Top 10 Sony Lenses

Universal zoom for Sony mirrorless cameras will help beginners understand their needs before switching to expensive optics. Perfectly covers the portrait range, perfectly copes with close-ups and accents. A distinctive feature is the tight travel of the zoom ring, which prevents the lens from spontaneously extending (as you can see, Tamron corrected itself after consumer comments). In practice, glass shows its best side in color reproduction: there is no repulsive yellowness characteristic of state employees.

The surface of the case is not as high quality as we would like. Owners notice scratches almost from the first days of operation. At one time, a wave of criticism of autofocus arose on foreign forums, but now the manufacturer has solved the problem with firmware. Barrel distortion will have to be corrected with handles in post-processing if it matters for amateur photography.

The wide 83.2° field of view is designed for Sony E crop sensors, ideally suited to the needs of the interior and architectural photographer. Even when tested in a dark room, the lens provides a good result in terms of aperture ratio.A whole arsenal of elements in the optical design monitor clarity and contrast across the entire aperture range. With Super Multi-Layer Coating, flare, ghosting and overexposure are reduced to nothing - an indispensable quality for a fast lens.

The quality of the materials is top notch. Durable brass bayonet improves mounting accuracy. Proprietary Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) reduces case weight. Yes, 405 g is heavy, but optics for 13 groups with 16 elements cannot weigh less. It is noted that the picture obtained from Sigma is colder in color temperature compared to Sony. But, if we evaluate the ratio of quality to the affordability of optics, the first one definitely wins.

The 3.8x telephoto lens has a built-in Optical SteadyShot. The balanced gimbal design is 13 times more efficient than other systems, so you can zoom all the way out without worrying about camera shake. A special algorithm controls the lens and matrix during operation, achieving the best compensation for intentional and unintentional movements. The focal length range covers the spectrum from portraiture to architectural detail, with a minimum focal length of 1m.

Reviewers rate the assembly highly, but the functionality and image quality are four stars. This is from the official Sony website. Minimum aperture 22-32, maximum 4.5-6.3. Dark but round. Optics are demanding on light: on cloudy days, autofocus can be slow and misfire.The most positive impressions are associated with a metal case at a nice price.

In optics, Sony uses the Planar scheme (double Gaussian lens) with an aspherical element. The picture will not be spoiled by aberrations such as distortion, coma, astigmatism, image field curvature, position and magnification chromatism. Photos accurately convey natural details, textures and gradation of shades - to the very edges. The built-in stabilization system is not available in all Sony models, even more expensive ones. And here, the stabilizer in combination with f / 1.8 aperture allows you to work at night and indoors without loss of quality. Handheld shooting does not require an increase in ISO sensitivity.

A good entry-level portrait option, according to the owners. Autofocus is accurate and good for shooting static objects, but there are complaints about slowness and motor noise in dynamic scenes, even on the latest firmware. When shooting video, there is a smooth focus function, but some A7 cameras only support manual focus.

The first macro lens in the Sony NEX system. A compact lens hood with a rectangular cutout in the shape of the frame protects well from stray light and from unnecessary touches to the object - we recall that the object can be placed as little as 3 cm from the front lens. With such a short distance, the photographer faces some difficulties: the shadow from the lens can spoil the picture, not every living mini-model can withstand close contact.With product photography, everything is much simpler and clearer - although the optics are adapted for 1:1 macro photography, it is much more comfortable to shoot at a 1:2 scale.

The best picture quality is obtained in the aperture range F8-F11, and from F16 to F22 the sharpness drops due to the influence of diffraction. In reviews it is recommended to use not only for its intended purpose, but also for portrait purposes. It turns out decent pictures for an amateur level: contrasting, sharp, visually pleasing. Cons: non-circular aperture and ghosting in the blur zone.

An interesting solution from Sony for video filming, group portrait shots, creative experiments, work with architecture and interiors. If you combine optics with a full-frame camera, you get a viewing angle of 122⁰-84⁰, and with APS-C format you can count on 99⁰-61⁰. The ultra-wide-angle produces large-scale images, and thanks to the high resolution, you want to examine them in detail. The advanced focusing mechanism works with the proprietary Direct Drive SSM (DDSSM) system, which guarantees smooth, accurate and fast AF. And the system is very quiet, which meets the requirements of videographers.

The owners rank as advantages a constant aperture and high-quality geometry: no matter where you shoot, there will be no strong distortions (a rarity for all widths). There are complaints about the price, and you can’t wind a protective filter on the glass. The absence of a filter thread is an unfortunate misunderstanding, given the cost of the product.

From a technical point of view, the model is most suitable for videographers, but it also copes well with portrait tasks. A pair of ribbed rings on the body is responsible for zooming and manual focusing - the rotation is extremely smooth, as required by video technology. Autofocus is tenacious, fast, silent, and those who shoot handheld sincerely rejoice at the built-in stabilizer on Sony G-series equipment. The kit comes with a high-quality hood for shooting in any light.

Commentators tell interesting details about glass sharpness: at 50mm + it is quite decent, and “soap” will appear in the lower range of focal lengths. After switching the camera to offline mode or turning it off, the settings are automatically reset to 18mm - an annoying feature at work. The lens is described as a universal staff lens for every day, but not for macro photography: in close-ups, distortions at the edges are strongly pronounced.

Medium-focus, discrete telephoto lens with a minimum focusing distance of 0.8m. Ideal for portraits: delivers stunning clarity and soft out-of-focus backgrounds with a large 9-blade circular aperture. The circular design means that the petals fit so tightly that even when closed, the hole remains rounded, and the point light sources are natural. The optics are compatible with Full Frame cameras and APS-C format (the sensor is equivalent to a classic 25.1x16.7mm frame with 3:2 aspect ratio).

Users are satisfied with the lens, note the “ringing” sharpness, high-quality color and geometry reproduction, and a customizable focus hold button. The lens harmoniously looks on the carcass and weighs little (371 g).But the main thing is that with a lack of lighting it behaves with dignity, copes with backlighting without aberrations and purple halos and often looks lighter than stated.

Combining the efforts of Sony and Zeiss always results in a perfect product. The standard 55mm prime uses T* anti-reflective coating to reduce all kinds of flare and get better contrast across the frame without glare. The light distribution in the optics is excellent: spurious reflections and ghosting effects are suppressed - the images get a beautiful depth and volume. The lens is designed for full-frame devices with E-mount.

Judging by the comments, this is a predictable, sharp and durable device that gives confidence on difficult shoots. The optics are not afraid of moderately dusty and humid conditions - a big plus for travel photography. You can safely go for atmospheric shots to waterfalls, to the desert, and at least to the Holi festival of colors. Definitely, a technique for those who do not limit their search to the city and the studio. Of the minuses - noticeable vignetting at f / 1.8 and an overpayment for the name, background rounding.

The G Master series from Sony is a vivid example of the evolution of professional equipment. With high resolution and artistic bokeh, photography is taken to a new level.Aspherical optics eliminate optical imperfections with high precision (0.01 microns), so images are striking in super-sharp detail, while internal computer modeling renders the softest background effect possible without distorting lines and edges. The AF efficiency is ensured by an advanced ring-type SSM drive (double, linear, ultrasonic).

The product won the prestigious EISA Awards as Best Lens for Professional Compact System Cameras. Considering the price category, online reviews are few. Particularly note the quality of the picture and the speed of focusing, which are optimal for shooting sports. All controls are ideally located on the body for quick control.