Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Is Sony’s Longest Telephoto Zoom Lens

Feb 26, 2025

Jeremy Gray

A white and black telephoto camera lens with a tripod mount is displayed against a light gray background. The lens features labeled controls and a "G" logo near its base.

Sony announced the FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS telephoto zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It is the company’s longest telephoto zoom lens, besting the prior record-holder, the Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS.

The 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS is a natural comparison for Sony’s new telephoto lens, as the 400-800mm f/6.3-8 targets the same audience: wildlife photographers. The 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G trades focal length at the wide end for reach on the long end, dropping from a 3x zoom to a 2x in the process. It also loses some light-gathering capabilities across the board to achieve the longer focal length.

As for its design, the 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS looks very similar to 2019’s 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3, sporting the same aesthetics and nearly the same size. The 400-800mm lens is slightly longer [346 millimeters (13.6 inches) versus 317 millimeters (12.5 inches)], a bit thicker [119.8 millimeters (4.7 inches) rather than 111.5 millimeters (4.4 inches)], and, at 2,475 grams (5.5 pounds), the 400-800mm is 360 grams (0.8 pounds) heavier.

Large telephoto camera lens mounted on a tripod, pointing left. The lens is predominantly white with black accents and various control switches. The attached camera body is black. The background is an out-of-focus, light blue sky or water scene.

The Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS features three focus hold buttons, an autofocus mode switch, a focus limiter, and Optical SteadyShot (OSS) controls. This is the same array as the 200-600’s switches, save for a new DMF on/off toggle switch. The lens has zoom and focus rings, of course, and the zoom ring has about 90 degrees of rotation from 400mm to 800mm, ensuring it is easy for photographers to zoom in and out. The lens also supports linear response MF.

There are considerable differences on the inside, too. The Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS features 27 elements in 19 groups, up from 24 in 17. The 400-800mm f/6.3-8 features a half dozen extra-low dispersion (ED) elements to minimize chromatic aberrations. The lens features an 11-bladed circular aperture diaphragm.

Person in a red beanie and brown jacket using a large camera with a telephoto lens to take a photo of a distant landscape over water. The scene appears cold and overcast.

The autofocus system is also different, taking advantage of Sony’s ever-evolving autofocus technology. While 2019 is not that long ago, much has changed in the world of Sony lenses since the 200-600mm arrived in stores. The 400-800mm features a pair of powerful linear motors, ensuring fast, precise, and nearly silent autofocusing. The lens has been designed with focus breathing in mind, so videographers should be able to enjoy the new telephoto zoom lens without needing to rely on digital breathing compensation, although the lens supports it.

Camera technology has changed, too, with the a9 III launching in late 2023. The new 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G is fully capable of keeping pace with the a9 III’s groundbreaking 120 frames per second continuous shooting.

The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 1.7 meters (5.8 feet) at 400mm, delivering a maximum magnification of 0.23x. The minimum focusing distance at 800mm is three meters (9.8 feet), resulting in a slight dip in magnification prowess at the max focal length.

Close-up of a white telephoto camera lens attached to a black camera. The lens features multiple switches for autofocus and stabilization settings. It is mounted on a tripod collar. The setup is set against a plain, light background.