Sony adds 2 more lenses to full-frame E-mount lineup – wide angle zoom 16-35 mm F2.8 G-master and 12-24 mm F4 G ultra-wide-angle zoom
Sony announced 2 more lenses on May 17th 2017 into its growing full-frame E-mount lineup – a high quality and pricy G-master 16-35 mm f/2.8 wide angle zoom lens and an ultra wide angle 12-14 F/4.0 G lens. So with this Sony added 3 high performance lenses within a month to the E-mount system ( FE 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens was announced along with A9 mirrorless camera about 3 weeks ago) and more lens rumors are already in for a 400 mm prime lens. So Sony is taking the professional market seriously after getting A9 into the market and shortage of fast sport lenses were the defending point of Canon-Nikon fans after A9 announcement. We already have a wide angle zoom full-frame E-mount lens in the form of Zeiss 16-35 mm F/4.0 and a kit 16-50 mm E-mount and Zeiss 16-70 mm F/4.0 (not full-frame), but a wider aperture f/2.8 has been a necessary addition for professionals like wedding photographers. There you go, Sony have been listening to you guys.
FE 12-24mm F4 G Ultra-Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
Sony press release text for 12-24mm F4 G Ultra-Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
A uniquely designed ultra wide-angle zoom lens, the new FE 12-24mm F4 G lens produces outstanding image quality in a compact, lightweight design, weighing in at approximately 20 oz. Sony’s widest full-frame E-mount lens, it offers a dynamic perspective for landscape, architecture and interior photography, and is well-suited for both stills and video shooting.
The lens features an innovative optical design with four aspherical elements that ensure excellent corner to corner sharpness and resolution. Additionally, the lens has three ED glass elements and one Super ED glass element that minimize chromatic aberration throughout the entire image, and also includes Sony’s original Nano AR coating.
The new FE 12-24mm F4 G lens includes a DDSSM (Direct Drive SSM) for fast, quiet and precise AF performance, plus a customizable focus hold button and focus mode switch. It’s also dust and moisture resistant.
When and How much
12-24mm F4 G Ultra Wide-angle Zoom Lens will ship this July sold for about $1,700 US and $2,300 CA.
Sample images
Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G sample images below
Press text for Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
The new FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM wide-angle zoom joins the acclaimed FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM and FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS to round out Sony’s lineup of F2.8 large aperture zoom lenses. Equipped with a variety of Sony’s most advanced lens technologies, it’s the first wide-angle G Master model, making it ideal for an extensive variety of shooting situations – landscapes, architecture, close up portraits, sports, action and much more. It’s also exceptionally lightweight and compact, maximizing portability and usability.
The new lens features exceptional corner-to-corner sharpness, with an optical design that includes five aspherical elements, two of which are Sony’s original XA (extreme aspherical) elements that reduce aberration and delivers the ultimate resolution throughout the entire zoom and aperture range. The front XA element on the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM is the largest XA element ever produced, ensuring optimum quality. Additionally, two ED (Extra-low-Dispersion) glass elements keep chromatic aberration to a minimum while maximizing resolution, and Sony’s original Nano AR coating suppresses internal reflections to ensure excellent image contrast and clarity.
The lens features a near circular aperture shape at all settings, and the combination of the aforementioned XA element with its 11 blade aperture design produces images with sharply focused subjects and beautifully defocused backgrounds or “bokeh”. It also has two DDSSMs (Direct Drive SSM) that compose a floating focusing system and ensure that AF acquisition is speedy and quiet, making it an ideal choice for shooting still images as well as movies.
The FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM is also dust and moisture resistant1, has a fluorine coating on the front lens that helps to both prevent dust or grease marks and remove them easily if they do become a trouble. There’s also a customizable focus hold button and a hood release button.
When and How much
The new FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-angle Zoom Lens will ship this August and will be sold for about $2,200 US and $3,000 CA.
Sample images
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM sample images
Let’s hope those two new lenses will be performing well in real life situations when they got released to consumers later in the year. I’m sure they will as they are quality glasses and at that price if they don’t Sony will have serious problems to deal with their sales.
