While it may not be for everyone or every shoot, working with a high-quality, long-range zoom lens is certainly a rite of passage for all types of photography and videography professionals. It’s a different type of shooting that you can only really learn by doing, and sadly—mostly due to pricing—it’s not something many just do for fun.
Sony is looking to change that with this new super-telephoto zoom lens,, the SEL100400 - FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS, which is being marketed towards “hobbyists” who might be getting into the long-range zoom game for the first time.
Let’s look at this new super-telephoto zoom lens. It’s respectable, but we won’t call it cheap, given its price and what it can possibly offer for your hybrid shooting needs.
Sony FE 100-400mm f/5.6-8 OSS Lens
Admittedly, by super-telephoto zoom lens standards, I guess you could call this a cheap, or at least affordable, option—especially for a Sony lens of this quality. The Sony SEL100400 - FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS aims to be a nice marriage of affordability, compactness, and performance, as it’s designed to handle all types of sports, wildlife, and event photography and videography.
“With the needs of a large set of hobbyist photographers in mind, from birders to parents, we used our expertise in professional lens technology to create a high-quality, affordable super-telephoto zoom lens that will go the distance” — Yang Cheng, Vice President of Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics.
The lens should have a unique blend of the above with its lightweight design and Optical SteadyShot image stabilization system. The lens will also feature two ED and two aspherical elements, which should help to ensure exceptional sharpness, while also supporting dual linear motors for lightning-fast autofocus tracking up to 120 fps.
Price and Availability
Credit: B&H
Overall, this is an exciting new super-telephoto lens that keeps the run-and-gun, everyday hybrid photo-and-video pro in mind, with a compact design, solid build quality, and a price that won’t break the bank.
The lens should certainly be capable, with a focal length extending up to 800mm when used with separately available Sony teleconverters, and all your usual mix of big-brand-name support and features.
If you’d like more info on this new lens, here are the full specs and purchase options.
- Full-Frame | f/5.6-8
- Lightweight & Compact Telephoto Lens
- Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization
- Continuous AF/AE Tracking up to 120 fps
- Zoom Lock Switch Prevents Extension
- One Aspherical Element & Two ED Elements
- Dust and Moisture-Resistant Construction
- Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
Sony FE 100-400mm f/5.6-8 OSS Lens
Unlock extreme telephoto reach in a compact, affordable package with the FE 100-400mm f/5.6-8 OSS Lens from Sony. Perfect for sports, wildlife, and events, this telephoto lens is easy to use handheld thanks to its lightweight design and Optical SteadyShot image stabilization system.
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