Seeing an update to an older lens with just a few tweaks isn’t uncommon, but Sony has just replaced its popular 100-400mm zoom with a lens that Sony says has “nothing else like it.”
The Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS brings a constant aperture and internal zoom in a massive refresh of the 2017 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS. The lens was announced alongside the new Sony A7R VI.
Sony says that no other mirrorless lens with a 400mm reach has a constant aperture, which makes this lens 2/3 of a stop brighter at the telephoto end than the earlier Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens.
Beyond the aperture, another key change is that the new lens has internal zoom and internal focus – which means that the length doesn’t change as the zoom and focus shifts. Internal zooms are often favored for video and gimbal use, but keeping the lens length the same helps create better balance when shooting handheld as well.
The 100-400mm f/4.5 uses 4 XD linear motors for autofocus with a floating focus design. That leads to autofocus that's up to triple the speed of the older f/4.5-5.6 lens, according to Sony, which is good enough to keep up with the Sony A9 III’s 120fps bursts.
There is a downside to that brighter aperture and internal zoom, though: the new lens is both heavier and larger than the older 100-400mm, coming in at 1,840g / 3.75 lbs compared to 1395g / 3.1 lbs.
The unchanging length brings the lens to 328mm / 12.9 inches, a significant bump over the 2017 optic’s 205mm / 8.07 inches. That size creates a 90.7mm front – so Sony included a drop-in circular filter holder at the back for 40.5mm filters.
The lens is built with seven advanced elements designed to fight chromatic and spherical aberration. A new ED XA (Extra Low Dispersion Extreme Aspherical) coating helps to suppress all types of aberration while aiding in softer bokeh and sharper subjects, Sony says.
An aperture with 11 blades helps create rounded bokeh worthy of the G Master name.
On the exterior, the lens offers a short-throw zoom ring and a custom function ring. Four focus hold buttons enable creators to quickly lock focus. The lens has the usual G Master bank of switches, including stabilization, focus more, and a focus range limiter.
As a GM series lens, the design also includes seals to help prevent dust and moisture from entering the inside of the lens.
Telephoto lenses with constant apertures tend to be pricey pro models, but Sony is calling the new 100-400mm a “bridge lens” that covers pros to serious enthusiasts – or at least, more reachable than optics like the 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS.
The Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS is priced at $4,298 / £4,399 (Australian pricing to be confirmed), with shipping estimated for June 11 in the US and late May in the UK.
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