Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 is a Variable 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 f5.6-8 lens good for?
The choice of photography type for which you intend to use the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 is a crucial decision factor. Below, we have assessed its suitability for various photography scenarios:
Reasons to Buy the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 OSS Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 OSS lens in a list form to assist you in determining whether it offers the features you need.
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 from Amazon B&H PHOTO
Lens Mount
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 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 f5.6-8 has a maximum diameter of 78mm and a total length of 165mm when not extended. It weighs 654g / 23.1 oz .
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 Size
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 has a filter thread of 67mm . Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8:
You can also check All Sony E Mount Lenses with 67mm Filter Thread Size
Focal Range
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 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 .
Weather Sealings
Weather Sealings of the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8
The Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 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 f5.6-8 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 f5.6-8 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 f5.6-8 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.
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 MTF Charts
Below you can find the MTF chart of Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 which would give an idea of the its contrast and resolution from the center to its edges.
MTF Chart of the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8
Focusing Mechanism of the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8
Zoom Method
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 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.
Zoom Lock
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 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 f5.6-8 has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.41x with a minimum focusing distance of 0.86m . For a non-macro lens, the 0.41x 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 f5.6-8 is a variable aperture lens with a max aperture of f5.6 and a minimum aperture of f32 at 100mm, and a max aperture of f8 and minimum aperture of f45 at 400mm .
Focal Length
Max Aperture
Min Aperture
100mm
F5.6
F32
400mm
F8
F45
Optical Formula
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8's optical formula consists of 15 elements in 10 groups . The following special elements are used in this design:
Optical Construction of the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8
Lens Hood
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 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-SH188 .
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 Lens Hood
What's in the Box of Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8:
Sony FE 100-400mm f/5.6-8 OSS Lens (Sony E) Front Lens Cap Rear Lens Cap Lens Hood Limited 1-Year Manufacturer Warranty
Body Colour
Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 is available in Black color.
Here are the 8 most popular comparisons of the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 Lens
In addition, it would be interesting to check which lenses from other mounts are most commonly compared with the Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 OSS.
Top Alternatives of Sony FE 100-400mm f5.6-8 in Other Lens Mounts
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