I did a bunch of experimenting today and found that on the tripod, the 400-800mm both with and without a converter, 1.4X or 2X, can produce reasonably sharp images. However, it takes a LOT of care at that focal length, particularly in lower light when you cannot use high shutter speeds. My path was to first turn off full time DMF as I was apparently bumping the focus ring. Next, when on the tripod, lock things down (even with the gimbal for stationary subjects) and use a remote release. I got my best results with OSS off and could see odd vibration in the viewfinder with it on when I triggered focus with a remote release. I had to ditch the baseball cap as I kept tapping the camera with it. With all of that, I tried a couple things with autofocus vs manual with peaking, and saw no differences with them. But camera shake is difficult to remove. There were some trucks at the park in Mount Joy, PA today doing some work. When they drove by, I could see things shake. But in the end here is a shot with the 400-800mm and the 2X that I was pretty happy with. The 600mm GM would likely outperform this, but at this price point, size and weight, I think the 400-800mm acquitted itself well.
Apr 17, 2025 at 06:56 PM
Previous versions of CPWarner's message #16797434 « Sony 400-800 f/6.3-8 G It's here!! »
