DPReview TV: Sony 400mm F2.8 G Master hands-on

Sony's new 400mm F2.8 G Master rounds out the company's commitment to provide a complete range of pro-level lenses to photographers who use the Alpha system. In this week's episode of DPReview TV, Chris and Jordan take this behemoth for a spin and share their first impressions of Sony's exciting new telephoto.
View some of the photos from this episode in our sample gallery:
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View photos from our shoot of a professional soccer match with this lens:
www.dpreview.c...
Music provided by BeatSuite.com
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[@extremelydave]

What I like about your videos (other than the excellent content) is that watching this is like being with a friend who knows what they are doing and explaining to you what they have and why they like or dislike it in a way that you feel comfortable with. No downspeak, no BS. Keep rockin' it guys!!!!

[@CallMeChato]

Jordan’s shooting on the GH5s is impeccable.

[@thatjordandrake]

Thanks Peter!

[@ZaberAnsaryOfficial]

The Landscape shots were Gorgeous, Absolutely stoonin... And Fair Points about the lens.

[@TimShoebridge]

Zaber Agreed. Many beautiful images. Really good job :)

[@pruett89]

The framing on some of these sample photos are amazing, they look great!

[@klackon1]

Most enjoyable review, thank you. I must say, I do NOT miss the intro music from The Camera Store days.

[@dmacrolens]

Right?

[@bigearn8782]

Excellent test shots demostrating this lens abilities. Now, if only the price could come down $11,000 or so.

[@JjackVideo]

These reviews are all a walking ad for the GH5s :D

[@kstrohmeier]

Wow you can take landscapes of Quebec from Alberta.

[@alex0589]

It's the only to take flattering pictures of us!

[@FTBLETSAS]

this turns A7 into a pocket versatile travel camera! and at 12k its a bargain!

[@poutsomesagios]

Δεν τον λες και φτηνο φακο, αλλα προσφερει πολλα σε σχεση με αλλες εταιριες! Πως και τσεκαρες τον 400mm?

[@DJAuraJin]

I love it when good photographers/videographers take the time to make good vids

[@hankroest6836]

Wow. This may be the best video you guys have done. Really, really solid piece of work. Beautiful, smart, pleasant, professional.

[@telemaq76]

great to see a review of this lens outside of a soccer stadium, really appreciate

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

Jordan: Always on point with great commentary.

[@modernmusicstudio303]

So many great photos! Fantastic video!

[@christiansmedman8917]

Your Crazy good reviewers. So natural in your presentation. I trust everything you say!

[@scottabergermd]

Great review, thank you. You made me want it even more!!! The shots you got were absolutely AMAZING!!!

[@charlesellenberger8067]

You guys nailed this review as you usually do. For a couple of years now I'll go to you guys first to see if you've covered some thing I'm interested in purchasing. Mahalo from Hawaii.

[@larrycron5916]

Great lens for the Rich, not for a retired photographers! Please make this kind of lens, with more affordable for us common photographers. Love my Alpha a7ii, would love this type lens too.

[@Serenoj69]

For me as a m43 guy with its telezooms at my disposal this seems very large and heavy. But that is to be expected and we probably can come up with some angles from other formats for a long time. I think the video is excellent, I think the lens is too and very good to see Sony developped this and still managed to get off weight as compared to their competition. When it comes to FF, Sony is doing great things to my mind.

[@durango-CODEBUILDER]

You guys make gear videos fun and entertaining to watch. Cheers guys.

[@charliewright7274]

I love that they are on DP review now, so fitting...

[@wafiqM]

Great lens. I will order 3

[@musabbirsakib6439]

I was looking for this kind of video of this particular lens. Thanks very much for making this

[@prgrms]

great review. that thin depth of field bokeh stuff was gorgeous

[@dmacrolens]

Love that bull shot!

[@HenryPiffpaff]

Excellent shot at 8:48 (and the one before that). Really had me looking twice!

[@F19991]

Love this review, it's well-made! Lots of examples, good information.

[@j-man72b72]

Nice vid guys, great pics Chris, nice to see something different from the lens.

[@JeffreyAK38]

Really enjoy your content... on your way to a millions subs!

[@jochenkraus7016]

Landscape with long lenses can look more interesting than wide angle. So, yes, give it a try ;-)

[@ernreeders1487]

My copy developed back focusing over a period of months - around 3 cm over 10 m. It's back in Japan for repair - an over two month wait but Sony Australia just loaned me a 600/4. I'm aware of two UK users who found the same problem from the beginning.

[@alexbernard6355]

Man you guys sure don't fear scratching the paint of that brand New dpmobile by using the roof as a stabilizer.

[@carolteater9456]

'Big package,' lol. Way to go, Chris! :)

[@JAS4BG]

Really nice shots Chris.

[@MestreMur]

To be honest, I saw your best result like a photographer, with this prime telephoto!

[@richdt]

Nice job once more guys... even if I'll never have one of those in a million years.

[@town3]

Man very nice lens

[@alexnorth757]

the 90 degree click would be SUPER useful if you put a skin on your camera to protect it from wear and tear rubbing. i have one on my 2-600 and i cant see the alignment marks anymore unless i peel back th eskin a tiny bit.

[@christopherfrost]

Stunning pictures. Where did you go to shoot?

[@sjs2657g]

Hey Chris, waiting on your review of this lens. ;-) Originally, I was going to pass on watching this because of the price, but knowing how much Episcopal priests make, this shouldn't be a problem for you.

[@thatjordandrake]

Thanks! We shot these at the Porcupine Hills near Claresholm in Alberta

[@christopherfrost]

@sjs I'd love to review this lens one day :-) I'm just a curate in the Church in Wales though, so I don't have a big stipend at all I'm afraid.

[@christopherfrost]

@Jordan Drake Thanks Jordan! They're stunning pictures and the variety is great.

[@nyambe]

Photos look impressive. wow

[@RafsanBasher]

God those background music 😍😍😍

[@dinkobilic9078]

That was highway 22, highway 2 and perhaps Glenbow ranch? I do miss Alberta, just a little bit.

[@Kprawl291986]

Thats one pretty sweet lens

[@DarrylUK]

Like you mentioned, I’d like to see them fill out APS-C a bit more. I guess if they see APS-C as a dead end, the investment won’t be there which is a shame. Cameras like the A6300 are drastically falling in price, less than £500 body only with cash back which will attract more casual consumers. Then they get slammed with expensive and limited lenses. I’m currently M43, but moved from Fuji, and I feel those 2 are the only 2 with a good selection of affordable quality lenses. Sony has great tech but the lenses are more expensive with less choice than (for example) Fuji. Canon, well, I don’t know what to say. I get the impression their R&D is being spent on FF mirrorless, and EF-M won’t be expanded far beyond what it already has which is a crying shame. Always good seeing gear like this, even though I know I’ll never own it.

[@chirag4]

why you switched to M43 from Fuji ? what do you use now, EM10iii / EM1ii or GX9 / G9 / GH5s .... ? EM5iii would be the best M43 overall when it comes out. EM10iii has small EVF, the only gripe. X-T2 is 2 years old. I don't like Dslr-like X-H1. X-T20 has very small EVF. XPro2 & X100F have 2-in-1 combined Dials which are cumbersome to rotate, by pulling first. I do Street photography, & no videos. Using 6D since 2013.

[@sosomelodies659]

I believe more FE glass is coming from Sony, Sigma, Zeiss, Tamron, Rokinon and Samyang. I hope Tamron makes a crazy zoom for FE mount like the 18-400mm.

[@DmitryBrodsky007]

Well sigma is trying to fill the void for Sony crop e mount. 16/1.4 and 30/1.4 are affordable and very sharp. Sigma needs to bring more similar Lenses in other focal length, as OP correctly pointed Sony is not going to do it

[@mohsin_sait]

Dmitry Brodsky I wish Sigma had IS on their lenses. It won't matter for people with the a6500 but for the a6000 and 6300 users it would be a godsend.

[@babycow5894]

The a6300 price is falling because it's an old model, they have so many good lenses from third party and they're cheaper

[@allanh8227]

Ticks? With that lens and at that price, you should be able to see whether they are male or female. Great review both pros & cons of that lens....and oh so beautiful landscapes pics.

[@jaidamann8365]

lol

[@skwiggledork]

"I am desperately trying to find a grey grasshopper on a grey background" As someone that loves taking insect photos, this spoke to me on a spiritual level.

[@RichardLim]

What happened to the tick examination? That would have been worth a few close-ups 😀

[@lifethroughthelense94]

Yo brother chris, gonna need a more specific location than Alberta so I can find that 71 skylark @6:09 and restore or part it out

[@bwest6275]

When i bought my Canon EF 400mm 2.8 a decade ago, that was a pretty expensive purchase. But since swicthing to a Sony A9, the Sony 400mm 2.8 at $12k is eye-wateringly pricey. But man, I still want it so bad. There's nothing like shooting a 400mm 2.8. Nothing.

[@ColGadarby]

Friggin thing is huge !

[@ArsenijeRadenovic]

When I saw that you are reviewing this lens on a landscape shoot with you holding it in flipflops I thought that you guys are getting lazy. But you proved me wrong 😂 excellent review, different from other channels. Even better photos.

[@Raychristofer]

Thorough review as always guys. Im curious why do long telephoto lenses for all companies come in white instead of black?

[@devtank]

Id love to see this reviewed at a sporting event, where the AF and other tech aspects are put to the test in areal world scenario.

[@genjii931]

Those tests have already been done to death by others.

[@DionSiswadi]

Good audio quality. Check!

[@MBM_94]

3:12 nice one

[@JARIVISUALS]

Will it work on a gimbal?

[@genjii931]

Sure. But it depends on the gimbal. Gimbals were originally used with those gigantic Hollywood cinema cameras mounted in helicopters.

[@alex0589]

Movi xl ftw

[@rmp5s]

Was reading about this a few days ago...looks incredible! (And incredibly expensive!) Sidenote: Whoa SHIT that thing is huge!!

[@rialbb]

The weight reduction compared to the 2.8L II would be sweet. I carried that up to Lake Agnes Tea House and it was still ok. I'm sure I would feel the difference with taking the Sony.

[@sabawadot-com4185]

Did you brush up against poisonous hemlock, also known as Conium maculatum @ 8:27?

[@niccollsvideo]

Sabawa Jordan Looks similar I guess. Luckily no terrible thorny pain! Chris@DPReview

[@UncleJimsBand]

To me it looked like Cow Parsnip, Heracleum lanatum, which can leave a wicked photosensitive rash.

[@danielbeale5691]

Ive watched a lot of your gear review vids even back from the camera store, but I think some of these sample images are the best you've taken haha looks like 400mm is your focal length

[@buyingonabudget1916]

Nice video and very informative.

[@bird271828]

Very nice review, and very nice lens. Only if I had $12,000. Sighhhh.

[@allthingswildlifeyt1218]

How is it for shooting video......if you had a tripod that is.

[@dhonnihermawan7590]

Can i use this lens for my old sony a7 M1..???

[@ArumesYT]

7:25 Actually the Canon 400/2.8 you mentioned earlier yourself has a texturized grip as well. I also like Sigma's finger-shaped grip on the 50-500mm and 120-400, but those are the only two lenses they use it on. Shame...

[@pop1348]

Great video ! Indeed we need more APS-C lens... If they don't do that the next APS-C A6700 will not sale at all... I hope to see a fast zomm lens for APS-C from Sigma or Tamron 16-50 or 16-70 F 2.8 in 2019. I hope...

[@ulogy]

I'm so sad y'all left TCS, loved having such great talent being tied to an exclusively Canadian source.

[@JonInLondon]

Some really nice photographs there! Good stuff. I'd add Sony need to improve the weather-proofing of their bodies too, as beside a football game it can be raining and it's no good if the body fails. Be interesting to see if Canon/Nikon do anything in return (Canon have the DO II at 72% the Sony weight if you can live with f4, plus they have filed patents for a 400/2.8/DO and a 400/2.8 with built-extender, wonder what will come). One big question is as most of us can't afford these will the rental houses stock them?

[@MCBCest]

Tick’s 😦. I got Lyme from a tick last summer taking outdoor photos.

[@natureflixs1]

Nice video. I watch your stuff even when it is equipment I am not interested in.

[@UCreations]

It isn't lighter because it is designed for mirrorless (which in itself doesn't make a difference with longer telephoto lenses), but because most of the elements are at the back, so they're smaller and lighter.

[@sharpfocus5]

Excellent

[@floex831]

It gets warm in Canada? Huh, who knew...

[@TheRedSatan10]

Okay there that's it. I've found my desktop wallpaper

[@anthonym3051]

Thank you Sony. For making sure that most photography enthusiasts still don’t have a tele lens available they can afford. Way to care for your customers with a 12k $ tag price. Yeop, that is why I love my Canon gear.

[@JamesJacksonFilmz]

Anthony M you know the canon equivalent is about the same price tag. Only 2K less

[@anthonym3051]

Well 2k less is quite a bit if you ask me for what it is.

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

The ring looks red in this video, not orange.

[@earthlevel4569]

i would curious in seeing the af speed on say a fx6 or a7sIII while shooting video

[@laginw]

i can see the difference between GH5 and GH5s about in-body image stabilizer, it quite different, GH5 look more smooth, shame that they took it out from GH5s but i can understand why, still tho ...

[@alexanderhartmann7950]

I shoot landscapes with 11mm and 80-200. Mind giving an opinion on the Irix lenses? (Well, I own the 11 f/4, but others might be interested in your opinion.)

[@sjs2657g]

"That's a pretty big package" "I hear that a lot. Why yes it is."

[@danieldougan269]

Very beautifully shot. The GH5s seems like a strange choice to shoot video with during the day. Why not use the GH5 instead and get the IBIS to make your lives easier? If you were shooting at night, I could see it.

[@thatjordandrake]

The GH5S has much cleaner shadows when shooting in V-LogL & HLG, so when I know I'll be doing a high contrast shoot, I go for the GH5S.

[@SpencerReidBuchanan]

I'm sorry, why would you buy a 2.8 lens and most of the shots in this video aren't wide open.

[@Bobbylopezcreative]

Anyone ever tell you that you look like Toshiro Mifune in Kurosawa's classic, Red Beard?

[@alla-turca]

Yoı can’t see the max quality because your screen can’t support it 🤔

[@derekalv911]

Something that never occurred to me before: Pointing a 400mm lens anywhere near the sun would be a huge gamble to your eyesight on a DSLR, but with EVF I guess the screen would just go white. Still, watch your sensor folks.

[@rafalkonieczny]

Great video! So it is actually longer than Canon and just the material selection made it so much lighter?

[@photographerjonathan]

the big front glass elements is what makes these big lenses so heavy, so Sony moved allot of the front elements toward the middle of the lens where it is smaller so they could make the glass smaller and lighter and also balance the lens better.

[@niccollsvideo]

It's pretty close in terms of length. Substantially thinner diameter compared to the Canon which I found interesting. Chris@DPReview

[@eazizisaid]

Best part of the review : 8:20 - 8:50

[@DrTarekahmad]

How does it compare to the 100-400mm GM quality and speed wise?

[@doctorlovera]

12000 USD is expensive... What about the canon 400 f4l DO? 7000 USD is expensive.... What about the canon 400 f5.6l? 1300 USD is expenseive.... And thats how I bought my beloved EFS 55-250mm STM :-) Great review. That lens makes me think about the weight advantage of the mirrorless system, but i still think it is the future. Wating for canon's FF Mirrorless

[@texmex9721]

You can buy $2 acra swiss plates on eBay. Definitely worth having a few spares in you camera bag.

[@WhiteWulfe]

By the gods, that thing is massive o_O

[@RichardsWorld]

Will this lens work OK on my little gimble? 😅

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

"That's a pretty big package..." INDEED!

[@onesuper9457]

Nice stills! Did Chris shoot them all himself?

[@thatjordandrake]

Yes, these are all Chris' shots.

[@blueckaym]

Where do I subscribe to but this lens when the price drops under $2000? ;)

[@BrentODell]

I didn't realize Canada had a Kansas :)

DMF is Direct Manual Focus instead of Dynamic ;)

[@suyashkulkarni8071]

"Lots of soccer shots all in focus " 😂😂😂 haha...

[@loudpanzer]

Great GH5s shooting, what lens(es) did Jordan use for this video?

[@thatjordandrake]

Just my beloved Sigma 18-35mm on a Metabones Speedbooster.

[@ravenshield56]

Whats this lense like in aps-c mode on somy cameras? Or clear image zoom? Would be great to get some really close up astro, or aviation shots