Having a blast at Hornborgasjön

This past weekend, I took a trip to one of Sweden’s most iconic birdwatching spots—Lake Hornborga. Every spring, thousands of cranes gather here during their migration, turning the lake into a paradise for both bird lovers and photographers. Naturally, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to head out with my camera and try to capture the magic.

What made this trip extra exciting was that I brought along Sony’s brand-new 400–800mm G lens. I paired it with my Sony A7R V, curious to see how this combination would perform in a real-world wildlife scenario. Spoiler alert: it was nothing short of impressive.

The first thing that struck me was how easy it was to track birds in flight. Cranes aren’t the fastest flyers, but they can be unpredictable, especially in large flocks. Still, the autofocus on the A7R V locked on effortlessly, and the lens followed along without missing a beat. I was firing off frames left and right, and nearly every shot was sharp.

What’s great about the 400–800mm range is the flexibility. One moment you’re zoomed all the way in, isolating a single bird mid-flight; the next, you’re pulling back to include more of the environment—the shimmering lake, the soft spring light, the distant hills. It lets you tell a story, not just capture a subject.

In short: this lens and camera combo is a bird photographer’s dream. Whether you're an avid wildlife shooter or just love the thrill of capturing nature in motion, Sony’s latest telezoom delivers the goods.

More images from the trip are coming soon—but let’s just say, the cranes weren’t the only ones dancing that day.