Sony has announced two new full-frame compatible FE lenses for their mirrorless cameras. The first lens is a less expensive 50mm f/1.8 lens that serves as an alternative to the 55mm f/1.8 Zeiss lens, and the second is a 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 telephoto zoom.
I am excited about the new 50mm as the 55mm Zeiss lens is rather expensive. The new 50mm lens will be priced at $249, making it one-fourth the price of the Zeiss. In addition, it will have a 49mm filter thread, making it an excellent companion to the 28mm f/2 lens currently available. I almost considered selling my current 50mm f/1.8 E lens and purchase the new FE version so that I can use it on both systems. I would love to have that, the 28mm and a Sony A7RII body, but will likely get the A7II instead. However, it looks like the new 50mm does not feature image stabilization, which is fine for the A7 series cameras since they have body based stabilization, but the A6xxx and A5xxx series cameras do not.
The 70-300mm *almost* fills a much needed gap in the current E/FE lens line-up. I like the concept of the Sony mirrorless cameras, and currently own the excellent Sony A6000. when I purchased my 6D I seriously contemplated the Sony A7II, but a couple of things held me back. For one, I already had Canon lenses and flashes, however, the battery life, slow start-up time, poor low-light autofocus performance and lack of a 70-300mm lens option in the E/FE mount were the biggest hurdles for me personally. With the announcement of the 70-300mm lens I was initially excited, however, as soon as I saw the “G” on the side of the lens my heart sank knowing that this would be an expensive lens, and upon further reading of the press release my disappointment was confirmed as the lens will be priced at $1200. I’m sure the lens will be great, but unfortunately I have to purchase my own gear and the price of admission for this lens is a little to steep for me. Further reading of the press release only further let me down when I saw the size of the front filter: 72mm. That makes this lens as big as the excellent 70-200mm f/4, and the price is not far from it, either. What I was really hoping for would be a native E/FE mount 70-300mm similar to the Canon/Nikon/Tamron 70-300mm consumer lenses in price and size. I’ve used the Canon 70-300mm L lens and it is certainly fantastic, and I am sure the Sony will perform similarly, but at the end of the day I vote with my wallet, and will likely not be adding the new 70-300mm to my stable.
Both lenses are expected to start shipping in May of 2016.
Press Release:
Sony Bolsters Full-Frame FE Lens Line-up with New 70-300mm High-Resolution Zoom and 50mm F1.8 Prime Lenses
New FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS Telephoto Zoom and 50mm F1.8 Prime Lens Extend Sony α Shooting Possibilities
SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 29, 2016 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today introduced two new full-frame lenses for their E-mount camera system, the FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom and 50mm F1.8 prime lens.
The new FE 70-300mm F4.5-F5.6 G OSS zoom lens represents the first Sony α E-mount lens to reach a 300mm focal length, featuring high resolution and excellent overall optical performance throughout the entirety of its range. The new 50mm F1.8 prime lens is extremely compact, lightweight and affordably priced, making it an ideal choice for those looking to explore the benefits of a large aperture prime lens at a reasonable cost.
“We’re continuing to build out our FE lens line-up, offering more variety than ever for today’s imaging enthusiasts,” said Neal Manowitz, Vice President of Digital Imaging at Sony Electronics. “Representing two of the most requested focal lengths by our customers, the new 70-300mm zoom and 50 F1.8mm prime become ideal choices for those looking to expand and enhance their Sony α kits.
New FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS Telephoto Zoom Lens
Sony’s longest reaching E-mount lens to date, the new FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens (model SEL70300G) features a state-of-the-art optical design including four aspherical glass elements, two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and Sony’s Nano AR coating, which all work together to effectively suppress spherical aberration, distortion, and chromatic aberration. This ensures beautiful high-resolution results for both still and video shooting.
The new telephoto zoom lens also features class-leading close-up performance, with a minimum focusing distance of less than 3 feet (0.9m) and a maximum magnification of 0.31x, making it an ideal choice for tele-macro photography. This outstanding close-up performance also factors into the lens’ excellent corner-to-corner sharpness.
The versatile zoom lens includes built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization that helps to reduce camera shake, making it easier to capture clear images when shooting handheld. Additionally, the new SEL70300G model has a linear actuator that allows it to achieve fast, smooth and quiet autofocus and is also dust and moisture resistant1 to ensure reliable operation in harsh outdoor conditions.
New FE 50mm F1.8 Prime Lens
Weighing in at less than 7 oz (192 g), the new lightweight FE 50mm F1.8 “normal” prime lens (model SEL50F18F) delivers an outstanding blend of performance, compactness and value, making it a perfect choice for hobbyist photographers and videographers looking to experience the benefits of a wide aperture prime lens at an attainable cost.
The lens features a new optical design with an aspherical element that effectively compensates for all forms of aberration, resulting in beautiful, crisp imagery. Additionally, it has a circular aperture with a maximum of F1.8, producing beautiful ‘bokeh’ in images that allows the subject to stand out against a smoothly defocused background. For extended durability, the new prime lens is built with a solid metal mount.
Pricing and Availability
The new FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens will be available in May for about $1,200 US and $1,700 CA, respectively.
The new FE 50mm F1.8 prime lens will also be available in May for about $250 US and $350 CA, respectively.
Both of the new FE interchangeable lenses will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America.
A variety of exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new lenses and other Sony α products can be found atwww.alphauniverse.com , Sony’s new community site built to educate, inspire and showcase all fans and customers of the Sony α brand.
Content is also available for viewing at the sony.com product pages for the FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens and the FE 50mm F1.8 prime lens.