I would agree with @ChrisMak.
I guess its a mixture of offten too small object at 600mm and also the fact that only from the new A7RVI Sony AF managed to better identify quite small objects even far away.
I still only have the A1M1 which is even worse in that regard. So it might be that you only get the best results in low light with the 600 f6.3, if you use the latest A7RVI.
But again lets not jump into conclusions too fast.
I only have the 600GM for 1,5 weeks now and still need to put it through its paces more often. But I am not retired and still have some other work to do.
I promised myself I was done with this thread, but...
Did anyone ever think this would be the "go-to" lens for small, busy birds in low light with distracting backgrounds? I didn't, but what do I know?
Guess I'm just a middle aged guy that manually focused with split circle ground glass in a previous lifetime. I'm amazed at the AF capabilities of the modern systems and equally amazed at the complaints. If I miss a shot with today's gear, I fully place the blame on myself, my settings or my expectations. And glass? Have we ever had better glass?
I bought the 600 6.3. I don't expect it to replace my 600f4 in adverse conditions, but I expect it to perform very well in "normal" conditions. I have the 300gm and tcs and am equally amazed at the complaints regarding this combo. I shoot it 90% of the time with the 2x and the 600 6.3 purchase is strictly a size/weight purchase for me while shooting from a kayak. I dangle the camera over the side of the kayak and frame with a monitor mounted to my kayak. Losing 1.5 pounds with this lens will be a big relief to my left shoulder.
I don't kayak in dark forests or briar patches chasing little birds, but if I did, I'd probably leave the kayak at home and bring a faster lens.
I own the Sony FE 400-800mm, and I'm very interested in this 600mm f/6.3 for aviation photography. Andy said in his vídeo [8:00] that the IQ is better than the 400-800mm, but you lose the ability to zoom in and out.
mslino wrote:
I own the Sony FE 400-800mm, and I'm very interested in this 600mm f/6.3 for aviation photography. Andy said in his vídeo [8:00] that the IQ is better than the 400-800mm, but you lose the ability to zoom in and out.
By end of the week US customers will get the lens. We can expect lots of test results. Anyhow, I think 400-800 is one lens with lots of bad copies. I tried two copies and both were very soft. I hope new prime will be better than a real good copy of the 400-800.
Andy thinks 300 with 2x is better that 600. But he's not the test chart kind of guy. So his comment is based on the price category of the lens I believe.
I'll bet the 600 f/6.3 GM might get a fw update down the trck, if their are enough reports of AF issues. Doesn't really make sense if a 400-800 f/5.6-8 can cope better in lower light or a 400 f/4.5 + 1.4x.
I recently sold my 200-600G for the 100-400 f/4.5GM and will use that and a 1.4x for the next 3-6 months and see how the 600 f/6.3 situation pans out once the lens in a lot more hands.
As I said a few weeks ago, I was actually disappointed with the Sony announcements. Both primes should have been 400 f/4 and 600 f/5.6 IMO. I also believe Sony should release a 500 f/4.5 as hands down I would take that over a 600 f/6.3. 500mm on 50MP+ cameras is already good reach and you would get 700 f/6.3 and 1000 f/9 if needed. BAsed on the 400 f/4.5 I would say a 500 f/4.5 would tip thenscales at no ore than about 1.6kg and probably be $6K max.
Pixel Perfect wrote:
I'll bet the 600 f/6.3 GM might get a fw update down the trck, if their are enough reports of AF issues. Doesn't really make sense if a 400-800 f/5.6-8 can cope better in lower light or a 400 f/4.5 + 1.4x.
I recently sold my 200-600G for the 100-400 f/4.5GM and will use that and a 1.4x for the next 3-6 months and see how the 600 f/6.3 situation pans out once the lens in a lot more hands.
As I said a few weeks ago, I was actually disappointed with the Sony announcements. Both primes should have been 400 f/4 and 600 f/5.6 IMO. I also believe Sony should release a 500 f/4.5 as hands down I would take that over a 600 f/6.3. 500mm on 50MP+ cameras is already good reach and you would get 700 f/6.3 and 1000 f/9 if needed. BAsed on the 400 f/4.5 I would say a 500 f/4.5 would tip thenscales at no ore than about 1.6kg and probably be $6K max....Show more → Sony not Nikon. FW upgrade? How many of those TOP $$$ Sony products usually have? They want you to buy upgraded HW.Your (and all of us) opinion? They never cared....
Jemini wrote:
By end of the week US customers will get the lens. We can expect lots of test results. Anyhow, I think 400-800 is one lens with lots of bad copies. I tried two copies and both were very soft. I hope new prime will be better than a real good copy of the 400-800.
Andy thinks 300 with 2x is better that 600. But he's not the test chart kind of guy. So his comment is based on the price category of the lens I believe.
I owned an FE 200-600mm, and mine was a really bad copy. I sold it and bought the FE 400-800mm, and I'm pretty happy with the change, since, at least to my eye, my copy of the 400-800mm gives me better images, even at 800mm.
Here is an example: taken with an A9 and an FE 400-800mm at 800mm, a JPG straight from the ARW, with no sharpening or editing.
p.6 #11 · Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Images Thread
Shipped! ETA: Friday, Oct 16
Looks like I made the cut I'm looking forward to shooting with the lens. Rain and cloudy skies this weekend but this should give me a chance to see if the issues of its AF struggling in low light happens to me as well.
Post your thoughts and shots when you get a chance to shoot with it.
p.6 #12 · Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Images Thread
hatch1921 wrote:
Shipped! ETA: Friday, Oct 16
Looks like I made the cut I'm looking forward to shooting with the lens. Rain and cloudy skies this weekend but this should give a chance to see if the issues of its AF struggling in low light happen to me as well.
Post your thoughts and shots when you get a chance to shoot with it.
p.6 #15 · Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Images Thread
mslino wrote:
I owned an FE 200-600mm, and mine was a really bad copy. I sold it and bought the FE 400-800mm, and I'm pretty happy with the change, since, at least to my eye, my copy of the 400-800mm gives me better images, even at 800mm.
Here is an example: taken with an A9 and an FE 400-800mm at 800mm, a JPG straight from the ARW, with no sharpening or editing.
I'm looking forward to shooting with the lens. Rain and cloudy skies this weekend 
but this should give me a chance to see if the issues of its AF struggling in low light happens to me as well. 