This 400mm lens from Sony is ridiculously lightweight

The words “lightweight” and “400mm lens” don’t typically appear together, but that’s exactly what Sony’s new 400mm F/2.8 G Master prime lens is. Designed for Sony’s E-mount cameras (like the a9 and the various flavors of the a7) this super-telephoto prime weighs just over 6 lbs and was designed with sports and wildlife photographers in mind.

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The lens has a unique optical design that features three fluorite elements and fewer elements on the front barrel. It has an 11 blade circular aperture for smooth bokeh and it’s coated with Sony’s own Nano AR coating, which reduces reflections, glare and ghosting. It’s dust and moisture resistant. The front element is coated with fluorine to minimize dirt and smudges from fingerprints, which tend to accumulate on big pieces of glass like this and includes a 40.5mm drop in filter slot. The lens also features newly developed high-speed XD Linear Motors for fast AF, increased focus tracking and is designed to be quiet—great for shooting sports or wild animals.

The lens barrel features four customizable focus-hold buttons and a ‘Full-Time DMF’ switch that instantly turns on manual focus. It has built-in optical stabilization, three different modes for capturing action and a brand new ring that allows users to select ‘Preset’ and ‘Function settings.

Not a Sony shooter? You might be interested in these 400mm primes:

• Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens
• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens

If you’re familiar with the high-end super-telephoto lens market, then the $12,000 price tag shouldn’t come as a surprise. Expect it to start hitting shelves in September of this year.