p.3 #1 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
arbitrage wrote:
Seemed to work fairly well but I didn't use it much. For sure AF takes a hit. IQ seems pretty good when AF succeeds.
I've never shot the 400-800 so don't know how it compares. I have seen a few people say now that the 100-400/2x is just as good as there 400-800.
When people say the 400-800 isn't sharp at 800mm, I often wonder about the shooting conditions. At 800mm, you're looking through a lot of air between the camera and the subject, and atmospheric instability can have a significant impact on image quality(and AF accuracy if the image is shimmering). Add in the small pixels of cameras like the A1, and the high magnification demands excellent technique and stability, and the relatively slow maximum aperture of f/8 makes matters worse, resulting in the long end becoming challenging.
In my experience, the lens performs very consistently at 800mm on the A9 III, whereas results on the A1 are less consistent. Whether that's due to the A1's higher pixel density being less forgiving of technique and atmospheric conditions, or some combination of factors, I'm not sure. But I think there is often more at play than lens sharpness alone when evaluating performance at 800mm.
p.3 #2 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
scott f wrote:
When people say the 400-800 isn't sharp at 800mm, I often wonder about the shooting conditions. At 800mm, you're looking through a lot of air between the camera and the subject, and atmospheric instability can have a significant impact on image quality(and AF accuracy if the image is shimmering). Add in the small pixels of cameras like the A1, and the high magnification demands excellent technique and stability, and the relatively slow maximum aperture of f/8 makes matters worse, resulting in the long end becoming challenging.
In my experience, the lens performs very consistently at 800mm on the A9 III, whereas results on the A1 are less consistent. Whether that's due to the A1's higher pixel density being less forgiving of technique and atmospheric conditions, or some combination of factors, I'm not sure. But I think there is often more at play than lens sharpness alone when evaluating performance at 800mm. ...Show more →
Have a look at Hatch's 2nd image - this is shot at 800mm - sharp enough I think
p.3 #3 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
shac wrote:
Have a look at Hatch's 2nd image - this is shot at 800mm - sharp enough I think
I have no issues with that lens in terms of sharpness, subject to atmospheric instability of course and limitations of f8 in low light. But, IMO, it's a sharp lens.
