Photo by Matt Kloskowski. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/4000-sec., f/4.5, ISO 800

Hands On With The Sony 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master – See The First Shots

Reading Time 5 min.

Author Alpha Universe

Date 2026.05.13

The Sony 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master lens was just announced and, you guessed it…the lens delivers the exceptional resolution and bokeh that define the G Master series. A select group of creatives received the lens in advance to take it for a test spin. See some of their first images taken using the new lens below and read what they have to say about its performance. Photos by Sal D'Alia, Melissa Groo, Matt Kloskowski, Patrick Murphy-Racey and Miguel Quiles. Learn more about the 100-400mm f/4.5 Master HERE.

Creators Test The New 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master

“I like the flexibility the 100-400mm focal range gives me for a diversity of wildlife. Where I live, right now I’m photographing everything from birds to foxes, sometimes within the same session. With this lens I’m able to very quickly zoom in or out for a different-sized subject that may be in my frame for only a brief moment. And, given the fixed aperture of f/4.5, getting all that light at the long end is indispensable for me, as I’m often photographing birds in the forest.” – Melissa Groo

A barred owl with brown-and-white streaked plumage perches upright on a lichen-covered branch, staring forward with large dark eyes against a dark, green-leafed forest background.

Photo by Melissa Groo. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/800-sec., f/9, ISO 6400

A vibrant male northern cardinal with bright red plumage and a distinctive crest perches on a lichen-covered branch surrounded by clusters of white spring blossoms and fresh green leaves.

Photo by Melissa Groo. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/1250-sec., f/6.3, ISO 1600

“I compared the 400GM, the 300GM with the 1.4X attached, and the 100-400GM at 400mm f/4.5 and did a comparison. The results were shocking. The f/4.5 lens matched up really well with even the 400GM in terms of bokeh and the out of focus backgrounds of the images. Overall, the 100-400GM joins an elite club of the fastest and most accurately focusing lenses made to date along with the 70-200GMII, 300GM, 400-800G and 50-150GM.” – Patrick Murphy-Racey

A Maryville softball pitcher winds up to throw, holding a yellow softball at her side with a leather glove on the opposite hand, her expression focused and intense against a blurred green field and orange outfield wall.

Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey. Alpha V. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/3200-sec., f/4.5, ISO 400

A softball player in a white and maroon Maryville uniform swings a bat at a yellow softball at home plate, with two spectators seated in folding chairs visible in the blurred background.

Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey. Alpha V. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/3200-sec., f/4.5, ISO 400

“I primarily photographed shore birds along the beach. The weight and feel of the lens are excellent. It felt balanced while handholding and even though it’s close to the size of the 200-600mm, I found it lighter and easier to handle.” – Matt Kloskowski

A reddish egret leaps low over calm blue water with wings fully spread, legs lifted and water droplets flying from its talons, with a blurred sandy shoreline and green vegetation in the background.

Photo by Matt Kloskowski. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/4000-sec., f/4.5, ISO 320

“Overall, I thought it was an excellent lens – sharp, smartly designed, and very enjoyable to use. The sharpness/quality stood out the most, I was actually a fan of the previous version because of the portability. This lens definitely requires more space in the bag and forces you to be used more. The quality is definitely a step up, along with how responsive and easy the lens felt in the field.” – Sal D’Alia

A close-up portrait of a western lowland gorilla gazing directly into the camera with calm, deeply expressive brown eyes, its silver-gray fur detailed against a blurred green and brown natural background.

Photo by Sal D’Alia. Alpha 7R VI. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/160-sec., f/4.5, ISO 1600

An extreme close-up of a gorilla's large, textured black hand and knuckles pressed against sparse grass and bare earth, with a blurred sunlit green background.

Photo by Sal D’Alia. Alpha 7R VI. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/160-sec., f/4.5, ISO 1600

“100-400mm is a sweet spot for wildlife. It allows me to get so many different compositions (tight, middle, wide) from a safe distance. There were a couple of images where the camera was able to acquire focus on a bird that was obstructed by branches that I feel would have been impossible to capture with the prior generation. Sony has been sprinkling some magic fairy dust on these new GM lenses, making the image quality that I’m seeing look truly special!” – Miguel Quiles

A small crested bird, likely a tufted titmouse, perches on a dark lichen-covered branch beside a wisp of green pine needles, facing right against a soft, overcast gray-white sky background.

Photo by Miguel Quiles. Alpha 7R VI. 100-400mm f.4.5 G Master. 1/1000-sec., f/6.3, ISO 400

A juvenile American alligator rests at the edge of a paved path, its textured gray-brown head and scaly body partially hidden among low green vegetation, wildflowers, and small purple buds in the blurred background.

Photo by Miguel Quiles. Alpha 7R VI. 100-400mm f.4.5 G Master.

“The constant f/4.5 aperture was the most standout feature. Getting all that light at the long end is indispensable for me, as someone who is often photographing birds and other animals in the forest and in low light. And I don’t have to change my exposure when moving to different focal lengths! Its incredibly fast AF speed! And excellent sharpness. Even with both the 1.4x and the 2x teleconverters! In fact, I ended up using the lens a lot with the 2x teleconverter attached, so at an aperture of f/8. I love the internal zoom design! So elegant and fluid. I also loved the ability to lock the zoom mechanism of the lens. I kept mine at the tight setting, to make sure I didn’t inadvertently change the zoom by mistake. And even at the tight setting it was still smooth and swift to adjust the zoom. I thought the bokeh was exceptional. Aesthetically, at times it reminded me of the bokeh my 600mm f/4 GM lens has.” – Melissa Groo

A blue jay with a raised blue crest and white chest perches quietly on a bare branch amid early spring buds and emerging green leaves, set against a soft, muted brown and green background.

Photo by Melissa Groo. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/1600-sec., f/9, ISO 2000

Two red fox kits play-fight on a bright green lawn, one leaping upward with mouth open as the other rears up on its hind legs to meet it, with yellow dandelions dotting the grass in the background.

Photo by Melissa Groo. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/2500-sec., f/9, ISO 5000

“The constant aperture is essential for serious stills and video shooters alike. None of us want to keep up with a changing aperture while working. The AF speed and accuracy is super quick and when used with the Alpha 1 II, Alpha 9 III and the Alpha 7 V – the lens really comes alive. The sharpness of the lens is excellent wide open at very focal length.” – Patrick Murphy-Racey

Two male lacrosse players face off during a game, with the player in the foreground wearing a white helmet and green-and-gold gloves cradling a lacrosse stick while a player in a navy number 29 jersey stands opposite him. A lacrosse ball is visible in the

Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey. Alpha 1. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/4000-sec., f/4.5, ISO 2000

Two football players leap simultaneously to contest a pass, one in a white jersey and one in all black, both reaching upward with hands extended toward the football above them, on a sunlit green grass field during practice.

Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey. Alpha 1. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/3200-sec., f/4.5, ISO 1600

“My single favorite thing is the ability to shoot at f/4.5 throughout the range of the lens. Having f/4.5 definitely helped in lower light to keep the ISO in check, and also helped with background separation of the birds.” – Matt Kloskowski

A reddish egret glides in full flight just above calm water at golden hour, its broad wings fully extended and backlit by warm sunlight, with a dark green treeline in the background and water droplets trailing from its feet.

Photo by Matt Kloskowski. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/4000-sec., f/4.5, ISO 1600

“My favorite aspect was how sharp the images were throughout the zoom range, also how short the throw of the zoom is. It felt very refined and dependable overall, and it made shooting wildlife both easy and enjoyable.” – Sal D’Alia

A large tiger with vivid orange and black stripes wades through a dark, rippling body of water, its head lowered toward the surface, surrounded by lush green foliage.

Photo by Sal D’Alia. Alpha 7R VI. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/640-sec., f/4.5, ISO 640

A close-up of a red panda's face peering through green bamboo leaves, its rust-colored fur and white-tipped ears prominent as it holds a leaf near its mouth with tongue slightly visible.

Photo by Sal D’Alia. Alpha 7R VI. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/400-sec., f/4.5, ISO 640

“I loved my time shooting with this lens! The weight was perfect for me as I spent hours hauling it around trying to capture local wildlife. The bokeh looks really nice, akin to some other GM lenses that I really love (like the 135GM for example).” – Miguel Quiles

A single slender wild grass stem stands in sharp focus against a dreamy, heavily blurred background of green foliage and soft circular bokeh highlights from sunlight filtering through leaves and water

Photo by Miguel Quiles. Alpha 7R VI. 100-400mm f.4.5 G Master. 1/1600-sec., f/6.3, ISO 400

“I think Sony really nailed it balancing the aperture of this lens with its lightness. Because it weighs so little--4 lbs!—I can quickly maneuver it, or swing it up to take a photo of a suddenly appearing or fast moving bird or fox. I can’t imagine how much heavier (and more expensive!) this would have been if it were a fixed 4.0 lens! I think this is a really perfect balance. Sony has always been at the leading edge of compact, light-weight gear, which is a big reason I switched to them years ago. This lens is an outstanding example of that.” – Melissa Groo

A young red fox kit lies stretched out on a weathered wooden step, tongue licking its nose and paws extended forward, basking in sunlight near a stone foundation with small green plants visible below.

Photo by Melissa Groo. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/1600-sec., f/9, ISO 3200

A young red fox kit stalks low through a lush green meadow filled with yellow dandelions, head tilted downward as it moves forward, with a dark blurred tree line in the background.

Photo by Melissa Groo. Alpha 1 II. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/2500-sec., f/9, ISO 4000

“I loved the lack of bulk, the sharpness at every focal length, the lack of weight, and the balance of the lens overall. It’s going to be a very popular lens with its many attributes and attractive price point. I plan on adding it to my kit and can see myself using it along with the 400-800G for nature, birding and field sports like field hockey, lacrosse, football, baseball, softball and soccer.” – Patrick Murphy-Racey

A gray squirrel perches on a moss-covered tree branch, holding a small piece of food in its front paws with its mouth slightly open, set against a soft bokeh green forest background.

Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey. Alpha 1. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/3200-sec., f/4.5, ISO 1600

A female flag football player in a white Admirals jersey crouches low on a turf field, hands extended to receive a snap, with a football in mid-air above her and an orange end zone pylon visible in the background.

Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey. Alpha 1. 100-400mm f/4.5 G Master. 1/4000-sec., f/4.5, ISO 8000

“The constant aperture makes this focal range so much more useful. The fact that the zoom is internal was also really helpful in making shooting more comfortable for me. AF was quick and paired with the Alpha 7R VI I felt like anything I wanted to track had no chance of escaping me!” – Miguel Quiles

A great egret with bright white plumage and a long yellow bill stands in dark, still water with its neck curved downward as it fishes, its full reflection visible on the water's surface against a deep, shadowy background of green foliage.