Sony lens rating. Sony has patented contact lenses that can record and save video Professionals Sony Alpha - Vlad Shutov

With the advent of new high-resolution full-frame sensors, there is a need for lenses that will be able to unleash their full potential. Sony was one of the first to realize this and introduced the G-Master line in 2016, setting a new standard in the field of photo optics. In this article, we will look at the key features of the series, as well as follow the development of this line of lenses.

Previously, most manufacturers pleased us with either sharp lenses or lenses with beautiful bokeh. Apparently, looking at this, Sony, which has tremendous experience in the production of optics, decided to produce lenses that can combine these two qualities: thanks to a new type of lens, G-Master lenses have become super-sharp without losing beautiful defocus.

To understand why Sony has so many technologies and how the company has achieved what no one has been able to do so far, let's turn to history.

2003 and 2006: Prologue

Back in 2003, two of the oldest Japanese manufacturers of photographic equipment, Konica and Minolta, merged into the Konica Minolta holding. It would seem that the two giants of the photo industry should form an indestructible duet that will dictate the terms of the entire market. But after a short cooperation for three years, the holding acquires Sony entirely.

In 2006, Konica Minolta's photography division is taken over by Sony, and the now-famous Sony α brand is born. Thus, the company strengthens its technological position with many years of developments and new employees. Minolta, for example, is known for the appearance the world's first autofocus 35mmSLR camera. And cooperation in the 1970s with the German company Leitz gave a separate impetus to the development of optics. Minolta lenses are still called the "gold reserve" due to their high sharpness and good contrast. Of course, these characteristics are inherited by Sony lenses, and the G-Master line becomes the crowning achievement of optics development.

Another proof that Sony knows how to make revolutionary optics is the CineAlta line, which appeared in 1999. Sony was the first company to make a 4K cinema system... in 2006! Today, its lenses support resolutions up to 8K and are used in the production of the largest Hollywood films.

Sony Alpha Professionals - Sergey Semenov

Sergei Semenov is an international economist by education. He worked in his specialty for 7 years, after which he completely went into photography. Moreover, the crisis of 2008 served as an impetus. For 10 years of work in photography, he visited more than 40 countries. Shoots in the genre of artistic landscape. He is the director of the world-famous AirPano project, which aims to show the most beautiful corners of the planet from a bird's eye view, capture them in a spherical (360 °) format (photo and video). Winner of competitions: Wildlife of Russia (conducted by National Geographic), EpsonPanoAwards, Trierenberg Super Circuit, AdMe Photo Awards, Golden Turtle, Photosight Awards, The Best Of Russia. His work is published in such publications as National Geographic, GEO, Der Spiegel, Daily Mail.

Sony 7RM3, F 6.3, 1/250 s, ISO 400, 70 mm

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Sony 7RM3, F 8, 1/160 s, ISO 1600, 26 mm

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2016: The first three Sony G-Master models are launched

Three years have passed since the introduction of the full-frame Sony A7 and A7R, and it becomes clear that the further, the more new high-resolution full-frame sensors need special lenses. It is them that Sony will present, demonstrating three models at once: zoom lenses loved by everyone F.E. 24–70 mmF/2.8 GM and FE70–200 mmF/2.8 GM OSS, as well as a portrait fix FE 85mm F/1.4GM. All lenses receive XA aspherical lenses.

XA lenses are some of the highest quality lenses in the world. It is thanks to them, or rather, thanks to precise processing in the production of a surface of 0.01 microns, that the lenses provide high resolution and beautiful bokeh.

	FE 24–70 mm F2.8 GM	FE 85 mm F1.4 GM	70–200 mm F2.8 GM OSS
Focal length
Maximum aperture value (F)
Minimum aperture value
Viewing Angle (35mm / APS-C)	84°-34° / 61°-23°		34°-12° 30’ / 23°-8°
Aperture blades
Minimum focusing distance		AF 0.85 meters, MF 0.8 meters
Filter diameter
Groups / elements

“These lenses are very difficult to manufacture, and for us it turned out to be a kind of challenge: how high accuracy can we achieve?” - Masanori Kishi, Deputy General Manager, Lens Design Division

The FE 24-70mm F/2.8 GM lens has such resolution quality at any focal length that any other discrete lens will envy. The model is designed for full-frame E-mount cameras, but it is also possible to use it with APS-C matrices (the focal length in this case becomes 36–105 mm). The 9-blade F/2.8 aperture stays the same at any focal length. Inside is a system of four types of lenses, providing excellent detail.

The Frequency-Contrast Response (MFT) graphs show how well the lens reproduces the finest details:

Sony Alpha Professionals - Vlad Shutov

Professionally engaged in photography since the 80s of the last century. Graduated from Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov (Faculty of Philology), Institute of Journalism (Photojournalism) under the Union of Journalists of the USSR. Member of the Union of Photographers of Russia. Participant of 15 solo exhibitions. He taught at the Academy of Photography. He gives lectures and conducts master classes.

“The Sony 24-70/2.8 GM is a true reportage lens, fast and grippy in autofocus. He, of course, cannot boast of such bokeh as his more “long” brother, but he is good for his sharpness, lack of bunnies and versatility of use. - Vlad Shutov.

Along with the 24-70 comes the FE 70-200mm F/2.8 GM OSS, delivering powerful resolution for close-aperture portraits and beautiful bokeh for portraits. It becomes possible to block the tracking focus using three programmable buttons on the body (number 5 in the illustration). After you have precisely focused, press this button on the lens barrel - the plane of focus will be fixed in its current position. After you fine-tune the focus, press this button on the lens barrel and the focal length will be fixed at the current position. You can also assign a preview function to this button using the camera's custom settings. In addition, there are controls for autofocus, stabilizer and distance limiter.

The lens is equipped with dust and moisture protection. The illustration shows the locations of the sealing elements.

Optically, the lens is complex: 23 elements are included in 18 groups.

“The Sony 70-200/2.8 GM OSS covers my favorite focal length range. It focuses very quickly, so much so that even tracking autofocus works fine - there are practically no misses. This lens is very sharp, but at the same time it demonstrates beautiful bokeh, and for me this model can be said to be a standard lens. I use it not only when shooting outdoors, but often in the studio as well.” - Vlad Shutov

The latest lens introduced in 2016 is the FE 85mm F/1.4 GM portrait lens with an extended aperture ring. Sony says this lens will shoot 8K video. And it's not hard to believe when you consider that already today, the 42.4-megapixel sensor in the Sony A7R III produces 7952 × 5304 pictures and 3840 × 2160 4K video with amazing detail.

The portrait lens has an 11-blade aperture with rounded elements. This design results in a perfectly round aperture, which helps create particularly soft areas in the defocus area. For videographers, an aperture click control switch is provided - there will be no sudden jumps in the smooth aperture mode, which will allow you to change values ​​\u200b\u200bduring video recording.

2017: the already legendary lineup is replenished with a new trio

Models FE 100 mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS, FE 16–35 mm F/2.8 GM and FE 100–400 mm F/4.5-5.6 GM OSS appear on the market.

The FE 100 mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS becomes the first autofocus lens with an apodization element, and also gets the STF abbreviation in the name - Smooth Trans Focus optics achieve spectacular bokeh. Previously, this technology was used in Minolta lenses and later Sony in the 135 mm F / 2.8 model.

APD filter Aspherical lens ED glass

The apodizing element works on the principle of a gradient neutral density filter: it slightly darkens the edges, weakening various aberrations that can occur at the edges of the image. The number of aperture blades is 11.

The FE 16–35 mm F/2.8 GM is one of the most sought-after lenses in the line today. At 35mm, many photographers use lenses as a portrait lens. The 11-blade aperture, already traditional for the series, gives almost perfect bokeh on a full-frame matrix. The optical scheme consists of 16 elements in 13 groups.

“Sony 16-35/2.8 GM is fast and sharp. It, like all wide-angle lenses, has some vignetting at full aperture and at the short end, but, again, it is easily removed in a photo editor. As a summary, I will answer the question: are these lenses worth the money? Yes, they are. Should you buy them? If you have a Sony R camera - of course! - Vlad Shutov

The FE 100–400 mm F/4.5-5.6 GM OSS is a fast and quiet sports lens, Sony's longest telephoto zoom to date. On matrices APS-C, the focal length increases to 150–600 mm. Dual DDSSM linear actuators ensure fast focusing and precise subject tracking. The new motorized focusing system Direct Drive Super Sonic wave Motor allows you to focus even at the smallest depth of field. The motorized DDSSM system is quiet in operation, making it ideal for movies where the focus point changes constantly during movie recording. The lens itself is smaller and lighter than its closest competitors.

Sony Alpha Professionals - Anton Unitsyn

Anton Unitsyn, by his example, proves that sometimes it is not only possible, but also necessary to seriously change your life. It would seem that he was destined for a wonderful career as a physicist. Graduated from Novosibirsk State University, worked for 5 years at the Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. And suddenly he dropped out of graduate school to go into professional photography. But the result, which he immediately showed in a new area, surprised everyone. Three dozen international (collective) exhibitions. Winner of many competitions. Publications in various mass media. Laureate of a Russian government scholarship for cultural and art workers in 2015, winner of a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation in 2012 and 2014. He teaches photo reporting at the Faculty of Journalism of NSU.

“Lenses 100-400 mm, like any telezoom, are rare guests in my backpack. I really like the saying of Robert Capa: “If you couldn’t get a good shot, you couldn’t get close enough.” Therefore, the telephoto is in my hands when I physically cannot approach the object being filmed. So it was with the sports shooting of the regatta in Croatia. The yachts travel at a relatively long distance, there is no possibility to move between them during the race. This is where super-telefocal distances come to the rescue, allowing you to compress space for interesting rhythms and angles and make close-ups. The lens performed brilliantly. I used aperture 5.6 for all occasions as it is available over the entire range of focal lengths. Excellent fast tenacious focusing pleasantly surprised me, given the rather closed aperture. All images are exceptionally sharp, on my A9's 24MP, a very nice drawing. I took a number of large portraits of regatta participants using this particular lens.

In general, I am very afraid of the word “ideal” - in my opinion, this is something unattainable. However, the 100-400 lens certainly came very close to this line. A year later, I will have to shoot the regatta again, but already in Italy, and, in principle, there is an opportunity to take the new 400 2.8. But I will prefer the 100-400 as it is lighter, more compact and more flexible in use due to the wide range of focal lengths.” - Anton Unitsyn

Sony ILCE-9 , F 5.6, 1/1250, ISO100, 100mm

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Sony ILCE-9 , F 4.5, 1/1250, ISO100, 100mm

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Sony ILCE-9 , F 5.6, 1/1000, ISO100, 355 mm

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“I really love capturing all the details when shooting in the city, from rooftops or from mountains, and often 200mm is not enough. So I switched to 100–400 mm with pleasure; it's a pity, the weight let us down - it's heavy. But 100-400 works great with an extender, and when I photographed bears in Kamchatka, the extender helped a lot, turning the lens into a super telephoto lens without losing autofocus and without compromising quality. Obviously, these two lenses are amazing in terms of workmanship, the bodies are a monolith! Ergonomics is beyond praise. The kit includes sensible cases in which the lenses can be transported separately. For me, there is only one minus - these are different diameters, so you have to carry a whole bunch of different filters. ” - photographer Sergey Semenov

Sony 7RM3, F 5.6, 1/5000, ISO100, 100mm

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Sony 7RM2, F 11, 1/800, ISO800, 100mm

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2018: discrete breakthroughs

This summer, another long-focus lens from the G Master series is coming out - the FE 400mm F/2.8 GM OSS prime. Lightweight for its class, designed for sports and wildlife photography. Along with the company's portrait cameras, the FE 400 has an 11-blade aperture, which gives excellent bokeh.

In contrast to the 400 mm telephoto, in September 2018 a new wide-angle model is released - FE 24 mm F1.4 G Master, which, together with FE 85 mm, becomes the fastest model in the line. The weight of the 24 mm lens is only 445 grams, which is an order of magnitude lighter than competitors' models. For example, a similar model from Sigma weighs almost twice as much. The lens uses a system of 13 elements, two of which are XA lenses. The DDSSM autofocus motor gives videographers fast, accurate and quiet focusing. In addition, it is possible to turn off the “stops” of the aperture for smooth changes in exposure during recording. There is a programmable autofocus lock button on the body, as well as an AF / MF switch. Like all lenses in the G Master series, the FE 24mm F1.4 is water and dust resistant.

Instead of a summary, a few more words about technology

Aspheric XA lenses, which have already been mentioned in the article, is a unique Sony proprietary technology developed specifically for the G-Master series, which allows you to achieve ultra-high sharpness at all focal lengths. Aspheric lenses are made using more complex and precise technologies than spherical lenses. This achieves a high surface accuracy of 0.01 micron.

Resolution 50 line pairs/mm allows you to convey subtle contrast transitions. When designing lenses, Sony engineers eliminated optical aberrations, in particular chromatic aberrations.

Perfect bokeh. When designing a lens, in parallel with increasing the resolution and improving the frequency-contrast characteristics, you need to constantly monitor the quality of the bokeh. For this, a simulation method was used. In addition, each lens is manually adjusted. The higher the resolution, the better the lens renders subtle contrast transitions. To achieve this, a number of optical aberrations, in particular chromatic aberrations, and coma were completely eliminated during the design phase.

New drive. Focusing uses lens position sensors. For each model from the G-Master line, the drive is designed separately. For example, in the FE 70-200mm F/2.8 GM OSS model, the optical elements are divided into two groups, each with its own autonomous drive. The result is smoother focusing for both stills and videos. In addition, linear drive technology is used - direct non-contact electromagnetic focus control for fast response and extremely quiet operation. This ensures easy operation and quiet operation both when taking photos and when recording videos.

Today, the seven lenses in the G-Master line give photographers an unlimited field of action in a wide variety of categories: sports, outdoors, portraits, urban photography, architecture and more.

I would immediately recommend the $450 35mm f/1.8 as your primary lens (or as a great alternative the slower $200 Sigma 30mm f/2.8 or the other end of the $900 32mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss if The price doesn't bother you. If you're looking for telezoom, check out the Sony 55-210 f/4.5-6.3 for just $350. If you want a moderately wide angle lens, consider the 19mm f/2.8 Sigma for £200.

You might also potentially be interested in the $275 50mm f/1.8 for portraits, and maybe the $350 Sony 20mm f/2.8 pancake for wide angle and keeping the camera compact.

How we chose (and a few words about focal length)

First of all, we focused on more affordable options, as this list is aimed at those photographers who are just starting out in the world of interchangeable lens cameras. Choosing good optics, we note, however, that there are even higher quality options, the price of which fluctuates around $ 1,000. Mostly lenses. Carl Zeiss.

For beginners, the limited choice of NEX lenses is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you don't have to spend time comparing dozens of often very similar options to figure out which one is better. On the other hand, if you don't like the available lenses, you'll have to be patient until Sony and/or third parties release new lenses. Some of these lenses are actually quite ordinary. But luckily, there are enough good models out there that you won't have too much trouble creating great photos.

Owners of Micro Four Thirds cameras are luckier in this regard. They have a much wider range of lenses available and prices tend to be lower and there is a more substantial commission market.

Why are we focusing on fast lenses? With the NEX camera, you will undoubtedly get a zoom lens that can cover the widest range in the medium range. The bundle will most likely be an 18-55mm, but if you opt for the NEX-6, you'll get a sleeker 16-50mm zoom lens. The 18-55mm is a medium quality kit lens and the 16-50mm is about the same. It has been criticized for its softness and distortion, although some users find it to be quite harsh.

Let's turn to retro

One of the beauties of Sony NEX cameras is that they are definitely suitable for adapting older manual focus lenses. This is practically the same benefit as with any (mirrorless) system camera. You can easily attach old lenses through the adapter that will work on your camera.

The Sony NEX has another cool feature called " focus peaking". It illuminates on the camera's display the areas of the frame that are in focus, which makes it great to manually focus on what you want. So you can successfully use old lenses released before the autofocus era.

There are third-party manufacturers that make manual focus lenses, such as Rokinon, which specializes in wide-angle and fast fixed distance lenses. Their characteristics are not the most outstanding, but the price is affordable.

What is missing?

A big gap in the NEX line is the lack of a good macro lens. Of course there is a 30mm f/3.5 macro, but 30mm is a very short focal length for a macro, you have to get close to your subject to get the right size.

There is also a shortage in portrait lenses. The 50mm prime is pretty close, but it's not quite the focal length traditionally used for portraits.

Summarizing

First of all, we recommend the $450 35mm f/1.8 as your standard fast lens. Or for $200, the slower Sigma 30mm f/2.8 lens is a great and more affordable alternative. Another excellent option is the $900 32mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss, if you don't mind the price.

Consider getting the Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 for just $350 when you need a zoom. A 19mm f/2.8 Sigma for $200 useful if you need a slightly wider coverage at a fixed focal length.

We present the rating of the best lenses for Sony cameras officially supplied to the market of our country. For ease of perception, we have identified the most attractive models of optics with A-mount and E-mount, which can be used both on SLT SLR models and on system cameras from this manufacturer.

We present the rating of the best lenses for Sony cameras officially supplied to the market of our country. For ease of perception, we have identified the most attractive models of optics with A-mount and E-mount, which can be used both on SLT SLR models and on system cameras from this manufacturer.

Which lens brand is better to choose?

Today there is a fairly wide range of optics produced for Sony cameras. The company itself produces a range of lenses that meet the needs of amateur and professional photographers.

The Japanese concern Sony is a leading manufacturer of electronics. In the early days of digital cameras, it was Sony who built the first consumer-grade digital cameras. Since acquiring Konica-Minolta, the company has made its debut in the SLR digital camera industry and, along with the cameras themselves, has begun to manufacture a wide range of interchangeable lenses. The main partner in this direction for the company is Carl Zeiss.

Other manufacturers:

Along with Sony, the following companies produce a wide range of optics for A and E mounts:

1. Zeiss,
2. Tamron,
3. Sigma,
4. Rokinon

Rating of the best lenses for Sony cameras

All Sony lenses are distinguished by their high optical quality, well-designed design and reliability. Depending on the camera model, they can be equipped with A mounts (for devices with a translucent mirror) or E mounts (for system cameras).

The SEL-55F18Z (full name Sony Carl Zeiss in Sonnar T* 55mm f/1.8 ZA) is the best lens for full frame system cameras

This lens has a convenient focal length that is suitable for both landscape and portrait photography. A distinctive feature is high sharpness with the aperture open to the maximum and high resolution properties, which makes it possible to use it on multi-megapixel matrices. Chromatic aberrations, geometry distortions and other unpleasant features are completely absent, which allows you to successfully use optics on any of the devices that have an E-mount, including the latest models, for example, the Sony A7r II.

The benefits of the lens include:

• Sharpness throughout the range.
• No perspective distortion or chromatic aberration.
• Compact size.
• Reliable body design.
• Affordable price relative to the Zeiss line.

Of the shortcomings, only the fact that this model cannot be used with mirror models is noted.

The Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 aperture (SELP1650 series) is the most compact zoom for non-full frame system cameras.

This lens has an outstanding compactness with good optical qualities and affordable price. Designed for Sony system cameras, it is well suited for people who want a compact camera with interchangeable lenses. It is often supplied as a standard lens (the so-called kit option), but it makes sense to buy such a lens separately if you are just starting to take photos. By the way, this model is well adapted for video shooting.

The advantages of the lens include the following items:

• Affordable price and small size.
• Built-in autofocus motor.
• Ease.
• Convenient range of focusing distances.
• Relatively high image quality.

The disadvantages include the following points:

• Low aperture, which, however, is typical for budget zoom lenses.
• Chromatic aberrations.

Universal Sony DT 35mm f/1.8 SAM (SAL-35F18 series)

This lens has a universal focal length and is designed for A-mount translucent mirror cameras. At a minimal price, the lens has high sharpness, small size and at the same time is extremely light. A great option for those looking for a cheap and versatile lens. It is perfect for shooting various scenes from life (including when there is a lack of light in the room), and for a half-length portrait. On a crop sensor, it is equivalent to a traditional 50mm lens in terms of coverage of the surrounding area.

Model pluses:

• Lightness and compactness.
• Extremely low price.
• Sharp image.

Flaws:

• pronounced aberrations.
• Strong geometric distortion.
• Problems with focusing on individual instances.

Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 lens (SAL-1650 version): cheap and fast

This A-mount zoom lens is relatively affordable and has a constant aperture, which is well suited for shooting in low light conditions. At the same time, the lens is light and compact, produces good image quality and can be used on devices not only with a crop matrix, but also on full-frame models (for example, Sony A99).

Advantages:

• Constant luminosity.
• Relatively low price.
• Convenient focal range.

Of the shortcomings, only an excess of chromatic aberration is noted when shooting at an open aperture.

Sony 70-300 telephoto lens with f/4.5-5.6G variable aperture and SSM motor (SAL-70300G index)

This telephoto lens offers unsurpassed image quality and is capable of working in both crop and full-size cameras. Differs in speed of focusing, sharpness and detailing of the received images. At the same time, the lens is quite light, and the presence of a built-in motor allows you to use the adapter on E-mount cameras with full support for functions, including auto focus.

The advantages include:

• The presence of an ultrasonic focusing motor.
• Image quality.
• Reliable construction.

This model has one minus - a relatively high cost, as well as a variable aperture (this factor is typical for most telephoto lenses of this class).

Travel zoom from Sony version DT 18-250 millimeters (aperture f / 3.5-6.3, version SAL-18250)

This model is perfect as the only lens on an A-mount camera. An option, so to speak, for all occasions. The disadvantages are compensated by the affordable price, as well as the fact that this lens model is often supplied as a second lens to the camera. At the maximum focal length, it acts as a good telephoto lens and provides a fairly beautiful picture in the blur zone.

• Relatively small weight.
• Wide focal range.
• Low cost.

Among the shortcomings, there is low sharpness on the sides of the frame with the widest (18 mm) viewing angle.

Sony DT Budget Telephoto 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 (SAL-55300 Version)

This telephoto lens is Sony's most affordable A-mount lens. It is light, compact and is perfect as a "pair" to a regular 18-55mm lens. An added benefit is that the lens is full frame, so the equivalent focal length for crop sensors will range from 70mm to 450mm. An excellent choice for the beginner photographer who wants to capture distant subjects or wildlife.

Of the advantages of the lens, it is worth noting:

• Price
• Wide range of focus distances.
• Robust design with locking "trunk" zoom.

The main drawback is the average sharpness and pronounced chromatic aberrations that are typical for budget optics.

Sony 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 E-mount (SEL-P18200): a videographer's dream

This zoom lens can be called unique. It is optimized primarily for shooting video, but at the same time it has a compact size and is very convenient to use. The difference is smooth zooming over the entire range of available focal lengths. Despite the rather significant price, it has few competitors for shooting video in a variety of conditions and is able to replace several types of optics at once. A nice addition is an effective stabilizer that allows you to work successfully without using a tripod or rig.

Among the advantages it is worth highlighting:

• Good image quality.
• Smooth image zooming system.
• Possibility of stepless adjustment of the diaphragm.

The lens has two disadvantages:

• high price relative to other lenses in the review;
• adaptation exclusively for matrices with a crop factor.

Sony 18-105mm f/4 G SELP18105G Series: The "Non-Full Frame" Flagship

This E-mount lens is one of the best in terms of image quality performance as well as focal length range. The optics are adapted for crop factor matrices, and this is the only limitation for this lens. However, full-frame counterparts are much more expensive.

Of the advantages, we note:

• Sharpness and fixed aperture.
• The presence of an integrated stabilizer.
• Fast focusing motor of ultrasonic type.

The only drawback is the relatively high price for a non-full-frame optics.

Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 E-mount (SEL-55210)

An inexpensive telephoto lens designed for system cameras and is characterized by a combination of low weight with good photo quality. Among the advantages it should be noted:

• Availability.
• A small number of image artifacts.
• Focus speed.

Of the shortcomings, only low sharpness and slight vignetting are noted.

Which Sony lens to buy?

From the point of view of versatility, the SAL-18250 lens of the DT 18-250mm version (aperture f / 3.5-6.3) can be considered ideal.

For low-light and reportage photography (or shooting weddings), the 16-50mm f/2.8 (SAL-1650 version) is the best choice.

The best option for a cheap telephoto lens is the SAL-55300.

Sony has long occupied one of the leading positions in the production of photographic equipment. She constantly pleases customers with new developments, including innovative accessories. Sony E-mount lenses appeared on the market in 2010, immediately after the release of the Sony Alfa NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras. The optics are not compatible with Sony A-Mount cameras. It is intended only for compact mirrorless cameras, which are still actively produced by the company today.

Main types

The lenses of this company are very diverse. The labeling of optics with the E mount is similar to products with the A mount. But there are significant differences in the models. These are the following notations:

• SEL (Sony E-lens);
• LE (Light Edition).
• PZ (Power Zoom);
• OSS (Optical Steady Shot);

The first marking indicates that the optics has an E-mount. The designation Light Edition is put on lightweight models, which are mainly made of plastic. Products equipped with a special motorized zoom drive have a Power Zoom mark on the body. The last marking indicates that the device has a special image stabilization system.

How to choose a lens for Sony E?

Before making a purchase, determine exactly what shooting you need the device for. Experts recommend choosing lightweight versions of lenses for long-distance travel and hiking. They are very compact, and will also please with their small size, weight and color. They are easy enough to transport, take with you on long walks.

PZ-marked products are worth buying if you want to shoot long distances. They allow you to change the focal length as smoothly as possible. And as a result, you can get the highest quality photos even at very long distances.

Choosing a standard lens for a Sony camera

It is believed that the choice of optics for Sony cameras is significantly narrower than for Nikon and Canon models. It is difficult to argue with this statement, but there is one interesting nuance. Market leaders gained superiority not due to native lenses, but due to "non-original". Tokina, Tamron, Sigma and others willingly make models with both F (Nikon) and EOS (Canon) mounts, but often ignore Sony cameras. It is difficult to explain in a nutshell why this happened, just accept this fact as an axiom. However, if we compare the number of models and the choice among the original glasses, then here Sony will not only not yield to Nikon and Canon, but can even surpass them in some segments.

First, Sony's photography division didn't come out of nowhere. In 2006, the company bought Konica Minolta's photography department. Sony engineers far-sightedly did not invent a new bayonet mount, but left Minoltov's A. This means that an extensive layer of optics released by this once top manufacturer can easily fit modern Sony cameras.

Secondly, such a legendary company as Carl Zeiss has a special love for Sony. Zeiss lenses are available with different mounts, but only for Sony with autofocus and electronic contacts, which allows us to consider these lenses as "native". Despite the fact that the alliance with Sony has somewhat spoiled the reputation of Carl Zeiss (primarily because “glasses” for the mass user began to be sold under the once very expensive brand), the optics of this company cannot be called unsuccessful.

In general, the choice of standard lenses for Sony is not as meager as adherents of the Nikon and Canon camps like to represent. In this review, we are considering standard lenses (you can find out what it is).

Sony SAL 18-70 f/3.5-5.6 DT

• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 9/11.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Filter diameter 55 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 66x77 mm.
• Weight 236 g.

This is the oldest kit lens that Sony equips kits for beginner photographers. In fact, it is an old film Minolta 28-100, converted to 1.5 crop with a corresponding change in focal lengths. The change is unsuccessful. It does not shine with sharpness, color reproduction, or optical quality. Even by the standards of whale models, this is not the most successful lens. The main and only competitive advantage is the low price.

Sony SAL 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 DT SAM

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 7/8.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/3.5-5.6.
• Minimum aperture f/22-36.
• Minimum focus 0.25 m.
• Filter diameter 55 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 69.5x69 mm.
• Weight 210 g.

Sony's second attempt at a kit lens was much more successful. Despite the significant variation in the quality of various specimens, 18-55 is optically much better than 18-70 in almost all respects, except for the zoom ratio. It is clear that one should not expect miracles from this "glass", but, in any case, with proper dexterity, one can get good shots with it. For beginners, the capabilities of this lens are enough for the first time, and then you can change it to something more advanced.

Sony SAL 16-105 f/3.5-5.6 DT

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 11/15.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/3.5-5.6.
• Minimum aperture f/22-36.
• Minimum focus 0.4 m.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Weight 470 g.

This is a very versatile lens, covering both wide angle and moderate telephoto ranges, while being relatively compact and lightweight. They love it for its versatility. The optical characteristics of this model are average: it surpasses whale models, but falls short of professional optics. The downside of this lens is the price (about 16 thousand rubles), which should be recognized as overpriced. However, for the sake of the versatility of this model, the high price tag is also forgiven. It is especially popular with tourists and travelers: except for 16-105, you can take nothing else on a trip.

Sony SAL 24-105 f/3.5-4.5

• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 11/12.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Minimum aperture f/22-27.
• Minimum focus 0.5 m.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 71x69 mm.
• Weight 395 g.

Another Minoltian development that Sony brought to life. Despite the complete similarity in focal lengths, the lens is not an analogue of Canon, inferior to it in all respects. The Kenon model is a professional lens of the L series, and the Sony model is the initial "glass" for cameras with a full-frame matrix, which is not enough stars from the sky. There is little point in its existence: focal lengths are inconvenient for crop, and full-frame owners are usually advanced enough not to shoot with such a simple lens.

Sony SAL 16-50 f/2.8 SSM DT

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/2.8.
• Minimum aperture f/22.
• Minimum focus 1 m.
• Filter diameter 72 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 81x88 mm.
• Weight 577 g.

Prior to the release of this lens, Sony did not have a model for advanced hobbyists. 16-50 closed this niche. It cannot be called unique in terms of optical characteristics, if you look at the picture from it very closely, then you can find weaknesses. However, this is a fast lens with a constant aperture of 2.8, and it costs only 25 thousand rubles. This is an excellent combination, which can be forgiven for minor optical flaws. Competitors have similar lenses that cost more.

Sony SAL 28-75 f/2.8 SAM

• Lens for full-frame cameras.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 14/16.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/2.8.
• Minimum aperture f/32.
• Minimum focus 0.38 m.
• Filter diameter 67 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 77.5x94 mm.
• Weight 565 g.

One of the most controversial lenses of the system. This is a very old model. It was developed in the 90s by Tamron, then produced under the Minolta brand, Sony engineers only built an ultrasonic motor into it without touching the optical design. The lens is good. He is doing well with both sharpness and contrast, and he adequately reproduces colors, and does not suffer from aberrations. Here is the contradiction. The price of the lens hints at the fact that this is a professional model, with the corresponding requirements for constructiveness and reliability, but there is nothing to brag about in this part of the 28-75 f / 2.8. This fact makes determining the potential audience of "glass" somewhat difficult. For amateurs, it is expensive (although 35 thousand rubles for a full-length lens with a constant aperture of f / 2.8 is cheap by the standards of other systems), but for professionals it is rather weak. They add inconsistencies and focal lengths that are good in full frame, but not in crop.

Sony SAL 18-200 f/3.5-6.3 DT

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 13/15.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 73x85.5 mm.
• Weight 405 g.

There is a similar hyperzoom in the lineup of almost any optics manufacturer, but Sony turned out to be one of the most unsuccessful. If Nikon and Canon 18-200 can boast of a quality higher than that of a whale lens, then Sony does not - it's exactly the same whale, only with very sweeping focal lengths. In fairness, it should be noted that Sony's hyperzoom is cheaper than its competitors, but this does not really save it. The only possible application is travel photography, although 16-105, even despite the smaller focal range, looks more interesting in this role.

Sony SAL 18-250 f/3.5-6.3 DT

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 13/16.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/3.5-6.3.
• Minimum aperture f/22-40.
• Minimum focus 0.45 m.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 75x86 mm.
• Weight 440 g.

With this lens, Sony engineers went further and made an even longer zoom, the magnification was 13.8x. This lens turned out to be somewhat better than the 18-200, even despite the increase in the focal range. In any case, I don’t want to compare pictures from it with “soap dishes”. 16-105 is also inferior, but not as critical as 18-200, so for photographers who do not have too high quality requirements, this lens can even be recommended as the only one in the kit. But miracles should not be expected from him either.

Carl Zeiss SAL 16-80 f/3.5-4.5 DT ZA

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 10/14.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/3.5-4.5.
• Minimum aperture f/22-29.
• Minimum focus 0.35 m.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 72x83 mm.
• Weight 445 g.

It was the first lens for Sony from Carl Zeiss and it made a lot of noise. It was after this model that Carl Zeiss began to be accused of pop. The lens, by the way, is quite good. It has high contrast, dense, saturated color, very noble background blur, which is rarely found in zoom lenses. Without a doubt, 16-80 has no analogues in quality among lenses with the same focal lengths from other manufacturers: both 15-85 from Canon and 16-85 from Nikon are optically worse. Everything would be fine, but 16-80 costs almost 35 thousand rubles, and for such a price you can and should find fault with it. There are two claims - strong chromatic aberrations and a weak construct. In general, the lens is more than good, but in terms of price and quality, it is far from ideal.

Carl Zeiss SAL 24-70 f/2.8 ZA SSM

• Lens for full-frame cameras.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 13/17.
• Aperture blades 9.
• Maximum aperture f/2.8.
• Minimum aperture f/22.
• Minimum focus 0.34 m.
• Filter diameter 72 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 83x111 mm.
• Weight 955 g.

This lens costs 75 thousand rubles, which could immediately put an end to its market prospects, if it were not so good. If after the release of 16-80 many blamed Carl Zeiss for compromise, then with 24-70 there are no such questions - this is really a lens of the highest level. Admittedly, this is one of the best 24-70 f/2.8 zooms of any brand, perhaps even the best at the moment. He has no shortcomings. Excellent resolution and sharpness right from the open aperture, high contrast, nice color and background blur, reliability and indestructibility. In general, a dream lens, but this dream costs more than almost all cameras in the Sony lineup, and this is the only fact that overshadows the pleasure of using this lens.

Let's summarize. Sony's lineup of standard lenses includes both models of popular focal lengths and several exclusive ones. The set is quite extensive, it has both whale lenses like 18-70 and masterpieces like 24-70, while being quite balanced. There is a choice for both beginners and professionals. Advanced amateurs who want and know how to take high-quality pictures, but at the same time cannot spend too much money on a lens, have not been forgotten. For them, 16-50 is optimal. The only thing missing in the lineup is optics with a constant f/4 aperture.