I enjoyed my experience Sony’s new Fe 400-800 mm F/6.3-8G OSS Lens Review So much in February that I bought myself a lens, instead of Fe 200-600 mm F/5.6-6.3 G Oss in my kit. As someone who loves wildlife photography, it was an excellent option.
While I shot 400-800 mm f/6.3-8 g Oss for me on a large scale ReviewThere is always a chance that something, good or bad, pops up after long -term use. Finally, especially for a review that went live on the day of the announcement, the turnaround period is quick. But in the case of Sony 400–800 mm f/6.3-8 lenses, there is nothing to complain after the use of four and months. It is an excellent lens and is a better option for me than 200–600 mm, which is a great lens in itself.
Why Sony is better for 400-800 mm wildlife photography
Then, I really like 200-600 mm f/5.6–6.3 lenses. Both my father and I used it extensively for years, and using that lens actually captured a lot of great wildlife photos. Some of my favorite shots were ever made with that lens.
However, almost always, many times per outing, I wanted the lens that was just one Part More access. While 600 mm is a long focal length, especially in a handhold full-frame telephoto zoom lens, this is not always enough when small birds or skitish take pictures of wildlife themes. I know, “Zoom with your legs,” but it is not always an option in nature, and should be avoided very closely by bothering animals. Being able to get around 33% of the subject with a lens, which is only slightly larger and heavy.
Another benefit of 400–800 mm is a new, better autofocus system compared to 200–600 mm. I would not say that the 200-600 mm autofocus system is bad, away from it, but 400–800 mm behavior is largely swift. Sometimes, here some milliseconds and you are able to capture the desired image are the difference. 400–800 mm has proved more proficient keeping in mind the subjects that focus when using C-AF.
Sony’s direct drive in 200–600 mm is SSM, while 400–800 mm has a pair of Sony’s latest linear motors. While many people do not use Sony A9 III -This is $ 6,400, finally-400-800 mm is much better for shooting 120 frames per second of that camera, which is thanks to its linear motors compared to the old AF tech of 200-600 mm. The 200–600 mm lens is still compatible with A9 III at 120 FPS, however, with its latest firmware.
Are Sony 400-800 mm downside in telephoto zoom?
While I am happy to do 200-600 mm f/5.6-6.3 g OSS to get 400-800 mm f/6.3-8 g OSS, this does not mean that this is the right lens. There are some opposition with lenses that are worth considering.
The lens is longer than 200–600 mm, with about 28 millimeters (1.1 in) length. It is thicker and has more glass, therefore, uncertainly, it is even heavier than 360 grams (12.7 ounces), which is more than three-fourths of pounds and is easily felt when using the lens. While 400–800 mm zoom balances well, it is a good a bit of extra weight.
However, the most notable negative side is slow maximum aperture. While the 200-600 mm lens slows down to f/6.3 at a maximum focal length of 600 mm, 400–800 mm is F/8 lens at 800 mm. Heck, it is an F/8 lens that starts at about 592 mm and goes to f/6.3 to f/7.1 at just 481 mm. In terms of 200–600 mm lens aperture, the board is sharp, and it matters a lot in some situations.
The latest Sony Alpha Body is so good in high ISO settings that I do not worry about the slow aperture of 400-800 mm lens, but I can understand why some other photographers can do.
Another possible negative side for 400–800 mm lens is that you lose focus of focal length in exchange for additional access. While I rarely used 200 mm or 200 mm for wildlife photography, it was sometimes useful as telephoto landscape lens. I am a great proposer to use non-traditional lenses for landscape work, and 200–600 mm is a solid option for that type of work, especially given that it is slightly faster in corners than 400–800 mm zoom-it is not that it matters a lot to wildlife.
While I wished that the 200-600 mm lens has more access to the way I exceeds the amount when I would mourn the lack of coverage at the small end of 400-800 mm, it does not mean that I do not want 400–800 mm also had something like 300-800 mm. A little more game at the broad end will make this lens even better.
Advice
When I reviewed the Sony 400-800 mm F/6.3-8 G OSS at the end of February, I easily recommended new lenses for Sony Wildlife Photographers, and I still do. It is a great lens and Sony is better than 200-600 mm.
However, when the lens came out, it was $ 2,898. This is now thanks to the $ 3,298 tariff, and its price may be even more next month as the new tariffs apply in the United States. 400–800 mm was already significantly significant compared to 200–600 mm lens, and this rift has only increased in recent months.
If a Sony photographer was currently looking for a new wildlife lens and there was nothing else in his kit, I would suggest 400-800 mm if they have a budget for it and they know that they will shoot at 800 mm. 400–800 mm at 800 mm is a sharp lens that has a better autofocus than 200–600 mm lens, with a 1.4x teleconverter. However, those who think that 600 mm is sufficient, 200-600 mm remains a great option.
For me, there was no question that the additional access to 400–800 mm was worth it, and I think it eventually that most wildlife photographers would end.
But if you already have a 200-600 mm lens, should you upgrade? I think it is worth shooting at 600 mm through your photos and asking yourself, “Would this photo be better if it was shot at 800 mm?” If you answer a lot in positive, 400-800 mm will be an excellent option for you. If not? Okay, it seems as if you already know the answer. Sony 200-600 mm is still a great lens.
In the e-mount system, wildlife photographers are deteriorated for choice. But for my money, Fe 400-800 mm F/6.3-8 G OSS is the best overall zoom lens option. It is well designed, sharp, quickly focuses, and provides the most access to any Sony zoom lens.
Image Credit: Photos by Jeremy Gray and Bruce Gray
