Four Primes, one Zoom Lenses Optimized for 35mm Sensor MILCs
March 3, 2015
To meet the growing demand of its A7 series camera owners, Sony today introduced three prime lenses and a zoom lenses optimized for 35mm Sensor E-Mount Cameras.
Sony today announced a trio of prime lenses, an intriguing 10x zoom lens, and four converters, all optimized for use on Sony’s full-frame cameras—the A7, A7 Mark II, A7R, and A7S. While the lenses can also be used on APS models such as the A6000, Sony has optimized them for full-frame sensor cameras.
The fast Sony FE 28mm f/2 lens is the first of Sony’s latest batch of lenses designed for its full-frame A7 series of mirrorless compact digital cameras. Key features include a nine-blade circular aperture to produce pleasing, smooth bokeh at wider apertures. The lens includes ED (Extra-low Dispersion and Super ED glass to reduce chromatic aberration and improve contrast. An aspherical element is included in order to reduce spherical aberration while also reducing lens size and weight. The lens’s AF mechanism focuses internally, maintaining lens size at all focusing distances. When used on an APS-C sensor camera, its 35mm equivalent focal length is 42mm.
Key Specs:
- Sony E-Mount (35mm)
- f/2-22
- 9-Blade Circular Aperture
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.29m
- Filter ring: 49mm
- 2 5/8 x 2 3/8 inches
- 7.1 oz.
An Ultra-Wide Converter and a Fisheye Converter were also introduced. They can increase the angle of view to 21mm($248.00) or 16mm fisheye($298), respectively, with the latter taking in a full 180 degree angle of view. A bonus: The converters send EXIF data to the camera through the lens. The Sony FE 28mm f/2lens will be available from Adorama in early May for $448
Sony Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA
Sony also announced a fast moderate wide angle lens designed for its 35mm sensor compact cameras, the Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA. It is manufactured under the premium quality Zeiss moniker. As with its wider-angle sibling, it has a 9-blade aperture, and includes an advanced optical design with aspherical and new AA (advanced spherical) lens elements, plus Zeiss T* coating to suppress reflections, reduce chromatic abberation and aspherical distortion, and offer outstanding contrast and clarity. Sony boasts a “responsive aperture ring” with clear click stops that can be switched off and on as needed, a great feature for moviemaking.
Key Specs:
- Sony E-Mount (35mm)
- f/1.4-16
- 9-Blade Circular Aperture
- Minimum Focus: 0.98 ft
- 3 1/8 x 4 1/2
- 22.3 oz
The Sony Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 ZAwill be available from Adorama in April for $1,598.
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS
Rounding out Sony’s new lineup of primes is the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro lens, also designed for use on 35mm sensor E-Mount cameras (It can be used on APS-C sensor cameras with a 35mm equivalent of a 135mm lens). With a focus range down to approximately 11 inches, it offers a true macro 1:1 magnification ratio, complemented by a 9-blade circular aperture for natural-looking, round specular highlights. A rugged lens, it is protected against dust and moisture. It features built-in stabilization, and its optics include an internal, floating focus mechanism, Nano AR coating and Super ED glass to suppress flare and ghosting and reduce spherical aberration. A focus hold button locks the lens barrel, and a focus range limiter saves “hunt” time during autofocus. Focus is run via a Direct Drive SSM focus drive, which uses piezoelectric elements oscillating at ultrasonic frequencies to focus the lens, resulting in very quiet operation that is needed when working with animals or insects that can be easily spooked.
Key Specs:
- Sony E-Mount (35mm)
- 11 groups, 15 elements
- f/2.8-22
- 9-Blade Circular Aperture
- Minimum fous: 0.92 ft.
- 3 1/8 x 5 1/4 in
- 21.3 oz
The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSSwill be available from Adorama in June for $1,098.
Sony also introduced a 10x zoom lens for full-frame, the FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS. A versatile lens that could appeal to a wide range of photographers, especially travel, portrait, and landscape shooters, the camera boasts a quiet focus mechanism, built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, and dust- and moisture-resistant construction. The lens is internal focusing, so the focal length doesn’t change during focus, and the front element doesn’t rotate. Internally, the lens features rounded aperture blades for pleasing Bokeh, and an Aspherical lens design, which helps reduce lens size and weight while improving image quality.
Key Specs:
- 24-240mm
- f/3.5-6.3 – 22-40
- 12 groups, 17 elements
- APS C 35mm equivalent: 36-360mm
- 7 blade rounded aperture ring
- 72mm filter ring
- Minimum focus 1.6-2.6 feet
- 3 1/4 x 4 3/4 in
- 27.6 oz.
The Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSSwill be available from Adorama in mid-March for $998.
APS Prime Lens Converters
Finally, Sony introduced an Ultra Wide ($158) and a Fisheye($178) lens converter, designed to work with Sony’s 16mm f/2.8 and 20mm f/2.8 lenses on their APS-C sensor cameras such as the Sony A6000. On the 16mm lens, the Ultra-Wide Converter will provide an angle of view 35mm equivalent of an 18mm lens, and will provide a 24mm view when shooting with the 20mm lens. The Fisheye converter will provide a 35mm equivalent focal length of 15mm on the 16mm lens, and 20mm on the 20mm lens.
