328mm lengthy and weighing 1840g, this lens is 400gm heavier and 113mm longer than the 100-400mm f4.5-5.6.

With an inside zoom (which implies centre-of-gravity shift is minimised when zooming) and being properly balanced, it’s stable to carry and I can use it simply and not using a break for ages.

As one would count on for a GM Master lens, it’s weather-sealed, mud and moisture resistant (be aware, not mud and moisture proof), the entrance ingredient has a fluorine coating that each helps repel contaminants and makes it simpler to scrub. 

Like most of the Sony lenses, it comes with a flocked inside (to assist stop undesirable reflections, reversable lens and round formed silicon rubber entrance edge that means that you can extra simply, however unadvisedly, steadiness the lens face down when altering lenses: one thing I’ve all the time appreciated.

The entrance filter thread is 95mm, nevertheless it additionally permits the choice to make use of a smaller 40.5mm drop in filter on the physique finish which I like.

One criticism I’ve is the tripod collar shouldn’t be designed to return off simply. For a comparatively compact lens like this I believe that is an oversight because it’s one thing I’d prefer to put into my bag with many different issues.

Because the foot protrudes a bit, I wanted to rotate it sideways, dropping priceless packing area. Also it doesn’t match an Arca-Swiss head straight up, however with 1/4-20 UNC and three/8-16 UNC screw sockets you possibly can simply connect your personal (or many different sorts).

P.S. Sony, when you’re studying this, what if the tripod collar was simply detachable and interchangeable with say an Arca-Swiss head. What a terrific double answer: perhaps subsequent time?

Inside

Internally, there are 28 parts in 20 teams with 3 ED parts, 2 Super ED parts, and 1 ED XA (Extra-low Dispersion excessive aspherical) ingredient (out of 28 complete parts) – all adjusted to minimise color bleeding, and the latter designed to suppress distracting onion-ring bokeh.

Driven by 4 linear motor drives, focusing is through an inside zoom, which implies the size of the lens doesn’t change when zooming and so the centre of gravity stays just about the identical.

This makes dealing with extra secure and the shortage of barrel extension/discount theoretically additionally means there’s a decreased probability of mud/moisture being drawn in.

Externally

Closest to the physique is the drop in filter holder.

Following that there are 5 toggle switches close to the physique to manage: AF/MF, focus zoom vary (Full, 4m – ∞), OSS (vibration management On/Off), three stabilisation modes (:1 = ‘standard’, 2 = ‘panning’ and three = ‘erratic’), and a change to activate Direct Manual Focus (DMF) mode: a helpful mode which lets you tweak the autofocus or shift it considerably to a brand new vary even when utilizing autofocus.

Next is the tripod foot which has a tripod collar ring-clicking choose change.

When on, as you rotate the tripod collar it bodily clicks into place each 90-degree letting you shortly and precisely snap your digicam between horizontal (panorama) and vertical (portrait) orientations. 

It’s not one thing I’d in all probability use with such a lens, however hey, it is there in order for you it.

Next is the handbook focus ring which is okay, nevertheless I did discover that when tuning quite a lot of levels, my hand hit that the tripod collar foot simply, forcing me to shift hand positions. Very annoying.

Did I point out I want they’d make that foot simple to take off and put again on?

Next is the zoom ring which works properly and by the flick of a change may be made to show easily or with extra effort – thereby technically holding the focal distance in place if shifting it round.

To this characteristic, its’s OK, nevertheless I nonetheless did discover that even when positioned on ‘tight’, there was some focal vary creep particularly at 400m when strolling round and holding the digicam by my aspect.

Next alongside the lens is a perform ring that may be programmed (through your cameras physique) to do one among three issues: As an influence focus device, as a spotlight recall pre-set to snap your lens again to a memorised focus distance, or change between Full-Frame / APS-C crop (a characteristic I simply don’t suggest utilizing in any digicam.

Finally, there are 4 customisable focus maintain buttons on the finish of the barrel.  

Image high quality

I used the 100-400 f/4.5 on each my Sony A1 Mark II and the brand new Sony A7R VI. What instantly stood out was how sharp this lens is all through all focal lengths and most used f/stops.

It drops just a little from about 11, however who’s going to purchase this lens after which shut it all the way down to 11? Nevertheless, its clearly higher than the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6, however being a more moderen G Master lens, and costlier, no surprises there.

The bokeh was usually good, and I say ‘generally’, as to me it felt there have been events if vivid, straight-line objects (like grass or twigs) within the background weren’t approach out of focus, and the centre was gentle, you would possibly see a delicate darkish edge that might be distracting.

What does this imply in actuality? If you’re a birder capturing and plenty or twigs/foliage are within the quick background, you could discover this (properly I did), but when your backgrounds are usually fairly clear, no downside.

There was no signal of vignette and when photographing again lit scenes I didn’t discover any flare.

Autofocus/zoom/focal distance

The AF on this lens doesn’t disappoint. Versus the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6, it’s undoubtedly higher. How a lot I couldn’t quantitatively measure, nevertheless Sony state it’s as much as 3x sooner AF with a 50% enchancment in monitoring efficiency.

That’s a terrific enchancment. When manually focusing I did discover, extra usually than I’d have appreciated, that my hand might be blocked from totally focusing by the tripod collar foot. Ah, that tripod collar foot once more…

Minimum focal distance is 0.64m at 100mm and 1.5 m at 400mm, which is fairly good, and a perform ring may be assigned to manage pre -set Focus.

The zoom may be very easy, and the way simply it might strikes may be adjusted through a built-in zoom torque/stress change. It’s good to have this characteristic nevertheless I seen on my mannequin, on the 400mm finish when strolling and hanging the digicam pointing down, there was a little bit of creep lastly settling at about 380mm.

Green credentials

I’ve stated this earlier than and can maintain saying it. Where we spend our cash infers that one is glad to financially assist an organization doing what it does on each degree. Sony state over 22% of the entire plastic weight of this lens consists of recycled plastic.

To put it one other approach, that’s lower than 1 / 4. They additionally say of their environmental plan that by 2050 they’ll have a zero environmental impression. That’s twenty-four years from now.

As the world burns is that basically acceptable? Maybe one thing to ask each Sony worker you ever meet is ‘why they won’t do higher?’

The wrap-up

After a number of weeks of use I discovered the 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS lens is clearly an enchancment on the older 100-400mm f4.5-f/5.6, giving a a lot sharper picture and decrease f/cease capabilities on the longer focal lengths.

Sure, it’s just a little heavier and considerably wider and longer, however that’s largely a results of physics (i.e. a 400mm f/4.5 should have not less than a 89mm entrance ingredient (i.e. 400/4.5) and might’t be overcome).

If you already personal the 100-400mm f/4.5-f/5.6 lens, I’d say this new model is properly balanced, sharper, has sooner autofocus, and offers me almost a cease extra on the lengthy finish.

On the draw back, it’s heavier, just a little bigger and costlier than the 100-400mm. I additionally want the tripod foot got here off extra simply.

If I primarily shot within the 300-400mm vary, I’d think about upgrading. Otherwise, I might use the wonderful 70-200 GM OSS II f/2.8 and add a 1.4x teleconverter.

The outcomes

HANDLING ★ ★ ★ 1/2

This is a medium sized lens with a pleasant balanced inside zoom. Easy to deal with I might use it for prolonged intervals hand-held. With the bolt on tripod foot generally blocking handbook focus adjustment and making it not as simple to pack because it might be, it misplaced a star.

IMAGE QUALITY ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Good element from broad open and to the perimeters, and impressively constant in any respect focal lengths.

FEATURES ★ ★ ★ ★

With 5 toggle switches (AF/MF, zoom vary, OSS On/Off, OSS modes and DMF), climate sealed, good minimal focus distance, a fluorine coated entrance ingredient and ED glass parts, this lens has most the options sports activities and wildlife photographer who want a zoom of this vary.

VALUE FOR MONEY ★ ★ ★

At $6,899 RRP, in comparison with the Sony 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 at $3,999, this lens is an enormous leap in value. And being a lens that can all the time be used within the subject, the usual two (2) yr native guarantee bothers me.

Canon affords 5 years for his or her high finish lenses so why Sony don’t deal with this continues to each shock and disappoint me.

Nevertheless, in comparison with the 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 it affords an excellent leap in sharpness, autofocus velocity and monitoring potential. Is all this value almost $3,000? that’s onerous to definitively say.