Yasuyuki Nagata at Dpreview: New 600mm lens is designed to be used on faster cameras than the Sony A9!

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Dpreview interviewed Yasuyuki Nagata from Sony. Here are a couple of interesting tidbits:

  • Sony 400mm f/2.8 sales were more than two times higher than estimated
  • 70% of the 400mm GM owners are professionals
  • Unlike the 400mm GM the new 600mm GM is targeted at high-end amateurs (Photographers that shoot birds, wildlife, aircraft). 70-80% of them shoot wildlife
  • The new 200-600mm is G because there are some compromises, for example in the materials, or the body. We didn’t use magnesium-alloy, or the [newer XD linear autofocus] actuator.
  • The 600mm GM to be compatible with cameras that are faster than the A9
  • What kind of camera do A9 owners want as next? Nagata says: “They always request more speed, less weight, greater usability
  • Sony plans new lenses on both on the telephoto side and the wide-angle side

Dpreviews clear take away from this is that the A9II release is not far away:

The a9 is a seriously powerful camera, capable of communicating with compatible lenses at a rate of sixty times per second, but at some point it will be replaced by something even more powerful, with a higher sensor resolution, and capable of even greater performance. A lens like the G Master 600mm F4, with its twin high-speed ‘extreme dynamic (XD)’ linear focus motors, has to be designed with this kind of development in mind.

I told you folks, the A9II is close…and if the rumors we get are right it will be announced in late summer/early autumn!

USA Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
EU Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Asia Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.

 

 

 

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Size comparison between the new 200-600mm and 600mm FE lenses

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via Camerasize

After seeing this image I realized how small the excellent 100-400mm GM is. Still, I prefer the extra reach of the new 200-600mm lens!

USA Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
EU Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Asia Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.

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New Sony 600mm and 200-600mm European/Japanese preorders and price info

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While US readers will have to wait til tomorrow our EU readers can place their preorder on the new lenses right away:

Sony 200-600mm FE at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.

In Japan you can preorder the 600mm GM directly at Sony Japan and the 200-600mm also at Sony Japan.

USA Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera and Adorama.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera and Adorama.

 

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Sony 200-600mm and 600mm FE officially announced!

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USA Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
EU Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Asia Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.

Official press text:
200-600mm press text on SAR. 600mm press text on SAR.

Official product pages:
600mm FE on Sony US. 200-600mm FE on Sony US.

Press coverage:
Hands-on with the 200-600mm and 600mm lensses by Dpreview.
200-600mm Image samples by Dpreview.
600mm Image samples by Dpreview.
600mm review so far by CameraLabs
200-600mm review so far by CameraLabs.
600mm hands-on photos by Photographyblog.
200-600mm image samples by Photographyblog.
200-600mm hands-on photos by Photographyblog.
600mm image samples by Photographyblog.
Sony 600 mm f4 GM y 200-600 mm f5.6-6.3: prueba de campo (Photolari)
Will Burrard-Lucas made his 200-600mm images available for download on Dropbox.
200-600mm Image samples on Sony.net.
600mm Image samples on Sony.net.

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SEL600F40GM
SEL200600G

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Press Release: Sony Announces New FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS Super-telephoto Zoom Lens

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USA Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
EU Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Asia Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.

Sony Announces New FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS Super-telephoto Zoom Lens

SAN DIEGO — June 11, 2019 — Sony Electronics Inc. today announced another new lens for their expanding full-frame FE lens lineup, the new FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS super-telephoto zoom lens (model SEL200600G).

Sony’s furthest reaching E-mount zoom, the new G Lens™ series model utilizes many of the company’s most advanced lens design technologies to ensure excellent image quality, high-performance autofocus (AF) and outstanding control. When paired with any of the latest, fastest E-mount camera bodies, it will reliably track and accurately capture all types of moving subjects, including birds, wildlife, athletes in motion and much more.

“We will continue to innovate and expand upon our E-mount lens lineup, which now features 33 full-frame models and 51 lenses in total. The new 200-600mm super-telephoto zoom lens gives Sony’s camera users yet another powerful tool to realize their vision,” said Neal Manowitz, deputy president for Imaging and Professional Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics. “For wildlife or bird photographers, sports photography enthusiasts and many others, it offers a new level of creative freedom, striking the ultimate balance between performance and portability.”

Key Features – New FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS super-telephoto zoom lens

Extended reach with built-in stabilization

  • Versatile tele-zoom range from 200mm telephoto to 600mm super-telephoto
  • Compatible with Sony’s E-mount 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters, extending the reach to a maximum of 840mm at F9 or 1200mm at F13 with outstanding image quality and AF performance
  • Built-in optical stabilization with three different mode settings, enabling images that are sharp and in-focus at extended super-telephoto focal lengths

High resolution and corner-to-corner sharpness throughout the entire zoom range

  • Five extra-low dispersion (ED) glass elements and an aspherical element, arranged in a new optical design that minimizes chromatic aberration
  • 11-blade circular aperture mechanism that ensures beautiful bokeh
  • Coated with Sony’s original Nano AR coating to suppress unwanted reflections, glare or ghosting in images

Fast, precise and quiet autofocus[i]

  • Equipped with Sony’s Direct Drive SSM (DDSSM) focusing system, which has the power and precision needed to drive the lens mechanism for remarkably fast, accurate focusing
  • Advanced focus system for exceptionally quiet operation, avoiding any unwanted noise that can disrupt an unpredictable subject like a resting bird or other forms of wildlife

Internal zoom mechanism for reliable and stable handheld shooting

  • Overall lens length does not change while zooming, maintaining consistent balance and distance between the front of the lens and desired shooting subject
  • A fixed-length structure – internal zoom mechanism – retains high resistance to dust and moisture[ii] in order to deal with difficult outdoor conditions
  • Quick zoom operation with light zoom ring torque

Refined control and reliability for use in the field

  • Focus ring featuring Linear Response MF for fine, responsive manual focus control
  • Three customizable focus-hold buttons, plus a Focus Range Limiter
  • Dust and moisture resistant design[ii] and fluorine coating on the front element to resist dirt and fingerprints

Pricing and Availability

The FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS will ship in August 2019 for approximately $2,000 US and $2,600 CA. It will be sold at a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers throughout North America.

1. When the NEX series, ILCE-3000/3500, ILCE-5000/5100, ILCE-7/7R/7S, is attached, the autofocus function is limited. For details, please visit our support site.

https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/cscs/lens_body/?area=gwt&lang=en&mdl=SEL200600G&cat=3

2. Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof

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Press Release: Sony Introduces the New Super-telephoto 600mm F4 G Master Prime Lens

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USA Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Amazon, BHphoto, FocusCamera, BuyDig and Adorama.
EU Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Calumet DE. WexUK. ParkCameras. Calumet NL. Cameratools NL.
Asia Preorders:
Sony 200-600mm FE at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.
Sony 600mm FE GM at Sony Japan. Sony Australia.

Sony Introduces the New Super-telephoto 600mm F4 G Master Prime Lens

Sony’s Longest Reaching Prime Lens is World’s Lightest in its Class, Featuring High-performance Autofocus, High Resolution and Beautiful Bokeh

SAN DIEGO — June 11, 2019 — Sony Electronics Inc. today announced another impressive addition to its flagship full-frame G Master™ series lens lineup: the new FE 600mm F4 GM OSS super-telephoto prime lens (model SEL600F40GM).

As Sony’s longest reaching prime lens, the new 600mm includes many of the company’s most advanced optical and mechanical technologies, producing exceptional image quality with extraordinary focusing speed and precision. The FE 600mm F4 GM OSS is also the lightest lens in its class[i], weighing in at approx. 6.71 lbs., and features an extremely balanced design to ensure the best possible shooting experience. Along with the acclaimed FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens, the new 600mm lens gives professional sports, wildlife and news photographers more options for capturing subjects at a great distances with extreme accuracy and detail.

“With two new lenses announced today, our growing E-mount lens lineup now includes 33 full-frame models and 51 lenses in total,” said Neal Manowitz, deputy president for Imaging and Professional Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics. “The tenth model from our flagship G Master series, the new 600mm F4 raises the bar for speed, mobility and control in a super-telephoto prime lens. Combining the extensive 600mm reach with features like 20 fps shooting and AF/AE calculations at 60 times per second on the α9 or extremely high resolution, high-speed performance on the α7R III allow professional photographers to create images that were simply not possible to capture before.”

Fast, Precise and Quiet Autofocus[ii]

To take best advantage of the highly evolved autofocus systems of Sony’s latest full-frame E-mount cameras, the new FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens features two extreme dynamic (XD) linear motors that drive the lens’ focus group to provide fast, precise AF and reliable subject tracking. These motors are supported by specially developed motion algorithms to minimize lag and instability, as well as to control noise levels, resulting in exceptionally quick, accurate and quiet autofocus performance, allowing the lens to capture dynamic, fast moving athletes or wildlife with ease.

Superb G Master Image Quality and Bokeh

As a member of Sony’s flagship G Master series lenses, this new large aperture super-telephoto prime lens features an incredible level of image quality and detail, with outstanding contrast and resolution maintained all the way to the corners of the image. The unique optical design includes a large extreme aspherical (XA) element that effectively suppress all common telephoto lens aberrations, in addition to three fluorite elements that help to minimize chromatic aberration and suppress any amount of color bleeding. Sony’s latest bokeh simulation technologies and XA element are also utilized to control spherical aberration and help achieve exquisite bokeh.

The lens features an 11-blade circular aperture mechanism that contributes to the high quality of bokeh in images, and it has been coated with Sony’s original Nano AR coating to suppress any unwanted reflections, glare or ghosting in images.

The new FE 600mm F4 GM OSS is compatible with Sony’s 1.4x and 2.0x E-mount tele-converters, producing outstanding imaging performance at extended focal lengths[iii] while maintaining fast, precise AF performance.

Lightweight, Balanced Design

The new super-telephoto prime lens provides a level of portability and maneuverability that has never been achieved before in a lens of its class. Based on technology from the acclaimed FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens, the lightweight design of the new 600mm lens is achieved through the usage of three fluorite elements, with a reduced number of elements deployed at the front of the barrel. Magnesium alloy is also used throughout the lens to help minimize weight and bulk.

Also inherited from FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS, the new 600mm lens features a lens design that is not front-heavy, reducing moment of inertia that resists rotation and ensuring quicker, more precise panning when shooting handheld or on a monopod.

Durability, Reliability and Control

To withstand the harsh conditions of sporting events and wildlife photography, Sony’s new FE 600mm F4 GM OSS is built with a durable magnesium alloy and a strong, lightweight carbon fiber hood. The lens is dust and moisture resistant[iv], and its front element is coated with fluorine to resist dirt and fingerprints.

FE 600mm F4 GM OSS features an ample number of hard controls on the lens, including customizable focus-hold buttons in four different locations on the lens barrel, which can be programmed for control of features, if desired. There is also a Full-Time DMF switch to immediately engage manual focus at any point, and a focus ring that features Linear Response MF for fine, responsive manual focus.

Additionally, the new lens includes built-in optical stabilization for dynamic action and three different ‘Mode’ settings, including a Mode 3[v] setting with an advanced algorithm that ensures easier framing when following moving subjects. It also features a function ring with selectable ‘Preset’ and ‘Function’ settings, and a drop-in filter slot that accepts ø 40.5mm ND and other filter types, as well as the optional VF-DCPL1 Drop-in Circular Polarizing Filter. The VF-DCPL1 filter can be rotated to achieve the desired polarization while installed in the lens.

Pricing and Availability

The FE 600mm F4 GM OSS will ship in August 2019 for approximately $13,000 US and $16,900 CA. It will be sold at a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers throughout North America.

[i] Compared to interchangeable 600mm F4 lenses for 35mm full-frame format camera bodies, as of June 2019. Sony survey

[ii] When the NEX series, ILCE-3000/3500, ILCE-5000/5100, ILCE-7/7R/7S, is attached, the autofocus function is limited. For details, please visit our support site.

https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/cscs/lens_body/?area=gwt&lang=en&mdl=SEL600F40GM&cat=3

[iii] Maximum aperture with the 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters is F5.6 and F8, respectively

[iv] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof

[v] MODE 3 is supported by the latest α9/α7R III/α7 III software version. Refer to the Sony support site for camera body compatibility information

 

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