Well I'm very not lucky since I got the lens. I'm on holiday for the week and there is just big cloud and rain out there . But, I have got the chance to took some picture the first day outside with some sun, the rest is pretty much with bad light environment.

The first impression of the lens for the moment : Not very heavy, focus very quick with the A900 (you can follow with not problem on continuous mode bird in fly, I have put example of this), the hood is a little big shaky but it stay there once correctly screwed, build like a tank as the G series are.

For picture quality, well like any lens like that you have to get time to very anticipate and learn how to use it, I think it is impossible to be great on a lens at the beginning (what I'm learning so far with my short photograph life). I'm not doing full detail technical review, always it is base on feeling and picture analysis on my computer :

-> Vignetting almost absent even full open
-> Sharp Sharp Sharp even full open
-> Tripod probably the best option ... but so fare I'm impress by the handled experience, you can see picture where I have been able to get good detail of plane flying at 1/200s at 560mm with the 1.4x
-> the 1.4x is almost not eliminating detail, I would probably most of the time let is stay on the lens. (focus not affect also by the adapter).
-> I have try some F/16, F/22, and even F/32 aperture, and it is usable at all of them. Mostly apparent lost of detail after F/16 (but still better than other lens in there best spot).
-> out of focus effect are very good.
-> the minolta 2x like for the other G lens I have tried is not the "Bienvenue" and the focus is off when on it. For the moment I prefer using the Tamron SP model, but not had time to compare the performance. But, for the moment I don't see the advantage compare to the 1.4x (where up scaling the image are probably better, like I have experienced with the 200mm 4.0 Macro)
-> Need to pay attention to the quality of the air outside ... for the moment some picture are not sharp and this is not because of miss focus ... but clearly because of atmospheric distortion (heat, dust, humidity water particles)

Here is some examples : http://www.pbase.com/nadeauf/minolta_400mm_45

(F5.0)


(F4.5)


(560mm F6.3)


I'm really considering this lens like the replicate of the 200mm HS 2.8 in a bigger focal length. Now ... is this lens justify the price ... my answer is probably not, I don't see a reason to invest this amount of money on a single lens ... if you are not Minolta maniac ... or to much crazy ... I hope to found the cure hi hi .

Regards,

Frank

I like the plane shots especially Frank, I got a surprise too, I didn't expect KLM to be still using DC10's, I thought they were now all being used for cargo carrying. You know of course you could use the 400G on an A700 and you wouldn't need to use the 1.4X extender (for the same shot) with the light loss that goes with it, and you would get slightly more magnification as well. I bet one could do some damage with that baby at f8 on BIF shots.
Greg

I think thats an MD11

You know about the APC-C sensor ... It will be a lie not saying that the main idea behind the buying of this lens is the short coming announcement of the 24MPix NEX7 or the A77 (I will have to make the choice when both model will be available). I think with this kind of sensor power, only good prime lens will be able to satisfy this angry pixel captor.

And for the F8.0 , so fare (removing really far corner of the lens) I don't see difference in detail from F4.5 to F8.0 with the 400mm F4.5 ... (that for me was a chock ... in the good sens).

Regards,

Frank

You could be right Jav, but what's an MD11 anyway, basically a DC10 with some cosmetics, like a nice digital flight deck, some winglets and a slightly different tail fin and maybe some newer engines.
Greg

ps. Yeah that's a surprise Frank, no noticable difference between f4.5 and f8, surely there must be some...one would think, unless the diaphragm is stuck...ha ha just kidding.

Nice pics Frank. I like the compressed view in the city shot. Yeh, that baby on a 77 will be interesting

Deep of field in not so close subject are very tight wide open. This is the kid of my best friend running on us and I was looking at the picture tonight and was thinking that I should clean the lens of some dust ... but the dust appear to be live insect

(I cannot say properly ... but probably more than ~25 feet from me)



I was shooting a little bit underexposed and also at ISO400 ... but I'm pretty sure this little bugs will be cleaner on good exposition.

This is the same kind of bug that has put little dark spot on this shoot too in the top of the electric wire.

http://www.pbase.com/nadeauf/image/134434186/original.jpg (About ~75-100 feet from me)

So fare so good ... the lens even at 4.5 push the limit of the sensor.

regards,

Frank