World’s Lightest 400mm F2.8 Prime with Ideal Balance for Monopod or Handheld Shooting
Weighing it at only slightly more than 6 lbs., the new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens provides a level of portability and handheld maneuverability that has never before been achieved in a lens of its class. The remarkably light weight of this lens is achieved through an innovative optical design that includes three fluorite elements, with a reduced number of elements deployed at the front of the barrel, as well as the liberal usage of durable magnesium alloy components.

Repeated field tests and evaluation by professional photographers across the world have led to a lens design that is not front-heavy, reducing moment of inertia that resists rotation by up to 50% as compared to the SAL500F40G, ensuring quicker, more precise panning when shooting handheld or on a monopod.

Fast, Precise Autofocus
To best take advantage of the rapidly evolving shooting and focusing speeds of Sony’s latest cameras, the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens features two newly developed high-speed XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors that drive the lens’s focus group, achieving up to a 5x improvement in moving-subject tracking performance. These motors are supported by specially developed motion algorithms to minimize lag and instability, and control noise levels, resulting in exceptionally quick, accurate and quiet autofocus performance. This allows the lens to capture dynamic, fast moving athletes or wildlife with ease.

G Master Image Quality and Bokeh
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 three fluorite elements that help to minimize chromatic aberration and suppress any amount of color bleeding. The lens has also been coated with Sony’s original Nano AR coating to suppress any unwanted reflections, glare, or ghosting.

In addition to the impressive resolution, the lens features an 11-blade circular aperture mechanism that allows it to produce extremely natural and beautiful background defocus or ‘bokeh’.

The new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS is compatible with Sony’s 1.4x and 2.0x E-mount tele-converters, producing outstanding imaging performance at extended focal lengths while maintaining fast, precise AF performance.

Durability, Reliability and Control
To withstand the harsh conditions of sporting events and wildlife photography, Sony’s new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS is built with a durable magnesium alloy and a strong, lightweight carbon fiber hood. The lens is also dust and moisture resistant, and its front element is coated with fluorine to resist dirt and fingerprints.

There is also 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 such as Eye AF functionality, 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 brand new Mode 3 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, which is a first for any Sony lens.

The FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS includes 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.

α9 System Software Update to Support FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS
The latest system software update (Version 3.00) for α9 (ILCE-9) provides support for the new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS (SEL400F28GM) lens to optimize optical image stabilization performance, and enables continuous shooting with auto focus tracking, even when aperture is greater than F11.

The update also provides added option to input the camera serial number to the Exif data, a feature that has been strongly requested by professional sports photographers and photojournalists. Additionally, several other updates to the α9 camera have been implemented with the new firmware, including improved auto focus speed in low light conditions, enhanced continuous AF performance when tracking a moving subject, and reduced release time lag when shooting with flash.

World’s lightest 400mm F2.8 super-telephoto lens
The remarkable light weight and excellent balance of the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens - weighing it at only 6.38 lbs. - is achieved through an innovative optical design that includes three fluorite elements as well as the liberal usage of durable magnesium alloy components. The new design of this well-balanced lens, reduces the number of elements deployed at the front of the barrel, resulting in quicker, more precise panning, whether shooting handheld or on a monopod.

XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors for fast precise autofocus
To make full use of the rapidly evolving performance speed of modern and future camera bodies, the lens’s focus group is driven by two - newly developed - XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors that achieve higher thrust and efficiency than conventional types of AF drive motors. The XD Linear Motors deliver new levels of fast, precise, quiet autofocus operation and contribute to reliable and tenacious AF tracking (up to a 5x improvement3 in moving-subject tracking) that sports photographers will appreciate. Additionally, a new algorithm developed specifically for the XD motors, notably improves their response, minimizing lag and instability that can occur when driving a large aperture focus lens group, resulting in quiet, low-vibration operation.

Superlative G Master quality
All lenses bearing the G Master brand are designed to extremely high standards, ensuring that outstanding contrast at high spatial frequencies is maintained right out to the image edges. The optical design includes three fluorite elements that help to minimize axial chromatic aberration that can be a problem in large-aperture lenses, as well as lateral chromatic aberration that can reduce resolution towards the image periphery. Color bleeding is effectively suppressed, allowing clear reproduction of the finest subject details, while Sony’s original Nano AR coating suppresses any unwanted reflections, glare, or ghosting.

3x fluorite elements, 1x ED glass element reduces flare and ghosting
Based on a new optical design that conforms to stringent G Master standards, the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS includes three fluorite elements and one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass element that help to reduce chromatic aberration, a common problem in telephoto lenses. Extremely high resolution is maintained right out to the image edges. Spherical aberration is optimized to create a perfect balance between high resolution and soft, beautiful bokeh through careful control at both the design and manufacturing stages. Each lens is individually tested and adjusted to achieve ideal characteristics.

Wide F2.8 max aperture
The wide F2.8 max aperture maintains exposure and depth of field while also allowing maximum light for shooting in almost any condition. When changing your aperture to defocus the background, the areas out of the focal plane appear blurred. This ‘bokeh’ effect of the blurred background can be enhanced with circular aperture blades used in this lens.

11-blade circular aperture contributes to gorgeous bokeh
Complementing the wide F2.8 aperture are the 11-blade circular aperture blades that result in soft-edged bokeh that is a hallmark of the Sony G Master series. While conventional aperture blades have flat sides creating unappealing, polygonal shaped defocused points of light. α lenses overcome this problem through a unique design that keeps the aperture almost perfectly circular from its wide-open setting to when it is closed by 2 stops. Smoother, more natural defocusing can be obtained as a result. In addition to careful control of spherical aberration at the design stage, each lens is individually tested and adjusted during manufacture to achieve the highest possible bokeh quality.

Nano AR Coating
Sony’s original Nano AR Coating is applied to interior lens surfaces to effectively suppress reflections that can lead to flare and ghosting, significantly enhancing image clarity and contrast. This precisely defined regular nano-structure allows accurate light transmission, contributing to high-quality images, even more so than with lenses that use coatings with an irregular nano-structure.

Optical SteadyShot^™ image stabilization significantly reduces blur
High-performance Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization is built right into the lens for sharp, blur-free images with a wide range of subjects and handheld shooting. An updated ‘Mode 3’ algorithm6 is optimized for smooth, stable framing of moving subjects. Control features have also been refined to effectively support professional requirements. 5-axis image stabilization becomes available when used with α series cameras that feature built-in image stabilization.

4x customizable multi-function focus hold buttons and function ring
The FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS features focus hold buttons in four locations on the lens barrel for easy access in any shooting situation. Once you’ve adjusted focus to where you want it, pressing one of the focus hold button on the lens barrel will keep the lens locked to that focusing distance. The focus hold buttons can also be customized via a camera body menu, allowing them to be assigned to a different function selected by the user: Eye AF, for example.

Dust and moisture resistant4 for robust reliability
Sony’s lens sealing maximizes resistance to dust and moisture, providing the reliability needed for outdoor use and in challenging environmental conditions as demanded by professional photographers. Additionally, the front lens element features a fluorine coating that helps to prevent dirt and fingerprints from sticking, while making it easier to wipe clean if they do become attached to the lens surface.

Liberal use of magnesium alloy
A durable magnesium alloy is used not only for the lens barrel exterior and tripod mount, but also for interior barrel components as well. This provides the tough durability that demanding professional application require, while minimizing overall weight.

1.4x and 2.0x tele-converter support, with high imaging and AF performance
Optional high-performance 1.4x and 2.0x tele-converters are supported5, providing up to 800mm focal length (1200mm equivalent on APS-C bodies) with an F5.6 maximum aperture*. Outstanding imaging performance and fast, precise AF operation are maintained when either of these excellent tele-converters are used, ensuring that the lens’s superior G Master image quality is not compromised.* Maximum aperture with the 1.4x and 2.0x tele-converters is F4 and F5.6, respectively.

Instant auto/manual focus selection
Instantly and quickly switch between auto and manual focus via an AM/MF switch on the side of the lens. This makes operation faster and easier as you let the camera and lens focus for you, or decide to take control and manually focus on the precise point you chose.

Fluorine front-element coating
The front lens element features a fluorine coating that helps to prevent dirt and fingerprints from sticking, while making it easier to wipe clean if they do become attached to the lens surface.

Full-time DMF
DMF (Direct Manual Focus) give you the ability to instantly switch to manual focus while in autofocus mode. This is particularly useful when acquiring a subject using AF and then allowing you to fine tune your focus point using the manual focus ring. When the FULL TIME DMF switch is ON, manual focus is immediately engaged by simply rotating the focus ring, even while shooting in the AF-C mode. If AF causes focus to shift to a different subject while shooting, the focus ring can be used to quickly bring focus back to the desired subject. It can also be useful when it is necessary to focus beyond a set focus range limit.

Linear Response MF
The focus ring features Linear Response MF for fine, responsive manual focus control. Manual focus changes linearly in response to focus ring rotation, giving you the control immediacy needed for fast, accurate manual focusing.

Focus range limiter
The focus range limit switch allows a limited focus range to be selected when the fastest possible focusing is required. Three settings are provided: FULL, 7m-2.7m, and ∞-7m.

Drop-in filter slot
The FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS includes a filter slot7 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 can be rotated to achieve the desired polarization while installed in the lens.

High-speed, accurate AF tracking at F22 aperture
High-speed, accurate AF tracking for continuous shooting at minimum F22 aperture8 (α9 software must be updated to the latest version). This is an important advantage allowing maximum depth of field to be used without limitations when shooting continuously to follow action and ensuring that AF tracking can keep the subject in focus.

Strong, lightweight carbon fiber lens hood
The supplied lens hood is made of strong, lightweight carbon fiber to minimize added weight. The interior of the hood is lined with flocking to minimize reflections for optimum light control.

Increased mount strength and reliability
While conventional lenses use four mount attachment screws, the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS uses seven. The number of mount attachment screws has been increased to ensure maximum rigidity and durability that will easily withstand professional use.

Versatile high-durability tripod mount
The tripod collar ring employs bearings to ensure smooth rotation as well as high reliability. It also features a switch that engages or disengages click stops which when engaged, easily and quickly allows the user to switch between horizontal and vertical camera orientations in 90-degree click stops as required. The click stops can be disengaged when smooth, low-resistance operation is desired.

Supplied hard carrying case
A dedicated trunk style hard case is supplied to protect the lens from shock and vibration during transport. The case has carrying handles on two sides and a convenient carrying strap.

Function ring
The FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS includes a new function ring with switch selectable for PRESET (preset focus), FUNCTION and OFF positions. When in the PRESET position, the SET button is initially used to memorize the desired focus point, moving the function ring in either direction will immediately set focus to the memorized point. This can be a huge advantage for sports and other rapidly changing situations, allowing focus to be preset in advance and instantly recalled to ensure that the decisive moment is properly captured. This function is available whether shooting with AF or MF, and can focus outside a set focus limit range. When in the FUNCION position, functions can be assigned to the FUNCTION mode via a camera body menu. If Power Focus is assigned and the function ring is rotated, focus shifts smoothly at a speed determined by the amount of function ring rotation. This allows smooth focus shift for movies. If APS-C/Full Frame Select6 is assigned, the function ring can be rotated to switch between APS-C and full-frame angles of view.