The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM and the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II is the longer of the two lenses at 196mm. The Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM with a length of 193mm, is 3mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM's 94mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II weighs 1500g, 5% (90g) lighter than the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM's weight of 1590g.
Filter Threads
Both the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM and the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II have the same Filter thread size of 77mm.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has the Canon EF lens mount whereas the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount and Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Focal Range
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a focal range of 100-400mm and
4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
160 - 640mm.
On the other hand, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II 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 a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 600mm.
