That would be an awesome lens! But I’ve kinda given up hope of Sony ever releasing a lens with a built TC. I hope I’m wrong though
Did you hear about the two Growlers that collided during an airshow in Idaho? Luckily all four pilots were able to eject
Yeah. That was some freak collision. Looked like the two jets stuck to each other. I have been the team a few times. I don't recall ever seeing them flying so close to each other. it was a miracle the crew could eject under such circumstance and survived.
I am still waiting for more review on the 100-400+TC... It's conflicting based on what was reported so far.
I shot some swallows today with the 200-600 and went back and forth a few times between it and my 300GM/2xTC.
Even with the 2xTC, the 300GM blows away the 2-6 in AF speed and acquisition. Also a large majority of the 2-6 shots are sort of mushy even though the camera shows it tracking along just fine during a given sequence.
This has solidified my decision that getting a new copy of the 200-600 instead of looking at this 100-400GM is not the way to go. This new lens with 1.4TC and its 4 linear focus motors would have to be a dog to not best the 200-600 in AF and IQ.
I accept that there may be a few excellent 200-600 copies out there that will give the 100-400GM/1.4TC a challenge in the IQ department. But there isn't going to be copy variation in the AF performance and that is where the lens really falls apart in my testing.
Now I remember why I had no regrets when I sold my copy years ago.
I had a very sharp copy of the 200-600, sold it after I bought the 400-800. Bought one back few months ago because I was about to start shooting video with it. Haven't taken one single picture with the second 200-600 yet. Will try it out tomorrow with the Blue Angels, will also try out a battery grip on the A1II. I have never used battery grip before.
I asked the buyer of my 200-600 to let me know if he decided to sell the lens, I would buy it back from him, unfortunately, he sold it already. Same thing with the crazy sharp copy of the 100-400 GM I had, sold it two months ago, emailed the buyer last week to let me know I would buy it back if he decided to sell it, He sold it a week ago.
If the new 100-400+1.4TC is sharper than the 200-600, I will likely get one. But copy variation can be a big factor.
arbitrage wrote:
... Also a large majority of the 2-6 shots are sort of mushy even though the camera shows it tracking along just fine during a given sequence. ...
Hi there and greetings from germany.
Have you ever tried "Manual Steadyshot" with the 1000mm value when using the 200-600?
With the latest firmware update and that steady shot settings I get very sharp results with my A7RIV an the A1.
A few things about the 200-600G are terrible. The AF motors are actually old usm style motors which IIRC Sony call ssw. So with Sony claiming the 100-400 f/4.5 is 3x faster than the old 100-400 GM which is superior to the 200-600G in AF, it would be hard to see how the 100-400 f/4.5 + 1.4x could not bet still faster and more reliable for tracking than the 200-600G. Also, the OS of the 200-600G is miserably bad and finally IQ with the 1.4x drops off noticeably. I get that it's a G series but Sony should not only update the G but keep price keen, but also offer a GM lens in a similar FL range.
150-600 G II 2 XDL motors, 2 stop better OS, improved balance, improved IQ, 0.3x max magnification
200-600 f/5.6 GM 4XDL motors, 4 stops better OS than the old 200-600G, large uplift in IQ with 1.4x TC, 0.25x max magnification at all FL.
Not only this but I'd like to see Tamron or Sigma offer some interesting options. Things I would like to see
Pixel Perfect wrote:
A few things about the 200-600G are terrible. The AF motors are actually old usm style motors which IIRC Sony call ssw. So with Sony claiming the 100-400 f/4.5 is 3x faster than the old 100-400 GM which is superior to the 200-600G in AF, it would be hard to see how the 100-400 f/4.5 + 1.4x could not bet still faster and more reliable for tracking than the 200-600G. Also, the OS of the 200-600G is miserably bad and finally IQ with the 1.4x drops off noticeably. I get that it's a G series but Sony should not only update the G but keep price keen, but also offer a GM lens in a similar FL range.
150-600 G II 2 XDL motors, 2 stop better OS, improved balance, improved IQ, 0.3x max magnification
200-600 f/5.6 GM 4XDL motors, 4 stops better OS than the old 200-600G, large uplift in IQ with 1.4x TC, 0.25x max magnification at all FL.
Not only this but I'd like to see Tamron or Sigma offer some interesting options. Things I would like to see
See I'd be stoked to combine a 100-400 f/4.5 with a 600 f/5.6. The prime would be superb with a 1.4 and you can cover 100 to 840 with excellent IQ....Show more →
I wonder how much a 200-600 f5.6 GM would cost, USD7000-8000? Since Sony 300 GM works so well with 2X TC, it would be nice if Sony would make a 600mm f5.6 with a 1.4X TC built in. A 600mm f5.6 got to be even sharper than the 300GM+2X TC. I wonder how much such a lens would cost? Of course, we are all dreaming here.
I would have rather had a 100-300 f4 GM that had really great IQ and was reasonable in size and weight. If Sigma is listening, they made a good one back in the day.
I would still love to see a 500mm f4 but I am pretty sure that will never happen.
Douglas L wrote:
I wonder how much a 200-600 f5.6 GM would cost, USD7000-8000? Since Sony 300 GM works so well with 2X TC, it would be nice if Sony would make a 600mm f5.6 with a 1.4X TC built in. A 600mm f5.6 got to be even sharper than the 300GM+2X TC. I wonder how much such a lens would cost? Of course, we are all dreaming here.
Price could be down around $6.5K I reckon. I would say a 100-400 f/4 GM would have run about $6K, I think they could do a 200-600 f/5.6 for a bit more, $7K tops. Of course Sigma could do it for ~$3.K, half the price of the 300-600 f/4. Hopefully Viltrox releases a 1.4x TC and we can use that on third party lenses and get around Sony's deplorable restriction.
billsnature wrote:
I am a hard pass on the 100-400 f4.5
I would have rather had a 100-300 f4 GM that had really great IQ and was reasonable in size and weight. If Sigma is listening, they made a good one back in the day.
I would still love to see a 500mm f4 but I am pretty sure that will never happen.
Given how good the Nikon 400 f/4.5 at crazy light weight, they should do a big brother 500 f/4.5 and I'll bet it's still under 1.7kg. That 1/3rd of a stop makes huge difference to price, size and weight but not so much to IQ.
For me the 70-200 f/2.8 GM II is so good with the 1.4x that the resulting 98-280 f/4 is all I need. I get f/2.8 when needed and 0.49x magnification with the 1.4x!
I came from A-Mount and startet mirrorless with the A7RIV + 200-600.
That combination was less than ideal.
I read every articel, watched every video, tried everything to get better results, which payd off but I was never satisfied because if you shoot a series of 12 photos, 8 are some sort of blurry.
The best solution other recommended was to turn of OSS and use higher shutter speeds.
Works, but as the 200-600 isn't the fastest lens on the planet you have to live with too high iso.
So it seems that the oss from the lens is the main problem, cause my A1 didn't bring better keeper rate.
Last year I found the manual steady shot settings and I thought that the more oss, the better.
I tried the lens on oss mode 1 and manual steadyshot on 1000mm and I instand got better results and a higher keeper rate!
Even on the 600 F4 this setting does a great job.
With the latest firmware update for the 200-600 it got even better.
I always used 7.1 @ 600mm for sharpness, now 6.3 is very usable.
I set a custom button to turn the manual steady shot to auto when using other lenses, because the oss can go crazy when using 1000mm on a wide angle or macro. Which clearly shows that this setting does something.
Some people told me I was selling snake oil when posting my findings on dpreview or that if a sony lens is attached steady shot is always on auto no matter what setting you dial in.
Pixel Perfect wrote:
Given how good the Nikon 400 f/4.5 at crazy light weight, they should do a big brother 500 f/4.5 and I'll bet it's still under 1.7kg. That 1/3rd of a stop makes huge difference to price, size and weight but not so much to IQ.
For me the 70-200 f/2.8 GM II is so good with the 1.4x that the resulting 98-280 f/4 is all I need. I get f/2.8 when needed and 0.49x magnification with the 1.4x!
Canon used to make a 500mm f4.5. That was a beauty of a lens, very compact and light compared to the 500mmf4. I'd love to see that made by Sony.
Oswald74 wrote:
I came from A-Mount and startet mirrorless with the A7RIV + 200-600.
That combination was less than ideal.
I read every articel, watched every video, tried everything to get better results, which payd off but I was never satisfied because if you shoot a series of 12 photos, 8 are some sort of blurry.
The best solution other recommended was to turn of OSS and use higher shutter speeds.
Works, but as the 200-600 isn't the fastest lens on the planet you have to live with too high iso.
So it seems that the oss from the lens is the main problem, cause my A1 didn't bring better keeper rate.
Last year I found the manual steady shot settings and I thought that the more oss, the better.
I tried the lens on oss mode 1 and manual steadyshot on 1000mm and I instand got better results and a higher keeper rate!
Even on the 600 F4 this setting does a great job.
With the latest firmware update for the 200-600 it got even better.
I always used 7.1 @ 600mm for sharpness, now 6.3 is very usable.
I set a custom button to turn the manual steady shot to auto when using other lenses, because the oss can go crazy when using 1000mm on a wide angle or macro. Which clearly shows that this setting does something.
Some people told me I was selling snake oil when posting my findings on dpreview or that if a sony lens is attached steady shot is always on auto no matter what setting you dial in.
MfG L.E....Show more →
I can easily get sharp shots handheld at 1/40s at 840mm with the 200-600 and have never set the manual steady shot settings.
Trick with slow shutter speeds is to use a burst because any subject movement will cause motion blur. Usually a few shots in the burst will catch a moment when the subject is not moving.
Small little hoppity birds in dark undergrowth are particularly problematic but even they are momentarily stationary occasionally.
Alan Parker wrote:
I am starting to believe that Sony just wants people to rock this and the 300GM. It does make for a fantastic pairing. If I actually needed tele lenses like this and had too much money I know what I'd get.
70-200/2.8 and 300/2.8 pairing makes more sense to me
With a TC you get 420/4, so why do you need the 100-400/4.5?
scott f wrote:
Canon used to make a 500mm f4.5. That was a beauty of a lens, very compact and light compared to the 500mmf4. I'd love to see that made by Sony.
The 500/4.5L (3kg) is double the weight of the 300GM..
aCuria wrote:
The 500/4.5L (3kg) is double the weight of the 300GM..
No use quoting ancient DSLR lens weights it has no relevance to what can currently be done. Old 300 f/2.8's hit 2.9kg now we are basically half that. We could easily see a new 500 f/4.5 come in under 1.8kg.
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