Sony 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 G Master Lens Review | John Sison

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In this video I talk about Sony's longest telephoto zoom lens to date, the 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 G Master lens. Sporting the G Master label, it promises to deliver the best in Sony optics and build. Targeted towards the pro and enthusiast photographer, this lens will be great for anyone who shoots sports and wildlife. With the added compatibility of using Sony's 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, it will allow you to get even closer to the action.
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[@town3]

Nice Review John like always

[@michaelstokes1]

John, thanks for an excellent overview of this lens. What technique are you using with this lens? Do you turn off SteadyShot on the tripod? I have been shooting static shots incl birds with mixed results on my A7R2. While I have noticed an improvement with my new A7R3 it still seems a little soft at the 400 mm end even at 1/500th(& steady shot on). Before I send it off to Sony, I am wondering whether I should be using a monopod. It’s quite long at the 400 mm and if there is any wind there is a bit of movement of the lens. Thanks

[@alanjosephproductions]

Useful video, I bought the lens recently and so far, love it!

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Awesome! Congrats on your new purchase! =.D

[@DavidKatz]

Solid review !!

[@YoungTang]

can you post a comparison using the 2x converter vs not using it? really interested in this lens because of the 2x converter.

[@LindemannFilmFotoDrohne]

Helpful review. Thank you.

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

You're welcome! :)

[@nickc2124]

I know this is a lens review, but I was wondering if you were enjoying that Leofoto tripod and ball head? How does it stack up the RRS?

[@raymondlowe4758]

Great review. Very informative and helpful. I wondered if you can get your hands on a Sigma 100-400mm and compare it with the Sony 100-400mm. That would be really interesting.

[@JonnyPink65]

Great video. I just started using it on my A6500. I just wanted something for birding in place of all my BIG Nikon stuff. Really love it so far! Great video!

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Ohhh nice! Congrats and yeah I can imagine it being amazing for bird photography!

[@11557bexley]

how will this lens work withe the A7R lll

[@UpUpDnDnLtRtLtRtBAStart]

3:40 the walk up was pretty smooth! I like your style of review. Subscribed!

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Thank you!! 🙏 😊

[@rubingeorge]

Just purchased, great help in understanding lens.

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Congrats on your new purchase! I know you'll enjoy it.

[@ryanheldoorn]

Well well well.........about time JOHN hahaha. Good review mate. Video in APC mode on the a7r3 should be amazing!

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Haha long overdue isn't it? Thank you! =.D

[@KetansaCreatesArt]

Hello John Sison, 1) Do you think this lens performs equally, or better than Canon Nikon lenses of same category? Someone said the image of this lens has no details when zoomed. 2) Will this lens perform perfectly using a6500? (Appart from the changes in focal length) Thank you, see you.

[@visualvacationist8212]

Second time watching this video thank you. I know own this lens

[@jeremygarretson5482]

I see your using Leofoto. I’ve googled and KZbind info about the tripod and ball head and couldn’t find much. I’d love it if you did a review. Especially compared to RRS. Thanks for putting in the hard work.

[@johnharvey1786]

I have been watching several reviews of this lens and yours is the only one to say serious IQ issues with the 1.4x extender. The one stop drop on a relatively slow lens was noted as an issue but not IQ. Did you actually test this combination and if so how bad did you find it.

[@brennanmoore6102]

Hey there, great video! Would you mind telling me what kind of tripod you're using?

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Thank you! The tripod is a Leofoto 324c + LH40 ballhead.. pretty good and sturdy 👌

[@vpr5562]

i am wondering for corporate teambuildings and weddings should i get this or the 70-200 f2.8, hm, owning a a7riii.

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

I would go with the 70-200mm F2.8 GM.

[@JessDemant]

Great review

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Thank you! :)

[@maharagung5389]

great review, bay the way yesterday i buy sony GM 100-400 attach on my camera sony a7r2..I have a problem with the mount camera or lens, no idea by the way.., every time I attach there is a slight shake on the mount. Do you experience also on A9 or A7 series cameras? but not affecting the results of the photo is just a little annoying.

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Thank you! No I haven't actually experienced that when I used it with my camera. It sounds a bit strange actually. Is there another body that you can try it with?

[@maharagung5389]

thank you for feedback..maybe i must going to sony center bring my big baby 100-400 to try all camera display..lol

[@Luxdesign28Roserviciiweb]

Hi there! Work with Sony Nex 6 mirrorless camera? Thank you!

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Yes it does!

[@GetOutsideYourself]

I used this baby on a recent trip to Ethiopia. Great focus, probably not as quick as the 70-200 2.8, but certainly good enough. Doesn't work too well with the 2x TC, with f/11 being the minimum, and the results aren't that sharp, making it better to crop. This is better optically than the A-mount 70-400 V2 as far as bokeh, particularly the way it renders foliage behind your subject, but it's still not as good as a telephoto prime (I'm still using my A-mount Sigma 500 4.5). It's worth the price, but it'll be nice to get some cheaper native options eventually from Sigma and Tamron.

[@njrtech]

Actually it focuses faster than the 70-200 2.8GM

[@mightymikerocks]

How close can you shoot with this 100-400mm lense with 2x converter and with out?

[@StratOfG]

0.98 meters

[@gailyager7148]

Hi John. I have hired this lens to try it out. I have paired it with my Sony a6300. My interest is bird photography and, so far, I have been unable to acheive the sharpness I desire. I know of other bird photographers whouse this camera/lens combination and get great shots. I have played with aperture and shutter settings. Tried manual focus and tripods. I am beginning to wonder if tge lens us faulty? I would value your thoughts. Thank you

[@Nauticalimage]

John would you recommend the 100-400 or the 70-200 2.8 with a 2x Teleconvertor ? I just can’t afford both

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

I would lean more towards the 100-400mm if you needed the extra range.

[@Ellyidol]

Same reco. I heard the 2x isn’t very good (soft).

[@RadYes]

Great vid only wish to see some night sky or moon shots, but still awesome thank You

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

I'll see what I can do for you! :)

[@RadYes]

John Sison Awesome Thanks!!!😃

[@ayman1035]

Hi John, is the image sharpness and quality are as good when the lens is used with A7rii ?!

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

I would actually rate the image quality higher on the A7RII.

[@ayman1035]

Thanks

[@viragmahorkar6559]

What is the f no With 2x teleconverter at around 700 mm focal length?

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Hmm from memory I think it was around F10 or F11.

[@mpett3]

I'm looking for a lens to shoot American football... would you recommend this or the 70-200 2.8? thanks

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Thats a tough one. Are you shooting a lot of low light? If so, the 70-200mm F2.8. If its mainly in daytime, I wouldn't mind going for that extra reach and get the 100-400mm.

[@mpett3]

Gotcha thank you!

[@pashos87simou]

Im thinking ti buy this lens but i dont know if the 200-600 would be a better buy

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

I honestly like the 200-600mm lens better. The price/performance/range are big winners to me.

[@sanderw1000]

I have the A7R III and the Canon 5D Mark IV, I am in doubt which is the best zoom lens option I should buy, Sony 10-400mm or Sigma 60-600mm, where can I use the MC-11 adapter for sony, could you Give me an idea of ​​which one I should buy?

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

The 100-400mm is a really nice lens. Its sharp for a zoom lens of that range but I'm not too sure about the 60-600mm because I haven't tried it yet. I would say in terms of performance and autofocusing, the 100-400mm would be the better option though.

[@arthurgphotography6171]

The Gmaster is you can afford it probably. All reviews I've read say it's razor sharp.

[@Manchitm]

Man BTS is always the best haha, BTW where's my 16-35GM review? I've been waiting on that!!

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Haha should be up later this week :)

[@whoeverwhoever400]

There is a huge physical drawback on this lens - the exposed extended barrel. I constantly see cat hair and lint on the tube. I have to stick them out with tape. Some fine lint got inside. i don't know how much is stuck inside. This lens requires extra more maintenance than those lenses that have everything sealed in tubes.

[@stephen8385]

john, i have this lens but everytime i switch to manual focus it magnification by itself, do you know why?

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Yeah. Its because manual focus assist (MF Assist) is on in the camera. Just go into the camera menu and there will be that option to turn it off.

[@stephen8385]

John Sison ohh so thats normal? I though something wrong with the lens.. thanks john

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Haha yeah its a setting thats on by default.

[@kenni411]

does it come with the hood?

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Yes it does.

[@jasonkim2628]

Which do you recommend teleconverter for Sony 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM between SEL14TC and SEL20TC?

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

I would go with the SEL14TC for sure.

[@jasonkim2628]

John Sison I really appreciate it. ^^

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Happy to help! :D

[@R.Hogarth]

I realize that this video is more than a year old, but I have only recently found myself in a somewhat unique predicament. I currently have anA7iii and the 70-300G lens. Which would give me a better image. Keeping my 70-300 and cropping the image, or trading it in on the 100-400GM?

[@vladoh2011]

It depends what you are using it for. I use 100-400 for sports only and crop a lot. With 70-300 there would be a lot more cropping, lowering the quality of final result. It is heavy, so I use monopod with legs a lot. Because of the weight, I bought 70-300 for the day long shoots where 1. monopod would be a nuisance, 2. I may need those 70mm.. Ended up buying a tripod collar for 70-300, too. With padded wrap it takes no space in the bag in comparison with 100-400 space hog. Because of size and weight, it requires own case for reliable protection. I am happy with both lenses, so to keep just one, it depends on what you are using it for. BTW, I find myself using RX100v6 a lot in situations where I would otherwise choose FF camera and 70-300. That compact camera made 70-300 less important for me.

[@R.Hogarth]

@@vladoh2011 Thanks for the reply. I am using it primarily for aviation photography so fast moving objects far away. I recently did a photo trip to Death Valley National Park in California in which I spent a couple days at the "Jedi Transition". Using my 70-300, every shot had to be cropped, some of them were cropped a lot.

[@vladoh2011]

@@R.Hogarth In my view, that kind of photography just screams for A9/ 100-400 combo with its 20 fps. For my purpose, A9 is perhaps overkill. Don't need high fps, just a fast, reliable AF. And now Sony puts that same top AF system on cheaper bodies. For aviation photography though, 20 frames /sec in FF RAW should improve chances for getting the right shot by a lot.

[@R.Hogarth]

@@vladoh2011 FWIW, I ordered a 200-600 f5.6-6.3 G OSS the first day they were available.

[@vladoh2011]

@@R.Hogarth Have you considered downsides? Tripod will be a must. Early reviews talk about slow AF transition between close/ far. That kind of focusing is requirement of your domain. The lens has IF, which should speed up moving those heavy glass elements for focusing. Apparently not enough. You will have less cropping, but following the fast subject may be more difficult depending on angle of approach. Things to consider. Everything is trade-off...

[@johnvandenbroek9753]

Great review John ... I find you don't lose any quality with the 1.4 teleconverter. I can't comment on the 2X because I don't have one.

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Yeah. I used it on the 1.4x and image quality was still amazing on it. Less light loss too! I would avoid using it on the 2x though.

[@georgekrats2573]

cool. i just ordered the 100-400 and the 1.4x.all the reviews i read say what your saying

[@Valleedbrume]

This is a fantastic piece of glass,best I owned in its class.Beats my Canon.Worth the money.

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Thanks for the feedback! :)

[@Algerie.Football.Officiel]

Do you think that with this lens we can take pictures of correct sports at night ... in a properly lit stadium, I want to associate it with an a7iii or an a7riii.? Thank you

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Yes its definitely capable of capturing sports at night, especially if its a well lit stadium. I've been using the lens with the a7iii and its performed really well with it.

[@Cesar-ht5uz]

Hi John, can you upload a couple of shot showing how the teleconverter degrades the iq?

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

I'll post some photos on my facebook page for you :)

[@MichielVanhoudt]

Comparison to Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 + MC11 would be awesome :D

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Oo0o that's an interesting one. I'll see what I can do.

[@dalefmurphy]

I have the A9 and this lens and they are fantastic. HOWEVER, I also bought the 2X Teleconverter and conclude that this was a total waste of money. You lose far too much light, as you said in the video. The f-number of the aperture is doubled, so that at 800mm (i.e. 400 x 2) the aperture is f/11, which means that image sharpness drops off significantly because of diffraction effects. I found I got a sharper image of the same subject at the same distance without the teleconverter (f/5.6 cf f/11), even after cropping.

[@gangofarid536]

why this lens so expensive

[@E4xtream]

I see you're using the Leofoto Legs & Ball-head for your tripod needs. I actually had to look it up because I've never heard of it. From what I see, they look like a clone of the RRS BH-55 (on the head) and the Gitzo systematic series (on the legs). Can you comment as to their performance?

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Yeah its not a brand that many people have heard of but its one of my favourite tripods at the moment. Its nice and sturdy which is great and can take a heavy payload as well so the Sony mirrorless system won't have any issues with it either. From memory it can handle a 25kg payload lol. I haven't used the Gitzo system though so I'm not exactly sure how similar they are.

[@E4xtream]

Mind walking into a local camera store to play with the Gitzo tripods? I have a Gitzo but my friends are looking for a solid tripod system and if I could help them get even 90% of the performance for 25% of the price, I'd be happy. Or you know, buy a Gitzo tripod + RRS Ballhead and do a comparison.

[@RokPodaro]

Watching this on my new lens🙃🤠🙂

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Enjoy!! 😉

[@RokPodaro]

@@JohnSisonPhotography Thanks.Really great lens.Worth every penny.❤👻👍

[@babs274]

nice video

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Thanks

[@unclebirdvlogs9462]

I got this I Liked

[@babyleon]

I would like to see a more in-depth review of the optical stabilization of this lens. I shoot mostly wildlife video and a tripod is essential. From my experience with this lens so far I have to say the OSS really sucks. I have had a lot of contact with Sony about it. There is nothing wrong with the lens as I have tried several different lenses with the same result. In short, the OSS does not activate without a lot of camera movement. When taking photos, the OSS activates when you press the shutter release. There is no similar activation when shooting video. I have heard many times that stabilization should not be used on a tripod. That usually comes from people who do not shoot video, especially video in the field. Image movement is image movement, regardless of handheld or tripod mounted. So far Sony has not expressed any interest in addressing this which renders the OSS useless for video. I do not have the same issue with the Sigma 50-500 lens which I used previously. The Sigma OSS could be turned on and it was always rock steady. Also works fine with Sony 18-200 crop lens OSS. I use both a Sony a7S and a7Sii bodies with the same OSS results. Would appreciate it if you could check this out. Thanks!

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

That's interesting. What body are you using it with? I'll take a further look into this.

[@babyleon]

a7S and a7Sii bodies. Thanks!

[@ronin550]

Interesting, these bodies both have ibs yes???

[@DavePruett]

7S = no IBIS, 7SII = IBIS

[@barrymurphy5548]

Hey @babyleon did you ever find a solution to the OSS issue on this lens with video ?

[@christinam7255]

Can it work on the a7riii

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Yes it can =.)

[@motobazuka2535]

Bitta Merewether

[@ravenshield56]

I’m sorry but a £1700 lens that isn’t atleast constant f4 is ridiculous

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

Haha constant F4 is going to be a lot more expensive and larger. This lens is filling in gaps in the lineup and sits alongside other manufacturer lenses like Canon's 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 and Nikon's 80-400mm F4.5-5.6 lenses.

[@pulper11]

John Walsh well John I don’t agree. Canon makes a 200-400 f4 and it retails for $11,000. While that does include the 1.4 tc, the pound/dollar ratio will never be high enough to make 1700 pounds for this lens unreasonable when compared to a constant aperture zoom in this focal length range. Wished we could get a constant aperture f4 tele zoom up to 400 for only 1700 pounds, but that’s not ever going to happen. Then again I’m still waiting for an 18-600 f1.8 lens that fits in my pocket and costs $100 and fits on a canon or Sony full frame body. We are both equally likely to obtain what we want.

[@lomarvgc1580]

70-300 + super 35 = 450mm

[@JohnSisonPhotography]

🔥🔥

[@hidaven]

No relevant info...….

[@anorak211]

So that’s a £4300 camera and a £2500 lens = £6800. That’s not a very useful review !

[@HRImages]

Glyn Heskins how? The a9 is sony high end camera for sports.

[@anorak211]

HR Images the Sony camera is no doubt fantastic but why review such an expensive camera and lens that costs £6800 , who will benefit from that

[@HRImages]

Glyn Heskins this lens is targeted for sports and wildlife photographers who need that extra reach. And pairing it with the fast AF of the a9 makes it a great combo.

[@town3]

It is for me.

[@johncampbell335]

I hope you don't see a Hasselblad review. Your head might explode.