Sony FE 400 MM f2.8 GM OSS (SEL400f28GM) - Availability

[TonySferrazza]

Is there any ETA for shipments of the Sony FE 400 mm f/2.8 GM OSS (SEL400f28GM)?  Sony's website indicates that online retailers B&H, Crutchfield, Bedford, & Focus have "Preorder "availability, while Adorama denotes, "Backorder".  Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[2xbass]

They only make them to order. I just ordered one after a lot of analysis and the estimate is about ten weeks although they told me the last one took eight weeks to come in.

[TonySferrazza]

Thank you 2xbass for the response.  This is very helpful. 

Do you mind sharing from which retailer you decided to order?  I ordered from Crutchfield on January 4, 2019. 

For those interested, I will share updates on the process as it progresses.

[2xbass]

On 1/19/2019 at 9:04 AM, TonySferrazza said:

Thank you 2xbass for the response.  This is very helpful. 

Do you mind sharing from which retailer you decided to order?  I ordered from Crutchfield on January 4, 2019. 

For those interested, I will share updates on the process as it progresses.

Tony, I’m in Canada and ordered from Vistek. 

[TonySferrazza]

1 minute ago, 2xbass said:

Tony, I’m in Canada and ordered from Vistek. 

Thank you, I'm interested to see if there is any true discernible pattern based upon location and retailer.

[2xbass]

Yes I’m also interested in that too. I ordered mine on January 12. The reason, apart from the huge cost, that I took a long time to decide on the purchase, was figuring out how to travel with it in terms of both flying and hiking along with my other gear. Is that a consideration for you?

[2xbass]

Of course now I’ve ordered mine it can’t come soon enough. I looked at all other possible options for non-native lenses and none made sense. I even looked at other compact but somewhat lenses with another body like the Nikon PF lenses and the Fuji 200 f2 but those didn’t really make much sense either. The good thing about getting the Sony lens is there a ton of options for how to use it with the teleconverters and different bodies (A9 for the best possible AF, A7RIII for cropping if subject is really far away or even A6500 if necessary).

[TonySferrazza]

On 1/20/2019 at 9:42 AM, 2xbass said:

Yes I’m also interested in that too. I ordered mine on January 12. The reason, apart from the huge cost, that I took a long time to decide on the purchase, was figuring out how to travel with it in terms of both flying and hiking along with my other gear. Is that a consideration for you?

 

On 1/20/2019 at 10:03 AM, 2xbass said:

Of course now I’ve ordered mine it can’t come soon enough. I looked at all other possible options for non-native lenses and none made sense. I even looked at other compact but somewhat lenses with another body like the Nikon PF lenses and the Fuji 200 f2 but those didn’t really make much sense either. The good thing about getting the Sony lens is there a ton of options for how to use it with the teleconverters and different bodies (A9 for the best possible AF, A7RIII for cropping if subject is really far away or even A6500 if necessary).

I share your hesitation, concerns and now heavy anticipation.  I have a Sony a9, but do not have a Sony a7RIII (I do have the predecessor). and a Sony a7M3.  I can't wait to be able to get out and shoot with the lens.

[2xbass]

Tony did you get an ETA on your lense? I am trying to get an ETA on mine. I love my 100-400 but if things work out with the 400 I’m making tentative plans to convert to just carying the 400 and the 70-200 2.8. This would give me a constant aperture setup and with reasonable flexibility with the two teleconverters.

[2xbass]

OK so it looks like ETA on mine is end of March.

[TonySferrazza]

27 minutes ago, 2xbass said:

Tony did you get an ETA on your lense? I am trying to get an ETA on mine. I love my 100-400 but if things work out with the 400 I’m making tentative plans to convert to just carying the 400 and the 70-200 2.8. This would give me a constant aperture setup and with reasonable flexibility with the two teleconverters.

Unfortunately, not.  I do check-in weekly (each Thursday) and have gotten various indescript responses.  The latest:  

Quote

We are still showing an unknown ETA on the Sony SEL400F28GM FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens.

I do not have the 70-200 2.8 E-mount, but I do have the A-mount version.  I often carry around a well worn Minolta AF 80-200mm F2.8 HS APO G (screw drive) lens that produces amazing colors and nice separation.  The focus is not as snappy as the newer lenses, but it is built like a tank and the results are great for a lens that is over 30 years old.  

[TonySferrazza]

On 2/12/2019 at 10:31 AM, 2xbass said:

OK so it looks like ETA on mine is end of March.

Good to know, and that matches well with the 10-week timeline you originally noted.  I'm sure you cannot wait for delivery.  Keep me posted, as I will as well.  Here's to hoping you get delivery inside the 10-weeks!

[TonySferrazza]

On 2/13/2019 at 11:37 AM, TonySferrazza said:

Good to know, and that matches well with the 10-week timeline you originally noted.  I'm sure you cannot wait for delivery.  Keep me posted, as I will as well.  Here's to hoping you get delivery inside the 10-weeks!

No update this week after checking-in...

[2xbass]

Yeah I’ve been trying lots of ways to get a better ETA or accelerate the delivery but nothing. I’ve currently been told end of March. You may also be interested in this thread here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4367178. I’ve been participating in the discussion. I’m all ready for mine and got a bigger backpack in preparation as well as the Wimberley AP-609 replacement foot just to reduce the profile of it a bit (mostly for travel). Bit of discussion around that here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4361161.

[TonySferrazza]

On 2/22/2019 at 9:22 AM, 2xbass said:

Yeah I’ve been trying lots of ways to get a better ETA or accelerate the delivery but nothing. I’ve currently been told end of March. You may also be interested in this thread here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4367178. I’ve been participating in the discussion. I’m all ready for mine and got a bigger backpack in preparation as well as the Wimberley AP-609 replacement foot just to reduce the profile of it a bit (mostly for travel). Bit of discussion around that here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4361161.

Thanks, I will take a look!

[TonySferrazza]

On 2/22/2019 at 9:22 AM, 2xbass said:

Yeah I’ve been trying lots of ways to get a better ETA or accelerate the delivery but nothing. I’ve currently been told end of March. You may also be interested in this thread here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4367178. I’ve been participating in the discussion. I’m all ready for mine and got a bigger backpack in preparation as well as the Wimberley AP-609 replacement foot just to reduce the profile of it a bit (mostly for travel). Bit of discussion around that here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4361161.

Thanks, I will take a look!

[TonySferrazza]

On 2/22/2019 at 9:22 AM, 2xbass said:

Yeah I’ve been trying lots of ways to get a better ETA or accelerate the delivery but nothing. I’ve currently been told end of March. You may also be interested in this thread here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4367178. I’ve been participating in the discussion. I’m all ready for mine and got a bigger backpack in preparation as well as the Wimberley AP-609 replacement foot just to reduce the profile of it a bit (mostly for travel). Bit of discussion around that here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4361161.

I have been making weekly inquiries as to the ETA of the lens.  I do so each Thursday afternoon.  I was mentally reminding myself that I had to get an update tomorrow earlier today.  Nonetheless, shortly thereafter, unless there is a very cruel person at Crutchfield, my copy of the lens has shipped.  I eagerly await its arrival.

 

[TonySferrazza]

On 3/13/2019 at 4:38 PM, TonySferrazza said:

I have been making weekly inquiries as to the ETA of the lens.  I do so each Thursday afternoon.  I was mentally reminding myself that I had to get an update tomorrow earlier today.  Nonetheless, shortly thereafter, unless there is a very cruel person at Crutchfield, my copy of the lens has shipped.  I eagerly await its arrival.

 

The Eagle has landed...

After some panic set in when the shipper switched from FedEx, where I was having the lens held, to UPS.  A redirection to a UPS Store, was required, then finally the lens arrived!  After a quick change of the tripod foot to the Wimberly and wrapping in a LensCoat, we were ready to go.  Field reactions to follow...

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Edited March 19, 2019 by TonySferrazza
typos

[2xbass]

Awesome to hear you got yours. My dealer told me mine is supposed to arrive this week which would be about right since I ordered mine a week after you placed your order. Fingers crossed. 

[TonySferrazza]

On 3/23/2019 at 10:13 AM, 2xbass said:

Awesome to hear you got yours. My dealer told me mine is supposed to arrive this week which would be about right since I ordered mine a week after you placed your order. Fingers crossed. 

I hope so!!!

[2xbass]

Mine arrived in the store last Friday and I picked it up yesterday. I installed the Wimberley foot on it and at the moment I am using a Lenscoat travel hood and lens cap so that it fits into my pack alongside other stuff. I’ll have to test that all later this week as I’ll be going on a trip next week.  

[2xbass]

Tony how’s your 400 doing? I’m loving mine and can see never using my 100-400 again. I just returned from a trip and used it with the A9 and the 1.4 and 2x converters and also sometimes with the A6400 to get out to effectively 1200mm. All worked great. I also got the drop-in polarizer which is great too. However the whole collapsible hood is not great. I’m using the Sony hood and had to change to using different camera packs. 

[TonySferrazza]

On 4/22/2019 at 11:33 AM, 2xbass said:

Tony how’s your 400 doing? I’m loving mine and can see never using my 100-400 again. I just returned from a trip and used it with the A9 and the 1.4 and 2x converters and also sometimes with the A6400 to get out to effectively 1200mm. All worked great. I also got the drop-in polarizer which is great too. However the whole collapsible hood is not great. I’m using the Sony hood and had to change to using different camera packs. 

It is a great lens, and as you know paired with either teleconverter (and I've seen some folks using both simultaneously with an extension tube) provide excellent image quality!  I usually carry it paired with the Sony a9, and carry the a7M3 paired with the 100-400.  Often the 100-400 gets the 1.4x, and the 2.0x goes in a pocket to swap.  I have also used the a9 into APS-C mode for more reach.  I use a Think Tank Glass Taxi, to lug the lens along with the hood reversed, and I had to get a LensCoat Hoodie which allows for a better fit than the Sony provided velcro hood.  I normally use a BlackRapid strap to carry the rig, but I just picked up an Arca Swiss strap from Kirk that I am yet to try.

 

 

[2xbass]

Tony don’t you find that the very large screw for the hood hood gets in the way with using the LensCoat Hoodie? I assume you’re using the XXX Large Hoodie?

Edited April 25, 2019 by 2xbass

[TonySferrazza]

On 4/25/2019 at 11:29 AM, 2xbass said:

Tony don’t you find that the very large screw for the hood hood gets in the way with using the LensCoat Hoodie? I assume you’re using the XXX Large Hoodie?

Yes, it is best when you can keep the hooded unreversed.  I find it better than the supplied hood, but still not perfect.