My Thoughts on the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 lens

**This is not meant to be a technical lens review—but rather my thoughts on whether or not I will be using the lens in the future.

I recently borrowed the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 lens from my good friends at B&H photos for my Patagonia trip. I wanted to use the lens in place of the Sony 200-600mm lens because I wanted the additional reach to shoot the pumas with and I heard it was sharp at 800mm. I also thought I could put the lens to the test in the field and get a good idea of whether or not to add it to my lens line up. I’ll be referring to the two lenses as the 2-6 and the 4-8 from now on to save time. 

So, after shooting and carrying around the 4-8, I would like to share my thoughts on why I won’t be keeping the lens. AND the good features about the lens for those of you that are considering purchasing one. 

The 4-8 is a bit heavier than the 2-6 BUT it also has 200mm more reach. it does not use the same replacement foot as the 2-6, it uses the SF-04 by Leofoto. I needed to use a plate since I didn’t have time to get the new foot before I left. I like to carry my lens by the foot as I never use a strap. 

The lens is an f/6.3 to f/8, it starts off at f/6.3 then jumps quickly to an f/8 at 600mm’s. The 2-6 that I already own is an f/6.3 at 600 mm’s. I’m not fond of the backgrounds when using the f/6.3 but they are manageable in terms of softness but with the f/8 unless you are shooting with sky, water, distant backgrounds, against the snow or soft backdrops your images can look kind of documentary and that does not appeal to my style of photography. Also, to maintain a decent shutter speed at f/8 you need to crank your ISO. That hurt me in the field when the light was low. It’s unfortunate because the lens is priced very reasonably (I did hear that it just jumped up $500.00 since I got it) AND the additional reach is very nice and comes in handy for wildlife and birds. 

I like the internal zoom just as the 2-6 has and I liked the feel of the lens in my hands. I handheld it, used a tripod, and shot action and portraits. I climbed around rough terrain up and down and never felt the lens was a burden. My images at 800mm were sharper than I had expected. I think they would have been sharper if I could have used a lower ISO.

My action shots with 4-8 using my Sony A1  body were fine. But I did not shoot any birds in flight so I can’t completely speak to that. When I used the crop factor in my camera my action shots were not quite as sharp. It could have been the wind as we struggled with high winds during the trip on quite a few of the days. 

Overall, the lens is decent for the money. I can see it being a viable lens for many photographers. I can’t help but think after this trip that a 600mm prime lens will be back on the table for me…

If you have any thoughts to share, please leave them in the comments so that others can benefit from your experiences. Thanks. 

*And PS-I have no skin in the game here.

New Team Member ~ Harold Klein

I am pleased to announce that the newest member of our team is Harold Klein. Please join me and the team in welcoming Harold. His technical background, love for innovation and his ability to share that knowledge along with his passion for the great outdoors makes him a perfect fit.

Harold has been a part owner in the West Yellowstone Camera Store for the past 5 years. He has been leading photographic adventures from Brazil to Alaska. When he was not busy helping folks figure out camera issues in the store he was out leading photographic adventures from Brazil to Alaska. Not to mention, leading guided photographic trips into Yellowstone National Park both during the day and at night.

Harold has joined me in Bosque, Katmai, Patagonia, and the Falkland Islands- where we first hashed up this idea. He has been terrific in the field and most helpful to clients with their gear and laptops.

Plans are underway for another Bear Boat trip to Alaska! Yippee! Harold was on “Chuck Keim’s old boat” with me many years ago but has been working closely with the new owners on their new luxury boat for years. Both he and Donna are looking forward to getting the trip together…stay tuned for more details, as it will be announced soon. I may even have to join this adventure! SIGN UP HERE!

To read more about Harold and to get to know him a bit more check out his bio HERE.

Patagonia Trip Report

I arrived in Santiago 2 days before my trip start date. I like to have a break from the two flights required for me to get to Punta Arenas from New York. I usually fly out of JFK to get a non-stop flight to Santiago. The hotel in Santiago is convenient and familiar. In the morning after a nice rest, I fly to Punta Arenas. I know I could fly directly to Punta Arenas or even Puerto Natales with a Santiago layover but again, it’s all part of the slower pace I like to set for myself on longer journeys. 

Once I got to Punta Arenas, I walked around by the water, had a leisurely dinner and spent the night. In the morning, we headed out on our road trip to Torres de Paine. We stopped midway for a nice lunch and a cappuccino. 

The group was a good one. Lots of returning clients that have become friends over the years. Donna Bourdon, Beverly Still, Harold Klein, Kitty Kono, Craig Elson and his beautiful wife Lisa who did a lot of hiking, Diane Crowe, Frances Fuji and her husband Tom. Tom is not a photographer, but I think he enjoyed spending time in the field with the group. We all enjoyed cocktail hour and our wonderful dinners, not to mention our double desserts!! Our guides were all fabulous as were the hotel staff. Actually, everyone along the way was wonderful. Chile is a beautiful country, and the people are always so nice. 

One of my first up-close experiences with puma (mountain lion) in Chile was inside Torres del Paine NP many years ago. We hiked up a moderately sloped mountain to observe and hopefully photograph a female puma named “Rupestre.” She was on a mission to get back to her kill. Our guide told us that she had taken down a guanaco earlier and was going back to feed on it. 

When puma leave their prey, they cover it so that birds and other animals don’t get to it. It also helps to protect the meat from the sun. The behavior is interesting to watch as they maneuver their giant paws over debris and dirt to cover the kill. 

As we made our way up the mountain it was amazing to see how easily she managed the terrain. Her strides were consistent, and she moved at a remarkable pace— we had zero chance of keeping up with her, but we were able to maintain a safe distance and still keep her in our sight. 

Once we reached the top, we photographed her as she fed on the guanaco. She didn’t eat much; it seemed more like she was just checking on her kill but had a few bites just for good measure.  After she was done, she covered the remaining meal and quietly waked away. 

It was a heart beating moment to see a puma at close range. It was also a day I’ll never forget. Her intense eyes and heart-shaped nose were highlighted by her golden toned coat. The shades of grey on her face made her a standout beauty. It was love at first sight for me. I’ve been hooked on big cats ever since. My quest to photograph these large cats in their natural environment has been a dream come true. 

I’ve had the good fortune to see and photograph both Rupestre and four of her cubs when they were first brought out of their den. I’ve also returned to watch as the young cubs have grown and now have families of their own. My favorite daughter is Dania, she reminds me of her mother at an early age. Dania now has two beautiful cubs approximately 4 months old.

On our last evening in Patagonia, we saw Rupestre, she looked thin, her eyes were filled with bugs, she had more scars than I had seen on my last visit. She looked worn down and tired. It was a somber glance that my guide and I shared. We have both loved this puma for years. His words to me… “she looks old” cut me like a knife. I knew he was right, and I nodded to him in agreement. I took comfort in the fact that I just spent time with two of her offspring; they were both healthy and thriving. 

One of Rupestre’s daughters (Dania) with her two cubs. The cubs have not been named yet.

I focus stacked this image using one focus point on the back cub and one on the mother to get them all in focus.

One of Dania’s cubs

Both of Dania’s cubs together.

My first Guanaco chase at a close distance. This was at 800mm and cropped lightly.

After taking down a Guanaco, Coiron rested for quite awhile before sitting up.

I look forward to another adventure with the puma in Patagonia. It is truly a unique experience. Plans are underway for a 2027 return trip. All of my pumas shots were captured with the Sony A1 and the Sony 400-800mm lens.

On one of our last days of the photo tour we stopped along the road to photograph a medium sized stand of dead trees that were burned during the fire of 2011-2012. One person trying to light toilet paper set the massive fire leaving behind an acres and acres of destruction.

The stand of trees had some underbrush growth of autumnal colors. It actually looked really pretty with the fall colors and white stick trees all grouped together. I began looking for compositions using the mountain as a backdrop. Then a large truck went down the road kicking up all kinds of dust and dirt. They are doing some road construction inside the park. The dust entered the field of dead trees creating a fog-like background. It looked magical with the light coming into the frame from the top. I spent most of my time there playing around with the fake fog, so I didn’t get a lot of time to capture any in-camera blurs as I had initially intended. But I was very pleased with some of my shots from that quick stop. 

For this shot I waited until some of the dust settled and tried to create a slight silhouette.

In Photoshop, I used several different blend mode, then brought it into Nik Color Efex to add some filtering.

Everywhere you look in Torres del Paine NP you are surrounded by mountains and peaks, towers and glaciers, blue/green lagoons and lakes, it can take your breath away. There is just too much to photograph and while you are there you feel pulled in all different directions trying to capture everything. 

We got some snow on the mountains overnight, my initial thought was to capture a B&W of the scene, but the blur color tones appealed to me.

I wrote some of my thoughts down regarding the Sony 400-800mm lens after using the lens (almost exclusively) during my trip. I will share that in my next blog post, along with some of my other shots from the trip.

Locked and Loaded

All my bags are packed I’m ready to go. I’m leaving on a jet plane…can’t wait to go!  

I spent the morning getting my gear together, charging all my batteries, packing everything into my Think Tank Airport Advantage bag. I am bringing the Sony 400-800mm lens instead of my trusty 2-6, (wish me luck) my 70-200mm f/2.8 II lens, 12-24mm lens and my 24-105mm lens, 2 camera bodies and spare cards and batteries,

My clothes along with toiletries , spare pair of hiking boots, extra socks, a hat, gloves, scarf, buff, jacket, fleece and rain gear have all been packed into my checked bag. 

My backpack will hold my laptop, track ball, mufti-plug extension cord, external hard drive, headphones, tripod with head, and a change of clothes (in case my bag gets lost).

Obviously, I haven’t mentioned every single thing I’m packing but it covers the bulk! I’m leaving out of JFK so I won’t be able to put a strap around my suitcase (a JFK rule) but it’s not over-stuffed so I should be ok. 

I’m heading to Chile to go to Torres del Paine to photograph Pumas once again. It will be so nice to get back there and reconnect with friends/colleagues. 

No matter how many times I fly, I still get excited about flying. Some people hate to fly, I love it! I don’t love the airport hassles or worrying about gear getting onboard but I have been more relaxed than ever about my gear. It only took about 15 years but I realize that whatever happens, I’ll be fine with. 

Safe travels to you on your next adventure. Enjoy the journey each and every step of the way as well as the destination.

7 week old Puma cub in the rain

Recharging Creativity Workshop ~ November 3-7, 2025 Announced!

I love creative photography; including in-camera blurs, multiple exposures, high-key imagery, soft focus, etc… I have put together a second creative workshop titled “Recharging Your Creativity” dedicated to in-camera and post-processing techniques to re-charge some of that creative energy inside of you.

November is a good time for me so I will be conducting this workshop in Charleston SC, the weather will be moderate at that time of year and there are plenty of trees, water and other elements that lend themselves nicely to creative photography. So consider taking a break from the norm and recharge some of your creativity. Post-processing will be a big part of this workshop as capturing is only the beginning… This workshop is not to be confused with my March Charleston workshop, which is geared more towards photographing iconic Charleston locations. Even though we will not have access to all of the subjects shown in the imagery above, the techniques will still be covered in this course.

Dates: November 3-7, 2025

Location: Charleston area (exact location, times and hotel will be sent in a file at sign up)

Cost: $1500.

Limit 10 with a minimum of 8.

Does not include any lodging, transportation, admission fees (if any) or meals. this is the tuition cost.

Schedule

November 3rd - Meet & Greet at 12:00noon followed by a 3 hour afternoon photo shoot

November 4th - 3 hour morning photo shoot followed by a lunch break then a 2 hour afternoon Photoshop session.

November 5th - 3 hour morning photo shoot followed by a lunch break then a 2 hour afternoon Photoshop session.

November 6th - 3 hour morning photo shoot followed by a lunch break then a 2 hour afternoon Photoshop session.

November 7th - 3 hour morning photo session. End of workshop

*This is an intense workshop filled with a lot of creative ideas and challenges. Open to all levels of photography but must have working knowledge of your camera and be able to change the shutter speed, ISO, aperture and exposure compensation. Photoshop sessions are complete with notes and are geared towards anyone with knowledge of layers and masks.

At the end of this workshop each participant will be asked to share their favorite image from the workshop. I will do a blog post with each of the chosen images, giving credit to the maker.

Some of the techniques covered in this course:

In-camera blurs, including the myriad of ways to capture and process them.

Composites, layering and stacking

High-key imagery -capture and processing

Multiple Exposures and the many ways to create them both in-camera and/or in post-processing.

Photoshop Blurs

Photoshop post-processing- fun techniques.

TO SIGN UP CLICK HERE.