Just Announced: Sony FE 50mm F1.8 & 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Lenses

Sony-FE-50mm-F1-8-FE-70-300mm-lenses

Sony just announced a pair of full-frame lenses E-mount lenses that many enthusiasts have been asking for.

Sony FE 50mm F1.8 prime lens gives photographers a compact and lightweight normal lens that at roughly $250 is considerably less expensive option to the FE 55mm F1.8 ZA currently on the market. Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS, which is the longest FE-mount telephoto. It features four aspherical and two ED elements, optical image stabilization, and a Nano AR coating to reduce flare and ghosting. The lens offers a minimum focus distance of 0.9m/3ft, and uses a linear actuator for smooth and silent autofocus. Both lenses are expected to begin shipping in May.

Sony FE 50mm F1.8 lens

Sony-FE-50mm-F1-8-lens

Sony FE 50mm F1.8 lens (Available for pre-order on March 31 for $248) is a versatile normal-length prime lens designed for full-frame E-mount mirrorless cameras. Its sleek design makes it well-suited for everyday shooting, while the fast f/1.8 maximum aperture benefits working in low-light conditions as well as offers increased control over depth of field for selective focus imagery. The optical design incorporates one aspherical element to control spherical aberrations, an employs a double-gauss configuration in order to realize sharper, clearer image quality throughout the aperture range with reduced field curvature. A DC actuator is also employed to provide quick and precise autofocus performance that is also quiet to suit video recording applications. It has a rounded seven-blade diaphragm is featured to render out-of-focus highlights with a smooth, circular appearance. Characterized by its straight-forward design, this go-to lens balances both ease of handling along with enhanced image quality.

• Sony E-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
• Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/22
• One Aspherical Element
• Double-Gauss Optical Design
• DC Autofocus Motor
• Rounded Seven-Blade Diaphragm
• Filter Thread: 49 mm
• Dimensions DxL: 2.70 x 2.34″
• Weight: 6.56 oz (186 g)

Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS

Sony-FE-70-300-F4-5-5-6-G-OSS

Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS (Available for pre-order on March 31 for $1,198) is a versatile zoom lens designed for full-frame E-mount mirrorless cameras. Complementing the reach, this lens’ optical design incorporates four aspherical elements and two extra-low dispersion glass elements to control spherical and chromatic aberrations throughout the zoom range for increased clarity, sharpness, and color accuracy. A Nano AR coating has also been applied to individual lens elements to minimize lens flare and ghosting for increased contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions. Well-suited to a variety of telephoto needs, this zoom lens balances both a versatile focal length range along with a sophisticated optical design for maintained image quality.

• E-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
• Aperture Range: f/4.5 to f/29
• Four Aspherical and Two ED Elements
• Nano AR Coating
• Linear Autofocus Motor
• Internal Focus Design; MF Override
• Focus Hold Button and Range Limiter
• Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization
• Dust- & Moisture-Resistant Construction
• Rounded Nine-Blade Diaphragm
• Filter Thread: 72 mm
• Dimensions DxL: 3.31 x 5.65″
• Weight: 1.88 lb (854 g)

Press release:

Sony Bolsters Full-Frame FE Lens Lineup with New 70-300mm High-Resolution Zoom and 50mm F1.8 Prime Lenses

SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 29, 2016 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today introduced two new full-frame lenses for their E-mount camera system, the FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom and 50mm F1.8 prime lens.

The new FE 70-300mm F4.5-F5.6 G OSS zoom lens represents the first Sony α E-mount lens to reach a 300mm focal length, featuring high resolution and excellent overall optical performance throughout the entirety of its range. The new 50mm F1.8 prime lens is extremely compact, lightweight and affordably priced, making it an ideal choice for those looking to explore the benefits of a large aperture prime lens at a reasonable cost.

“We’re continuing to build out our FE lens lineup, offering more variety than ever for today’s imaging enthusiasts,” said Neal Manowitz, Vice President of Digital Imaging at Sony Electronics. “Representing two of the most requested focal lengths by our customers, the new 70-300mm zoom and 50 F1.8mm prime become ideal choices for those looking to expand and enhance their Sony α kits.”

New FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS Telephoto Zoom Lens

Sony’s longest reaching E-mount lens to date, the new FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens (model SEL70300G) features a state-of-the-art optical design including four aspherical glass elements, two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and Sony’s Nano AR coating, which all work together to effectively suppress spherical aberration, distortion, and chromatic aberration. This ensures beautiful high-resolution results for both still and video shooting.

The new telephoto zoom lens also features class-leading close-up performance, with a minimum focusing distance of less than 3 feet (0.9m) and a maximum magnification of 0.31x, making it an ideal choice for tele-macro photography. This outstanding close-up performance also factors into the lens”™ excellent corner-to-corner sharpness.

The versatile zoom lens includes built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization that helps to reduce camera shake, making it easier to capture clear images when shooting handheld. Additionally, the new SEL70300G model has a linear actuator that allows it to achieve fast, smooth and quiet autofocus and is also dust and moisture resistant1 to ensure reliable operation in harsh outdoor conditions.

New FE 50mm F1.8 Prime Lens

Weighing in at less than 7 oz (192 g), the new lightweight FE 50mm F1.8 “normal” prime lens (model SEL50F18F) delivers an outstanding blend of performance, compactness and value, making it a perfect choice for hobbyist photographers and videographers looking to experience the benefits of a wide aperture prime lens at an attainable cost.

The lens features a new optical design with an aspherical element that effectively compensates for all forms of aberration, resulting in beautiful, crisp imagery. Additionally, it has a circular aperture with a maximum of F1.8, producing beautiful ‘bokeh’ in images that allows the subject to stand out against a smoothly defocused background. For extended durability, the new prime lens is built with a solid metal mount.

Pricing and Availability

Both of the new FE interchangeable lenses will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America. Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens will be available in May for about $1,200 US. Sony FE 50mm F1.8 prime lens will also be available in May for about $250 US.

Order Sony FE 50mm F1.8 lens from B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama
Order Sony FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS Lens from B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama

Read More: Ultimate Guide to Fullframe E-Mount FE Lenses

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9 thoughts on “Just Announced: Sony FE 50mm F1.8 & 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Lenses”

  1. Oh wow! Great news! A basic low cost fast fifty is something every camera maker should have and I’m glad it will soon be available. Good job Sony!

  2. Will be interesting to see the performance of the 50mm. The Zeiss is such a fine lens….will be hard to come close.

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