Well, there hasn't been much in the way of camera and lens news on this particular forum, but one of the exciting pieces of news for wildlife/birding/sports photographers in the Sony e-mount range was the announcement of the FE100-400mm GM OSS lens, with compatibility to 1.4x and 2x matched TCs. Finally, we can get some good, serious reach in a native lens (previously I had been playing with my adapted Tamron 150-600mm lens when I needed reach).
The lens came out last week, and I had the opportunity to shoot with it for a few hours out in the wetlands from a fellow E-mount shooter who was an early pre-order and received his the first day. I've shot with many long lenses on many bodies, and must say this lens was very impressive - light, reasonably sized, excellent stabilization, fast, and super-sharp wide open and throughout the focal range. Also impressive is the close focus ability - around 3 feet or so at 400mm, and even with the 1.4x TC attached it stays around 3 feet - this will make it a monster for bug closeups and semi-macros.
Coming off the 400-500 or so shots I took with his lens, it confirmed this was definitely a new lens for me - I love my FE70-300mm G OSS lens and it remains the more portable option for telephoto, but the reach of the 100-400mm especially with the 1.4x TC that seems to lose no discernible IQ, making it a 140-560mm optical reach lens, and on a crop body it makes for an equivalent of 210mm - 840mm. I ordered the TC last week and ordered the lens which was on backorder...received the TC last week and the lens shipped yesterday so I have hopes I'll have it by Friday.
Here are a few sample shots I took with my friend's lens on my A6300, without the TC:
I have 100% crops too of these, though I don't think they can display in these forums...I shot only in JPG, no RAW and no processing, and didn't even have the correct firmware update for my camera for this lens yet...but it worked pretty flawlessly anyway.
Now I can't wait to get my lens, and also try this beast with the 1.4x TC!
The lens came out last week, and I had the opportunity to shoot with it for a few hours out in the wetlands from a fellow E-mount shooter who was an early pre-order and received his the first day. I've shot with many long lenses on many bodies, and must say this lens was very impressive - light, reasonably sized, excellent stabilization, fast, and super-sharp wide open and throughout the focal range. Also impressive is the close focus ability - around 3 feet or so at 400mm, and even with the 1.4x TC attached it stays around 3 feet - this will make it a monster for bug closeups and semi-macros.
Coming off the 400-500 or so shots I took with his lens, it confirmed this was definitely a new lens for me - I love my FE70-300mm G OSS lens and it remains the more portable option for telephoto, but the reach of the 100-400mm especially with the 1.4x TC that seems to lose no discernible IQ, making it a 140-560mm optical reach lens, and on a crop body it makes for an equivalent of 210mm - 840mm. I ordered the TC last week and ordered the lens which was on backorder...received the TC last week and the lens shipped yesterday so I have hopes I'll have it by Friday.
Here are a few sample shots I took with my friend's lens on my A6300, without the TC:





I have 100% crops too of these, though I don't think they can display in these forums...I shot only in JPG, no RAW and no processing, and didn't even have the correct firmware update for my camera for this lens yet...but it worked pretty flawlessly anyway.
Now I can't wait to get my lens, and also try this beast with the 1.4x TC!