Affordable may not be one’s first thought when considering £2400 and £3300 lenses but compared to the prices of Sony’s existing fast aperture telephoto options the new G Master FE 400mm f/4.5 GM OSS and 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS are relative bargains. If you can’t spare just over £10,000 for a 400mm f/2.8 or £12,000 for a 600mm f/4 you’ll be relieved to know Sony’s new 400mm and 600mm lenses for the full frame E-mount system can be yours for a fraction of the cost. The only compromise is that the maximum apertures of the new lenses are a stop and a bit smaller, but the upside is that not only are they lighter on the wallet they are also lighter in the hand. Sony says its new lenses, weighing 994g and 995g, are the lightest of their type in the world – for reference the company’s existing FE 600mm f/4 OSS G Master weighs 3040g, so this is quite a difference.
The idea of this new pair of lenses isn’t to replace the current models, but to lower the barrier to entry for wildlife and sport photographers who can’t justify the cost of the wider aperture lenses, and to offer a more travel-friendly set of lenses that will be more portable. The new lenses will also be more practical for those who shoot handheld as they’ll be easier to hold for long periods of time. These lower costs lenses will also make the whole Sony system more attractive to wildlife and sports shooters, as it will broaden the appeal of the E-Mount in general and open the benefits of the high frame rates of the Alpha 9 series in particular. This release may also pull some users away from independent lens manufacturer Sigma, which has been offering Sony E-mount users some excellent choices with its 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports lens for under £6000, and a 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports that still sits firmly between these two new models but with a weight of 1365g.
The Sony G Master FE 400mm f/4.5 GM OSS and 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS will be available at the end of September 2026, and will cost £2400/€2800 and £3300/€3900.
For more information see the Sony website.
Press release
Sony Announces New 400mm and 600mm G Master™ Super-Telephoto Prime Lenses, the World’s Lightest*1 Lenses in Their Class
Sony today announced two new G Master™ super telephoto prime lenses for the Alpha™ full-frame E-mount system, the FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS with a focal length of 400 mm and the FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS with a focal length of 600mm, both are the world’s lightest*1 lenses in their respective categories.
The FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS weighs approximately 994g*2 and the FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS approximately 995g*2, achieving the world’s lightest*1 design in their respective categories. Their lightweight design makes them suitable for dynamic shooting styles that involve exploring the environment to identify and capture photographic opportunities and subjects. In addition, their carefully optimised weight balance provides excellent control during handheld shooting, including situations that require photographers to continuously keep subjects framed or track moving subjects. These features broaden the flexibility of super telephoto photography for subjects such as birds, wildlife and sports.
The lenses deliver the exceptional resolution and beautiful bokeh that define the G Master series across the super telephoto range, capturing distant subjects in fine detail. In addition, fast, precise and quiet AF performance enables photographers to quickly capture fast-moving subjects.
“When shooting super telephoto photography to capture subjects such as birds, wildlife and sports, both excellent handling and high imaging performance are required, whilst photographers must often carry their equipment around whilst pursuing their shooting subject. Thanks to their world’s lightest design*1, the FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS and FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS offer excellent portability and handling. For subjects that remain just out of reach, the FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS brings distant subjects closer, revealing remarkable detail while allowing photographers to maintain a respectful distance. “The FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS captures subjects large in the frame while also including the background in the composition, enabling images with a strong sense of presence The FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS takes advantage of its long 600 mm focal length to capture subjects that are difficult to approach at a larger scale, enabling powerful visual expression.
By expanding its super telephoto lens line-up, Sony continues to support creators in broadening their range of expression with lens choices suited to different subjects and shooting styles,” said Jazz Sidharh, Lens and Peripheral Marketing Manager, Imaging Products and Solutions, Sony Europe.
Pricing and availability:
Both lenses will be available to buy from end of September 2026, FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS for approx. 2,800EUR/2,400GBP and FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS for approx. 3,900EUR/3,300GBP*
*Pricing may vary by country and region.
Key Features of the FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS and FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS:
- Lightweight and Compact Design with Excellent Handling for Super Telephoto Shooting
The FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS weighs approximately 994g*2 and the FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS approximately 995g*2, achieving the world’s lightest design*1 in their respective categories.
The FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS measures approximately 108 mm in maximum diameter and 242 mm in length, while the FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS measures approximately 108 mm in maximum diameter and 263 mm in length. Their compact dimensions enhance portability and enable comfortable handling and control during handheld shooting.
In addition, a weight balance designed to shift the centre of gravity closer to the camera body makes it easier to maintain framing on a subject, track moving subjects and perform panning shots. The lightweight design and ease of handling increase flexibility in super telephoto photography, making it easier to search for subjects while shooting handheld especially even in environments where a tripod or monopod may be difficult to use, as well as during long handheld shooting sessions.
- High Resolution and Beautiful Bokeh Characteristic of G Master
The latest optical design incorporating three Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and one ED glass element effectively suppresses chromatic aberration and other optical aberrations that commonly occur at super telephoto focal lengths, delivering high resolution from the centre of the image to the edges.
Sony’s proprietary Nano AR Coating II significantly reduces ghosting and flare even in backlit conditions, delivering clear and crisp imagery.
In addition, an 11-blade circular aperture and optimisation of spherical aberration during both the design and manufacturing processes achieve the beautifully smooth bokeh characteristic of G Master.
- Fast, Precise and Quiet AF Performance and Optical Image Stabilisation for Stable Super Telephoto Shooting
Two XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors and a control algorithm optimised specifically for these lenses deliver fast, precise and quiet AF performance. This enables reliable tracking of fast-moving subjects such as birds, wildlife and sports. The lenses are fully compatible with Alpha 9 III continuous shooting at up to 120 fps with AF/AE tracking.*3
The lenses incorporate built-in optical image stabilisation, helping to reduce camera shake during handheld shooting at super telephoto focal lengths.
The lenses also support the camera body’s Active Mode image stabilisation and coordinated image stabilisations control*4, enabling high-quality still-image and movie shooting with reduced blur, even when shooting handheld. Furthermore, it supports the camera body’s breathing compensation function*5, which corrects changes in angle of view caused by shifts in focus position during movie recording.
- Operability, Reliability and Expandability for Super Telephoto Photography
Aiding in the excellent operability, four customisable focus hold buttons are positioned around the lens barrel.
The lenses are also equipped with a function ring, focus range limiter, Full-time DMF switch, focus mode switch and image stabilisation mode switch, enabling intuitive operation according to different shooting styles.
Compatible with Sony’s optional teleconverters*6, the FE 400MM F4.5 GM OSS can achieve focal lengths of up to 800 mm, while the FE 600MM F6.3 GM OSS can achieve up to 1200 mm.
The lenses feature a dust and moisture resistant design*7 and a fluorine coating on the front lens element that helps resist contaminants, supporting use in a variety of outdoor shooting environments.