Sony Introduces Super-Telephoto 600mm F4 G Master Prime Lens

From Sony:

Sony introduces the new 600mm f/4 G Master lens, further expanding the Sony native mirrorless lens line which are designed from the ground up for Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras. Matched with the Sony a9, the new lens is poised to become a mainstay of professional sports and wildlife photographers.

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 (1), 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 a9 or extremely high resolution, high-speed performance on the a7R III allow professional photographers to create images that were simply not possible to capture before.”

Fast, Precise & Quiet Autofocus (2)

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 & 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 (3) 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 & Control

To withstand the harsh conditions of sporting events and wildlife photography, the new Sony 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 (4), 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 setting (5) 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 & 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.

Notes:

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

2. 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.

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

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

5. MODE 3 is supported by the latest a9/a7R III/a7 III software version. Refer to the Sony support site for camera body compatibility information

 
The Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens is available for preorder starting at 11am ET, Thu Jun 13 (be sure to support us by using our links if making this lens part of your kit!): B&H | Adorama