New Kid on the Block: Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G Lens

In the Last Blog Post

In the last blog post, Head Hunting w/the Hand Hold-able Sony 600mm f/5.6, here, I originally liked Image #1 best because of the diagonal placement of the bill. But over time, however, Image #2 grew on me and wound up being my first pick as I loved the wider crop, the view of the primaries, and the great look at the tertial feathers.

The Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Lens

From Sony and from artie

The farthest reaching Sony E-mount lens yet, the FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Lens from Sony is a super-telephoto powerhouse lens that’s primed to be the dominant choice for capturing wildlife, nature, and sports. With this addition to the G Series, Sony continues to blur the lines between G and GM lenses, offering its users exceptional quality at a reduced cost. This lens features internal zoom for improved functionality as well as dual linear motors for smooth, quick AF performance. Optical SteadyShot stabilization includes three distinct modes, along with a focus limiter and three focus hold buttons for advanced control. For increased lens stability and sharper imagery, a fixed, rotating tripod foot is included on the lens. Sony.

The lens is very sharp as expected. The internal zoom mechanism is superb as it is on the 200-600 — a mere quarter turn of the zoom ring gets you quickly from 400 to 800mm. At $2,898.00 it is priced quite attractively. The big consideration, as it is with all mirrorless telephoto zoom lenses from each of the three major camera system manufacturers, is the lack of speed — f/8 wide open at 800mm presents some challenges. artie

Unprecedented Range

Not only is this the first Alpha zoom to reach 800mm, but its compatibility with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters extends the maximum focal length to 1120mm and 1600mm respectively, making this an elite choice for birding and wildlife as you’ll be able to keep a safe distance from your subjects. Complementing its impressive reach is a zoom ring that offers smooth, precise rotation that is made to help prevent accidental focal length changes. Sony.

With the previously noted f/8 aperture wide open at 800mm, the last thing most folks would want to do is add a light-robbing teleconverter. Working on a tripod in bright light on a sunny day with the 1.4X TC, however, will surely produce some sharp images as the quality of the optics is impeccable. artie

Prioritizing Functionality & Usability

Poised to outshine Sony’s FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS, this super-telephoto provides longer range and better overall lens performance while weighing just slightly more at 5.45 lbs. Featuring a short rotational throw, this lens allows you to make swift focal adjustments while capturing.
This zoom accepts screw-in filters on the front lens element, expanding your ability to create in various lighting conditions.
Multiple function switches are built into the lens barrel that allow you to make rapid settings adjustments, including a switch for AF/MF, OSS, and focus limiting. Sony.

The 200-600 will continue to be a valuable tool both for folks who use it as an auxiliary telephoto zoom lens or for those who use it as their workhorse telephoto lens. At 4.65 lbs., the 2-6 is 12.8 ounces lighter than the 4-8. With its easily removable lens foot, the 2-6 is several ounces lighter than that. The lens foot of the 4-8 is not easily removable.

That brings us to hand-hold-abilty. With it smaller size and weighing nearly a pound less, it would seem that more folks would be comfortable hand holding the 2-6 for extended shooting sessions than they would doing the same with the 400-800. But with the weight of the beautifully designed 4-8 well to the rear of the lens, I have barely noticed a difference. That said, most folks would find the 2-6 more suitable for flight photography than the 400-800. The exception would be stronger folks working relatively distant subjects on sunny days. In general, if the birds are within range, a smaller, faster, lighter lens is always to be preferred to a larger, slower, heavier lens. For folks moving up to a super-telephoto lens for the first, or those doing an African safari, the 400-800 would make a great and affordable workhorse lens. Anita North tried mine on Tuesday afternoon and ordered one from Bedfords on Wednesday.

artie

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strong>Cutting-Edge Optical Design

Six ED lens elements significantly reduce flare and ghosting in backlit conditions and help control chromatic aberration in images. An 11-blade circular diaphragm produces smooth and rich bokeh, ensuring effective subject isolation and blurred background when capturing with a narrow depth of field. A complex optical configuration of 27 elements in 19 groups allows the lens to reproduce fine details and create high-contrast images. Sony.

As expected, the lens is sharp. And with distant backgrounds, the bokeh is lovely as expected. The relative distance from the subject to the background is far more important than either the size of the aperture or the bokeh of the lens.

Built to Last

Equipped with a dust- and moisture-resistant design, the FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS maximizes reliability in the field, regardless of inclement weather conditions. The front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels water and oil. This coating also makes the lens glass easier to clean.
A robust lens hood with a lock button adds significant protection and features a filter opening for quick and convenient filter adjustment. Sony.

I have never had a problem with light rain or dust with any of my Sony telephoto lenses.

High-Level Stabilization & Control

A 400-800mm zoom range demands exceptional lens stability, which is provided by Sony’s Optical SteadyShot image-stabilization system. OSS utilizes a gimbal mechanism and an algorithm to effectively counteract camera shake by shifting the entire lens unit and sensor. When using a tripod, the lens’s fixed mount foot can be easily rotated for horizontal or vertical capturing. Located around the lens barrel at 90° increments are three focus hold buttons, allowing maximum access in any orientation. These buttons can also be assigned to your preferred functions for making specific settings changes more quickly. Sony.

Some folks will need to use this lens on a tripod at all times because of its size and weight. Unfortunately, the manufacturer of the 4th GD CRX-5 replacement foot seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. I will be exploring other low foot options. Anyhoo, as far as I know and understand, it is not the lens’s fixed mount foot that is rotated (as noted above); it is the lens barrel that rotates within the built in tripod collar to go from horizontal to vertical and vice versa.

The OSS (Optical Stabilization System of the lens with the a-1 ii is superb as expected.

During the last few years of my four-decade-plus-long career, I have been doing more and more of my work hand held. There is no way around it, tripods are cumbersome. After two days of working with the 400-800, I am thrilled to report that I find it eminently hand hold-able. Thanks a stack again to Sony Imaging Pro Support for arranging the loan.

What’s Up?

Thanks to the generosity of Sony Imaging Pro support especially Kishore Sawh, I got a chance to play with the new Sony 400-800mm G lens for the first time on Tuesday past. As with the a-1 ii, the specs on paper did not seem anything to get too excited over. But as with the new camera body, using it has been quite rewarding. All five of today’s featured images were created with the new lens the first morning that I used it. I learned a lot and made some very good images. it is incredibly versatile and hand holding it was much easier than I expected as it is so nicely balanced with all the weight in the rear. Learn more about the 400-800 below and check out the images. Those who use either my B&H link or the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout with Bedfords to purchase their 400-800 will receive a free lens guide in approximately three weeks. If you are confused, please e-mail for details.

Though we photographed zero spoonbills on the first day of the Extended Stick Marsh IPT, we had a fabulous morning. With a gentle wind from the NW in the forecast, we opted, on the advice of the leader — yours truly, to drive over to Indian Lake Estates. If I do say so myself, it turned out to be a brilliant move. Not only did we get to photograph both crane families each with two chicks, but we also had Red-shouldered Hawk and Turkey Vulture perched nicely, a juvie Little Blue Heron, a perched adult Bald Eagle, a perched Osprey, a fly-by one year old Bald Eagle, and some gorgeous adult Sandhill Cranes including a reddish-toned bird and another dressed feathered in gold.

I committed a grievous error by failing to replace a 49% battery when we began. We were on the two smallest chicks when the male flew to the north to scrap with another pair. Anita ran down to the far end of the field to try for the fight that she had missed the morning before. Judy Stepenskie and Vasilli Chernishoff, both multiple IPT veterans opted to stay with the chicks that stood motionless between the mother cranes legs. The father crane chased the intruding pair into the air and they flew toward us over the lake. I called out “flight shots coming our way. Set a fast shutter speed. After a burst of 20 images, I was aghast to see “battery exhausted.” I had neglected to put on my battery pack and did not have an extra battery in my packet as I usually do. Then to my horror the father crane flew directly at his family. Despite having the perfect settings for incoming flight, I stood there dead in the water with the perfect lens in my hand, the 400-800. When Anita saw the bird fly directly at me she could not understand why I never raised my lens. A dead battery will do you in every time.

My second a-1 ii today arrived on Wednesday and will take its maiden voyage in the morning. Jim headed home early on Wednesday so if you need to place an order by phone, please call him on Monday at 863-692-0906.

Today is Thursday 26 March 2025 and we will be early headed to Stick Marsh with a perfect forecast. Whatever you plan on doing, I hope that you too opt to have a wonderful day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.

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This image was also created on 25 March 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) at 760mm and the The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with exposure compensation (EC) on the thumb dial. Multi-metering +2.7 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 6400; 1/400 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Shutter Priority mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at : 7:46:37 am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #1: Boat-tailed Grackle displaying males Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Hello High ISOs

I really pushed the shutter speed when creating the image above. I would have been far more comfortable working at 1/1000 second than at 1/400th. But I got really lucky with two sharp, open eyes in Image #1. But with the f/8 wide open aperture I was reluctant to go beyond ISO 6400. With my double-noise reduction technique, I no longer worry about high ISOs. For INFO on that, see Digital Basics II and the Digital Basics III Video series.

This image was also created on 25 March 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Crouched while standing on a slope alongside the South Canal, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) at 715mm and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with exposure compensation (EC) on the thumb dial. Multi-metering +0.7 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 3200; 1/800 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Shutter Priority mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:17:00 am on a partly sunny morning. Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane 4-day old chick with flower crown Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

400-800 Minimum Focusing Distances (MFDs)

The new super-telephoto zoom lens focuses down to an impressive 5.6 feet at the short end and to 11.5 feet at 800mm. The latter is somewhat disappointing as compared to the 200-600 — 7.87 feet at 600mm. Note that the 600mm f/4 GM lens focus only down to 14.8 feet so either of the telephoto zooms offer a lot more magnification than the much faster big gun.

For Image #2, I was surely very close to the MFD.

This image was also created on 25 March 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing on a slope alongside the South Canal, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) at 486mm and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with exposure compensation (EC) on the thumb dial. Multi-metering +1.7 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 3200; 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1 (wide open) in Shutter Priority mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:22:56am on a mostly sunny morning. Wide /AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #3: Sandhill Crane adult walking on the South Peninsula with 4-day old chick in tow Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Incredible Versatility

It goes without saying that the 400-800 may be one of if not the most versatile ever super-telephoto zoom lenses. For Image #3, I zoomed out quickly and efficiently to create the bird-scape that includes the far shoreline of Lake Walk-in-Water.

This image was also created on 25 March 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Crouched while standing on a slope alongside the South Canal, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) at 800mm and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with exposure compensation (EC) on the thumb dial. Multi-metering +1.0 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 4000; 1/800 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Shutter Priority mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:30:23am on a variably cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #4: Sandhill Crane 4-day old chick head and neck portrait Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Head Hunting with the 400-800

As we saw with Image #2,, the 800mm reach of the 4-8 combined with its decent MFD make it an ideal lens for head hunters like me. The soft defocused background (even at f/8) is a function of how close I was to the chick and the relatively substantial distance to the background.

This image was also created on 25 March 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Crouched while standing on a slope alongside the South Canal, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) at 584mm and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with exposure compensation (EC) on the thumb dial. Multi-metering +1.3 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 6400; 1/800 sec. at f/7.1 (wide open) in Shutter Priority mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:32:41am on a variably cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #5: Sandhill Crane adult feeding 4-day old chick Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

An Aperture-related Technical Error

As it clouded over, shutter speed became more of an issue. Already at ISO 6400, I was reluctant to go beyond 1/800 sec. when the chick lunged for the bug, that was not fast enough to freeze the action. The head of the chick exhibited lots of motion blur that was improved to some small degree. All of the preceding the result of the slow f/8 aperture.

Typos

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