Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
p.76 #1Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
For starters, sorry for placing this question here, but I can't find the discussion thread for 100-400GM 
.
So, my question is:
is it normal that while zooming (regardless of "Tight" or "Smooth" setting), the movement is not fluid (kinda jittery) ?
I just can't force myself to zoom in or out throughout the whole range in a fluid fashion (there are always some micro-stops where I have to apply more force to keep going).
Also, around 350-400 range the resistance of the zoom is tangibly lower...
Before you ask, I'm the first owner of the lens (from about 1.5 year or so) and I use it very, very rarely (mostly during winter and summer vacation).
I switched quite a bit between the GM and Tamron 35-150 on my recent summer trip and the difference is night and day between my copies. The Tamron requires more force to actually initiate and keep on zooming but it's very fluid, with no change to force required to keep going.
Does it make sense to send it to Sony Service so they have a look at it (it's actually my main gripe about this lens, I can get over the size/weight and white color somehow I guess, but the haptics alone are making me lean towards Tamron 70-300 or 50-400
...).
.So, my question is:
is it normal that while zooming (regardless of "Tight" or "Smooth" setting), the movement is not fluid (kinda jittery) ?
I just can't force myself to zoom in or out throughout the whole range in a fluid fashion (there are always some micro-stops where I have to apply more force to keep going).
Also, around 350-400 range the resistance of the zoom is tangibly lower...
Before you ask, I'm the first owner of the lens (from about 1.5 year or so) and I use it very, very rarely (mostly during winter and summer vacation).
I switched quite a bit between the GM and Tamron 35-150 on my recent summer trip and the difference is night and day between my copies. The Tamron requires more force to actually initiate and keep on zooming but it's very fluid, with no change to force required to keep going.
Does it make sense to send it to Sony Service so they have a look at it (it's actually my main gripe about this lens, I can get over the size/weight and white color somehow I guess, but the haptics alone are making me lean towards Tamron 70-300 or 50-400
...).Jul 30, 2022 at 12:26 PM
p.76 #2Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
j4nu wrote:
For starters, sorry for placing this question here, but I can't find the discussion thread for 100-400GM .
So, my question is:
is it normal that while zooming (regardless of "Tight" or "Smooth" setting), the movement is not fluid (kinda jittery) ?
I just can't force myself to zoom in or out throughout the whole range in a fluid fashion (there are always some micro-stops where I have to apply more force to keep going).
Also, around 350-400 range the resistance of the zoom is tangibly lower...
Before you ask, I'm the first owner of the lens (from about 1.5 year or so) and...Show more →
Same with my Sony 100-400. Though the smooth setting is kind of smooth. I'm hoping ( I can hope, I hope) Sony comes out with a version 2 with internal zooming like the 200-600. The 100-400 lives 99% of the time on my A7IV.
For starters, sorry for placing this question here, but I can't find the discussion thread for 100-400GM
.So, my question is:
is it normal that while zooming (regardless of "Tight" or "Smooth" setting), the movement is not fluid (kinda jittery) ?
I just can't force myself to zoom in or out throughout the whole range in a fluid fashion (there are always some micro-stops where I have to apply more force to keep going).
Also, around 350-400 range the resistance of the zoom is tangibly lower...
Before you ask, I'm the first owner of the lens (from about 1.5 year or so) and...Show more →
Same with my Sony 100-400. Though the smooth setting is kind of smooth. I'm hoping ( I can hope, I hope) Sony comes out with a version 2 with internal zooming like the 200-600. The 100-400 lives 99% of the time on my A7IV.
Aug 01, 2022 at 07:39 AM
p.76 #3Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
j4nu wrote:
For starters, sorry for placing this question here, but I can't find the discussion thread for 100-400GM .
So, my question is:
is it normal that while zooming (regardless of "Tight" or "Smooth" setting), the movement is not fluid (kinda jittery) ?
I just can't force myself to zoom in or out throughout the whole range in a fluid fashion (there are always some micro-stops where I have to apply more force to keep going).
Also, around 350-400 range the resistance of the zoom is tangibly lower...
Before you ask, I'm the first owner of the lens (from about 1.5 year or so) and...Show more →
Sounds normal to me. My 100-400 is smooth enough but I'd not say it gets into "fluid" territory when I zoom in and out. There are also a couple of points in the zoom range when I feel a very slight "bump" -- perhaps the "micro stops" you mention. It's never bothered me, never interfered with my photo taking, and the lens performs just fine so I'm not worried at all.
For starters, sorry for placing this question here, but I can't find the discussion thread for 100-400GM
.So, my question is:
is it normal that while zooming (regardless of "Tight" or "Smooth" setting), the movement is not fluid (kinda jittery) ?
I just can't force myself to zoom in or out throughout the whole range in a fluid fashion (there are always some micro-stops where I have to apply more force to keep going).
Also, around 350-400 range the resistance of the zoom is tangibly lower...
Before you ask, I'm the first owner of the lens (from about 1.5 year or so) and...Show more →
Sounds normal to me. My 100-400 is smooth enough but I'd not say it gets into "fluid" territory when I zoom in and out. There are also a couple of points in the zoom range when I feel a very slight "bump" -- perhaps the "micro stops" you mention. It's never bothered me, never interfered with my photo taking, and the lens performs just fine so I'm not worried at all.
Aug 01, 2022 at 03:18 PM
p.76 #4Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Thanks, so it seems to be rather normal.
The IQ is top-notch, as well as AF - I was just wondering about the haptics...
This is rarely mentioned, but I also think the lens produces pretty nice background blur, especially for a "slow" zoom .
Anyways, I find long distance shooting difficult due to atmospheric conditions, but this is something I will have to learn how to deal with...
The IQ is top-notch, as well as AF - I was just wondering about the haptics...
This is rarely mentioned, but I also think the lens produces pretty nice background blur, especially for a "slow" zoom
.Anyways, I find long distance shooting difficult due to atmospheric conditions, but this is something I will have to learn how to deal with...
Aug 01, 2022 at 03:49 PM
p.76 #5Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Sony ARIV, 100-400mm lens hand held. Geese flying south added pp.
Dave in NJ
Dave in NJ
Aug 02, 2022 at 02:49 PM
p.76 #6Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Gorgeous bird, dragonfly, and koala images prior page!!! What a wonderfully versatile lens!
Jim
Lake Tahoe...
Upon reflection... by Jim, on Flickr
Color stripes by Jim, on Flickr
Ice Flower by Jim, on Flickr
Staked by Jim, on Flickr
Infinite layers by Jim, on Flickr
Jim
Lake Tahoe...
Upon reflection... by Jim, on FlickrColor stripes by Jim, on FlickrIce Flower by Jim, on FlickrStaked by Jim, on FlickrInfinite layers by Jim, on FlickrAug 03, 2022 at 11:52 AM
p.76 #8Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Photo cross posted in the Sony FE Image Thread and taken at 9:39 AM.
Looking at a Great Blue Heron in Breeding Plumage.
Cropped from both sides and top, tripod mounted100-400mm GM set to 200 mm and Sony A7rIII camera; silent shutter.
ISO 100, f5.6, 1/250 second.
Exposure corrected +0.35 Stops.
May 11, 2019
At Gatorland, Orlando or Kissimmee, FL
Rich
Looking at a Great Blue Heron in Breeding Plumage.
Cropped from both sides and top, tripod mounted100-400mm GM set to 200 mm and Sony A7rIII camera; silent shutter.
ISO 100, f5.6, 1/250 second.
Exposure corrected +0.35 Stops.
May 11, 2019
At Gatorland, Orlando or Kissimmee, FL
Rich
Aug 11, 2022 at 05:28 AM
p.76 #9Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Cross posted from FE Images.
One Beak, Two Beaks and the infamous Grab the Beak.
One Beak, Two Beaks and the infamous Grab the Beak.
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Aug 11, 2022 at 08:11 AM
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p.76 #11Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Sony A7 IV & Sony FE 100-400mm GM
ISO 800 - 400mm - f/5.6 - 1/125sec
ISO 1000 - 400mm - f/5.6 - 1/125sec
ISO 640 - 340mm - f/5.6 - 1/125sec
Aug 30, 2022 at 03:10 AM
p.76 #12Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Photo cross posted in the Sony FE Image Thread and taken at 5:21 PM.
Looking at Great Egrets in a nesting colony.
Cropped; tripod mounted 100-400mm GM set to 327mm and A7rIII, silent shutter.
ISO 100, f5.6, 1/800 second.
Exposure Corrected +1.75 Stops.
May 11, 2019
At Gatorland, Orlando or Kissimmee, FL.
Rich
Looking at Great Egrets in a nesting colony.
Cropped; tripod mounted 100-400mm GM set to 327mm and A7rIII, silent shutter.
ISO 100, f5.6, 1/800 second.
Exposure Corrected +1.75 Stops.
May 11, 2019
At Gatorland, Orlando or Kissimmee, FL.
Rich
Aug 31, 2022 at 05:26 AM
p.76 #13Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Sony A1 + 100-400GM by hatch1921, on Flickr
Sony A1 + 100-400GM by hatch1921, on FlickrSep 17, 2022 at 02:16 PM
p.76 #14Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Sony A1 + 100-400GM by hatch1921, on FlickrSep 18, 2022 at 08:19 PM
p.76 #15Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
j4nu wrote:
is it normal that while zooming (regardless of "Tight" or "Smooth" setting), the movement is not fluid (kinda jittery) ?
I just can't force myself to zoom in or out throughout the whole range in a fluid fashion (there are always some micro-stops where I have to apply more force to keep going).
Also, around 350-400 range the resistance of the zoom is tangibly lower...
I have noticed that it is "slower" to zoom at the long end, as if turning the dial moves in "linear" increments of mm rather than geometrically. I think this is wrong - you don't want a zoom to be linear (like every 50mm takes the same amount of turning), you want a zoom to be geometric, so every 1.4x takes the same amount of work.
The Sony 100-400 seems to take an equal amount of turning to get from 100-200 (2x) as 300-400 (1.33x) so I think it feels like a chore to get from 300-400. For instance, my older Canon EF 70-200 does it right, and I think this one doesn't.
is it normal that while zooming (regardless of "Tight" or "Smooth" setting), the movement is not fluid (kinda jittery) ?
I just can't force myself to zoom in or out throughout the whole range in a fluid fashion (there are always some micro-stops where I have to apply more force to keep going).
Also, around 350-400 range the resistance of the zoom is tangibly lower...
I have noticed that it is "slower" to zoom at the long end, as if turning the dial moves in "linear" increments of mm rather than geometrically. I think this is wrong - you don't want a zoom to be linear (like every 50mm takes the same amount of turning), you want a zoom to be geometric, so every 1.4x takes the same amount of work.
The Sony 100-400 seems to take an equal amount of turning to get from 100-200 (2x) as 300-400 (1.33x) so I think it feels like a chore to get from 300-400. For instance, my older Canon EF 70-200 does it right, and I think this one doesn't.
Sep 19, 2022 at 01:51 PM
p.76 #16Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
A7RIV, 100-400mm lens at 400mm, ISO 400, 1/000 sec, f8, converted to B&W with Silver Efex Pro. Thanks for looking
Dave in NJ
Dave in NJ
Sep 19, 2022 at 04:01 PM
Sep 19, 2022 at 04:50 PM
Sep 21, 2022 at 04:08 PM
p.76 #19Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Sony A7RIV, 100-400 lens at 117mm f14, ISO 400. Fuji Velvia 50 Film Look applied.
Thanks for looking
Dave in NJ
Thanks for looking
Dave in NJ
Sep 23, 2022 at 01:48 PM
p.76 #20Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Image Thread
Sony A1 + 100-400GM by hatch1921, on FlickrSep 23, 2022 at 03:31 PM