News 400mm and 600mm at 1kg - wow!

[AlphaWorld]

OK, the new lenses are announced, and they really are GMaster, and they really are under 1kg (without the foot, but that's fair, given the weight).

I was surprised - I was expecting these lens to arrive with a G designation, rather than GM - I thought the GM would be saved for the 400/2.8 and 600/4. These lenses do lack two things: no drop-in filter, and no aperture ring.

Although a number of reviewers have recommended the 400mm f/4.5, I don't think I'll be buying that one - I lashed out and bought the 100-400mm f/4.5, and I have no regrets. Yes, it's double the weight of the 400mm f/4.5, but it's a heck of a lot more flexible with the 100-400m zoom. I've been using it for a while and I've been very grateful for that zoom. I'm certain Sony released the 100-400 f/4.5 first precisely so I would do as I did

The 600mm f/6.3, though, that's tempting. I'm going to hold off for a while (mainly because I blew my hobby budget to bits getting the A7R6 and the 100-400!!), but I think I will have trouble resisting - we'll see.

What's your reaction to these two new lenses?

More than anything else, I think Sony have guaranteed that I'm never going to buy the 400/2.8 or 600/4 - they are just too heavy for my aging physique, and now there are options that appeal far more. (I won't deny that the price difference is important, too!)

 

[iamdlewis]

I'll be getting the 600mm but not till sometime next year. I don't think I could get it before my upcoming trip to Tanzania and the winter season has fewer outings, so I can see how the rest of the year spending goes.

 

[Tim Mayo]

The weight is very impressive for the 600, even lighter than my Sigma 500 F5.6. I've barely taken a photo this year due to other projects but if I find the time to start snapping again I could definitely be tempted.

 

[THXGEEK]

I love that Sony offers these two primes at a price that is US$10k less than their premium primes. AND at a more competitive price than Nikon!

Sadly, Canon does not offer anything similar.

 

[Doug Herr]

... I will have trouble resisting ...

Resistance is futile. These lenses are very impressive.

 

[davidjon_99]

I love that Sony offers these two primes at a price that is US$10k less than their premium primes. AND at a more competitive price than Nikon!

My thoughts exactly. Now I've got to figure out if I save up for an A7R VI or the new Sony 600mm f/6.3.

Sadly, Canon does not offer anything similar.

Canon? Who's that?

 

[Colin Andersson-Hamill]

I love that Sony offers these two primes at a price that is US$10k less than their premium primes. AND at a more competitive price than Nikon!

Sadly, Canon does not offer anything similar.

I have used Canon lenses on my Sonys uisc the Sigma MC11 adapter. I am sure there is a good adpater for use the other war around allowing you to use Sony on your Canon. Thos If money is not an option, I'd just buy a Sony!

 

[AlphaWorld]

I have used Canon lenses on my Sonys uisc the Sigma MC11 adapter. I am sure there is a good adpater for use the other war around allowing you to use Sony on your Canon. Thos If money is not an option, I'd just buy a Sony!

You can use Canon EF lenses on Sony E mount. I do not know if you can use Canon RF lenses on Sony E mount. Nor do I know if you can use Sony E mount lenses on Canon R.

The thing is that the lenses are designed to sit a certain distance from the sensor (this is called the registration distance). If the lens you want to use is designed to sit further from the sensor than the camera mount, then there is room to fit an adapter between the lens and camera.

For example, I think EF mount lenses (from memory) sit 44mm from the sensor. The Sony E mount (from memory) is 19mm from the sensor - lots of room for an adapter. The opposite is NOT possible - you cannot put an E mount lens onto an EF camera because you’d have to mount the lens deep inside the camera body (and we will ignore that the mirror could not move!).

But is there room for an adapter between an E mount lens and the R camera? I don’t know. Let’s find out how practical it might be.

Registration distance:
Canon EF: 44mm (yay - remembered right)
Sony E: 18mm (I was close!)
Canon RF: 20mm

2mm isn’t much room to fit an adapter for RF lenses on a Sony - plus the RF mount has a noticeably larger diameter - you would have trouble fitting the part of the Canon RF lens that sits inside the mount into the narrower Sony hole.

The Sony mount diameter is 46.1mm, but the Canon RF mount diameter is 54mm - I’ll be surprised if you can adapt an RF lens to Sony E. The EF mount is the same diameter, but you have an adapter 26mm deep to handle that difference.

Can you adapt Sony E mount lenses to Canon RF? Maybe there is enough room to sit them 2mm deeper into the wider diameter? I don’t know.

All up, I’d be dubious about adapting E mount lenses on RF bodies, and vice versa. But EF Canon lenses, no worries!

 

[Paul stuart]

Yesterday i looked at all the sony telephotos at the milton keynes click lite camera show think it was 20% off the lenses also ,if i was more flush and not so confused i would of made a purchase i am sure of it ,fun to look and try all the lenses to compare and the next table had all the nikon lenses to compare ,the sony 600mm f6.3 was noticibly lighter than the nikon variant but this is to do with construction felt more metal on the nikon and more compossite on the sony ,100-400mm f4,5 also felt good a bit chunky in size but managable ,400mm f4.5 prime is also dinky ,the 400-800mm is starting to look like a big weight with to much size ,if you shoot at 800mm or 600mm a lot then just get the 600mm f6.3 over everything bar the 600mm f4 but even then its hard push at £12,000 and 3kg its not like it would be first choice even if you owned it and the 600mm f6,3 ,so many choices now and differing reviews i am waiting on jans review which should be soon ,but they only have to get a not so good copy or a exceptional copy and the whole opinion changes,one thing the latest sony lenses look really well built and rugged in construction ,