Field Test: Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Lens

Published: February 26, 2025

Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Lens ($2,899) is Sony’s answer to requests from wildlife photographers for a lightweight super-telephoto at a reasonable price. Some asked for an 800mm, others wanted a 600mm and some wanted a zoom. Sony checked all the boxes with a single lens. 400-800mm is an extremely useful range. It picks up right where the FE 100-400mm leaves off. It’s compatibile with Sony 1.4x and 2x teleconverters which extend the maximum focal length to 1120mm and 1600mm respectively, making this an elite choice for birding and wildlife. Thanks to XD linear motors, autofocus is extremely fast, capable of continuous AF at 120 FPS using the recently released Sony a9 III.

As Sony’s 79th E-mount lens and 58th fullframe E-mount, it offers excellent image quality at all focal lengths thanks to 27 elements including a whopping SIX ED lens elements to reduce flare and ghosting in backlit conditions and help control chromatic aberrations.

The FE 400-800mm G OSS is virtually identical in size to the FE 200-600mm G OSS. If you shoot at the long range of the 200-600 most of the time and find yourself wishing it was a bit longer, this new lens is just what you’ve been waiting for.

In terms of size and function, Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS) (top) features a similar form factor to the FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS (bottom)

short throw internal zoom — My favorite thing about the Fe 400-800mm G OSS is the internal zoom and the very short throw required to zoom from 400mm to 800mm.

Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens controls include Focus Hold Buttons, AF/MF switch, DMF switch, Fous-limiter. OSS On/Off and mode selector

Specs:

Focal Length: 400 to 800mm
Maximum Aperture: f/6.3 to 8
Lens Mount: Sony E
Lens Format Coverage: Full-Frame
Focus Type: Autofocus
Image Stabilization: Yes
Tripod Collar: Fixed and Rotating
Dimensions (ø x L): 4.72 x 13.6″ / 11.98 x 34.6 cm
Weight: 5.45 lb / 2.47 kg