Lenses for full-frame cameras
Sony today has more than 70 branded lenses, not counting dozens of models from third-party manufacturers - there is plenty to choose from! In this review, we included lenses with E mount, which are divided into two classes: FE are for full-frame cameras, and E are for APS-C equipped sensors. System A today, unfortunately, is not so popular. Most often, owners of DSLRs and cameras with a translucent mirror Sony are experienced photographers and do not need such recommendation articles.Universal zoom
Sony FE 24-70mm f / 2.8 GM (SEL2470GM)
Check Price Sony FE 24-70mm f / 2.8 GM (SEL2470GM) This versatile high-speed zoom for full-frame cameras belongs to the top G Master series, in all of the lenses of which the developers managed to combine excellent bokeh and sharpness worthy of a 42-megapixel matrix, and starting with an open aperture. The demanded range of focal lengths and high aperture make the SEL2470GM lens a versatile working tool for a reporter, wedding photographer, and any serious generalist photographer in general. Three aspherical elements and two elements of low-dispersion glass provide a reference uniform sharpness at any focal length, as we saw during the test .ILCE-7RM2 / FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Installations: ISO 100, F2.8, 1/1600 s, 70.0 mm equiv.
The lens focuses from 38 cm, the speed and accuracy of autofocus provides a modern fast drive like Direct Drive SSM. The Sony Nano AR coating attenuates glare and extraneous reflections, due to which the lens builds a contrasting image. The beauty of glare in the bokeh is ensured by a rounded 9-blade aperture and a unique optical design. In general, when creating the G Master series, developers were able to achieve the almost impossible: combine high sharpness with beautiful bokeh. The zoom mechanism is blocked so that the inner tubes of the lens do not move forward under their own weight. SEL2470GM is made in a metal dust and water tight case. Its length is 136 mm, its diameter is 87.6 mm, and the thread diameter for light filters is 82 mm. Weighs SEL2470GM solidly - 886 grams.
Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T * 24-70mm f / 4 ZA OSS (SEL2470Z)
Check Price Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T * 24-70mm f / 4 ZA OSS (SEL2470Z) The SEL2470Z is a versatile zoom that's more affordable than the previous model in the G Master series. The main difference is in aperture. This lens plays the previous expo at a loss. And his bokeh is not so chic. Nevertheless, it will provide high-quality shooting in all popular genres, including close-up and subject shooting. The SEL2470Z is also well-suited for travel, as its housing is dust and water tight, and it is quite lightweight and compact. Length - 94.5 mm, diameter - 73 mm, thread diameter for filters - 67 mm, and weight - 426 grams. Our test confirmed that no compromises with quality are required with this zoom: contrast and sharpness are uniformly high across the entire field of the frame and over the entire range of focal lengths. For this, as many as five aspherical elements are used in the optical design. Aperture at all focal lengths is f / 4.0. This is not a record value, but quite sufficient in practice.ILCE-7RM2 / FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Installations: ISO 500, F5.6, 1/15 s, 70.0 mm equiv.
For shooting in low light, the SEL2470Z is equipped with an image stabilizer, which is especially effective when combined with an in-camera stabilizer based on sensor shift. And this is already an advantage over a more expensive brother! The high contrast of the image is facilitated by the antireflective coating of ZEISS T * type lenses. The lens focuses starting from 40 cm, providing a 1: 5 scale - this is quite suitable for subject shooting.
Sony FE 24-105mm f / 4 G OSS (SEL24105G)
Check Price Sony FE 24-105mm f / 4 G OSS (SEL24105G) The SEL24105G lens is for photographers who need a universal lens with a range wider than 24–70 mm, but without loss of image quality. A practical range of focal lengths of 24-105 mm, a constant aperture of f / 4 and a minimum focusing distance of 0.38 m meet these requirements. This lens is able to replace a couple of more highly specialized due to a good balance of characteristics.ILCE-7RM3 / FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Installations: ISO 320, F4, 1/80 s, 34.0 mm equiv.
Test shots show well-corrected aberrations, the highest sharpness and pleasant bokeh - the qualities necessary and sufficient for a universal lens for all occasions. Sharpness is enough to work even with the most modern multi-megapixel cameras.
An optical stabilizer paired with an in-camera stabilized sensor suspension makes it easy for the photographer to capture still scenes - both the landscape at dusk and the interior. Neat bokeh allows you to shoot portraits. The distortion even in the wide-angle position is adjusted so that the image does not lose anything in quality. In the wide-angle position, vignetting is noticeable, but it is effectively eliminated by post-processing. The lens is not too heavy - 663 grams with dimensions of 113.3 × 83.4 mm. Filter diameter - 77 mm. The lens kit includes a case and a lens hood.
Sony FE 24-240mm f / 3.5-6.3 OSS (SEL24240)
Check Price Sony FE 24-240mm f / 3.5-6.3 OSS (SEL24240) This versatile lens is ideal for those who are going to travel light and shoot a variety of scenes. It will also be useful to reporters, it will prove itself well in all situations when there is no place in the bag for the second lens or there is no time to change the optics. A tenfold range of focal lengths, a dust and water tight design and an optical image stabilizer are an excellent, even unique, combination of capabilities. SEL24240 fully justified the title of “travel zoom” during our testing . The optical scheme includes five aspherical elements and one of low-dispersion glass. The lens provides high contrast and good sharpness over the entire field of the frame.ILCE-7RM2 / FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Installations: ISO 1600, F6.3, 1/250 s, 240.0 mm equiv.
The rounded 7-blade diaphragm contributes to the beautiful form of glare in the blur zone, which is rare in the world of superzoom. A lens with a length of 118.5 and a diameter of 80.5 mm is rather heavy - 780 grams. The autofocus drive is linear, the focusing is internal (the lens barrel does not rotate), the lens focuses starting from 0.5 m. But in terms of optical quality, it is still inferior to the previously mentioned models.
Telezoom
Sony FE 70-200mm f / 4 G OSS (SEL70200G)
Check Price Sony FE 70-200mm f / 4 G OSS (SEL70200G) This telephoto lens we tested is rightfully popular with reporters, wedding photographers, and generally anyone who needs to take close-up shots from a distance of more than a few meters. There is a “big brother” of this lens from the GM line - with aperture f / 2.8, but it costs significantly more. Therefore, we recommend a close in efficiency, but more affordable option, and leave a fast lens for professionals who do not have financial restrictions. For telephoto zoom, the nature of the image is equally important in the area of ??sharpness and blur, so SEL70200G uses a rather complex optical design with three aspherical lenses and three more made of low-dispersion glass. The lens provides a fairly soft and pleasant bokeh, and at the same time it is sharp with an open aperture.ILCE-7RM2 / FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS Installations: ISO 125, F5.6, 1/200 s, 166.0 mm equiv.
The telephoto lens is made in a white dust and water tight housing, equipped with wide bumpy focus and zoom rings. For shooting from a monopod or tripod, a detachable tripod foot is provided on the body, and for confident shooting from your hands, the lens has a dual-mode image stabilizer - a useful tool for reportage shooting. SEL70200G has dimensions of 80 × 175 mm, weighs 840 grams, uses filters with a diameter of 72 mm, that is, it is relatively compact by the standards of full-frame optics.
Portrait lens
Sony FE 85mm f / 1.8 (SEL85F18)
Check Price Sony FE 85mm f / 1.8 (SEL85F18) Among the portrait optics in the Sony system, the SEL85F18 lens is optimal in terms of price and quality. This is a moderate telephoto lens with a fairly high aperture, shallow depth of field, soft design and beautiful bokeh. A focal length of 85 mm provides a field of view angle at which a close-up face is placed in the frame exactly at such a distance from which we are used to seeing each other. Due to this, the proportions of the face are transmitted without distortion. The f / 1.8 aperture is not a record by the standards of portrait optics, because there is a SEL85F14GM model with an f / 1.4 aperture, but our version of the portrait is offered at a relatively low price. In addition, our test showed that such aperture is sufficient so that only the eyes remain sharp in the portrait, because the depth of field for close-up is only 7 mm.ILCE-7M2 / FE 85mm F1.8 Installation: ISO 400, F1.8, 1/3200 s, 85.0 mm equiv.
The magnitude of spherical aberration is specially selected so that the lens combines high resolution and beautiful bokeh. The rounded 9-bladed diaphragm also contributes to the beauty of the latter. For convenience of focusing, SEL85F18 has a wide sensitive ring, as well as a button that can be assigned, for example, activation of autofocusing over the eyes. The portrait portrait is compact - 78x82 mm and weighs only 371 grams. Thread for filters - 67 mm. The lens comes complete with an ALC-SH150 round lens hood. It is worth adding that at the time of writing the test, this portraiture is one of the best, in our opinion, among all systems in terms of price and image quality ratio.
Wide-angle
Sony FE 12-24mm f / 4 G (SEL1224G)
Check Price Sony FE 12-24mm f / 4 G (SEL1224G) This is an ultra wide angle zoom with the smallest focal length (12 mm) in the Sony E full-frame optics system. It provides a very wide angle of the field of view, necessary in the landscape and to obtain interesting shots, in which a pronounced perspective is used as an artistic device. In addition, this lens is orthoscopic, that is, it does not distort the vertical and horizontal lines, but transfers them straight in the frame, which will make it possible to successfully use SEL1224G in interior and architectural photography. The optical design of the lens includes four aspherical elements, and three low-dispersion elements and one ultrafine-dispersed element were used to correct chromatic aberrations.ILCE-7RM2 / FE 12-24mm F4 G Installation: ISO 400, F14, 1/60 s, 12.0 mm equiv.
As our testing showed , the lens builds uniformly sharp and contrasting images across the entire image field. Autofocus with linear drive Direct Drive SSM is very fast, accurate and silent. Sharpness can also be adjusted with a convenient wide focus ring. Aperture throughout the entire range of focal lengths is constant and equal to f / 4. The rounded diaphragm has seven petals. The minimum focusing distance is 28 cm, which makes it possible to introduce an active foreground into the picture and thereby enhance the transfer of space. The hood in the SEL1224G is built-in four-leaf, therefore, a special cover is supplied with the lens, and the filters in front of the front lens cannot be fixed. The lens measures 87x117.4 mm and weighs 565 grams.
Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T * FE 16-35mm f / 4 ZA OSS (SEL1635Z)
Check Price Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T * FE 16-35mm f / 4 ZA OSS (SEL1635Z) The SEL1635Z is a Zeiss full-frame ultra-wide zoom with built-in image stabilizer and constant f / 4 aperture. Compared to the previous lens, this one is more compact and affordable. It also has a smaller viewing angle, so its capabilities are more modest when shooting a similar set of scenes. However, the dust and water tight design and the optical stabilizer increase its attractiveness in the eyes of landscape painters, reporters, and generally all photographers who happen to shoot in difficult conditions.ILCE-7RM2 / FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS Installation: ISO 100, F11, 2 s, 16.0 mm equiv.
Our test showed that this zoom provides high sharpness over the entire field of the image, even at the open aperture, especially in short-focus position. This was achieved through the use of five aspherical lenses and three lenses made of ultrafine glass. The rounded diaphragm has seven blades. The SEL1635Z lens focuses on a minimum distance of 28 cm. It is quite compact: 98.5x78 mm, weighs 518 grams, and the thread diameter for the filters is 72 mm.
Macro lens
Sony FE 90mm f / 2.8 Macro G OSS (SEL90M28G)
Check Price Sony FE 90mm f / 2.8 Macro G OSS (SEL90M28G) Macro lenses are rarely suitable for anything other than macro photography, but the SEL90M28G, as we have seen in the course of testing , surprisingly combines the capabilities of an excellent macro lens, a worthy portrait and a moderate reporting telephoto. However, first of all, this is just a serious macro lens, which is useful to a wide range of photographers for both professional and creative shooting. The lens focuses from a distance of 28 cm, providing a shooting scale of 1: 1. In the autofocus system there are three ranges of focusing distance set by the switch. This solution eliminates the possibility of searching for sharpness where it is definitely not, thereby speeding up autofocus. To make autofocus work even more confidently, and it was easier for the photographer to crop, an optical stabilizer is provided. The focus ring has a wide range of distances for convenient manual distance adjustment.ILCE-7RM2 / FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS Installations: ISO 6400, F9, 1/60 s, 90.0 mm equiv.
The lens housing is dust and water tight, which allows you to shoot outdoors without fear of, for example, morning dew or rain. The bokeh of SEL90M28G, by the standards of macro lenses, is soft and with uniform filling of glare. The latter have a neat shape thanks to a 9-blade diaphragm. Therefore, the lens is quite suitable for shooting with high requirements for bokeh.
ILCE-7RM2 / FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS Settings: ISO 640, F2.8, 1/200 s, 90.0 mm equiv.
In portraits, SEL90M28G will work out all the details of the skin, and will do it quite softly. Even the “Portrait” preset included in the camera is enough to not additionally soften the image. In the report, this lens will perform just like a 90-mm “fix” with f / 2.8 aperture and ringing sharpness right from the open aperture. SEL90M28G is not too large and heavy: it weighs 602 grams, takes 130.5 mm in length, its diameter is 79 mm, and the diameter of the thread for the filters is 62 mm.
Universal fix lens
Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T * 55mm f / 1.8 ZA
Check price Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T * 55mm f / 1.8 ZA Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T * 55mm f / 1.8 ZA, otherwise known as SEL55F18Z, successfully combines the properties of a normal lens and a portrait portrait, which was confirmed by our test . This fifty dollars is suitable for owners of all cameras with a Sony E mount, regardless of the format of the sensor: on crop cameras it will work as an excellent portrait, and on full-frame it will serve as a universal “fix” that can shoot almost anything well. SEL55F18Z focuses starting at 50 cm, which is enough for large-scale shooting of small objects, such as flowers. In general, it is very well balanced.ILCE-7RM2 / FE 55mm F1.8 ZA Installations: ISO 100, F1.8, 1/160 s, 55.0 mm equiv.
Aperture at SEL55F18Z is not a record, but the image is sharp, starting with an open aperture. In the backlight, although glare appears, the pictures do not lose contrast. Aperrations on the open aperture are noticeable, but already at f / 2.8 the image is flawless. The diaphragm is rounded, with nine petals. The bokeh is smooth, beautiful and without twisting.
The lens looks simple and simple: a matte black metal body, the only moving part is the focus ring with an electronic drive. SEL55F18Z weighs only 281 grams, and its size is 70.5 × 64.4 mm, which is why filters are needed the most inexpensive, with a diameter of 49 mm. Comes with a curly hood.
Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T * FE 35 mm F2.8 ZA
Check price Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T * FE 35 mm F2.8 ZA This lens, also known as SEL35F28Z, is suitable for anyone who needs a compact wagon. With full-frame cameras, it works like a moderate wide-angle, and with APS-C format cameras, it works like a lens with a normal field of view. The main ridge of this lens is compactness: the camera of the A7 family can be removed with it in the jacket pocket - the length of the lens along with the mount is 36.5 mm.ILCE-7RM2 / FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Installation: ISO 500, F2.8, 1/60 s, 35.0 mm equiv.
Aperture SEL35F28Z, by the standards of lenses with a constant focal length, moderate, only f / 2.8, but it is enough for shooting in the dark, and to blur the background. The figure, as our test showed , uniformly sharp throughout the field, aberrations are almost completely corrected thanks to aspherical elements - there are 3 of them in this lens. SEL35F28Z is not afraid of rain and dust storm, it will not pull out a pocket due to its weight of 120 g and works with inexpensive light filters diameter 49 mm.
