100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporaryvs A7C II
Sigma
100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary (2020)
Starting from £749 new
Best for Wildlife & sports photography on a budget
View 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Wildlife & Sports Photography On A Budget — 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary (2020): The best-value telephoto zoom for Sony FE — 400mm reach, OS, and weather sealing for under £800. Punches well above its price at every focal length.
Full-Frame Hybrid — A7C II (2023): Full-frame AI autofocus in the most compact body available — the best camera under £1,500 for hybrid shooters.
Who should buy what
A7C II (2023)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame quality in the most compact body
- Hybrid shooters who need full-frame video and IBIS in a small package
- A7C owners looking for a significant AF and video upgrade
- Portrait and wedding photographers who want a discreet full-frame backup
Quick take: The 100-400mm f/5-6.3 dg dn os contemporary is the most affordable; only the 100-400mm f/5-6.3 dg dn os contemporary is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary (2020) | A7C II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £749 | £1,499 |
| Sensor | f/5-6.3 (variable max aperture) | 33MP Full-frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 33.0MP |
| Video | 160cm minimum focus distance | 4K/60p oversampled, S-Log3, 10-bit internal |
| Autofocus | HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) — fast and near-silent for a telephoto zoom | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 4-stop OS (Optical Stabiliser) | 5-axis IBIS, 7.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1140g | 514g body only |
| Dimensions | 86.4mm diameter × 199.2mm length | 124.0 × 71.1 × 63.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Dual slots: SD UHS-II + CFexpress Type A |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C (3.2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary | A7C II |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
More comparisons with 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary
Camera family history