FE 600mm F4 GM OSS
A full-frame E-mount F4 supertelephoto prime with two XD linear motors, Optical SteadyShot and a fixed rotating tripod mount.
- Mount
- Sony E
- Focal length
- 600 mm
- Max aperture
- f/4
- Stabilisation
- Yes
- Weight
- 3,040 g
What reviewers say
Both early Alpha 9 field assessments praise autofocus, wide-open detail and construction, while recommending support for sustained shooting. CameraLabs finds the balance helpful for handling. TechRadar questions the practical weight advantage when used on a tripod. Its sample is pre-production; CameraLabs describes a final production sample. These limited field tests do not establish comprehensive laboratory results.
From cameralabs.com and techradar.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specOptics
- Lens type
- Prime
- Focal length
- 600 mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/4
- Minimum aperture
- f/22
- Optical construction
- Twenty-four elements in eighteen groups, including one filter
- Special elements
- Three fluorite elements and a large XA extreme aspherical element
- Coatings
- Sony Nano AR coating and front fluorine coating; flocked internal barrel
- Diaphragm
- Eleven rounded blades
- Angle of view
- 4°10′ full frame; 2°40′ APS-C
Mount and compatibility
- Mounts
- Sony E
- Image circle
- Full frame
- Image circle detail
- Full-frame coverage; 900 mm equivalent field of view on APS-C
- Teleconverter support
- Compatible with Sony SEL14TC 1.4× and SEL20TC 2×; 840 mm F5.6 or 1200 mm F8 respectively
Focus and stabilisation
- Autofocus
- Yes
- Minimum focus distance
- 4.5 m
- Maximum magnification
- 0.14×
- Optical stabilisation
- Yes
- Autofocus detail
- Two XD linear motors; some AF functions limited on NEX, Alpha3000/3500/5000/5100 and original Alpha7/7R/7S per Sony support qualification
- Focus distance detail
- 4.5 m minimum focus distance; linear-response manual focus and full-time DMF including AF-C
- Magnification detail
- 0.14× maximum magnification
- Stabilisation detail
- Optical SteadyShot with normal, panning mode2 and dynamic-framing mode3; Alpha9/7RIII/7III mode3 requires compatible current firmware. Compatible body combines for five-axis correction. No maker stop rating in read pages
- Video features
- Quiet low-vibration autofocus; function ring can provide power focus with adjustable speed
Design
- Dust and moisture resistant
- Yes
- Filter diameter
- 40.5 mm
- Maximum diameter
- 163.6 mm
- Length
- 449 mm
- Weight
- 3,040 g
- Controls
- Manual-focus ring, preset/function ring and focus-memory button, four customisable focus-hold buttons, AF/MF and full-time DMF switches, full/4.5–15m/15m–infinity focus limiter and stabilisation controls
- Filter detail
- 40.5 mm drop-in filter; no front filter thread. Supplied normal filter forms part of optical design and must be installed unless replaced by supported filter; optional VF-DCPL1 polariser
- Weather resistance
- Dust and moisture resistant design with magnesium-alloy exterior, internal barrel and tripod mount; not guaranteed to prevent all ingress
- Dimensions detail
- 163.6 mm maximum diameter × 449 mm length
- Weight detail
- Approximately 3040 g, including fixed non-detachable tripod mount; separate hood and caps excluded
- Tripod mount
- Fixed rotating tripod mount, explicitly non-detachable; switchable90° click stops and ball-bearing rotation
- Lens hood
- ALC-SH158 round slip-on carbon-fibre hood with flocked interior, supplied
- In the box
- ALC-SH158 hood, front cover, ALC-R1EM rear cap, hard case, lens strap and case strap; normal drop-in filter initially installed
- Release detail
- Sony Japan announcement12June2019 specifies shipments from lateJuly, made to order with order-dependent later delivery; Sony USA11June specifies August regional shipping. MainJuly earliest maker-confirmed month, exact first sale day unconfirmed.
Pros and cons
Pros
- F4 maximum aperture at 600 mm
- Sony 1.4× and 2× teleconverter support
- Switchable tripod-collar click stops
Cons
- 4.5 m minimum focus distance
- Fixed tripod foot
Closest rivals
Model | Mount | Focal length | Max aperture | Stabilisation | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony E | 600 mm | f/6.3 | Yes | 995 g | Sept 2026 | |
| Sony E | 400 mm | f/2.8 | Yes | 2,895 g | Sept 2018 | |
| Sony E | 400 mm | f/4.5 | Yes | 994 g | Sept 2026 |
Sources
- sony.jp/ichigan/products/SEL600F40GM/spec.html
- sony.jp/ichigan/products/SEL600F40GM/feature_1.html
- sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/201906/19-0612
- sony.mediaroom.com/2019-06-11-Sony-Introduces-the-New-Super-telephoto-600mm-F4-…
- cameralabs.com/sony-fe-600mm-f4-gm-oss-review
- techradar.com/reviews/sony-fe-600mm-f4-gm-oss-review
Photo: sony.jp
