Sony FE 100-400mm F/4.5 GM OSS Announced for Sports and Wildlife
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Constant F/4.5 ApertureSony has officially announced the FE 100-400mm F/4.5 GM OSS, a new professional telephoto zoom lens designed for sports, wildlife, and photojournalism photographers. This new lens should pair well with the newly announced Sony A7R VI, making it a great camera and lens combo for professional work.
The new lens serves as the spiritual successor to the FE 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6 GM OSS. While the focal range remains unchanged, Sony upgraded the lens to a constant F/4.5 aperture throughout the entire zoom range.
Constant F/4.5 Aperture
One of the biggest upgrades over the previous generation is the constant F/4.5 maximum aperture.
At the 400mm end, the new lens is effectively two stops brighter than the older F/5.6 version. This should provide improved low-light performance and stronger subject separation when shooting wildlife or sports.
Advanced Optical Design
The FE 100-400mm F/4.5 GM OSS uses a complex optical design with 28 elements arranged in 20 groups. The lens features ED XA, XA, Super ED, and ED elements to help maintain high sharpness while minimizing chromatic aberrations and distortion across the zoom range.
The lens also uses Nano AR Coating II to suppress flare and ghosting, improving contrast and color performance in backlit scenes. Sony says the 11-bladed aperture diaphragm helps produce smoother and more circular bokeh, especially when shooting distant subjects.
Faster Autofocus Performance
Autofocus is powered by four Extreme Dynamic Linear Motors for faster and more responsive focusing performance. Sony says the lens supports continuous autofocus shooting at up to 120fps with compatible cameras like the Sony A9 III.
The lens also uses a floating focus design to maintain image quality throughout the focusing range.
Internal Zoom and Video Features
The FE 100-400mm features an internal zoom mechanism, meaning the lens does not physically extend while zooming. This helps maintain balance when using the lens on gimbals, monopods, or tripod setups. It also contributes to faster and more stable autofocus performance.
Sony says the lens is optimized for video as well, with minimal focus breathing and support for Breathing Compensation on compatible Alpha cameras.
Close Focusing and Stabilization
Despite the long focal range, the lens can focus as close as 0.64m and offers a maximum magnification ratio of 1:4.
The lens also includes Optical SteadyShot image stabilization with multiple stabilization modes. These include standard stabilization, panning mode, and a dedicated moving-subject mode for sports and wildlife shooting.
Rugged Professional Build
The new FE 100-400mm F/4.5 GM OSS is noticeably larger than its predecessor, weighing 1840g and measuring 328mm long. The lens uses a mix of metal and engineered plastic components while maintaining a dust and moisture-resistant design for outdoor shooting.
The lens also includes several physical controls, including an aperture ring, customizable function ring, focus mode switch, four focus hold buttons, and a removable tripod collar.
Sony confirmed that the lens is compatible with both the FE 1.4x and FE 2.0x teleconverters. This gives photographers even more reach for wildlife and field sports photography without sacrificing autofocus functionality.
Pricing and Availability
The Sony FE 100-400mm F/4.5 GM OSS is now available for pre-order for $4,298. Shipping is expected to begin in June 2026.
Sample Images with the Sony FE 100-400mm F/4.5 GM OSS
