I love your videos. You come across as a very humble man and you are not trying to get anyone to buy or sell anything. You are just offering your honest opinion. You always put the links in and your video are always on time with what I’m thinking about and the 600mm was a thought because B&H had an open box model for 9,998.00. I have the 100-400mm and the 200-600mm, I’m mostly an event photographer, sports and portrait photographer, but I love shooting wildlife as a way of just getting away from it all and clearing your head. You won’t be shooting many sporting events with a 600mm, a 400mm is more like it, especially at 2.8, but it can be done and a 70-200mm is ideal for indoor basketball. A 70-200mm is more of the norm at 2.8 as you learn the flow of the games that you are shooting, including football, but a nice 300mm would be a good middle ground for Sony to do, even a variable aperture. You are 1000 percent correct about people walking up to you and asking questions and I have missed a lot of birds this way, but you have to suck it up and be respectful because you can’t live in this big world alone. I can’t justify the 600mm for myself but I’m happy you own it as I’m sure you probably wouldn’t justify some of my other GM purchases that are much needed for what I do, especially for weddings. Oh and I also did pick up a used A9 from a camera store for two grand and I’m enjoying the hell out of it along with my A7IV, which replaced my A7III and A7RIII that is for wildlife, but I’m going to have to try it out the A9 for wildlife as well. The A9 as I’m sure the A1 is as well is highly addictive and a part of me is considering picking up a second body as I can at the same shop because these were their rental models and have been replaced by A9IIs. Hell if I bought the second A9, I could have bought an A1, but I love having extra bodies as back up and this thought process has served me well after an incident that occurred a while ago. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to do what you are doing for us as it is more appreciated than you know.
Thank you so much appreciate that !!! 😊🙏having a sense of humor and being humble are 2 things that are really important to me. Congrats on your A9 you are going to love it !!! the AF is very similar to the A1 biggest difference really is you can crop a lot more with the A1and the video modes. The bird eye af is ok but to me its not always reliable . I think you have an excellent combo with those 2 cameras. I know what you mean about extra bodies but I think if you going to buy a second A9 I would consider the A1 at that point. The 600F4 is definitely not justifiable for everyone. Believe me I went back and forth on this decision for almost 5 years even back when I was shooting Nikon...I am glad I didn't buy the Nikon one now as I would of lost a lot of money when I switched lol but I decided it was time for me to get it and honestly I have no regrets I am enjoying the heck out of it for over a year now !!! You know my philosophy (I am no wise man by any stretch ) is we are here for a short time on this earth, we mine as well enjoy every minute of it. Saw too many people live their life like they are going to take their money wit them to their next life lol. Many people have tried even the Egyptian pharos and all they got for it is grave robbers taking their stuff 😂 Thank you again for all the support and watching my videos !!! 😊🙏
I agree 100% about the foot. Ridiculous to have to replace it, but I did. I have the A1 and the 600 F4 and the combo is worth it to me too. The weight gained with the lens is lost in the pocketbook so it is balanced out. ;-)
Great review / comparison episode :) You talk about the clarity in the files and thats exactly what i also see in my files .. but expected as you say because of the price difference. Have a great day Sam! :)
Thank you so much Dennis really appreciate that !!! The clarity in the files are hard to explain until you see it for yourself . I did expect that going in because of the price but it really exceeded my expectations. Thank you for watching and your support bud 😊🙏
Really useful video. Thanks dude. I live in England, we have a lot of dull days and my 200-600 isn't always up for the challenge. Seeing what you can do at f4 has made my mind up. Now all I have to do is break the £12,000 pain barrier! I'll also keep the 200-600 as well. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for watching and feedback !!! 😊🙏🏻Glad you found the video useful!!! 🙏🏻I definitely recommend keeping the 200-600 there are times when it’s really needed for certain situations over a fixed prime .
I really appreciate your video! I was trying to decide if I was going to get this lens and your review really helped. I also wanted something that would help get me to the next level and this lens is definitely next level!! I went out shooting today for the first time since I’ve had the lens and I love it. Thank you!!
@@SamRino I'm waiting for the Z9 and already love the Z7II. But... I do have an "in-stock" alert setup at two different stores for the A1 and the 600mm. As long as they don't become available before the Z9, I'm safe... lol.
@@TonyJohnsonPhotos Lol !!! I think the Z9 sounds really promising if Nikon delivers on all the rumored specs. Even though I shoot Sony now I really hope Nikon bounces back.
@@SamRino If it weren't for the Nikon 500mm 5.6 pf, I probably would have gone to the dark side already. But the combination of the D850 and the 500 5.6 is so good, I love working with it. The Z7II works great with the 500, as well and the native Z glass is pretty great, as well. I've learned the tricks to focus the Nikon mirrorless and they're just fine for most everything. Anyway, the lure of higher speed flash sync and super high frame rates without blackout is pretty enticing...
I have a Nikon D850 and a 500mm F4 G lens (8.6 pounds) and a 80-400 lens at about 3.5 pounds. Both are excellent but, yes, I can tell an immediate difference when I start processing images of birds. The 500mm was about $8000 new (used $5500) and the 80-400 was about $2300. I love shooting with the 500mm with all the advantages you mentioned in your video and I use it during the spring warbler migration. That's when I drive the roads of the NWR and shoot from the window of my "mobile blind" Tundra. It has better contrast and beautiful rendition and makes my processing easier. But the 80-400 is so versatile that I have used it exclusively since June for my walking around lens at the local park and in our backyard. And the quality of images is very good. As you said, Sam, I'll be keeping both of them.
Thank you so much Clifton really appreciate that 😊🙏 I shot the D850 and the 500 prime, fantastic combo !!! Keeping both lenses was always in my plans, i just don't think you can shoot the prime exclusively for every wildlife situation, plus there will be days when my shoulder is screaming at me to use the lighter lens lol 😂 Thank you again for your support and watching Clifton really appreciate it !!!
Mate I totally agree the IQ that this lens produces is amazing and I have the 200-600 as well sure you need to modify your Composition skills however this lens is next level thanks for the tips great information cheers. edit yes why not have arca swiss as standard mount.
Thank you so much Chris appreciate you watching and the great feedback !!! Yeah the arca swiss thing is really puzzling to me for such an expensive lens. But all the manufacturers do it. I just bought the Canon RF 600 F4 and its the same thing. I am not switching systems just testing Canon gear and I wanted the flexibility of shooting 2 different systems . So when I review gear I have something to compare to :)
Thank you very much Mick 😊🙏 It took me a longtime to decide and was very undecided. So I thought I would try to help some of the people considering this purchase and going back and forth like i was :)
Another great video with some great advice. It’s good to watch a true review rather than all the BS from some others on YT. I will get to buy this lens for my wildlife photography at some point. I need to justify the £12,000 it costs in the UK. I will continue to shoot with my 200-600 Sony lens which as you say is a fantastic lens which you can’t beat unless you spend £12,000. Insurance is important no questions asked, like you I shoot a lot in out of the way places on my own which can feel a little intimidating with a few thousands of pounds worth of camera kit in my hands. Anyway, great vid and keep the real reviews and taking first class photos, that’s why I subbed.. 👍🏻
Thank you so much rich really appreciate it 😊🙏 yeah until I signed up for the insurance and got verification I was insured I didn't sleep well lol 😂 I understand its a lot of money to put out it took me a while to come to this decision for sure lol
As someone who's been through the whole buying a 600 agonising I know how you feel, but once you've used one for a while you understand what a difference it makes to your images - Sam nails it in terms of things like sharpness, clarity and the bokeh (f8 on the 600 prime is much smoother than f8 on the 200-600). What I will also say about lenses like the 600 is that they are a commitment.
Hi Sam, because of this video I bought the 600 f4 as well. Your arguments were really convincing. Now I‘m looking for a camouflage, where did you buy yours? Best regards, Holger from Munich/Germany
Sony's product managers need to do what they say and listen to photographers. We want Arca-Swiss feet on telephoto lens all of them! Thanks for the video some really useful observations. I decided to rent a 600F4 for a week to try it out in the field and the PPA recommendation was a good one.
The 600 F4 is obviously a great lens and I am pleased you have found worthwhile, but personally even if I was prepared to pay its super high price, I find I prefer zoom lens, particularly when subject position can change so rapidly out in the field, it is easy to find yourself with wrong focal length on camera. My combo is 200-600 and 70-200 F2.8 each with body fitted to switch quickly as required
Thank you for watching Jonathon and appreciate the feedback !!! Absolutely the zoom is much more flexible and the 200-600 is an incredible lens but considering the majority of time I am shooting at 600mm and even sometimes 600 + 1.4X to get closer I find the clarity and background blur makes you fall in love with the 600 F4. Believe me I went back and forth with this decision for a long time deciding if it was worth it for me. So far I am really happy with my decision. I still use the 200-600 quite a bit and now I have it on my A74 as second setup when I need a zoom. Thank you again for watching 😊🙏
@@SamRino another 3 months later I have actually added the 400mm F2.8 to my lenses, and must say I agree with everything you say as it also relates to the 400mm. The main reason I bought was because too many of my shots have been spoilt by noise using high ISO with the 200-600. That is a great lens in good light, but one is really up against it in poor light, either losing shutter speed or accepting too high ISO. I personally went with the 400 over the 600 because I wanted that F2.8 and the ability to pull back more in some situations, particularly with larger mammals, as I am more a wildlife shooter, rather than dedicated birder. I can always add teleconverter when I need more reach with still 560 at F4 or 800 at F5.6 available. I only got the new lens a week ago, but am already loving it - my images at least to me look a lot better. How that lens with the A1 locks onto even small flying birds is unbelievable - I am incredulous when I look at the images!
@@JonathantubaI'm leaning more towards the 400mm f2.8 as well over the 600 prime. f2.8 is really nice compared to f4 and like you said I can use my teleconverter or even just use crop mode with the A7RV. I also find it interesting how much people chose the 200-600 over the 100-400GM. I had both lenses but I found the 200-600 wasn't as sharp and performed significantly worse in less than ideal conditions, whereas my 100-400 performs amazing basically all the time.
Hey Sam question, How long did you have lens before video? Curious time for adjusting to weight. Or did you just get it a couple of days before posting the video?
Never left my A1 for the first 6 months until the Summer season came along ! I can verify all your reasons for purchase. The weight ratio is towards the back of the lens which gives it such good balance enables hand held flight shots which I did not expect . Also I enjoy the preset auto focus ! Another point although I like the flexibility 90 % of my shots with the 200-600mm were at 600mm ! Any way congratulations on your purchase with potential hyper inflation coming it might actually be a good investment ! Old 600mm glass still gets 50% of its original outlay ! Great buy you will not be disappointed !
Thank you so much Mark I absolutely love it so far no regrets at all !!! It has not left my A1 yet lol 😂 it definitely is a good investment considering how tough it is to get one right now. I really got lucky walking out same day with it. Someone had it on order and cancelled I believe.
Hi thank you for watching !!! I would say in my opinion slightly better Af Is not accurate statement, it would be a huge difference in Af and performance . I tried that lens back when I was shooting Nikon and it wasn’t great then . The Sony 600f4 is a native lens not adapted and considered the best in its class. Also you can’t get 30fps using the Sigma . With all that said is it worth 9000 more to upgrade that’s up to you and your style of shooting. Me personally I wouldn’t even consider adapting the sigma to an A1 I would choose the Sony 200-600 over the adapted Sigma. This is just my opinion of course it doesn’t mean I am right 😊
Excellent video, however intriguing you have stabilisation off in them? I shoot with the A1 and 200-600mm but have always kept my stabilisation on. Is it better off?
Thank you so much !!! For me personally i find when i am shooting in high shutter speed /birds in flight i get better results with Stabilization off . I actually made a video about the subject a while back if you want check it out. Here is the link th-cam.com/video/ofZpRLUhebc/w-d-xo.html
@@SamRino Thanks very much for replying Sam. In Africa, I took 30,000 shots on my A1 with the 200-600 and 70-200mm GMII, but got some really varied focus results. At the time I was using the shutter button focus, and have since transitioned to Back Button AF with better results. However, I'm really starting to wonder what impact on focus reliability switching off stabilisation might be have. I guess I need to try this. One interesting fact though, I found focus accuracy was slightly better on my entry level A7IV than on the Sony flagship A1 🤔. I reported this to Sony but really got no satisfactory response from them, other than the A1 was operating to spec. So, I will give this a go and let you know my experience. Thanks again 🙂
Thank you for watching appreciate it !!! 😊🙏🏻when using high shutter speed and shooting action I feel that stabilization actually works against you . Especially mode 1 . I actually have a full video going in depth about it if you want check it out 😊
Congrats on your 600 Anthony !!! I ended up not replacing the foot but instead use this adapter www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/651605-REG/Acratech_2174_5_Quick_Release_Lens.html It locks in very sturdy and i can leave the foot on as is.
Great video and photography. Have used an A1 and 200-600 for two years now and the results I’ve gotten, there’s no way I can justify an additional 11k for the f-4. Nope, nope, nope….. That’s just me. Hey, I’ve been using a Red Dot 🔴 sight on my set up. Diving Terns, Osprey’s no problem. It’s changed my game. Great video, a little long, but good info. Take care and keep shooting…..
Thank you for watching Greg and feedback 😊🙏I totally agree the extra 11k is not easy to justify and its really not for everyone honestly. Its something I always wanted and was able to justify for what I do personally. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using the A1 and 200-600, Its an incredible combo and I still use it all the time.
I'm considering either one of the 400 or 600 primes. I'm leaning more towards the 400mm just for the F/2.8, makes it more versatile I think. But then again I'd mostly use it when going on holidays to somewhere with great wildlife and I checked how much it is to rent and that's about €100 per day. 9 day safari trip would cost €900 instead of spending €12000. That's 13 trips. Might do one of those a year and one other trip so it's either pay once or rent it for 7 years to spend the same money lol.
Both great choices !!! I went with the 600F4 for the extra reach but you definitely can’t go wrong with either one !!! Of course now there is the new 300 prime I know several photographers that have it and absolutely love it and it takes a teleconverter really well I am told !!! I hate renting equipment I love the feeling of knowing this is my lens or camera I am shooting with lol 😂 Also there is always very slight variations in lenses imo so you get used to shooting with your lens . Just my thoughts 😁Thank you for watching and feedback 😊🙏🏻
@@SamRino The new 300mm doesn't really attract me, i'd rather have 400mm with the same aperture and max 800mm reach with tc instead of 600mm. If I use 2x because I think I will only use 1.4x
Think you might have just persuaded me to reduce my bank balance Sam! Great vid as always, thank you. Absolutely agree with you on the tripod foot, an Arca Swiss profile would cost Sony (and others) very little to include - first thing I added to my 200-600. Looking forward to seeing those frogs.
Thank you very much Mikey appreciate it you will love that lens 😊🙏 Yeah it drives me crazy that they do not include Arca swiss foot, like you said first I always do is replace the foot. but with this prime the foot is so nice I am so reluctant to change it, I might just use a plate on it. The heron and frog video should hopefully be out by the end of this week. The images I was able to get in that pond is what blew me away with this lens, the pond is so dark there is a lot of shade covering the pond but I was still able to get incredible results that I thought it deserved its own video. Thank you again for watching and your support
Many thanks Sam, this came just at the right time for me, as I've been thinking hard about placing the order. Great pictures too. And yes, I agree it's a pain having to replace the foot (I have the Wimberley foot on my 200-600mm)
Thank you so much Rachael appreciate it 😊🙏 Glad I can help, the 600F4 is an amazing lens. Yeah makes no sense about the foot, I had to replace the 200-600 one with the kirk foot. I think I am going to leave the 600 foot alone though its a eally nice foot and just put a quality adapter on when I need it.
Thanks for the great review and comparison. My 600F4 has been on order for 2 months now. Hope it arrives soon! i have the 100-400 and 200-600 but can usually tell when someone is using the 600F4. You’ve validated my decision to purchase and alleviated most of my concerns. You did touch on my biggest concern and that’s the targeting of your subject at 600mm. I really like the 1/4 turn zoom on the 200-600 to acquire the target at 200 and quickly zoom out to 600 where most of my pics are taken anyway. I’m hoping i can adjust quickly. Guess i should start practicing by NOT using my zoom and leave it at 600mm!😂 Thanks again for the comparison.
Thank you very much Joseph appreciate you watching !!! 😊🙏 There is definitely an adjustment shooting a long prime like that locating your subject. It gets easier as you shoot it more. I shot the Nikon 500 F4 years ago but its been a while so it was definitely an adjustment again. Practicing with your 200-600 leaving at 600 is definitely a good way to practice while waiting for your lens . Hope you get yours soon and start enjoying it 🙏
It helps to have the 600mm focused close to the distance to your subject. If you are looking for a bird that is too far out of focus, it may not be visible at all.
I have the Sony 100-400 GM and reluctant on buying the 200-600 G based on sharpness reviews since I’ll be using it with my a7R4. Should I just wait for the 600mm despite the ~7x price of the 200-600mm? Sam, do you still think that the image sharpness that you get in the a7R4 with the 200-600mm G is as good as the 100-400mm GM, or is that an overstatement especially when you crop images?
@@teddykosoglou2827 Hi Teddy I do not have the A7r4 anymore or the 100-400 its tough to say honestly. The 200-600 serves me well and i think you get better sharpness at 600mm then you do cropping. I heard the new firmware for the A7r4 fixed a lot of issues with the 200-600 but I have no way of testing it. I always had great results with the combo but its definitely a difficult combo to shoot.
Great review, I'm also looking at this lens and pondering a purchase as an upgrade/addition to the 200 600 There are actually very few reviews post the initial release so good to hear some advice from a real owner of the lens, thanks for the advice!
Hi Thank you for watching !!! I ordered lens cover from here alphagvrd.com/ . Just be aware it takes a lot of patience to put on and can be a pain to put on. But once its on it looks stunning .
Hola Sam, por alguna buena razón el algoritmo youtubiano me trajo tu video. Fue muy agradable seguirlo, escuchando a alguien que está hablando a la cámara como si tuviera enfrente a un amigo. Tan diferente al montaje típico donde parece que desesperan por no perder la atención del oyente y siempre están vendiendo algo. Aunque soy fotógrafo profesional, es muy difícil alcanzar ese "otro nivel" de equipamiento si vives en Argentina... aún así, espero poder comprar un 400 2.8 o el 600 f4. Por cierto, muy bonito el revestimiento del objetivo, pensaba en hacer algo similar para mi 200-600 en símil fibra de carbono pero esa versión en camo oscuro me gustó demás. Gracias por el video, te seguiré. Hasta pronto!
¡Muchas gracias por los excelentes comentarios! Siempre trato de ser yo mismo cuando hago mis videos. La piel de mi lente es de alphagvrd.com/ Espero que consigas el 400 2.8 y el 600 F4 pronto mi amigo !!! Muchas gracias de nuevo por mirar y apoyar mi canal. Mantente a salvo y cuida mi amigo.😊🙏
Nice review. I just bought the 400/2.8 for many of the same reasons. I shoot in low light all the time so the extra stop was more valuable than the extra length of the 600 for me. I own and love the 200-600, but there is simply no comparison to the image quality of the big prime.
Thank you very much Moses 😊🙏 I thought about the 400 2.8 as well but decided to go for the extra reach. I can understand in your situation shooting in low light it was a better choice. Totally agree about the image quality of a prime
No doubt the 600mm f/4 is the next level. The only thing I would say is I find myself punching in to APS-C crop mode most of the time on the Sigma 150-600mm, meaning even at 960mm I don't think is enough reach. I know a lot of people with 600mm f/4 over here and 90% of the time they will have the 1.4x TC mounted on their cameras like a permanent fixture. Not that I am a pro nor do I have any plans in upgrading to a "Big White" anytime soon, but if I were to do it, I would probably keep my R5 and wait for the RF 800mm f/5.6 since I don't think Sony has any plans in launching any longer primes than the FE 600mm f/4 just yet. But, since I am not planning for a big prime, I will be migrating to Sony soon since I can't resolve the RF 100-500mm problem, I don't want to have to buy it and at 2.2x the price of the FE 200-600mm over here in Hong Kong, I am not doing it.
Thank you so much Alex for the feedback !!! Honestly withe A1 and 600F4 sharpness I find myself being able to crop so much. I rarely use my 1.4x honestly. But to your point going over to Sony the 200-600 takes teleconverters really well as long as you have decent light at f9. The 200-600 is an incredible lens thats why I am still keeping it. Best in its class currently IMO. Thank you as always for your great feedback and support Alex 🙏
How would you think the 400 2.8 with 1.4 converter= 600 4.0 would be compared to this 600 4.0. Sharpness and focusing quality. I am thinking portablity. Don't know what or where animals will come from ...
Hi Richard thank you for watching !!! Personally I would recommend the 600 F4 over the 400 f2.8 + Teleconverters hands down. As fast and as good as the 400 F2.8 you always lose quality and Af speed when using a teleconverter. I experimented with this many times. Think about it you are putting a piece of glass that cost $550 over your $13k lens you are going to lose quality. There is a reason why the 600F4 is the most popular wildlife prime . Of course this is just my opinion and take on it from my experience.
@@SamRino what you lose in sharpness with the softwares available today could replace the quality.Have the Al with 200/600. But 98% at 600. Then would also have the 400 2.8 for shorter ranges
Hello from Uruguay, a very good explanation, and video. Unfortunately the weight of this lens is huge for older people who have back spine issues , I love these lenses, but.... I am kind of having to get a compromise with weight, quality and light. Thanks a lot for this.
One thing I have noticed about a 600f4 from Nikon or Sony is there is nothing else out there that has Subject separation like they do except for maybe the 100mm Tokina f2.8 macro...To me it's worth the money to have the background blown out without any harsh focus fall off like the zooms do...I shoot the Nikon 200-500mmf 5.6 and for the money it's nice and sharp but it's missing that blown out background!!
@@SamRino true! Glad to hear you say that about PhotoShop...I'm in the camp of very light editing...I might adjust my exposure slightly in post because I tend to add in quite a bit of negative exposure comp. because the D500 is king at blowing highlights and then I add a little sharpness and I'm done! I see guys replace the sky and all kinds of crap and to me that's no longer your photo it's a fake piece of 💩🤣🤣🤣
Not many people notice that good eye😁.It was a mockingbird that had a nest close by and he kept attacking the hawk. I have several shots of him attacking the red tailed hawk.
Hey Sam, I really love your down to earth advice and presentation. I'm also enjoying your work, I've noticed your photos aren't heavily edited and for someone learning wildlife photography give a very good representation of what to expect with said gear. I haven't taken the leap to the 600 prime, not sure I will and have asked myself many times would sharper images or a little better bokeh really make me happier with my images. Personally investing in a hide and other ways of getting much closer to my subjects seem to go a long way. Looking at some of your images It appears you used Topaz Denoise, I thought that program was great but sometimes I step back and see it gives a very un-natural look if overdone... yes, it makes your gear look super sharp but I feel a lot of the subtle emotion can be robbed, just something to be aware of. I'm curious how far you come down into NJ, I'm guessing you're based close to where I live looking at the birds you've shot and the foliage. I also cannot agree more with the Sony foot not having arca swiss, it's also been known to fail, I changed all mine out for Kirk feet. They're starting to wobble a bit though, not sure how well made the Sony lens collars are.
Thank you so much Rob !!! I honestly wasn't sure if I would regret buying the 600F4 but I can tell you I have no regrets I absolutely love it. As far as editing I do very little to my images besides Topaz denoise and a few adjustments in lightroom. I try to dial back denoise and now you can directly import your raw file to denoise and edit it as a raw file. I never use their standard settings I always dial them back as they tend to way over sharpen. I actually show a bit of my editing routine in my A1 review video. As far the foot I actually now use a Manfrotto video fluid head and that does not use Arca swiss. So I use a Manfortto plate that actually tightens with 2 screws to the Sony foot and is very stable, so far so good. Here is the fluid head I use www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1470943-REG/manfrotto_mvh608ahus_608_nitrotech_fluid_video.html and the plate www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/241161-REG/Manfrotto_501PLONG_501PLONG_Quick_Release_Video.html
@@SamRino I rarely seem to regret buying good gear so I hear ya. I wasn't even sure about the A1 being that photography isn't my work. You reminded me I need to update to a new version of topaz, i'm using one about 2 years old.
Hi and thank you for watching !!! Yes at times when things come too close you and might cost you a shot as there is no way to zoom out. That's why I listed it as a disadvantage.
Gained some weight lol. I wanna gain that kind of weight too Sam, spoil me with a 600 f/4 too😃😃😃. Great in depth video buddy. I was mainly focused on your images and the footage, amazing compilation!😍😍😍
These lenses are like anything else you would spend money on. If you take it home and use it once or twice a year then you wasted your money. If you use it all of the time then money well spent. It's like a bass boat or a four wheeler. (Except the lens holds its value longer) You have to use them to get your moneys worth out of them.
Rick I appreciate you watching but I honestly don’t understand your comment. Who is pushing any expensive gear ? This is gear I bought with my own money. No one is paying me to push anything. I am just talking about 2 pieces of gear I own . I had a few people ask me to talk about it because they were on the fence about it so I made this video . Stop the paranoia that everyone is selling something or being paid to push something . I could care less who buys these lenses it has no impact whatsoever on me . Was just trying to help someone that might be thinking about buying this lens. I understand you are on a budget with gear that’s totally understandable there is plenty of budget gear reviews on TH-cam if you look . Not sure why you picked this video
Great to see a video from a rightfull owner of this lens, no paid promotion. Great video, the quality of these prime lenses just look unique and you can tell the images are taken with an expensive lens, something words or pixel peeping can't even describe the difference. I found this going from a bridge camera to the Sony 200-600mm lens, I could pick up similar details with bridge camera, but details aside, the images from the 200-600mm just look professional and so much nicer, again words can't really describe the difference. But these prime lenses are on a whole other level again.
Thank you so much Kurtis !!! Yeah thats why I wanted to say it wasn't that I didn't love the 200-600, I absolutely love that lens.it was just to go to the next level/step . Thank you again for watching and your support 😊🙏
Great video, Sam! These big primes also take teleconverters amazingly well, especially the 1.4. I've got my Nikon version on eBay, ready to convert... can't believe you found one in stock, that's awesome. Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much Adam appreciate that !!! 😊🙏 You are absolutely correct, I meant to mention that, it does take TC much better than the 200-600. I guess I am not a huge fan of teleconverters so I forgot lol
Congrats on your new lens !!! lol nah I am just glad I can help people ....you will love this lens !!! check out my new Pileated woodpecker nest video, all shot with the 600F4, its an incredible lens !!! th-cam.com/video/i5iKtDrx-zc/w-d-xo.html
Bueno bueno, enhorabuena por el nuevo objetivo aunque creo que las fotos no son buenas, necesita que te lo mire, me lo mandas a España y ya te lo devolveré. Bromas aparte me parece una gran inversión pero lo que vas a disfrutar junto a la A1, eso no tiene precio. Me alegro por ti amigo, espero y deseo que lo disfrutes. Un saludo. Por cierto si por esa zona tienes posibilidades de hacer un buen vídeo de aves playeras seguro que me divierto con ello, me encantan.
Muchas gracias Abel, tendré que enviártelo para asegurarme de que esté bien, jaja, eso fue genial ... Creo que la vida es demasiado corta y tenemos que hacer las cosas que amamos y disfrutarlas mientras podamos. Muchas gracias de nuevo amigo como siempre. Definitivamente veré cómo hacer un video de aves costeras. es hacia el final de la temporada aquí para las aves costeras, pero veré qué puedo hacer. Mantente a salvo y cuida mi amigo !!! 😊🙏
Great vid as usual Sam! I have been shooting with the F4600mm now for a year but I am a weekend warrior lol.... who is starting to use a tripod lol. I work long hours and the weekends are the only time to myself. But when I travel, I would tend to go on safari and/or somewhere international. I can 1,000% concurr with ppl asking me dumb questions and I hate the lens hood. That screw in mechanic sucks and I feel like I am one twist away from breaking it. I do use a Tenba backpack to carry the lens / A1 combo (Axis 32L) with no issues. Lastly. whats your IG so that I can connect with you?
Thank you very much Alvin appreciate that !!! 😊🙏 I am under Samrinophotography on instagram send me a message, I will definitely follow back 👍 I will have to check out the bag you mentioned.
I appreciate a video on it. But honestly, when it comes to these two lenses, IF you can afford a 13 thousand dollar lens, you shouldnt even be considering the measly 200-600 for 2 grand. Just get the dang top of the line lens. When 13 grand just isnt an option, I think the 200-600 is great. But a comparison is a little unnecessary I think with a such a crazy difference in price that these lenses have. I would love the 600F4 but seeing as that is not feasible in my life, the 200-600 is more than capable.
I appreciate the feedback Seth 😊🙏 but the reason I did this video is because i had a ton of people on instagram and here asking me to do this after I got the lens . You will be surprised how many people ask for this. Thank you for watching
Hi Rino! The 4/600 is about 8x more expensive and 2x heavier than 200-600. The results have to bee 8x more better! They are not! For a pit of quality to pay that money is only posible for people with big wallet, or somebody who sells pictures for big money. I have not so much money and I am happy with my 200-600. It is good enough but very heavy. Most people sell it back because of the weight... But it is only my opinion! Best regards! Dariusz
I agree its not for everyone it all depends what you are looking for and what kind of work you do. I am loving my 600F4, it fits my needs and work. I still love my 200-600 and still use it quite a bit its a fantastic lens. Thanks for feedback
Amazing lens except your stuck at 600mm and will miss a lot of shots because of it! Personally I would get tired of seeing those close up shots that show less of the environment and fail to tell much of a story!
Hi Mahesh thank you for watching 😊🙏🏻 I use Topaz Ai all the time but I don’t think the clarity can be matched IMO . It’s not sharpness so much it’s clarity …also the AF is incredibly fast . Yes you can get very close in certain areas but a lot of things you can’t. honestly I have been blown away by this lens so far a lot more than I expected.
200-600 is an amazing lens best in its class no doubt, this comparison was not meant to diss the 200-600 in anyway honestly. I love that lens, I been shooting it since day 1 when it came out 2 years ago. A lot of people that are looking to buy the 600F4 asked me to make a video to help them decide if its worth it is all :)
Puro consumismo¡¡Ni mas ni menos¡¡Al final ves una foto y no sabes con que objetivo fue echo,si te sobra el dinero adelante¡¡jajajajajajajajaja....Madre mia¡¡
I love your videos. You come across as a very humble man and you are not trying to get anyone to buy or sell anything. You are just offering your honest opinion. You always put the links in and your video are always on time with what I’m thinking about and the 600mm was a thought because B&H had an open box model for 9,998.00.
I have the 100-400mm and the 200-600mm, I’m mostly an event photographer, sports and portrait photographer, but I love shooting wildlife as a way of just getting away from it all and clearing your head. You won’t be shooting many sporting events with a 600mm, a 400mm is more like it, especially at 2.8, but it can be done and a 70-200mm is ideal for indoor basketball. A 70-200mm is more of the norm at 2.8 as you learn the flow of the games that you are shooting, including football, but a nice 300mm would be a good middle ground for Sony to do, even a variable aperture.
You are 1000 percent correct about people walking up to you and asking questions and I have missed a lot of birds this way, but you have to suck it up and be respectful because you can’t live in this big world alone. I can’t justify the 600mm for myself but I’m happy you own it as I’m sure you probably wouldn’t justify some of my other GM purchases that are much needed for what I do, especially for weddings.
Oh and I also did pick up a used A9 from a camera store for two grand and I’m enjoying the hell out of it along with my A7IV, which replaced my A7III and A7RIII that is for wildlife, but I’m going to have to try it out the A9 for wildlife as well. The A9 as I’m sure the A1 is as well is highly addictive and a part of me is considering picking up a second body as I can at the same shop because these were their rental models and have been replaced by A9IIs.
Hell if I bought the second A9, I could have bought an A1, but I love having extra bodies as back up and this thought process has served me well after an incident that occurred a while ago. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to do what you are doing for us as it is more appreciated than you know.
Thank you so much appreciate that !!! 😊🙏having a sense of humor and being humble are 2 things that are really important to me. Congrats on your A9 you are going to love it !!! the AF is very similar to the A1 biggest difference really is you can crop a lot more with the A1and the video modes. The bird eye af is ok but to me its not always reliable . I think you have an excellent combo with those 2 cameras. I know what you mean about extra bodies but I think if you going to buy a second A9 I would consider the A1 at that point. The 600F4 is definitely not justifiable for everyone. Believe me I went back and forth on this decision for almost 5 years even back when I was shooting Nikon...I am glad I didn't buy the Nikon one now as I would of lost a lot of money when I switched lol but I decided it was time for me to get it and honestly I have no regrets I am enjoying the heck out of it for over a year now !!! You know my philosophy (I am no wise man by any stretch ) is we are here for a short time on this earth, we mine as well enjoy every minute of it. Saw too many people live their life like they are going to take their money wit them to their next life lol. Many people have tried even the Egyptian pharos and all they got for it is grave robbers taking their stuff 😂 Thank you again for all the support and watching my videos !!! 😊🙏
I agree 100% about the foot. Ridiculous to have to replace it, but I did. I have the A1 and the 600 F4 and the combo is worth it to me too. The weight gained with the lens is lost in the pocketbook so it is balanced out. ;-)
Thank you very much appreciate you watching and the feedback !!! Totally agree about the wallet feeling much lighter lol 😂
Awesome lens. I wish I could afford it. :) Happy New Year! Thanks for the video.
Thank you so much !!! Hope you get one soon !!! Happy new year !!! 😊🙏
Great video, thank you Sam. Awesome information and great pics, all the best with this lens!!
Thank you so much Roberto really appreciate it!!! 😊🙏
Great review / comparison episode :) You talk about the clarity in the files and thats exactly what i also see in my files .. but expected as you say because of the price difference. Have a great day Sam! :)
Thank you so much Dennis really appreciate that !!! The clarity in the files are hard to explain until you see it for yourself . I did expect that going in because of the price but it really exceeded my expectations. Thank you for watching and your support bud 😊🙏
Amazing channel 👏. Helpful informative vdo thanks for sharing 👍
Thank you so much really appreciate that !!! Welcome to the channel and thank you for support !!! 🙂🙏
Really useful video. Thanks dude. I live in England, we have a lot of dull days and my 200-600 isn't always up for the challenge. Seeing what you can do at f4 has made my mind up. Now all I have to do is break the £12,000 pain barrier! I'll also keep the 200-600 as well. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for watching and feedback !!! 😊🙏🏻Glad you found the video useful!!! 🙏🏻I definitely recommend keeping the 200-600 there are times when it’s really needed for certain situations over a fixed prime .
The F4 isn't 12k in the UK mate. You can get it for 9.
I really appreciate your video! I was trying to decide if I was going to get this lens and your review really helped. I also wanted something that would help get me to the next level and this lens is definitely next level!! I went out shooting today for the first time since I’ve had the lens and I love it. Thank you!!
Thank you so much Kim its an awesome lens I fall in love with it more everyday !!! Congrats on yours and hope you capture tons of great pics !!🙂🙏
Those images both stills and videos were worth the wait...amazing captures!
Thank you very much Fernando really appreciate it 😊🙏🏻
The birds photos & video are really another level of crispy clear quality event with TH-cam compression. Thanks Sam for the great review.
Thank you very much Waleed really appreciate it 😊🙏🏻
Great vlog. I'm a Nikon guy, but you had me with the annoying fly bit. :) Nice.
Lol thank you very much appreciate it 😊🙏🏻 that fly drove me crazy lol 😂 Nikon will always have a soft spot for me I started out shooting Nikon
@@SamRino I'm waiting for the Z9 and already love the Z7II. But... I do have an "in-stock" alert setup at two different stores for the A1 and the 600mm. As long as they don't become available before the Z9, I'm safe... lol.
@@TonyJohnsonPhotos Lol !!! I think the Z9 sounds really promising if Nikon delivers on all the rumored specs. Even though I shoot Sony now I really hope Nikon bounces back.
@@SamRino If it weren't for the Nikon 500mm 5.6 pf, I probably would have gone to the dark side already. But the combination of the D850 and the 500 5.6 is so good, I love working with it. The Z7II works great with the 500, as well and the native Z glass is pretty great, as well. I've learned the tricks to focus the Nikon mirrorless and they're just fine for most everything. Anyway, the lure of higher speed flash sync and super high frame rates without blackout is pretty enticing...
The D850 was the last Nikon camera I shot definitely a great camera.
I have a Nikon D850 and a 500mm F4 G lens (8.6 pounds) and a 80-400 lens at about 3.5 pounds. Both are excellent but, yes, I can tell an immediate difference when I start processing images of birds. The 500mm was about $8000 new (used $5500) and the 80-400 was about $2300. I love shooting with the 500mm with all the advantages you mentioned in your video and I use it during the spring warbler migration. That's when I drive the roads of the NWR and shoot from the window of my "mobile blind" Tundra. It has better contrast and beautiful rendition and makes my processing easier. But the 80-400 is so versatile that I have used it exclusively since June for my walking around lens at the local park and in our backyard. And the quality of images is very good. As you said, Sam, I'll be keeping both of them.
Thank you so much Clifton really appreciate that 😊🙏 I shot the D850 and the 500 prime, fantastic combo !!! Keeping both lenses was always in my plans, i just don't think you can shoot the prime exclusively for every wildlife situation, plus there will be days when my shoulder is screaming at me to use the lighter lens lol 😂 Thank you again for your support and watching Clifton really appreciate it !!!
Mate I totally agree the IQ that this lens produces is amazing and I have the 200-600 as well sure you need to modify your Composition skills however this lens is next level thanks for the tips great information cheers. edit yes why not have arca swiss as standard mount.
Thank you so much Chris appreciate you watching and the great feedback !!! Yeah the arca swiss thing is really puzzling to me for such an expensive lens. But all the manufacturers do it. I just bought the Canon RF 600 F4 and its the same thing. I am not switching systems just testing Canon gear and I wanted the flexibility of shooting 2 different systems . So when I review gear I have something to compare to :)
Sam and also thanks I now have a Pelican 1515 Air on order with my local camera store. cheers.
Awesome!! It’s a great case built like a tank
Great review Sam, I echo your thoughts mate and your video should help anybody on the fence, it’s a big jump money wise but well worth it.
Thank you very much Mick 😊🙏 It took me a longtime to decide and was very undecided. So I thought I would try to help some of the people considering this purchase and going back and forth like i was :)
Another great video with some great advice. It’s good to watch a true review rather than all the BS from some others on YT. I will get to buy this lens for my wildlife photography at some point. I need to justify the £12,000 it costs in the UK. I will continue to shoot with my 200-600 Sony lens which as you say is a fantastic lens which you can’t beat unless you spend £12,000.
Insurance is important no questions asked, like you I shoot a lot in out of the way places on my own which can feel a little intimidating with a few thousands of pounds worth of camera kit in my hands.
Anyway, great vid and keep the real reviews and taking first class photos, that’s why I subbed.. 👍🏻
Thank you so much rich really appreciate it 😊🙏 yeah until I signed up for the insurance and got verification I was insured I didn't sleep well lol 😂 I understand its a lot of money to put out it took me a while to come to this decision for sure lol
As someone who's been through the whole buying a 600 agonising I know how you feel, but once you've used one for a while you understand what a difference it makes to your images - Sam nails it in terms of things like sharpness, clarity and the bokeh (f8 on the 600 prime is much smoother than f8 on the 200-600). What I will also say about lenses like the 600 is that they are a commitment.
Thank you for the great feedback John 😊🙏🏻
Hi Sam, because of this video I bought the 600 f4 as well. Your arguments were really convincing. Now I‘m looking for a camouflage, where did you buy yours? Best regards, Holger from Munich/Germany
Hi Holger thank you very much for watching and congratulations on your 600F4 !!! This is where I got my camo from alphagvrd.com/
Sam! don't forget the little folks with our paltry 200-600's, now you'll be hanging out in art museums with Ted Forbes🤣
I would never forget you Jeff, you are coming along for the ride all the way bud 😂😂😂
@@camerasutra247 🤣
Yes! Arca Swiss feet are the logical design choice…period. Even me, a Manfrotto fan boy hates my Sony lenses’ feet!
Thank you for watching !!! Yeah its really silly on this type of lens not to have it
Sony's product managers need to do what they say and listen to photographers. We want Arca-Swiss feet on telephoto lens all of them! Thanks for the video some really useful observations. I decided to rent a 600F4 for a week to try it out in the field and the PPA recommendation was a good one.
Thank you so much for watching and feedback 😊🙏🏻
The 600 F4 is obviously a great lens and I am pleased you have found worthwhile, but personally even if I was prepared to pay its super high price, I find I prefer zoom lens, particularly when subject position can change so rapidly out in the field, it is easy to find yourself with wrong focal length on camera. My combo is 200-600 and 70-200 F2.8 each with body fitted to switch quickly as required
Thank you for watching Jonathon and appreciate the feedback !!! Absolutely the zoom is much more flexible and the 200-600 is an incredible lens but considering the majority of time I am shooting at 600mm and even sometimes 600 + 1.4X to get closer I find the clarity and background blur makes you fall in love with the 600 F4. Believe me I went back and forth with this decision for a long time deciding if it was worth it for me. So far I am really happy with my decision. I still use the 200-600 quite a bit and now I have it on my A74 as second setup when I need a zoom. Thank you again for watching 😊🙏
@@SamRino another 3 months later I have actually added the 400mm F2.8 to my lenses, and must say I agree with everything you say as it also relates to the 400mm. The main reason I bought was because too many of my shots have been spoilt by noise using high ISO with the 200-600. That is a great lens in good light, but one is really up against it in poor light, either losing shutter speed or accepting too high ISO. I personally went with the 400 over the 600 because I wanted that F2.8 and the ability to pull back more in some situations, particularly with larger mammals, as I am more a wildlife shooter, rather than dedicated birder. I can always add teleconverter when I need more reach with still 560 at F4 or 800 at F5.6 available. I only got the new lens a week ago, but am already loving it - my images at least to me look a lot better. How that lens with the A1 locks onto even small flying birds is unbelievable - I am incredulous when I look at the images!
@@JonathantubaI'm leaning more towards the 400mm f2.8 as well over the 600 prime. f2.8 is really nice compared to f4 and like you said I can use my teleconverter or even just use crop mode with the A7RV.
I also find it interesting how much people chose the 200-600 over the 100-400GM. I had both lenses but I found the 200-600 wasn't as sharp and performed significantly worse in less than ideal conditions, whereas my 100-400 performs amazing basically all the time.
Hey Sam question, How long did you have lens before video? Curious time for adjusting to weight. Or did you just get it a couple of days before posting the video?
Hi Anne thank you for watching !!! I had the lens for about a month before making this video
Never left my A1 for the first 6 months until the Summer season came along ! I can verify all your reasons for purchase. The weight ratio is towards the back of the lens which gives it such good balance enables hand held flight shots which I did not expect . Also I enjoy the preset auto focus ! Another point although I like the flexibility 90 % of my shots with the 200-600mm were at 600mm ! Any way congratulations on your purchase with potential hyper inflation coming it might actually be a good investment ! Old 600mm glass still gets 50% of its original outlay ! Great buy you will not be disappointed !
Thank you so much Mark I absolutely love it so far no regrets at all !!! It has not left my A1 yet lol 😂 it definitely is a good investment considering how tough it is to get one right now. I really got lucky walking out same day with it. Someone had it on order and cancelled I believe.
The 600mm f4 is an amazing lens. Thank for the information, it really helped me with my decision to purchase.
Thank you very much Damon glad the video helped !!! 😊🙏
Sony a7iii with 200-600 g lens combo is super cool for shooting birds in my backyard :) upgrading to the a7iv this coming year God first 😁👍🏻
Thank you very much for watching !!! I just received my A7IV will be doing a review soon :)
Would you say the 600 f4 is worth it over my current Sigma 500 f4 on my A1? £9,000 extra for 100mm, slightly faster AF and sharpness.
Hi thank you for watching !!! I would say in my opinion slightly better Af Is not accurate statement, it would be a huge difference in Af and performance . I tried that lens back when I was shooting Nikon and it wasn’t great then . The Sony 600f4 is a native lens not adapted and considered the best in its class. Also you can’t get 30fps using the Sigma . With all that said is it worth 9000 more to upgrade that’s up to you and your style of shooting. Me personally I wouldn’t even consider adapting the sigma to an A1 I would choose the Sony 200-600 over the adapted Sigma. This is just my opinion of course it doesn’t mean I am right 😊
Excellent video, however intriguing you have stabilisation off in them? I shoot with the A1 and 200-600mm but have always kept my stabilisation on. Is it better off?
Thank you so much !!! For me personally i find when i am shooting in high shutter speed /birds in flight i get better results with Stabilization off . I actually made a video about the subject a while back if you want check it out. Here is the link th-cam.com/video/ofZpRLUhebc/w-d-xo.html
@@SamRino Thanks very much for replying Sam.
In Africa, I took 30,000 shots on my A1 with the 200-600 and 70-200mm GMII, but got some really varied focus results. At the time I was using the shutter button focus, and have since transitioned to Back Button AF with better results. However, I'm really starting to wonder what impact on focus reliability switching off stabilisation might be have. I guess I need to try this.
One interesting fact though, I found focus accuracy was slightly better on my entry level A7IV than on the Sony flagship A1 🤔. I reported this to Sony but really got no satisfactory response from them, other than the A1 was operating to spec.
So, I will give this a go and let you know my experience. Thanks again 🙂
Hey bud glad to see you able to make that jump I'm sure it's going to make a difference and great pics as always 👍
Thank you very much Rocky really appreciate it bud 😊🙏
Why do you mostly turn of the stabilization? Thks for the good explenation, I will be buying the 600 next week 😉
Thank you for watching appreciate it !!! 😊🙏🏻when using high shutter speed and shooting action I feel that stabilization actually works against you . Especially mode 1 . I actually have a full video going in depth about it if you want check it out 😊
You will love the 600 by the way no regrets here over a year later 😁
I have both lenses and A1 along with A9M2 love them, good video.
Thank you very much appreciate it 😊🙏 2 amazing cameras and lenses great setup 👍
hey buddy just picked up my 600mm and where did you buy your new foot?
Congrats on your 600 Anthony !!! I ended up not replacing the foot but instead use this adapter www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/651605-REG/Acratech_2174_5_Quick_Release_Lens.html It locks in very sturdy and i can leave the foot on as is.
Great video and photography. Have used an A1 and 200-600 for two years now and the results I’ve gotten, there’s no way I can justify an additional 11k for the f-4. Nope, nope, nope….. That’s just me. Hey, I’ve been using a Red Dot 🔴 sight on my set up. Diving Terns, Osprey’s no problem. It’s changed my game. Great video, a little long, but good info. Take care and keep shooting…..
Thank you for watching Greg and feedback 😊🙏I totally agree the extra 11k is not easy to justify and its really not for everyone honestly. Its something I always wanted and was able to justify for what I do personally. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using the A1 and 200-600, Its an incredible combo and I still use it all the time.
You could always get a used Sigma 500 f4 with the MC11 on your A1, focusing speed is identical to my 200-600.
I'm considering either one of the 400 or 600 primes. I'm leaning more towards the 400mm just for the F/2.8, makes it more versatile I think. But then again I'd mostly use it when going on holidays to somewhere with great wildlife and I checked how much it is to rent and that's about €100 per day. 9 day safari trip would cost €900 instead of spending €12000. That's 13 trips. Might do one of those a year and one other trip so it's either pay once or rent it for 7 years to spend the same money lol.
Both great choices !!! I went with the 600F4 for the extra reach but you definitely can’t go wrong with either one !!! Of course now there is the new 300 prime I know several photographers that have it and absolutely love it and it takes a teleconverter really well I am told !!! I hate renting equipment I love the feeling of knowing this is my lens or camera I am shooting with lol 😂 Also there is always very slight variations in lenses imo so you get used to shooting with your lens . Just my thoughts 😁Thank you for watching and feedback 😊🙏🏻
@@SamRino The new 300mm doesn't really attract me, i'd rather have 400mm with the same aperture and max 800mm reach with tc instead of 600mm. If I use 2x because I think I will only use 1.4x
@jeroenvdw I hear ya I was just mentioning it. I only use the 2x on video I found it really soft using it for photography
Think you might have just persuaded me to reduce my bank balance Sam! Great vid as always, thank you. Absolutely agree with you on the tripod foot, an Arca Swiss profile would cost Sony (and others) very little to include - first thing I added to my 200-600. Looking forward to seeing those frogs.
Thank you very much Mikey appreciate it you will love that lens 😊🙏 Yeah it drives me crazy that they do not include Arca swiss foot, like you said first I always do is replace the foot. but with this prime the foot is so nice I am so reluctant to change it, I might just use a plate on it. The heron and frog video should hopefully be out by the end of this week. The images I was able to get in that pond is what blew me away with this lens, the pond is so dark there is a lot of shade covering the pond but I was still able to get incredible results that I thought it deserved its own video. Thank you again for watching and your support
Many thanks Sam, this came just at the right time for me, as I've been thinking hard about placing the order. Great pictures too. And yes, I agree it's a pain having to replace the foot (I have the Wimberley foot on my 200-600mm)
Thank you so much Rachael appreciate it 😊🙏 Glad I can help, the 600F4 is an amazing lens. Yeah makes no sense about the foot, I had to replace the 200-600 one with the kirk foot. I think I am going to leave the 600 foot alone though its a eally nice foot and just put a quality adapter on when I need it.
Very nice.
I'm never going to buy that lens, but I enjoy seeing what people can do with it.
Thank you very much appreciate you watching and feedback 😊🙏
Thanks for the great review and comparison. My 600F4 has been on order for 2 months now. Hope it arrives soon! i have the 100-400 and 200-600 but can usually tell when someone is using the 600F4. You’ve validated my decision to purchase and alleviated most of my concerns. You did touch on my biggest concern and that’s the targeting of your subject at 600mm. I really like the 1/4 turn zoom on the 200-600 to acquire the target at 200 and quickly zoom out to 600 where most of my pics are taken anyway. I’m hoping i can adjust quickly. Guess i should start practicing by NOT using my zoom and leave it at 600mm!😂 Thanks again for the comparison.
Thank you very much Joseph appreciate you watching !!! 😊🙏 There is definitely an adjustment shooting a long prime like that locating your subject. It gets easier as you shoot it more. I shot the Nikon 500 F4 years ago but its been a while so it was definitely an adjustment again. Practicing with your 200-600 leaving at 600 is definitely a good way to practice while waiting for your lens . Hope you get yours soon and start enjoying it 🙏
It helps to have the 600mm focused close to the distance to your subject. If you are looking for a bird that is too far out of focus, it may not be visible at all.
I have the Sony 100-400 GM and reluctant on buying the 200-600 G based on sharpness reviews since I’ll be using it with my a7R4. Should I just wait for the 600mm despite the ~7x price of the 200-600mm?
Sam, do you still think that the image sharpness that you get in the a7R4 with the 200-600mm G is as good as the 100-400mm GM, or is that an overstatement especially when you crop images?
@@teddykosoglou2827 Hi Teddy I do not have the A7r4 anymore or the 100-400 its tough to say honestly. The 200-600 serves me well and i think you get better sharpness at 600mm then you do cropping. I heard the new firmware for the A7r4 fixed a lot of issues with the 200-600 but I have no way of testing it. I always had great results with the combo but its definitely a difficult combo to shoot.
@@SamRino thanks Sam for your honest and helpful feedback!
Congrats on the lens, for wildlife nothing equals the look you get in the photos from the 600mmf4. Some of them do attract flies, lol. Have fun.
Thank you very much appreciate it 😊🙏 Totally agree with the look of the files from the 600F4 !!! Lol that fly definitely had issues with me 😂
Great review, I'm also looking at this lens and pondering a purchase as an upgrade/addition to the 200 600
There are actually very few reviews post the initial release so good to hear some advice from a real owner of the lens, thanks for the advice!
Thank you so much Sam really appreciate it😊🙏 Glad it was helpful !!!
hey mate, ive just ordered few days ago this sony 600mm lens. just wondering where did u buy the lens covers. it looks nice. thanks
Hi Thank you for watching !!! I ordered lens cover from here alphagvrd.com/ . Just be aware it takes a lot of patience to put on and can be a pain to put on. But once its on it looks stunning .
Hola Sam, por alguna buena razón el algoritmo youtubiano me trajo tu video. Fue muy agradable seguirlo, escuchando a alguien que está hablando a la cámara como si tuviera enfrente a un amigo. Tan diferente al montaje típico donde parece que desesperan por no perder la atención del oyente y siempre están vendiendo algo.
Aunque soy fotógrafo profesional, es muy difícil alcanzar ese "otro nivel" de equipamiento si vives en Argentina... aún así, espero poder comprar un 400 2.8 o el 600 f4. Por cierto, muy bonito el revestimiento del objetivo, pensaba en hacer algo similar para mi 200-600 en símil fibra de carbono pero esa versión en camo oscuro me gustó demás.
Gracias por el video, te seguiré. Hasta pronto!
¡Muchas gracias por los excelentes comentarios! Siempre trato de ser yo mismo cuando hago mis videos. La piel de mi lente es de alphagvrd.com/
Espero que consigas el 400 2.8 y el 600 F4 pronto mi amigo !!! Muchas gracias de nuevo por mirar y apoyar mi canal. Mantente a salvo y cuida mi amigo.😊🙏
Going to give up watching your videos, your costing me way too much money, great video and shots as always looking forward to more 👍🇬🇧
Lol 😂Thank you very much Julian 😊🙏
Nice review. I just bought the 400/2.8 for many of the same reasons. I shoot in low light all the time so the extra stop was more valuable than the extra length of the 600 for me. I own and love the 200-600, but there is simply no comparison to the image quality of the big prime.
Thank you very much Moses 😊🙏 I thought about the 400 2.8 as well but decided to go for the extra reach. I can understand in your situation shooting in low light it was a better choice. Totally agree about the image quality of a prime
No doubt the 600mm f/4 is the next level. The only thing I would say is I find myself punching in to APS-C crop mode most of the time on the Sigma 150-600mm, meaning even at 960mm I don't think is enough reach. I know a lot of people with 600mm f/4 over here and 90% of the time they will have the 1.4x TC mounted on their cameras like a permanent fixture. Not that I am a pro nor do I have any plans in upgrading to a "Big White" anytime soon, but if I were to do it, I would probably keep my R5 and wait for the RF 800mm f/5.6 since I don't think Sony has any plans in launching any longer primes than the FE 600mm f/4 just yet. But, since I am not planning for a big prime, I will be migrating to Sony soon since I can't resolve the RF 100-500mm problem, I don't want to have to buy it and at 2.2x the price of the FE 200-600mm over here in Hong Kong, I am not doing it.
Thank you so much Alex for the feedback !!! Honestly withe A1 and 600F4 sharpness I find myself being able to crop so much. I rarely use my 1.4x honestly. But to your point going over to Sony the 200-600 takes teleconverters really well as long as you have decent light at f9. The 200-600 is an incredible lens thats why I am still keeping it. Best in its class currently IMO. Thank you as always for your great feedback and support Alex 🙏
Yup your totally right about the foot!
Thank you very much for watching victor !!! Its so silly to not include on a $13k lens
How would you think the 400 2.8 with 1.4 converter= 600 4.0 would be compared to this 600 4.0. Sharpness and focusing quality. I am thinking portablity. Don't know what or where animals will come from ...
Hi Richard thank you for watching !!! Personally I would recommend the 600 F4 over the 400 f2.8 + Teleconverters hands down. As fast and as good as the 400 F2.8 you always lose quality and Af speed when using a teleconverter. I experimented with this many times. Think about it you are putting a piece of glass that cost $550 over your $13k lens you are going to lose quality. There is a reason why the 600F4 is the most popular wildlife prime . Of course this is just my opinion and take on it from my experience.
@@SamRino what you lose in sharpness with the softwares available today could replace the quality.Have the Al with 200/600. But 98% at 600. Then would also have the 400 2.8 for shorter ranges
@@SamRino PS Like your videos, educational and entertaining. One of my favorites
Thank you so much Richard really appreciate that !!! 😊🙏
Hello from Uruguay, a very good explanation, and video. Unfortunately the weight of this lens is huge for older people who have back spine issues , I love these lenses, but.... I am kind of having to get a compromise with weight, quality and light. Thanks a lot for this.
Thank you very much Daniela appreciate it 😊🙏I can understand the weight can be a lot to carry . Thank you for watching 🙏
@@SamRino I loved your video, very clear for a non english speaker! Thanks to you!
Thank you for the great feedback Daniela😊🙏
I agree with you Sam about the arca Swiss foot on the lens
Yeah it’s very silly …thank you very much for watching Teddy 😊🙏🏻
Looks awesome!!! I think the advantages of that lens far out weigh the disadvantages...Enjoy that monster!!!
Thank you very much appreciate that man 😊🙏 Definitely loving that lens !!
@@SamRino 👍📷
One thing I have noticed about a 600f4 from Nikon or Sony is there is nothing else out there that has Subject separation like they do except for maybe the 100mm Tokina f2.8 macro...To me it's worth the money to have the background blown out without any harsh focus fall off like the zooms do...I shoot the Nikon 200-500mmf 5.6 and for the money it's nice and sharp but it's missing that blown out background!!
Totally agree very hard to get that background on a zoom unless the background is really far away or using photoshop which I never use personally.
@@SamRino true! Glad to hear you say that about PhotoShop...I'm in the camp of very light editing...I might adjust my exposure slightly in post because I tend to add in quite a bit of negative exposure comp. because the D500 is king at blowing highlights and then I add a little sharpness and I'm done! I see guys replace the sky and all kinds of crap and to me that's no longer your photo it's a fake piece of 💩🤣🤣🤣
30:32 Wow what a shot that small bird is hidden, it even looks photoshopped because the hawk is so huge!
Not many people notice that good eye😁.It was a mockingbird that had a nest close by and he kept attacking the hawk. I have several shots of him attacking the red tailed hawk.
I didn't even see it until you pointed it out!
Amazing images!
Thank you very much really appreciate it 😊🙏
Hey Sam, I really love your down to earth advice and presentation. I'm also enjoying your work, I've noticed your photos aren't heavily edited and for someone learning wildlife photography give a very good representation of what to expect with said gear. I haven't taken the leap to the 600 prime, not sure I will and have asked myself many times would sharper images or a little better bokeh really make me happier with my images. Personally investing in a hide and other ways of getting much closer to my subjects seem to go a long way. Looking at some of your images It appears you used Topaz Denoise, I thought that program was great but sometimes I step back and see it gives a very un-natural look if overdone... yes, it makes your gear look super sharp but I feel a lot of the subtle emotion can be robbed, just something to be aware of. I'm curious how far you come down into NJ, I'm guessing you're based close to where I live looking at the birds you've shot and the foliage. I also cannot agree more with the Sony foot not having arca swiss, it's also been known to fail, I changed all mine out for Kirk feet. They're starting to wobble a bit though, not sure how well made the Sony lens collars are.
Thank you so much Rob !!! I honestly wasn't sure if I would regret buying the 600F4 but I can tell you I have no regrets I absolutely love it. As far as editing I do very little to my images besides Topaz denoise and a few adjustments in lightroom. I try to dial back denoise and now you can directly import your raw file to denoise and edit it as a raw file. I never use their standard settings I always dial them back as they tend to way over sharpen. I actually show a bit of my editing routine in my A1 review video. As far the foot I actually now use a Manfrotto video fluid head and that does not use Arca swiss. So I use a Manfortto plate that actually tightens with 2 screws to the Sony foot and is very stable, so far so good. Here is the fluid head I use www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1470943-REG/manfrotto_mvh608ahus_608_nitrotech_fluid_video.html and the plate www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/241161-REG/Manfrotto_501PLONG_501PLONG_Quick_Release_Video.html
@@SamRino I rarely seem to regret buying good gear so I hear ya. I wasn't even sure about the A1 being that photography isn't my work. You reminded me I need to update to a new version of topaz, i'm using one about 2 years old.
With that lens you have to be at a certain distance all the time because theres no zoom?
Hi and thank you for watching !!! Yes at times when things come too close you and might cost you a shot as there is no way to zoom out. That's why I listed it as a disadvantage.
@@SamRino Thanks.
Good video.
Thank you very much 😊🙏🏻
Gained some weight lol. I wanna gain that kind of weight too Sam, spoil me with a 600 f/4 too😃😃😃. Great in depth video buddy. I was mainly focused on your images and the footage, amazing compilation!😍😍😍
Lol 😂 thank you Peter !!!, it’s definitely a good kind of weight to put on lol 😂
These lenses are like anything else you would spend money on. If you take it home and use it once or twice a year then you wasted your money. If you use it all of the time then money well spent. It's like a bass boat or a four wheeler. (Except the lens holds its value longer) You have to use them to get your moneys worth out of them.
Thank you for watching and your feedback !!! You make a valid point
Every channel pushing new expensive equipment, must be lots of good used stuff out there for those on a tight budget.
Rick I appreciate you watching but I honestly don’t understand your comment. Who is pushing any expensive gear ? This is gear I bought with my own money. No one is paying me to push anything. I am just talking about 2 pieces of gear I own . I had a few people ask me to talk about it because they were on the fence about it so I made this video . Stop the paranoia that everyone is selling something or being paid to push something . I could care less who buys these lenses it has no impact whatsoever on me . Was just trying to help someone that might be thinking about buying this lens. I understand you are on a budget with gear that’s totally understandable there is plenty of budget gear reviews on TH-cam if you look . Not sure why you picked this video
Great to see a video from a rightfull owner of this lens, no paid promotion. Great video, the quality of these prime lenses just look unique and you can tell the images are taken with an expensive lens, something words or pixel peeping can't even describe the difference. I found this going from a bridge camera to the Sony 200-600mm lens, I could pick up similar details with bridge camera, but details aside, the images from the 200-600mm just look professional and so much nicer, again words can't really describe the difference. But these prime lenses are on a whole other level again.
Thank you so much Kurtis !!! Yeah thats why I wanted to say it wasn't that I didn't love the 200-600, I absolutely love that lens.it was just to go to the next level/step . Thank you again for watching and your support 😊🙏
Great video, Sam! These big primes also take teleconverters amazingly well, especially the 1.4. I've got my Nikon version on eBay, ready to convert... can't believe you found one in stock, that's awesome. Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much Adam appreciate that !!! 😊🙏 You are absolutely correct, I meant to mention that, it does take TC much better than the 200-600. I guess I am not a huge fan of teleconverters so I forgot lol
I am buying this soon. Dammit
Thank you for watching !!! Its an incredible lens no regrets !!!
@@SamRino Ordered today! Sony should slide you some Green.
Congrats on your new lens !!! lol nah I am just glad I can help people ....you will love this lens !!! check out my new Pileated woodpecker nest video, all shot with the 600F4, its an incredible lens !!! th-cam.com/video/i5iKtDrx-zc/w-d-xo.html
awesome
Thank you very much really appreciate it 😊🙏
Bueno bueno, enhorabuena por el nuevo objetivo aunque creo que las fotos no son buenas, necesita que te lo mire, me lo mandas a España y ya te lo devolveré. Bromas aparte me parece una gran inversión pero lo que vas a disfrutar junto a la A1, eso no tiene precio. Me alegro por ti amigo, espero y deseo que lo disfrutes. Un saludo. Por cierto si por esa zona tienes posibilidades de hacer un buen vídeo de aves playeras seguro que me divierto con ello, me encantan.
Muchas gracias Abel, tendré que enviártelo para asegurarme de que esté bien, jaja, eso fue genial ... Creo que la vida es demasiado corta y tenemos que hacer las cosas que amamos y disfrutarlas mientras podamos. Muchas gracias de nuevo amigo como siempre. Definitivamente veré cómo hacer un video de aves costeras. es hacia el final de la temporada aquí para las aves costeras, pero veré qué puedo hacer. Mantente a salvo y cuida mi amigo !!! 😊🙏
Great vid as usual Sam!
I have been shooting with the F4600mm now for a year but I am a weekend warrior lol.... who is starting to use a tripod lol. I work long hours and the weekends are the only time to myself. But when I travel, I would tend to go on safari and/or somewhere international.
I can 1,000% concurr with ppl asking me dumb questions and I hate the lens hood. That screw in mechanic sucks and I feel like I am one twist away from breaking it.
I do use a Tenba backpack to carry the lens / A1 combo (Axis 32L) with no issues.
Lastly. whats your IG so that I can connect with you?
Thank you very much Alvin appreciate that !!! 😊🙏 I am under Samrinophotography on instagram send me a message, I will definitely follow back 👍 I will have to check out the bag you mentioned.
@@SamRino Also.. great tip on the insurance... I am calling my provider in the morning!
The invite will come from @i.am.x.wild.
Will look for it thank you Alvin !!!
I appreciate a video on it. But honestly, when it comes to these two lenses, IF you can afford a 13 thousand dollar lens, you shouldnt even be considering the measly 200-600 for 2 grand. Just get the dang top of the line lens. When 13 grand just isnt an option, I think the 200-600 is great. But a comparison is a little unnecessary I think with a such a crazy difference in price that these lenses have. I would love the 600F4 but seeing as that is not feasible in my life, the 200-600 is more than capable.
I appreciate the feedback Seth 😊🙏 but the reason I did this video is because i had a ton of people on instagram and here asking me to do this after I got the lens . You will be surprised how many people ask for this. Thank you for watching
Hi Rino! The 4/600 is about 8x more expensive and 2x heavier than 200-600. The results have to bee 8x more better! They are not!
For a pit of quality to pay that money is only posible for people with big wallet, or somebody who sells pictures for big money.
I have not so much money and I am happy with my 200-600. It is good enough but very heavy. Most people sell it back because of the weight...
But it is only my opinion!
Best regards! Dariusz
I agree its not for everyone it all depends what you are looking for and what kind of work you do. I am loving my 600F4, it fits my needs and work. I still love my 200-600 and still use it quite a bit its a fantastic lens. Thanks for feedback
200-600 isn’t heavy…
Amazing lens except your stuck at 600mm and will miss a lot of shots because of it! Personally I would get tired of seeing those close up shots that show less of the environment and fail to tell much of a story!
That’s why I still kept my 200-600 and use it quite often !!! Thank you for watching 😊🙏🏻
Can you send me your old 200-600 😅😁😁
Lol 😂I still use it all the time its a great lens 😁 Thank you for watching !!! 😊🙏
👍🏾🙏🏾
Thank you very much Eugene 😊🙏
You gained wait, haha that was good 😂 👍
😂Thank you very much Thomas 😊🙏🏻
200-600 with AI software will it be close to the 600 prime? :). Blowing the background yes that cant be matched obviously.
Hi Mahesh thank you for watching 😊🙏🏻 I use Topaz Ai all the time but I don’t think the clarity can be matched IMO . It’s not sharpness so much it’s clarity …also the AF is incredibly fast . Yes you can get very close in certain areas but a lot of things you can’t. honestly I have been blown away by this lens so far a lot more than I expected.
200-600 is an amazing lens best in its class no doubt, this comparison was not meant to diss the 200-600 in anyway honestly. I love that lens, I been shooting it since day 1 when it came out 2 years ago. A lot of people that are looking to buy the 600F4 asked me to make a video to help them decide if its worth it is all :)
$11000? That’s cheap
Oh sorry, extra 11k 🙄
HAHA! 6 lbs is worth every pound gained
Lol its definitely a good weight to gain 😂 Thank you for watching appreciate it 😊🙏
suostei tae anak so k sabbay
Puro consumismo¡¡Ni mas ni menos¡¡Al final ves una foto y no sabes con que objetivo fue echo,si te sobra el dinero adelante¡¡jajajajajajajajaja....Madre mia¡¡
Bro!
You talk a lot for nothing, learn to present the essence, characteristics, parameters and comparison results. And you're grinding water...
Glad you enjoyed it !!
Here is an idea go do your own review instead of criticizing me 😉
And then,, due to covid19 blah blah blah.