Published: June 23, 2015
What’s the next Sony FE Lens you’d like to see Sony add for Sony a7, a7R, a7S, a7II, a7RII fullframe E-mount mirrorless cameras?
While I can’t speak about any yet-to-be-announced Sony products, that doesn’t mean I can’t quote Sony’s top guy when he does… At the Sony a7RII camera launch, Sony’s Senior General Manager of the Digital Imaging Business Group, Kimio Maki told DP Review:
“Our lenses have to be better than [those from other manufacturers]. That is my mission. We have already made a 35mm F1.4 and 90mm macro – both were based on customer’s requirements, and also we have a full F4 zoom lineup, so our next lenses will be at the upper end of the lineup.”
When asked if he meant ‘upper’ in terms of focal length, he responded, “Exactly. And also aperture. A F2.8 lineup is necessary, and brighter [primes].”
Are you smiling??? Let’s first review the current Sony FE fullframe E-mount lens line-up:
Sony FE Primes
• Sony FE 28 F2.0
• Sony FE 35 F1.4 ZA
• Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA
• Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA
• Sony FE 90 F2.8 Macro G OSS
Sony FE Zooms
• Sony FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS
• Sony FE 24-240 F3.5-6.3 OSS
• Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS
• Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
• Sony FE 28-135mm F/4 G PZ OSS
• Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS
How would you like to see Sony fill in the blanks on their FE lens roadmap this year?
Please use the Comments section of this post to say what Sony FE lens (or lenses) you’d like to see next!
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103 thoughts on “What Sony FE Lens Do You Want Next?”
I must say with the new to arrive 90mm macro and 85mm f1.8 I have almost all the lenses I sold in my transition from Canon to Sony. My Zooms were f2.8 versions, but I have found (to my surprise) that I prefer the smaller size to the stop that I lost. I would not be unhappy with a f2.8 line of zooms, but think we would loose much of the size advantage gained by the f4 versions and mirrorless which I love. The only thing I am missing is something that would be the equivalent of my 100-400mm (which I never thought the Canon version was that great). I hope that 2016 brings a native FF e-mount that gets us to at least 400mm. After that… tilt shift… maybe. A flash controller would be nice too, while we are wishing.
24-105 F2.8 or F4
I would like to see the 135mm 1.8 Zeiss… I don’t see it on the road map. I use the A mount on my A7mk2 with the LA-EA4 adapter a lot. Great lens! But would like to have the AF improved with an FE version.
Who needs bigger lenses? Since the Sony sensors have higher ISO ratings + IBIS, I can do away with the extra f/stop, and carry a smaller/lighter package.
500mm for wild life guys
A super wide prime between 14mm and 21mm would be awesome and close a gap as currently there are no native primes under 25mm (except a not so great converter for the 28mm f2)!
I’d like to see the following:
– 70-200mm/f/2.8
– 2X Teleconverter
– 16-35mm/f/2.8
– 135mm/f/2.8 Macro
Alas, the need to be competitively priced! Sony is creating an amazing camera system with the a7 Series, but the lenses do tilt towards the pricey side. Granted, they are awesome! The Sony/Zeiss partnership is a trailblazer in photogrpahy.
@Brian Smith what is your preference?
I would love 100/2 portrait lens. These used to be compact and ultra high quality back in the day
1.8/135 Zeiss Sonnar with SSM would be lovely.
Agree!
FE 300 f4 and FE 400 f4,5
Exactly what I would select! I would love to see replacements for the wonderful Minolta 300 f4 and 400 f4.5 lenses, updated and made for in an e-mount for full frame!
I am coming from nikon doing an estrange movement jumping to manual focus lenses on loxia. Not because of the size, because of the consistent of that brand. I like to see loxia f2 in 85, 25 and 15. also a 135 (in that order). Those are objetives that photographers are going to need in auto-focus lenses, no matter if they are sony or zeiz. Some said that f4 line suited very good but if you are planing to switch from canikon, having an 2.8 line on sony would make decisions easier
I agree. I’d love to see the Loxia range extended.
Sony Zeiss
. 24-105 mm f4 stabilized
. 135 mm f1.8 stabilzed
Zeiss
. Zeiss Loxia Distagon T* 3,5/ 18mm
. Zeiss Loxia Planar T* 1,4/ 85mm
Ultra wide zooms and primes below 16mm with filter cabinets /threads ! There’s no ultra wide landscape architecture lenses available from Sony /zeiss
2 primes. 24 f1.8 or so. And a long f4. 400-500mm
How about a 25mm f2?
I’d be in for a Loxia 25 (or 21?) mm f2.0
Zeiss Loxia or Sony FE 24mm F2
Zeiss Loxia or Sony FE 100mm F2
Zeiss Loxia or Sony FE 200mm F4
How about a 25mm f2?
400/6.3 Reflex
300/4 G APO (MFD 1 meter)
250/5.6 Reflex
Sonnar 180F2 APO
135STF (AF?) G
Planar 100F2
60/2.8 2:1 G
43/1.8 G Pancake
24/2.8 T&S
Biogon 21F4
20/1.8 G
Distagon 18F4(tilt&shift)
10mm VFC
12-24/4 G
24-105/4 kit
45-135/2.8 G
70-300/4.5 G
70-200mm 2.8 is a necessary and I am waiting for it to change my old A-mount one
Would be great to see a compact 85mm or 100mm f2.8 native E-mount lens with autofocus. Open to Zeiss, Sony or Sony G. Lots of great compact prime options at the wide to normal focal lengths but all the telephoto lenses are massive. Maybe Zeiss can remanufacture the Contax g 90mm in e-mount.
The 24-70 is the let down for me. Id like to see that replaced or a better version aound that focal length produced.
Yes, a top notch workhorse 24-70 2.8 Lens would be great
+1
Sony needs to lower their lens prices considerably”¦An 85-90mm f2 should not cost more than $500″¦. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12182-USA/Canon_2519A003_85mm_f_1_8_USM_Autofocus.html
You’re comparing Apples to Oranges.
The FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS is more accurately compared to Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/393446-REG/Tokina_ATXAF100PRON_100mm_f_2_8_AT_X_M100.html
That’s a third-party lens of lesser quality.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/194451-USA/Canon_4657A006_100mm_f_2_8_USM_Macro.html
That’s older optical design, no IS and not ‘L’ glass so it’s a notch below Sony G quality.
I would like to see a rectilinear fisheye lens maybe a 12mm?
“Rectilinear fisheye” is an oxymoron. “Rectilinear” means straight lines. “Fisheye” is bowed. Which look are you after?
I would love a native set of fast (f/2.8) tilt shift lenses, especially in the wide angle range (24mm and down)… I understand it’s a niche product, but one can always dream, right? 🙂
More realistically (although maybe not so much… :D), I’d love a fast wide angle zoom lens with weather seal, like 14-24 f/2.8 or 11-20 f/4 or f/2.8 😀
As previously mentioned by someone else, the FE 24-70mm was a real let down, which leaves a real void for the focal length range that I use the most. I would love to see a top quality FE 24-70mm f2.8. I’m not concerned about size.
My favorite lens is the Sony 135mm f1.8. I would love to have this in FE mount. The new Batis 85mm f1.8 will fill a HUGE void, for me. I can’t wait to receive this lens (as well as the A7RII).
The ability to use Alpha lenses with the LA-EA3 on the new A7RII will really take a lot of pressure off!! I’m hoping it works well with my 70-400mm SSM2. This might also solve my dilemma about the 24-70mm f2.8.
I wonder if Sony is working on an “LA-EA5”, without mirror, but screw-drive support(?).
– An Improved FE 24-70mm f/4 would be nice, but my favorite lens range in my Canon system has been my 24-105 f/4, but it would need to be better than the Canon.
– FE 70-300mm f/4-5.6 compact but with great optics.
– FE 70-400 (or 500) f/4-5.6 at least as good as the new Canon MkII version.
– These lenses along with Sony’s & Zeiss current lenses “should have already” been introduced this far into the roadmap of their FE system, so that Sony could now start coming out with some more exotic lenses, i.e. Tilt shift lenses, 300, 400, 500 & other fast aperture primes & fast aperture Zooms. Now that Sony is introducing “Mark 2” cameras ( & some great ones at that), the biggest bottleneck seems to be native lenses (though being able to mount my Canon lenses has been great from my transition).
Love to see a 70-300 4-5.6 and/or a 100-400. A 135mm & ~200mm primes would also be great. A truly ultra wide prime as well (sub 20mm) would round things out well. Of course I think something bold like another STF lens or a range of T/S lenses would also be cool but probably not big money makers for Sony.
I’d also like a see a collapsible zoom without IS that’s geared toward the mark 2 cameras. Either something like a 35-70 which would be almost pancake sized or a moderately sized (and priced) 24-105 f/4.
I believe there is room in a professional line of optics for a tilt shift lens in the 15 to 30 mm range. I have been waiting for this now since the last Minolta one became impossible to find or afford.
I have a love-hate relationship with the FE 24-70/4, I’d love to have a higher quality version of that. I’d be more than happy with a 35-70mm F4 if image quality is top notch, at least as good as the FE 16-35/4.
100-300 f2.8! But now I know I can mount my Canon glass, I am happier
135/F2
amen!
The real obstacle for a Canon guy to migrate to this is few lenses that Canon makes. Lenses like 135/F2, 85/1.2, 50/1.2, T&S lenses. But none of the wildlife/action guys will come here because of lack of long primes and zooms like 70-300 and 100-400.
And yes, a good 24-70.
I use my a7r for travel photo (I use adapted M mounts there) and interiors/architecture.
I hate carrying lots of heavy gear and I don’t care about AF because I manually compose everything.
My big request is an architecture lens in the vein of the Zeiss 21/2.8 ZM. Between 21-24mm, sharp and no distortion. A t/s is even better. f3.5 is fine since I’m shooting on a tripod anyway. But if it cost more than the Canon it would be too much. Was just looking around for this and found nothing in my sub $1,400 price range.
Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2 Lens (Okay, I know it’s one millimeter out of your range…)
Haha, I figured you’d come back with that =). It’s brand new and no reviews, but it does look quite beastly and heavy. Why can’t they be as small as M mounts? I will definitely rent it to check out as it is a very common view for me (24.. 25, whatever). If it’s distortion free I suspect it will be the default winner. 18 or 21mm would be intriguing. I hardly ever go wider than that.
I never tried the Batis… on paper (well…on screen :)) it looks like a Touit on steroids for FF. 🙂 I have the Touit 12 and the 32… but I confess I am in love with the Loxia 35 I just got together with an A7II. I love the old-school feeling. The mechanical manual focus is so much more accurate than the “wired” of the Touits (and I suppose the Batis will be similar…).
So… a Loxia between 21 and 25 with f2.0 is in my wishlist.
The Touits I use on a A6000. But the 12 mm seems rather OK on the A7. Got the camera 3 days ago and still no time to really test it though… but non-crop mode and then manually crop in LR seems pretty ok. But a manual old-school fast somewhere between 21 and 25 would be great. Loxia build? I’m in!
Just to be clear. I’m speaking specifically about Sony FE lenses. Any new Zeiss Loxia and Batis will be announced by Zeiss – not Sony.
FE 180mm f/2.8 OSS
I now have a complete m4/3s system. Why? Because Sony would never give me a greater than 300mm native e-mount lens. Olympus is to yield a 300mm F4 (600mm 35mm equiv). Panasonic has the 100-300mm (I know it’s often derided). Have I left Sony? No, I’ve pre-ordered an A7Rii. It would just be a treat to be able to shoot wildlife at 400mm via e-mount. Can’t be done? Flange distance? It would seem Olympus is dealing with any of those issues in their forthcoming 300. I am not the only photographer would would love to see something like the Canon 400 5.6 wearing a Sony/Zeiss moniker.
Sorry, but I’m requesting another 35mm lens, as the 35 1.4 is far too bulky and heavy for this system (the idea was supposed to be smaller/lighter than my FF DSLR, wasn’t it?), the 35 2.8 is too slow, and the Loxia is MF only. Can we have a 35 f/2 G AF, please, with the same kind of optical quality as the 55 1.8 and more sensible size?
Also, I’m one of those people who feels the difference between 50 and 55mm. A nicely sized 50 f/1.4, or f/2 G AF, please? Again, not a cheap lens like the 28 but equal quality to the 55.
A better quality 24-70 zoom.
Aside from those, more f/2 primes which are kept small/light and nice quality – think Leica or Contax G with all these, not SLR!
Thanks James, I shall be referring all questions about “Why on earth does Sony have so many 35 and 50mm lenses?” to you…
i don’t understand why we can’t get the lens range of the Contax G, in similar size, in ANY mirrorless system
I would love to have native FE mount 15mm f2.8 Tilt Shift or 18mm Tilt Shift lenses.
And I would like a 50mm macro (for greater DOF). Another great addition would be a
150-600mm f4 zoom lens. I know one can now have all these (approximately) in Cannon glass, but a native mount is always better!
I’m not sure Canon makes a 150-600 f/4, the closest they make is a Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender. With the built-in 1.4x extender it converts to 280-560mm f/5.6
I’d like a quality 1.4X I can use with the FE 70-200 to give me a little more reach when I need it and still keep the bag small . Im looking to see how well my fabulous Canon 100-400 MkII works with the metabones adapter on the A7RII before I ask for bigger glass – I am also not sure 5fps will be fast enough for wildlife anyway.
I have a 24-70 and haven’t been as pleased with this. I would like to see them refresh this.
I’d like to see a continuation of smaller high quality primes in the mold of the 55/1.8…sacrificing a little by way of speed for size. The two I would like to see first are a 21/2.8 or even 3.5 and a 135/2.8.
24-70 F2.8 (non stabilized) for it to be more compact. Plus A7II, A7RII has IBIS already. Most likely all newer camera will have.
or
24-105mm f2.8 – f4 variable or just fixed f4 would be nice.
~24mm TS / PC
1.4xTC & 400/f4 G USM prime
17-35mm f2.8!! Please! Also like to see more third-party lenses for Sony’s FF M to expand the options and pull down the price.
16-35mm F2.8
24-70mm F2.8
70-200mm F2.8
16-35 f2.8 and 24-70 f 2.8
I would love an FE mount Zeiss 16mm f2.8 Distagon fisheye and a 24mm f1.4. My two most used focal lengths/aperture Canon lenses. Well, the Canon is a 15mm but you get the drift. I just got my A7R II and not having these two focal lengths are hindering my complete move from Canon. I think they should stop producing lenses with built in IS since all of their new cameras have IBIS. This should make them smaller and cheaper. IS lenses are a waste of money.
100-400mm high quality telephoto zoom ($1K to $2K) I would buy this tomorrow if it was available. Telephoto is a huge gap for e-mount. Sony needs to fill this gap quickly. Eventually, they should also have 300mm prime, 400mm prime, 500mm prime.
I would like FE 300mm, f4 a lens that is not too heavy for travel without a tripod
Im just dying for a wide angle pancake lens, an actual pancake lens not a ‘close enough’
Think Contax G2 size. 21, 28, 35, 45, 90. small. incredible optics. full frame. entire system in a small M6 bag. There has never been a digital equivalent… not sure why mirrorless lenses have to be so huge today? the loxia is an incredible build – and I love them, but in my mind, all of the above focal lengths, and correlated apertures, should be made no larger than the 55 1.8 FE. But smaller would be preferable!
Then, 1 larger prime telephoto – 135 f2. don’t care about the size. just focusing speed and quality.
I wish lenses with no oss and fresnell optics in order to be smaller in size and weight.
The legendary Sony / ZeissT* 135mm 1.8 is a no brainer Sony! That lens alone would entice many Canikon over to FE.
I’m with Lars. 300mm f/4 or 400mm f/5.6
24-105mm f/2.8 or below.
What I would really love is something close to 24mm f1.4 prime. I want a lens that will be useful on both my A7ii and my A6000 figuring in the crop factor. Also, if it could be in the 6-800 dollar range that would be awesome. Pipe dream, I know…….but you did ask what we wanted.
Sounds like you’ve already calculated the odds.
I’d like to see an FE 150-600mm
Sony 85mm 1.4 as small and cheap as possible with good center IQ
A 24-105mm equal or better than Canon 24-105L
would like to see:
2,8 : 8mm (circular)
4,0 : 10mm
2,0 : 20-35mm
2,0 : 50-135mm
4-5,6 : 200-500mm
300mm f2.8 or f4.0
400mm f5.6
500mm f6.3 (reflex)
Something that make the camera more pocketable, like a 28mm f2.8 pancake much like the 20mm pancake for the E system.
The longest they can easily get an f/2 on without it become huge, exotic, and expensive. 135 would be fine, but so would 150.
I’ve never seen a 150mm prime for 35mm format cameras, but a lot of requests for a 135mm. Some of you have asked for smallish, decent quality lens similar to the FE 28/2. But many are asking for a pro quality lens like the A-mount 135mm F1.8 ZA. I doubt we’d see both.
I’d be very pleased if they came out with:
– 14mm or 15mm f/2.8 or faster
– 135mm f/2 or faster
– 200mm f/2.8 or faster
It’d be a real dream if they all had AF and aperture rings.
the only glass I want for my A7S is a 2X teleconverter, but I could settle for a 1.4
I use Leica M and R lenses with Novoflex adapters and don’t find the need for more lenses from Sony/Zeiss.
Now that the Zeiss Batis 25mm f2 is out and the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 G is on the way, my one remaining lens is a G-quality lens to supplant the Rokinon 24mm F1.4 for astrophotography.
I request:
– 16mm, F1.4 G (autofocus or manual focus, I’ll take either)
Good suggestion!!!
I wish Sony released a 24-120 or 24-135 f:4 constant aperture. I like a lot the 24-70 f:4, but I find the reach a little short for travel. I purchased a 24-240 for that purpose a few weeks ago. But it is really unbalanced, it feels like I have a DSLR again. It also seem to put strain on the camera lens mount when I zoom.
The difference in perspective between 70mm and 120mm or so is definitely greater than between 140mm to 240mm. I wondering whether returning the 24-240. IQ is decent but so hefty. Also sometimes it hunts focus at 150mm +. The Nikon Nikkor 24-120 felt more compact and was perfect for travel. I feel carrying the A7 with the 24-70 f:4 and a A6000 with 55-210 may be a better option.
I really long a 24 to 105 or 140, lighter than the 24-240. constant aperture. I doubt Sony will provide. 24-240 feels like a beast.
The size of the Sony FE 28-135mm F/4 G PZ OSS Lens should give you a good idea what the size would need to be. While a 24-120mm F4 might be slightly smaller – a 24-135mm F4 would be slightly larger. It’s an excellent lens by the way but due to its constant aperture, it’s considerably larger than the FE 24-240.
Brian I am comparing to the Nikkor 24-120mm f:4. It is smaller and lighter than the Sony 24-240.
I would like something like that, around $1000. I guess that would cannibalize the sales of the Sony Zeiss 24-70 or the 24-240.
I’D be happy even 3.5 / 5.6. What is your take about the 24-240mm?
My impression is that it is OK for static subjects and landscape.
I find the 24-70 a lot more responsive.
If Sony instead of making a 24-240 would have made a 24-120 it would have been more compact and probably even better quality.
I’m not a big fan of all-in-one zooms, but the sharpness of the FE 24-240 is exceptional for the price. Whatever lens Sony makes there will be people who want it to be longer or shorter or faster or slower and of course always cheaper and smaller. I recently saw a request on one of the forums for a 128mm prime. I guess that means 127mm would be too short and 129mm would be too long…
Brian I’d be happy with a 24-105 or 120. Not so much of a big difference.
I agree that the sharpness of the Sony 24-240 is great. It is just the size and the slow focusing at tele. I have the LA-EA4, and the beer can but ordered the Minolta 100-200 for travel. I would love Sony to come out with a new intermediate lens.
PS
Sony 24-240 Weight 27.6oz (780g), dimensions 3.75 x 4.75″ (80.5-118.5mm), Minimum Focus Distance1.64ft-2.63ft / 0.5m-0.8m
Nikkor: 24-120 Weight 23.6 oz. (670g), Dimensions: 3.3×4.1 in. / 84x103mm Closest Focusing Distance1.5ft.(0.45m)
I switched to Sony and I do not think I am going back. But some things are frustrating. It almost feels that Sony lenses / cameras have been designed and tested only by engineers, while Nikon considers what is important for a photographer in the field.
A 24-120 for Sony could be smaller than the Nikon due to the shorter distance from the mount to the sensor.
I have seen there was a A mount Sony / Minolta 24-105. Come on Sony, an improved version of that would be so welcome.
The Sony FE lens lineup is growing more quickly than any other brand, yet it still takes time to fulfill all the most popular requests.
There were considerably more requests for a 24-240mm than for either a 24-105 or 24-120 so it only logical that it was added first.
I could certainly see room for either a 24-105 or 24-120 in the future – just not both. Ex-Canon shooters seem to want 24-105 and Ex-Nikon shooters want 24-120. Probably simply because that’s what they’re used to.
Also I bought the 50mm F:1.8 FE. While the IQ is very nice, it focus hunts like crazy. I could not rely on it for some event photography as on some faces, especially darker skin tones it is really hesitant to get the focus. It should cost $90.
The Sony 50mm OSS that I have for the A6000 is way better and faster at focusing. The old Nikon 50mm 1.8 D is old, its price less than half than the Sony FE 50mm and way better at focusing.
I tried the 50mm FE for some food shots about a restaurants roundup in NYC. Its minimum focus distance was not close enough, and it was focus hunting in broad daylight at close up. Really unsatisfactory (I had and sold the Sigma 30 f:2.8 for my A6000 and for food / plate shots was perfect. small and sharp and would focus quickly without hesitation, I just wish it were F/2 or 1.8).
I like the 28mm f:2, but there should be a similarly priced 75 / 90mm F2 (something that would be the equivalent of the 50mm OSS for full frame).
Yeah I really would like a decent, not overpriced 50mm, and a short telephoto at decent prices.
I would like to see a Sony FE 300mm 2.8 prime telephoto lens for my 7R111 camera
Got a feeling Sony has that one on their list…
A 180 f 2 prime.
A 180 f 2 prime. Or a 200 mm f 2
A sharper and faster 100-400 GM lens. I do own the current 4.5-5.6, however I do not feel that the resulting pictures are pin-sharp. This is independent from shooting using a tripod or handheld. Well, of course it could be either me or my lens having issues…after having at least the lens checked and tried by my trusted Sony store, feedback was that my lens operates according to spec…but also their resulting picture quality showed comparable non-exciting results.
Still I would love to have a decent zoom lens, providing me with more flexibility and hopefully portability compared to a 400 or 600 prime lens.
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