Sub-$1000, teleconverter-compatible long zoom provides gateway to sports and wildlife shooting (in good light)
Sony has announced the FE 100-400mm F5.6-8.0 OSS, a comparatively small, comparatively affordable long tele for E-mount cameras.
Unlike its immediate peers or faster but heavier third-party rivals, the FE 100-400mm F5.6-8.0 is compatible with Sony’s teleconverters, meaning it can be converted into a 140-560mm F8.0-11 or a 200-800mm F11-16, if you need the extra reach and have sufficient light to play with.
Like Canon’s similarly-specced RF 100-400mm IS USM lens, it’s appreciably smaller and lighter than Tamron’s 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 or Sigma’s 100-400mm F5.0-6.3. At 645g (23.1oz) it’s around half the weight of either of those options, though also a fair bit slower, especially as you zoom.
The optical formula consists of fifteen elements arranged in ten groups. These include two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements and two aspheric elements. Focus is powered by a pair of linear motors (though not Sony’s smoother, more powerful ‘XD’ ones). The company says the lens is compatible with the 120fps shooting mode on its a9 III camera.
When retracted the lens is 165mm long and 78mm in diameter (6.5 x 3.1″). It accepts a relatively affordable 67mm diameter filter. It’s designed to be dust and moisture resistant and comes bundled with a lens hood.
Although designed for full-frame cameras, it can also be used on APS-C models, giving a 150-600mm equivalent range, though its relatively slow aperture at the long end is likely to limit you to bright light working, even before you consider adding a teleconverter.
Sony tells us the FE 100-400mm F5.6-8.0 OSS is designed to offer a sub-$1000 entry point to its camera users who want to try their hands at wildlife photography or some sports shooting. Despite this entry-level position in the lineup, the lens has pair of focus hold buttons, positioned so they can be reached in portrait or landscape orientation. It also has a zoom lock switch and a focus limiter switch, that means the autofocus only focuses between 3m and infinity: preventing close-range hunting when you’re shooting distant subjects.
With the switch set to full range, the lens will focus down to 1.13m (3.7′) at the short end of its range and 0.86m (2.8′) at the long end. This gives a maximum magnification of 0.41x.
The lens will be available in September, with a recommended price of $850.
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Sony Electronics Launches SEL100400 – FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS, The Perfect Hobbyist’s Super-Telephoto Zoom Lens
Delivering Outstanding Mobility and Excellent Image Quality Across the Entire Zoom Range
San Diego, August 4, 2026 – Sony Electronics introduces SEL100400 – FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS, a super-telephoto zoom lens for 35mm full-frame Alpha™ E-mount cameras. Despite its super-telephoto reach of up to 400mm, the lens stays compact and lightweight, weighing just 654g (approx.). Its latest optical design incorporates two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and two aspherical elements, delivering excellent image quality and clear rendering across the entire zoom range no matter how far away the subject is. The lens also features fast, precise AF (autofocus) and built-in optical image stabilization to support handheld shooting, letting you quickly capture moving subjects such as birds, sports, trains, and aircraft.
“With the needs of a large set of hobbyist photographers in mind, from birders to parents, we used our expertise in professional lens technology to create a high-quality, affordable super-telephoto zoom lens that will go the distance,” said Yang Cheng, Vice President of Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics.
Pricing and Availability:
The SEL100400 – FE 100-400MM F5.6-8 OSS will be available for a suggested retail price of $849.99 USD / $1,079.99 CAD from September 2026.
Key Features of SEL100400 – FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS:
Compact, Lightweight Design for Easy Handling, Even for First-Time Super-Telephoto Users
The lens delivers a 100-400mm super-telephoto zoom range in a compact, lightweight body weighing approximately 654g, making it easy to carry. That portability also eases handling during handheld shooting and speeds up framing. You can capture powerful images of subjects that are hard to approach, such as birds and sports scenes, and use the ‘compression effect’ (which makes the distance between nearby subjects and distant background elements appear shorter) for landscape work unique to super-telephoto lenses. With an optional SEL20TC teleconverter*1, you can double your reach, up to 800mm, or up to 1,200mm in APS-C mode.
Sharp Detail Through the Entire Zoom Range Means You Can Capture the Details That Matter
Excellent image quality holds whatever the shooting distance, thanks to an optical design with two ED glass elements and two aspherical elements that suppress color bleeding and distortion for clear rendering across the entire zoom range. The subject stands out against natural, soft bokeh, helped by a 9-blade circular aperture and optimization of spherical aberration. Its close-up performance is strong too: a minimum focusing distance of 0.86 m at the telephoto end and 1.13 m at the wide end, with a maximum magnification of 0.41x, lets you shoot flowers, insects, and other nearby subjects as easily as distant ones.
Fast, Precise AF and Built-In Optical Image Stabilization for Moving Subjects
The linear motor drive delivers fast, precise, and quiet AF (auto focus) to track moving subjects. The lens also supports high-speed continuous shooting with AF/AE (auto exposure) tracking at up to approximately 120 frames per second*2 with the full-frame mirrorless α9 III camera.
Built-in optical image stabilization suppresses camera shake during handheld shooting and keeps framing stable, even with distant subjects. The lens also works with the camera body’s Active Mode image stabilization and coordinated image stabilization control3, for high-quality stills and movies with reduced blur when shooting handheld. It also supports the camera body’s breathing compensation function4, which corrects changes in angle of view caused by shifts in focus position during movie recording.
Usability and Reliability Built for Outdoor Adventures with Dust and Moisture Resistance
A customizable focus hold button, focus mode/range switching dial, and zoom lock switch give you quick operation across shooting scenes and comfortable ultra-telephoto handling. A dust and moisture resistant design*5 helps you keep shooting with confidence when the weather changes unexpectedly. The supplied lens hood helps prevent flare and ghosting that can degrade image quality.
The SEL100400 – FE 100-400MM F5.6-8 OSS product video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/n0PeWyK0nV4
For more information, visit:
https://electronics.sony.com/imaging/lenses/all-e-mount/p/sel100400
https://www.sony.ca/en/electronics/camera-lenses/sel100400
Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new SEL100400 – FE 100-400MM F5.6-8 OSS and Sony’s other imaging products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to inform, educate, and inspire content creators.
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