Review Sony 70-400 mm f/4-5.6 G SSM (APS-C)
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The Sony 70-400 mm G is one of the Sony lenses from the Gold series, the professional Sony Alpha lenses. The Sony 70 - 400 mm has a full aperture, depending on the focal length, between the aperture 4 and 5.6. The lens is suitable for both a camera with an APS-C sensor and a camera with a full-frame sensor. We have tested the camera on the Sony A77, a camera with an APS-C sensor. |
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 Sony 70-400 mm,@ 400 mm /8, 1/160 + tripod
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| Click on this picture for a magnification of 100%. | The Sony 70-400 mm increases in length substantially as you zoom to 400 mm. The freely added lens hood makes the lens even greater than shown here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Converted to a lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor, the combination of Sony 70-400 mm and the Sony A77 gives a 6x zoom range of 105 to 600 mm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Construction and autofocus |
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The lens is built like a tank and is finished in stylish silver. On the lens are a few buttons, with which you can turn of the AF or limit the focus range, allowing the AF time to be shortened. |
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Image stabilization |
The in-camera image stabilization of the Sony A-77 in combination with the Sony 70-400 is excellent. We have tested the image stabilization at a focal length of 70 mm. Without image stabilization, you can still take reasonably sharp shots to 1/50 seconds. With image stabilization to 1/6 seconds. That is a profit of 3 stops. |
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Vignetting |
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Because the lens is designed for use on a camera with a full-frame sensor, there is hardly any vignetting. Even at full aperture, the maximum vignetting is less than 0.4 stops. Very occasionally, vignetting may be visible in practice when using the Sony 70-400 mm on a camera with an APS-C sensor. Move your mouse over the image to view the other Imatest details. 
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Flare |
The Sony 70-400 mm has virtually no problems with ghosting. With difficulty it worked to create flare with the Sony 70-400 mm without lens hood in the studio. If you use the supplied lens hood, it is virtually impossible that you suffer from ghosting. In this practice shot of the moon, no flare can be seen, while the Sony 70-300 did show flare under similar circumstances. A top performance of the Sony 70-400. |
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Resolution |
The Sony 70-400 mm is a lens that delivers sharp images. Not only over the entire zoom range, but even from full aperture. That is a very good performance. |
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Many telephoto zoom lenses become less sharp as you zoom in further. But that does not apply to the Sony 70-400mm. The resolution at 400 mm is as high as at 300 mm. Very good. Click on the image for a 100% image cropping at 300 mm and 400 mm.
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Chromatic aberration
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The chromatic aberration of the Sony 70-400 mm is low at all focal lengths. In practice, you will encounter no visible chromatic aberration in images taken with the Sony 70-400 mm. |
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Conclusion Sony 70-400 mm f/4-5.6 G SSM review
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Look in our list of reviewed lenses to compare the performance of this lens with other lenses.  WYSIWYG score: This table shows the performance of this lens when you store the files in the camera as jpg, with all available in-camera lens corrections applied. This score gives you for this lens/test camera combination: "What you see is what you get".    The only real con, IMHO, re the Sony 70-400 f/4-5,6 SSM G is is that it is quite slow, similar to the otherwise excellent Sony 70-300 G lens. Both of these lenses possess superb mechanical and optical qualities, however. And both are great assets... The only real con, IMHO, re the Sony 70-400 f/4-5,6 SSM G is is that it is quite slow, similar to the otherwise excellent Sony 70-300 G lens. Both of these lenses possess superb mechanical and optical qualities, however. And both are great assets for any photographer. <br /><br />But, for those who do available light photography, these lenses' slow speed can severely limit their application. Hi Jocelynne,<br /><br />We appreciate it very much when readers add their experience with theis lenses and camera. <br /><br />Thanx for your comments on the AF speed of the Sony 70-400mm and the Sony 70-300 mm lenses. It might be the reason... Hi Jocelynne,<br /><br />We appreciate it very much when readers add their experience with theis lenses and camera. <br /><br />Thanx for your comments on the AF speed of the Sony 70-400mm and the Sony 70-300 mm lenses. It might be the reason Sony recently released a new version of 70-400 mm lens.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Ivo About us | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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