Sony presents two lightweight super-telephoto prime lenses
15/9/2026
Translation: machine translated
The Sony FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS and the Sony FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS weigh just under a kilogram and cost quite a lot. Whether they are the better choice than zooms is a question of priorities.
Sony has introduced two new lenses. The FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS and the FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS are prime lenses for wildlife and sports photography. The highlight: for their aperture, both telephoto lenses weigh surprisingly little. Nevertheless, as members of the G-Master series, they are expected to deliver outstanding image quality.
Both lenses weigh just under a kilo without the tripod collar (994 grams and 995 grams). This is less than, for example, Nikon's lenses with the exact same focal lengths and apertures. There, the 400mm weighs 1160 grams (+17 percent), and the 600mm even 1360 grams (+37 percent).
The Sony FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS consists of 22 lens elements in 16 groups, and the Sony FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS of 24 elements in 17 groups. Both lenses contain lens elements with the latest coating (Nano AR Coating II), which is designed to minimize ghosting and flares. 11 aperture blades ensure a round bokeh, and two XD linear motors provide lightning-fast autofocus. The prime lenses are sealed against dust and water – and are compatible with Sony's teleconverters.
Source: Sony
Expensive or not? A question of perspective
The manufacturer positions the new lenses as a lightweight premium option for subjects such as animals, birds, athletes, trains, and airplanes. Thanks to their low weight, they are intended to be used comfortably without a tripod. However, they are not cheap: the FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS costs 2399 francs, and the FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS costs 3299 francs.
In absolute numbers, that is a lot of money; relatively speaking, it depends on the reference point. The same lenses from Nikon are similarly expensive. Even faster models like the Sony FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS (11,999 francs) or the FE 600mm F4 GM OSS (13,999 francs) cost many times more.
Source: Sony / Petter Askø Næss
By comparison, Sony's FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS is inexpensive (1419 francs), offering the same aperture at the long end as the longer of the two new prime lenses – and it is significantly more flexible as a zoom. Despite weighing more than twice as much (2115 grams), it will likely remain the super-telephoto of choice for many hobby photographers. Even though it "only" belongs to the G series and therefore does not meet the same optical standards as the G-Master lenses.
The same trade-off becomes more complicated with the 400mm lenses. There, the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS is more expensive (4199 francs) than the prime lens and also weighs considerably more (1840 grams).
The FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS and the FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS are available for order now, with shipping expected to begin in October.
Samuel Buchmann
Senior Editor
Samuel.Buchmann@digitecgalaxus.chMy fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.
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