Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Lens
The Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS is a professional super-telephoto zoom lens with a constant f/4.5 aperture and internal zoom design for wildlife, sports and outdoor photographers.
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We Love
- The constant f/4.5 aperture maintains consistent exposure and subject separation at every focal length
- Internal zoom construction keeps balance stable during extended handheld wildlife and sports shooting
- Autofocus performance improves significantly over the previous generation, helping maintain reliable tracking on fast-moving subjects
- The 11-blade aperture produces smoother defocused backgrounds with more natural subject separation
- Teleconverter compatibility extends reach to 800mm without changing lenses in the field
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Lens Summary
The Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Lens is a newly developed professional super-telephoto zoom designed for wildlife, sports, motorsport and outdoor photography, amongst other subjects. It combines a constant f/4.5 aperture with internal zoom construction, advanced autofocus performance and a high-resolution G Master optical formula aimed at professional photographers and filmmakers working in demanding environments.
The optical construction uses XA, ED XA, Super ED and ED elements alongside Nano AR Coating II to suppress flare, chromatic aberration and spherical aberration throughout the zoom range, while an 11-blade circular aperture produces smoother defocused areas and consistent subject separation.
Four XD Linear Motors drive a floating focus mechanism for fast, accurate autofocus during high-speed burst shooting and video recording, with support for up to 120fps AF tracking continuous shooting on compatible Sony Alpha cameras.
Overview and Key Improvements
The FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS introduces several major changes over the previous FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS. Most notably, the aperture is now constant at f/4.5 throughout the zoom range, maintaining consistent exposure, shutter speeds and subject separation at longer focal lengths. The lens also replaces the extending zoom design with internal zoom construction, improving balance and handling stability during handheld shooting, video work and outdoor use.
A newly developed optical formula adds ED XA and XA elements alongside additional ED elements to improve sharpness, reduce aberrations and maintain higher image quality throughout the zoom range. Autofocus is now driven by four XD Linear Motors with a floating focus design for improved responsiveness during fast-moving action, wildlife and high-frame-rate shooting.
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS (SEL100400MC) Key Features
- Constant f/4.5 aperture throughout the zoom range
- Internal zoom construction for stable handling and weather resistance
- Four XD Linear Motors with floating focus system
- 11-blade circular aperture for smoother bokeh
- XA, ED XA, Super ED and ED optical elements with Nano AR Coating II
- Compatible with Sony 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters
- Supports up to 120fps AF tracking on compatible cameras
- 95mm and drop-in filter system
- Pro controls including function ring and focus hold buttons
- Dust and moisture-resistant construction
Observational Behaviour
After just a couple of hours with the lens, Gareth noted it felt modestly lightweight for a full-frame super-telephoto, though extended handheld use still made itself felt. The zoom action is fast and smooth, and autofocus is reliable even with teleconverters attached. Image quality impressed him across a range of subjects, performing well not just for wildlife and sports but also for portraits.
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Lens In More Detail
Constant f/4.5 Aperture
The FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS maintains a constant maximum aperture throughout the zoom range, allowing photographers to zoom without exposure changes or shutter speed reduction at longer focal lengths. Consistent aperture behaviour also maintains uniform subject separation and background rendering across compositions when tracking moving subjects.
Lens Construction
Sony’s G Master optical formula consists of 28 elements in 20 groups and includes XA, ED XA, Super ED and ED elements to suppress chromatic aberration, spherical aberration and onion-ring bokeh. Nano AR Coating II applies a uniform anti-reflective layer across lens surfaces to reduce flare and ghosting in strongly backlit conditions.
Bokeh Quality
An 11-blade circular aperture contributes to smoother defocused rendering and more rounded specular highlights. Sony also states that individual lenses are fine-tuned during production to maximise overall bokeh quality, while XA elements help reduce onion-ring artefacts in out-of-focus highlights.
Teleconverter Support
The lens is compatible with the SEL14TC 1.4x and SEL20TC 2.0x teleconverters, extending focal length coverage to 140-560mm and 200-800mm respectively. This allows rapid adaptation to distant or unpredictable subjects without changing lenses in the field.
Floating Focus System
Four XD Linear Motors drive a floating focus mechanism for high-speed autofocus acquisition and accurate subject tracking. The floating focus design reduces aberration at close-focus distances while helping shorten the physical lens structure compared to more conventional super-telephoto zoom designs. Sony states autofocus performance improves by up to three times over the previous generation lens.
120fps Tracking Support
When paired with compatible Sony Alpha cameras such as the Alpha 9 III, the lens supports autofocus tracking during continuous shooting at up to 120fps. Advanced control algorithms and XD Linear Motor precision maintain focus accuracy on fast-moving subjects including birds in flight, motorsport and sports action.
Internal Zoom Design
The FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS maintains its physical length throughout the zoom range. Internal zoom construction keeps weight distribution more consistent during handheld tracking and monopod use while reducing the risk of dust and moisture entering the lens mechanism during outdoor use.
Zoom Torque Switch
A dedicated zoom smoothness switch allows photographers to choose between Smooth and Tight torque settings depending on shooting style. Smooth mode supports faster focal length adjustments during tracking, while Tight mode provides firmer resistance for more controlled framing adjustments.
Weather Sealing
Dust- and moisture-resistant sealing surrounds buttons and rings for improved reliability in outdoor conditions. A fluorine coating on the front element helps resist contamination, while a built-in security slot supports third-party locking accessories for remote setups and fixed-position installations.
Function Ring
The Function Ring provides direct access to selected shooting controls depending on the connected camera body. Available functions include Power Focus, Full Frame and APS-C/Super 35 switching, and Preset Focus recall. On high-resolution cameras such as the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7R series, APS-C crop modes can provide additional effective telephoto reach while retaining substantial image resolution.
Read our Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM 2026 Review for a closer look at the new constant aperture super-telephoto zoom, including autofocus performance, image quality and how it compares with the original 100-400mm GM OSS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this lens suitable for bird photography?
Yes. The 100-400mm focal range, fast XD Linear Motor autofocus system and teleconverter compatibility make it highly suitable for birds in flight and wildlife photography.
Does the aperture change while zooming?
No. The lens maintains a constant f/4.5 aperture throughout the entire 100-400mm zoom range.
Does the lens extend while zooming?
No. The internal zoom design keeps the physical lens length unchanged throughout zoom operation.
Can this lens be used with Sony teleconverters?
Yes. The lens is compatible with Sony SEL14TC 1.4x and SEL20TC 2.0x teleconverters, extending focal length coverage to 560mm and 800mm respectively.
Does the lens support 120fps continuous shooting?
Yes. When paired with compatible Sony Alpha cameras, autofocus tracking supports continuous shooting at up to 120fps.
How much faster is the autofocus compared to the previous version?
Sony states autofocus performance is up to three times faster, with approximately 50% improved tracking compared to the earlier FE 100-400mm GM OSS lens.
Is it weather sealed?
Yes. Dust- and moisture-resistant sealing is applied around buttons and rings, and the front element features a fluorine coating to help resist dirt and moisture.
What does the Function Ring do?
The Function Ring can control features such as Power Focus, APS-C/Super 35 switching and Preset Focus recall depending on the compatible Sony camera body.
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Lens Specifications
|
Mount |
Sony E-mount |
|
Format |
35mm full frame |
|
Focal-Length (mm) |
100-400 |
|
35mm equivalent focal-length (APS-C) |
150-600 |
|
Lens Groups / Elements |
20-28 *Including one filter |
|
Angle of view (APS-C) |
16°-4°10' |
|
Angle of View (35mm) |
24°-6°10' |
|
Maximum aperture (F) |
4.5 |
|
Minimum Aperture (F) |
32 |
|
Aperture Blades |
11 |
|
Circular Aperture |
Yes |
|
Minimum Focus Distance |
0.64 (W) -1.5 (T) |
|
Maximum Magnification ratio (x) |
0.25 |
|
Filter Diameter (mm) |
95/40.5 (Drop-in filter) |
|
Image stabilisation (SteadyShot) |
Optical SteadyShot |
|
Zoom system |
Manual |
|
Teleconverter compatibility (x1.4) |
SEL14TC |
|
Teleconverter compatibility (x2.0) |
SEL20TC |
|
Hood Type |
Round shape, bayonet type |
|
Dimensions (Diameter x Length) |
119.8 x 328 |
|
Weight |
1840 g |
What’s in the Box
- Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Lens
- Hood ALC-SH187
- Lens front cap ALC-F95S
- Lens rear cap ALC-R1EM
- Case (soft case)
- Lens strap
- Case strap
- Slot-in filter
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Our Verdict
The Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS addresses many of the handling compromises photographers traditionally accept with long telephoto zooms. The internal zoom design keeps the lens balanced during handheld tracking, while the constant aperture maintains consistent exposure throughout the zoom range. Faster autofocus performance also improves reliability when photographing birds in flight, motorsport and unpredictable action.
For wildlife, aviation and outdoor sports photographers who spend long periods shooting handheld or tracking fast-moving subjects, this is one of Sony’s most capable professional telephoto zooms to date.
Trade in your existing equipment with Park Cameras and you can use the cash to offset the cost of upgrading to this super tele zoom.
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