In the Field: Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS for Wildlife

Wildlife photographer and videographer Rachel Sarah recently visited Kruger National Park, South Africa, with the full-frame mirrorless Sony A7 IV and Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS. Learn more about Rachel’s verdict on the setup and check out those stunning images. Over to you, Rachel. 

Subjects

As I rattled along in a safari vehicle, juggling camera setups, I wondered which animals I was going to see over the next few days—and I hoped I’d be able to capture them as beautifully as I wanted to. 

I was out in South Africa, shooting for the travel brand Flash Pack. I spent a few days in Kruger National Park, hoping to spot all of the big five: the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo.

Setup

MPB lent me the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS, which was always mounted on my Sony A7 IV, ready to capture both stills and film. This was alongside my wide video setup, the Sony A7S III and Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS, and my wide stills setup, the Sony A7R IV and Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM. It was a lot of kit to juggle, but I was pretty psyched—I knew it was what I needed to deliver on this project.

Autofocus

With some of my clearer-viewed animals—not hiding behind layers of branches—I put the animal eye focus to the test. I found it quick and easy to lock in the eyes of the animals. It’s a really useful tool when having to shoot so quickly, alternating between photo and film, wide and close. Without the autofocus, I think I’d have struggled to get some of these images quickly enough.

Handling

There were quite a few animals hiding behind bushes and trees, so I had to employ manual focus. The 200-600mm is, of course, big and pretty heavy. But I still found it light enough to wield without a tripod, monopod or the edge of the vehicle. It got a bit tiring after a few hours, but—for such a big lens—I was pleasantly surprised.

Image quality

I really noticed the dreamy quality of the 200-600mm, akin to the 200-70mm f/2.8—which, in terms of quality, is my favourite lens. It really allowed the subject to stand out in the frame, even when playing with a much wider composition. 

Finally, we spotted a lion, sleeping in the 37°C [98.6°F] heat by its recent giraffe kill. He was so hard to see, quite far from the road. But, as I lifted the lens and cranked all the way to 600m, I could see his belly moving up and down as he breathed, his paws lazily batting the air, one eye-opening and staring right at me.

Reach

And then, an hour or so later, the ‘classic lion’ shot—although I didn’t actually capture this one! Mardie Cohen, a guest on the trip, was next to me on these safaris. I’d been sharing my cameras with her. It’s her lion shot that steals the show. 

I shot Mardie while she shot the lion. Here, you really can see how that long telephoto is so handy—especially when the wildlife is just a little too far for the other lenses. 

As we left the sprawling National Park, I was content seeing three of the five animals that I was hoping to see. I’m already trying to work out how to find my way back into a space like this. Maybe next time, I’ll shoot for a wildlife documentary—with this lens, of course—testing out its video capabilities. And perhaps, hopefully someday, I’ll see all five in one go.

Looking for more about wildlife photography?

This article is part of the MPB Guide to Wildlife Photography and Videography, our comprehensive look at how to create wildlife imagery, with camera recommendations, advice and interviews with experts.