p.4 #1 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
robert614 wrote:
Did you buy a A7RVI and the 100-400 f4.5 GM?! 😄
Nice shots btw. Can’t wait to see some airshow pics!
Thank you Robert! I did buy both, the lens arrived two days ago. As a matter of fact, I just tried the A7RVI and the new 100-400 for the airshow/ flyover in DC 2 hours ago, in 105 degrees! I will look at the files tonight.
p.4 #6 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
robert614 wrote:
Nice set!
I’m still hoping to photograph a B-2 in person one of these days
How you liking the 100-400 4.5 so far? Is the 400-800mm/100-400 4.5 the preferred airshow kit from now on?
What?? With all the airshows you have gone to, you haven't seen the B-2? It's true the B-2s very rarely appear at airshows, even when they do, they fly all the way from Whiteman AFB in Missouri, fly a few passes at the shows, never land, and fly straight back to the base. But 7 or 8 years ago, at the Andrews AFB show in Maryland, a B-2 actually took off from there and flew a few passes. This was the only I saw one taking off and landing and I got some decent shots. I have seen the B-2s maybe 8 or 9 times over the last 16 years, 3 times of which were related to the 250th celebration in DC the last 2 weeks. When you see this thing approaching, you get a surreal feeling.
Yes, the new 100-400 and the 400-800 make a great combo for airshows. Now, if the 100-400+2XTC is almost as sharp as the 400-800, that would be a game changer for me. 200-800mm and so much lighter!
Here are few recent shots of a B-2 at sunset on June 24, sorry, not taken with the 100-400. I didn't have the 100-400 then.
ILCE-1M2FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS lens659mmf/8.01/2000s500 ISO0.0 EV
p.4 #8 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
Douglas L wrote:
What?? With all the airshows you have gone to, you haven't seen the B-2? It's true the B-2s very rarely appear at airshows, even when they do, they fly all the way from Whiteman AFB in Missouri, fly a few passes at the shows, never land, and fly straight back to the base. But 7 or 8 years ago, at the Andrews AFB show in Maryland, a B-2 actually took off from there and flew a few passes. This was the only I saw one taking off and landing and I got some decent shots. I have seen the B-2s maybe 8 or 9 times over the last 16 years, 3 times of which were related to the 250th celebration in DC the last 2 weeks. When you see this thing approaching, you get a surreal feeling.
Yes, the new 100-400 and the 400-800 make a great combo for airshows. Now, if the 100-400+2XTC is almost as sharp as the 400-800, that would be a game changer for me. 200-800mm and so much lighter!
Here are few recent shots of a B-2 at sunset on June 24, sorry, not taken with the 100-400. I didn't have the 100-400 then....Show more →
Nice B-2 shots!
Have you tried the 100-400 4.5 with the 2X yet. Is the 400-800mm still appreciably sharper?
p.4 #9 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
robert614 wrote:
Nice B-2 shots!
Have you tried the 100-400 4.5 with the 2X yet. Is the 400-800mm still appreciably sharper?
Thanks Robert! I haven't had time to run the test yet. I want to compare the 100-400+1.4TC to the 200-600 (I have a very sharp copy of this lens), and 100-400+2X TC to the 400-800. Based of the online reviews I have seen, it seems the consensus is the 100-400+2XTC is not quite as sharp as the 400-800, and the 100-400+1.4TC is about the same as the 200-600, depending on copy variation of both lenses. For the comparison, I will be looking strictly at sharpness, not AF or difference in weight.
p.4 #11 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
A couple images of a dragonfly from a nearby pond today. I was trying to get them in flight with limited success. Precapture is your friend trying to do that!
These were taken with the 2x attached. I will compare with my 400-800 at some point this week.
p.4 #12 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
Tried to get some comparison photos using my 400-800mm G and 100-400mm f/4.5 GM with the Sony 2X TC. I did not realize that the first comparison I did not have the zoom on the 100-400 set to 400mm for an effective 800mm with the 2X on. And no, that was not due to lens creep, . I just forgot to set it to 400mm as I quickly switched lenses. The second comparison I had both images at an effective 800mm.
One thing to note is that the 100-400mm does have a lot closer focusing capability. That can make a difference in a case like this where I was photographing dragonflies.
My take on these are that they are very close, with a slight edge going to the 400-800mm. As usual, copy variation may play a role in results. I will say that I have never been super happy with the results from my 2X, with the exception of when I had it on my 300mm. But even then it was a step down from the bare 300mm and the 300mm with 1.4X.
I added 100% crops of the last two images. Processing was in Lightroom Classic with denoise and highlight and shadow corrections. Same settings for both lenses.
p.4 #14 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
Two more dragonfly photos. Note that these were close enough that I could not take equivalent images with my 400-800mm from where I was sitting. I would have had to back up. The 100-400mm f/4.5 focused close enough that I could capture these. Pretty happy with the detail obtained in these images.
p.4 #20 · Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Image Thread
Another interesting thing with the 1-4 is it can achieve the same magnification at the 100mm setting vs the 400mm setting. It just uses a closer MFD. I found this very useful when photographing small (thumbnail sized) tree frogs as I could push the lens past the foreground foliage to get a clear view at 100mm but not with the lens further back at 400mm. Of course only certain subject will allow you that close and if you have a clean foreground then best to stay back at the 400mm MFD. CPWarner wrote:
Two more dragonfly photos. Note that these were close enough that I could not take equivalent images with my 400-800mm from where I was sitting. I would have had to back up. The 100-400mm f/4.5 focused close enough that I could capture these. Pretty happy with the detail obtained in these images.
. I just forgot to set it to 400mm as I quickly switched lenses. The second comparison I had both images at an effective 800mm. 
