On the B&H Explora blog, Todd Vorenkamp reports on his time with the Sony a9 coupled to the new 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master lens. Taking the rig to the Monticello Motor Club in upstate New York, Vorenkamp tested the camera and lens following sports cars around the circuit there. Photographing race cars is one thing you can do if regular action sports just aren't enough. For the α9 and the 100-400mm G Master, this was a test of both camera and lens in very challenging conditions.

So how did the setup do?

"Together, the Sony α9 and G Master FE 100-400 lens make a fantastic combo for today’s action shooter. The α9 is very fast when operating in continuous shooting mode with its mechanical shutter engaged—around 5 frames per second. Tracking cars at high speed and close range is difficult on a good day, but when you switch to the electronic-shutter-only mode and boost up to 20 fps on the α9, the lack of blackout is a boon to the photographer panning with the action. My miss rate dropped considerably once I was shooting in 20 fps mode—only losing tracking when the cars were mere feet away."

And...

"When it comes to focus tracking and accuracy, there are zero complaints. The α9 is a smart camera and the flickering, constantly shifting focus indicators prove that the camera is thinking hard when it comes to getting every shot in focus."

See the complete review, sample images and video clips on the B&H Explora blog.