When Sony invited me to test the new Sony A7R VI, I naturally jumped at the chance to handle a camera that we rated five out of five stars in our recent review. The camera wasn't the only thing I wanted to try out, however, as the brand was also introducing the rather eye-catching FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS, a lens that looks to offer plenty of reach for both bird watchers and sports photographers.
Such reach, coupled with the A7R VI's impressive 66MP resolution, should be a birdwatcher's dream considering the camera's rather ridiculous crop potential. Combining that with the brand's latest autofocus? Even a street photographer like me no longer has an excuse not to get it right.
The Sony 100-400mm f/4.5 GM currently sells for €5,000 / £4,400 (AU$ TBC), so it's not a cheap lens by any means. According to Sony, it is aimed at the professional/enthusiast audience, placing itself halfway between the “hobbyist” and the brand's highest-end professional glass.
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In the hand, the 100-400mm f/4.5 is a heavy specimen, but surprisingly light for a telephoto lens of this size. Sony stated that they were deliberating between making this a constant aperture of f/4 or/4.5, but chose the latter due to its substantial weight savings.
At 1,840g, I think they made the right decision here. Considering how good the brand's full-frame BSI sensors are, you don't lose much light-gathering power with a half-stop aperture. However, the lighter weight should pay off when carrying this lens in the field.
Some other things I really liked about this lens are the well thought out FN buttons spread across the barrel of the lens, which offer plenty of customization options. The 45mm insertable filter holder at the base of the lens is also a nice touch, meaning you don't have to shell out for huge 95mm front filters.
A great combination with the Sony A7R VI
There is an old saying that the equipment does not make the photographer. That's certainly true, but if there's anything that can help you achieve that telephoto shot, it has to be this lens in combination with the Sony A7R VI.
I must admit that I am a relative beginner when it comes to bird photography. I couldn't even tell you the difference between a great tit and a great tit. I can tell the difference between a duck and a goose, but only just.
Even I was able to get some good shots with the 100-400mm f/4.5. In the hands of a professional, the possibilities here are surely vast.
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At 400mm, the lens boasts impressive reach, but it's in combination with the A7R VI's 66MP sensor where it really shines. With such cropping potential, you can achieve well beyond an APS-C crop here: in fact, more than 100% zoom.
This is where the lens' constant f/4.5 aperture also comes in handy, as you still get a decent level of background separation at the extreme end. While the bokeh may still get a little harsh, it will be softer than the f/5.6 featured in the previous 2017 lens.
I didn't have much time to test this lens in the field, but from my short experience, it was a very powerful combination. I still missed a few shots (mostly due to my own failures), but I was definitely surprised by how sharp the images were in such extreme crops upon further inspection. Once again, there is great potential here for experienced birders.
Excellent autofocus too
Everyone knows that the Sony A7R VI is a beast when it comes to autofocus, but this lens is arguably just as impressive. Throughout my session, I tested quite a few lenses, including high-end GM primes, and was surprised that the massive 100-400mm f/4.5 wasn't far behind any of its siblings.
Sure, compared to something like the impressive FE 50mm F1.2 GM, the 100-400mm f/4.5 is no quite just as fast, but it's surprisingly close. In my brief testing, focus acquisition was extremely impressive when paired with the new A7R VI. Even on a crowded basketball court, the lens had no problem tracking faces and action with the camera's excellent human priority focus mode.
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Once again, I remember the previous saying about equipment, but in reality, with equipment this good, it is very easy to get a shot – this is action and bird photography on easy mode. From my hundreds of test shots, I got an impressive hit rate, and images of the basketball scene in particular were rendered with impressive sharpness thanks to the beautiful lighting conditions.
For a full evaluation, I would need to properly judge low-light performance as well as distortion, aberration, etc., but this lens definitely impressed me from my first hands-on.
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