Hi all. Sony just announced a new 100-400mm f/4.5 lens this week (retail $4300). A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to test it out before it was released. So I thought I’d share my experience with it while photographing shorebirds in the Tampa Bay area.

Some background… I do own the original 100-400mm lens which is f/4.5 – 5.6 so when you zoom in to 400mm you’re shooting at f/5.6 not f/4.5. This new lens will allow you to shoot at f/4.5 across the range of the lens.

Also, I’ll be giving you my first thoughts on this lens from a wildlife photography standpoint only. I do shoot landscapes and cityscapes as well, but in my opinion you wouldn’t get this lens for that, so I’ll only be talking about this from a wildlife perspective.

Camera Settings and Editing

All of the photos below were shot with the new lens and the Sony a1 ii. I shoot on manual exposure mode, typically the lowest f-stop number the lens will allow, Auto ISO, and varying shutter speeds depending on the light and movement of the wildlife. Also, all photos were taking using the Center Fix auto focus area, with tracking turned on.

As for editing, all photos were edited in Lightroom only, and most have Lightroom’s DeNoise applied to them. And I typically nudge the Sharpening slider to around 60-75 after applying noise reduction. No other plug-ins or programs were used.

Size and Weight

The first thing that surprised me, since I own the original 100-400mm lens, was the size. Typically, everyone I talk to wants smaller and lighter, I didn’t expect to see a larger lens. As you can see below, it’s definitely bigger than the original. But the weight did surprise me. The original is about 50 ounces and this one is about 65 ounces. Considering the size difference, you don’t expect to pick this up and it be as light as it was. It also feels balanced when on the camera, where is my 200-600mm (which is about the same size) definitely feels heavier.

Now, the new lens internally zooms where the old one telescopes out, so while shooting it’s not much of a change. But if you traveled with your 100-400mm a lot, packing this new one will definitely have you rethink your space.

Sharpness and Image Quality

Of course the quality and sharpness is always a hot topic. To me, just about any lens a big camera manufacturer makes these days is sharp. So it’s not anything I really look for. I guess I just expect it to be sharp, especially considering how much these lenses cost these days. But the sharpness was similar to my 200-600mm which I absolutely have always loved and is the lens on my camera most of the time. I did some comparisons but you really have to zoom in to 800% and pixel peep so to me it’s as sharp as you’d ever need.

Below are some close up detailed shots so you can see for yourself.

Autofocus Speed and Reliability

Like you’d expect from a lens like this and a price point of over $4000, auto focus was great. I can’t say I noticed it to be any faster or slower than my 200-600mm or the original 100-400mm, but it’s hard to be nearly perfect. It acquired and locked on to what I needed it to really fast.

This scene happened while I was chimping photos and I looked up, saw it, pointed and shot a burst that was all in focus. I don’t know if that’s because of the camera or the lens (or both), but technology today is incredible. To have this shot while fumbling around with my camera and not being prepared for it is pretty amazing.

Does f/4.5 Through the Range of the Lens Really Matter?

One of the big improvements of the lens is that it shoots at f/4.5 throughout the range of the lens where the old one was variable (4.5 – 5.6). This is one of those subjective things. What do you gain from having f/4.5? It let’s more light in so your ISO levels will be lower. The same photo at ISO 5000 was around ISO 3200 for me. Not a huge difference on the Sony a1 ii, but noticeable.

It also gives you some better background blur (bokeh) while zoomed in. Again, is it noticeable? It depends on you. For me, I simply can’t see the difference that much. However, it is a very pleasing bokeh. While not my best photography, I included this photo to show some of the depth and blur you can see.

Teleconverters?

I didn’t shoot it with a TC on. But the old 100-400mm performed really well with a TC, and Steve Perry who is one of the only reviews I trust on the internet, mentioned that it performs really well. Plain and simple… if Steve says it, it’s true. I don’t know of a better or more seasoned wildlife photographer on the internet today.

One thing about teleconverters… I’ve said this in my lens reviews before and I’ll say it again. It’s a bit of a miss here to not have an internal TC built in to the lens. Other lenses have had this for a while now, and I keep hoping we’ll get something similar in the Sony world.

Will I Add This to My Kit?

After doing a review the question I always get asked is whether or not I’ll be adding this to my kit. At this point, I don’t think so, but I’ve learned never to say never 🙂

My existing 100-400mm took a back seat when the 200-600mm came out because (for wildlife) I always want more reach and zoom – not sometimes… always! And the quality I get with the 200-600mm is outstanding, so I find myself not needing anything else (including the 600mm f/4 I own, that I rarely reach for anymore).

So at this point, I’m just not sure I’ll be placing an order for this one any time soon. I think the lens, for the size and weight is fantastic, but I just don’t see myself wanting to use a 100-400mm much. If I take a landscape trip, I’ve always loved taking the older 100-400mm because it let me bridge the gap of shooting detailed landscapes but also some wildlife if I wanted. But since this lens is so large, I’d need a new and much larger travel bag to carry it.

Now, if I did use that focal length a lot, I would have to ask myself what I gain from the new one? If you’re always shooting in low light, then f/4.5 through the range of the lens can make a difference. Lower ISO’s and some nicer backgrounds could make it worth it. And the lens handles fantastically. Much like the 300mm, it just feels perfect when you handhold it and I can’t say that about the 200-600mm.

Thanks and Don’t Forget To…

Thanks for stopping by. I know my reviewers aren’t really technical in nature, but they’re how I see camera gear for better or worse.

Also, don’t forget to check out my newly released Lightroom for Wildlife Photographers course. Wildlife editing has come a long way in the last 5 years and this course gives you a good solid workflow to make your photos look as good as you envisioned them. Enjoy!