Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM is a Variable aperture Auto Focus (AF)
Super Telephoto Zoom lens with 35mm FF max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with
A Mount cameras.Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM was replaced with Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II. Follow the link to read our comparison of these lenses:
Compare Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM vs Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II
What type of photography is the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM lens good for?
The choice of photography type for which you intend to use the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM is a crucial decision factor. Below, we have assessed its suitability for various photography scenarios:
Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount with Same Focal and Aperture Range
Reasons to Buy the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM lens in a list form to assist you in determining whether it offers the features you need.
Autofocus |
Distance Scale |
DoF(Depth of Field) Scale |
Hood supplied |
Tripod Collar |
Full-time Manual Focusing |
Covers Full-Frame Sensor |
Versatile Lens with a Zoom Ratio of 5x |
9 Diaphragm Blades for Smooth Bokeh |
400mm reach great for Wildlife Photography |
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No Weather Sealing |
Lens Extends while zooming |
Slow Aperture at Tele end |
Variable Aperture |
Heavy |
Lens Mount
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM is compatible with cameras that have a Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
The size and weight are crucial factors to consider when searching for your next lens. Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM has a maximum diameter of 95mm and total length of 196mm when not extended. It weighs 1490g / 52.6 oz.
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM has a filter thread of 77mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM:
Focal Range
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM has a focal range of 70-400mm and 5.7X zoom ratio. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 600mm.
Tripod Collar
With a total length of 196mm and a weight of 1490g, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM is a large lens. Fortunately, it comes with a tripod collar which you can use to attach the lens directly to a tripod or monopod instead of attaching the camera. This connection helps to better balance the lens/kit combination.
Optical Image Stabilization
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM doesn't have an optical image stabilization system so the only option to stabilize the image taken with this lens is to mount on a camera body with IBIS (sensor based In-body image stabilization).
Zoom Method
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM features Rotary (extending) zoom method where the length of the lens changes as you zoom in or out. This makes it possible to design the lens with a smaller minimum length ( generally when it is zoomed out) compared to internal zoom lenses. The disadvantages of this design are being harder to seal against dust and moisture, weight balance shifting while zooming and zoom creep in certain lenses.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.27x and has a minimum focusing distance of 1.5m. For a non-macro lens, the 0.27x is considered a high magnification and will come handy for close-up shots.
Below are the 3 Super Telephoto Zoom type Sony Alpha mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:
Aperture
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM is a variable aperture lens with a max aperture of f4 and a minimum aperture of f22 at 70mm, and a max aperture of f5.6 and minimum aperture of f32 at 400mm .
Focal Length |
Max Aperture |
Min Aperture |
70mm
|
F4 |
F22 |
400mm
|
F5.6 |
F32 |
Optical Formula
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM's optical formula consists of 18 elements in 12 groups .
Lens Hood
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM comes with a removable petal shaped lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos.
Body Colour
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM is available in Black and Silver color.
Popular Comparisons of Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM
Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM Lens
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