Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 is a Fixed aperture Auto Focus (AF)
Super Telephoto Zoom lens with Optical Image stabilization and 35mm FF max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with
E Mount cameras .
What type of photography is the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 lens good for?
The choice of photography type for which you intend to use the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 is a crucial decision factor. Below, we have assessed its suitability for various photography scenarios:
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 is a member of Sony's GM series of lenses. GM stands for G Master and represents the top of the line lenses on the Sony E mount line-up. Below you can see the latest lenses in this series.
Sony GM Series Lenses in Sony E Mount
Reasons to Buy the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS lens in a list form to assist you in determining whether it offers the features you need.
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 from Amazon B&H PHOTO
Lens Mount
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 is compatible with cameras that have a Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony FX5 , Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V .
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
The size and weight are crucial factors to consider when searching for your next lens. Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 has a maximum diameter of 120mm and a total length of 328mm . It weighs 1840g / 64.9 oz .
Check the size of the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 when attached to E Mount cameras :
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 Size
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 has a filter thread of 95mm . Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5:
You can also check All Sony E Mount Lenses with 95mm Filter Thread Size
Focal Range
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 150 - 600mm .
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 Lens Controls
Teleconverter Compatibility
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 is compatible with the Teleconverters below. With the use of these TC/extenders, you can find how the total focal reach and effective aperture of your Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 changes below:
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 Focal Range and Aperture Change with Teleconverter
Weather Sealings
The Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 is a weather-sealed lens, which provides extra protection to prevent water and dust get inside the lens and camera body under light rain, snow and wind. In order to have effective protection, you have to pair the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 with a weather-sealed camera body such as the Sony FX5 , Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V .
Optical Image Stabilization
The Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 features an optical image stabilization system which helps to reduce the blur that occurs due to shaking during hand-held shooting.
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 also has a Stabilization On/Off switch on the lens body so you don't need to delve into your cameras menu to disable or enable the IS.
Tripod Collar
With a total length of 328mm and a weight of 1840g, the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 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.
Zoom Method
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 features Rotary (internal) zoom method where the length of the lens doesn't change while you are zooming in or out. Even though this design has a size disadvantage in general compared to extending designs, it has the benefits of better sealing against dust and moisture, no zoom creep and no weight balance shift while zooming.
Zoom Lock
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 has a Zoom lock feature which eliminates Zoom creep where focal length of the lens changes with gravity when it's held downwards or upwards.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.25x with a minimum focusing distance of 0.64m . For a non-macro lens, the 0.25x is considered a high magnification and will come handy for close-up shots.
Below are the 3 Super Telephoto Zoom type Sony E mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios :
Aperture
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 is a fixed aperture lens with a constant max aperture of f4.5 from 100mm all the way to the 400mm .
Focal Length
Max Aperture
Min Aperture
100mm
F4.5
F32
400mm
F4.5
F40
Optical Formula
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5's optical formula consists of 28 elements in 20 groups . The following special elements are used in this design:
2 super ED 3 ED 1 ED XA 1 XA Lens Hood
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 comes with a removable cylindrical shaped lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos. The model number of the hood is ALC-SH187 .
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 Lens Hood
What's in the Box of Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5:
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) Front Lens Cap Sony ALC-R1EM Rear Lens Cap ALC-SH187 Lens Hood Lens Case Drop-In Filter Holder Limited 1-Year Manufacturer Warranty
Recommended Accessories for the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5
Now it is time to look at the Top Recommended Accessories for the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 .
Body Colour
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 is available in White color.
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 Attached to a camera
Here are the 8 most popular comparisons of the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 Lens
In addition, it would be interesting to check which lenses from other mounts are most commonly compared with the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS.
Top Alternatives of Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 in Other Lens Mounts
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