Lens Review: Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA

Sony a7R camera with FE 55mm F1.8 ZA lens

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA ($998 from B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama) offers nearly flawless optical performance nearly equal to the $4,000 Zeiss Otus 55mm/F1.4 which makes it a huge bargain at a quarter the price.

portrait with Sony a7R and FE 55mm F1.8 ZA lens
Sony a7R + FE 55mm F1.8 ZA • 1/4000 • F2.2 • ISO 200

sony a7r camera and fe 55 lens review haiti
Sony a7R + FE 55mm F1.8 ZA • 1/80 • F2.2 • ISO 200

SIZE:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA measures 2.54 x 2.78″ / 64.52 x 70.61 mm (diameter x length)

WEIGHT:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA tips the scales at 9.91 oz / 281 g.

FILTER SIZE:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 has a 49mm front filter thread.

PHYSICAL DESIGN:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 has a smooth lens barrel that does not include focus hold button, AF/M Focus switch or aperture ring.

OPTICAL DESIGN:

Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA Lens optical construction diagram

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA has 7 Elements in 5 Groups with three aspherical elements, including two double-sided, to reduce astigmatism, field curvature, coma and other monochromatic aberrations

LENS CHARTS

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA MTF lens chart

WEATHER SEALING:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA is dust- and moisture-sealed for working in inclement weather.

IMAGE STABILIZATION:

There is no optical stabilization on this lens. Many Sony camera bodies have built-in sensor-shift stabilization.

AUTO FOCUS:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA features linear autofocus motor and internal focus design provide quick and precise autofocus performance and enables accurate and silent focusing while recording videos

APERTURE:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA has 9 rounded aperture blades for smooth, rounded bokeh

FORMAT:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA covers Fullframe FX and smaller.

PRICE:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA has a street price of $998 USD

IN THE BOX:

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA comes with front & rear lens caps and lens hood.

IN CONCLUSION

Superb optical performance at a sub-$1,000 price makes FE 55mm F1.8 ZA an great choice for street photography and portraits.

• F1.8 maximum aperture allows shallow depth of field and low-light shooting.
• Based on the Zeiss Sonnar optical concept, this lens uses a design with seven elements in five groups.
• Wide-angle prime designed for street photography, environmental portraits and general shooting.
• Zeiss T* anti-reflective coatings have been applied to each lens surface to help minimize reflections.
• Three aspherical elements (2 double-sided) reduce astigmatism, field curvature, coma and aberrations.
• A linear autofocus motor and internal focus design provide quick, precise and silent autofocus.
• Dust- and moisture-sealed design permits working in inclement conditions.
• Rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing bokeh.

Order Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA from B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama

Apply for B&H Photo Payboo Card

Sony Creators’ App is Available Now!

Sony Creators’ App is available now as a part of Sony’s Creators’ Cloud platform of mobile apps. It functions as an extension of a camera

Read More »
Sony-a7-IV-Firmware-2-00

Sony a7 IV Firmware 2.00 adds Creators’ App Support

Sony a7 IV Firmware 2.00 adds support for the new Creators’ App mobile application that replaces the Imaging Edge Mobile app. Note: This update is

Read More »

Tale of the Tape: Fast 50mm FE Lens Comparisons

How do four premium quality FAST 50mm lenses for Sony Fullframe E-mount cameras compare? Here’s a Tale of the Tape comparison between the Sony FE

Read More »

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *