Sony Artisan Drew Geraci, who is celebrated for his landscape and timelapse photography, recently discovered the unexpected versatility of the Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G lens. While typically associated with wildlife and sports, this super-telephoto lens has become an essential tool in Geraci’s creative arsenal. In this article, Geraci explores how the 400-800mm’s impressive reach and detail have transformed his approach, offering new perspectives in storytelling beyond its traditional uses.
Photo by Drew Geraci. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G + 2x TC. 1/1600-sec., f/16, ISO 500
Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G – A Lens For More Than Sports & Wildlife
I'll be the first to admit it: I'm not a wildlife photographer. I don't hang out on sports sidelines. I don’t stalk owls at 5 a.m. with camo and patience. So, when Sony released the 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G lens, I didn’t think it had anything to do with me. Super-telephoto zoom? That’s for the birders and football fanatics... right?
Turns out, I was wrong.
I’m a landscape and motion-controlled timelapse shooter who thrives on mood, light and scale. I recently paired the 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G with my Sony Alpha 1 II, mostly out of curiosity – and now I can’t stop raving about this lens. It's one of the most unexpectedly fun and useful tools I’ve added to my kit.
Don’t get me wrong, I also love the Sony 600mm f/4 GM and Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM, they’re both incredible lenses that take some of the best long-range photos in the world, but for me, having a budget-friendly option for something I don’t use often is a breath of fresh air and has me so excited to go out and shoot!
A Surprisingly Versatile Telephoto
Let’s start with the obvious: 400mm to 800mm of reach opens up a new visual world. Landscapes compress in a gorgeous way, details far across the horizon suddenly come alive, and the atmosphere starts to feel almost tangible. It’s like peeking through a portal to another layer of the scene, something that can be difficult to convey with ultra-wide lenses that I generally film with.
At f/6.3-8, it’s definitely slower than those big pro primes, but I don’t mind. For video, timelapse or controlled lighting situations, I’m rarely wide open anyway. And I’m happy to trade a stop or two of light for the insane flexibility this zoom range gives me. What blew me away the most, though, wasn’t the reach – it was the detail. 1600mm and still sharp? Believe it.
Photo by Drew Geraci. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G + 2x TC. 1/50-sec., f/16, ISO 200
Pop the Sony 2.0x Teleconverter on this thing and you’re at 1600mm. That sounds like an optical gimmick, but trust me: it's real, and it works. On the Sony A1 II, which pushes 50+ megapixels with unreal resolving power, the detail I’m getting at 1600mm is shocking. Like, I-can-see-every-crater-on-the-moon sharp.
I spent one night just filming the moon and at 1600mm I was able to see everything and fill the frame of my camera up by 90%, which I’ve never seen before using my 200-600mm lens. I struggled to center the moon in the frame because it filled so much of it.
Where this combo really shines is in shooting natural events like the setting sun, or a colorful bird perched a football field away. I recently ran a timelapse of the sunset over a hilltop in northern Virginia, using a 2x extender, and I couldn’t believe how crisp and cinematic it looked – full of heat shimmer, layered glowing haze, and perfect edges. It’s not just reach. It’s reach with fidelity.
Built Like A Pro Tool
One of the pleasant surprises with this lens is how manageable it is. Yes, it’s big, but not that big. The internal zoom keeps the length constant, which makes balancing it on a gimbal or motion control rig way easier than with a trombone-style zoom.
Photo by Drew Geraci. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G + 1.4x TC. 1/2000-sec., f/11, ISO 250
At 5.45 pounds (roughly), it’s no pancake, but with a monopod or tripod, it’s very workable. The build quality feels professional without being overkill – weather-sealing, fluorine-coated front element, and a nice rotating tripod collar all add up to a tool that feels purpose-built.
And the autofocus? On the A1 II, it’s fast, quiet and accurate, even when zoomed all the way in. Not that I’m chasing fast-moving subjects, but when I do rack focus or track drifting clouds in timelapse mode, it responds with precision.
Photo by Drew Geraci. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G. 1/1250-sec., f/8, ISO 400
(Zoomed In) Photo by Drew Geraci. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G. 1/1250-sec., f/8, ISO 400
The Long Lens For The Rest of Us
What makes the Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G so interesting is that it's not just a birding lens. It’s a storytelling lens. It’s a lens for people who want to isolate moments at a distance, compress landscapes, or experiment with perspectives most glass can’t reach.
Whether I’m using it to grab shots of distant mountaintops catching first light, or isolating a single person out of a crowd, this lens changes how I see. It brings new layers to my work. And because it doesn’t cost the price of a used car, it’s actually accessible for artists and creators – not just full-time sports shooters.
Photo by Drew Geraci. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G. 1/1250-sec., f/8, ISO 400
If you’ve ever wanted to play with extreme focal lengths, this is the lens to do it. It’s sharp. It’s versatile. And it’s fun. I expected it to be a specialist tool, and what I found is something a lot more exciting – a creative companion I didn’t know I needed. This lens will 100% be making its way into my kit full-time.
To learn more about the Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G, click here.
See more of Drew Geraci’s work on his Alpha Universe Profile and on Instagram @drewgiggity.
