The best lenses for Sony. Sony has patented contact lenses that can record and save video Smart contact lenses from Sony

The Sony system today has over 70 proprietary lenses alone, in addition to dozens of third-party models - there's plenty to choose from! In this review, we have included E-mount lenses, which are divided into two classes: FE are for full-frame cameras, and E are for those equipped with APS-C sensors. System A today, unfortunately, is not so popular. Most often, owners of Sony DSLRs and cameras with a translucent mirror are experienced photographers and do not need such recommendation articles.

Universal Zoom

1 Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8GM (SEL2470GM)

This universal high-aperture zoom for full-frame cameras belongs to the top-end G Master series, in all lenses of which the developers managed to combine excellent bokeh and sharpness worthy of a 42-megapixel sensor, starting from an open aperture.

The demanded range of focal lengths and high aperture make the SEL2470GM lens a versatile working tool for a reporter, wedding photographer, and in general any serious all-around photographer. Three aspherical elements and two ED glass elements provide reference uniform sharpness at any focal length.

The lens focuses from 38 cm, the speed and accuracy of autofocus is provided by a modern fast Direct Drive SSM drive. Sony's Nano AR coating reduces flare and stray reflections, resulting in a sharper image. The beauty of highlights in bokeh is provided by a rounded 9-bladed diaphragm and a unique optical design. In general, when creating the G Master series, the developers managed to achieve the almost impossible: to combine high sharpness with beautiful bokeh. The zoom mechanism is locked to prevent the inner lens barrels from moving forward under their own weight. SEL2470GM is made in a metal dust and moisture-proof case. Its length is 136 mm, its diameter is 87.6 mm, the thread diameter for filters is 82 mm. SEL2470GM weighs solidly - 886 grams.

2 Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS (SEL2470Z)

The SEL2470Z is a versatile zoom that is more affordable than the previous model in the G Master series. The main difference is in the luminosity. This lens loses a whole exposure step to the previous one. And his bokeh is not so chic. Nevertheless, it will provide high-quality shooting in all popular genres, including close-ups and product shots. The SEL2470Z is also well suited for travel, since its case is dust and moisture resistant, while being quite light and compact. Length - 94.5 mm, diameter - 73 mm, thread diameter for filters - 67 mm, and weight - 426 grams.

With this zoom, no compromises in quality are required: contrast and sharpness are uniformly high across the entire field of the frame and throughout the entire range of focal lengths. For this, as many as five aspherical elements are used in the optical scheme. Luminosity for everyone focal lengths is f/4.0. This is not a record value, but quite sufficient in practice.

For shooting in low light, the SEL2470Z is equipped with an Image Stabilizer, which is especially effective in combination with an in-camera sensor-shift stabilizer. And this is already an advantage over a more expensive brother! The anti-reflective coating of ZEISS T* lenses contributes to high image contrast. The lens focuses starting at 40 cm, providing a scale of 1:5 - this is quite suitable for product photography.

3 Sony FE 24-105mm f/4G OSS (SEL24105G)

The SEL24105G lens is for photographers who need a versatile lens with a range wider than 24-70mm without compromising image quality. A practical focal length range of 24-105mm, a constant aperture of f/4 and a minimum focusing distance of 0.38m meet these requirements. This lens is able to replace a couple of more highly specialized ones due to a good balance of characteristics.

The test shots show well-corrected aberrations, superb sharpness and pleasing bokeh - qualities that are necessary and sufficient for a versatile lens for all occasions. Sharpness is enough to work even with the most modern multi-megapixel cameras.

An optical stabilizer paired with an in-camera stabilized sensor gimbal makes it easier for the photographer to shoot still scenes - both landscapes at dusk and interiors. Neat bokeh allows you to shoot portraits. Distortion even in the wide-angle position is corrected so that the picture does not lose anything in quality. Vignetting is noticeable at wide angle, but it is effectively eliminated in post-processing. The lens is not too heavy - 663 grams with dimensions of 113.3 × 83.4 mm. Filter diameter - 77 mm. The lens kit includes a case and a lens hood.

4 Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS (SEL24240)

This versatile lens is ideal for those who want to travel light and capture a variety of subjects. It will also come in handy for reporters, it will perform well in all situations when there is no place for a second lens in a bag or there is no time to change optics. 10x zoom range, dustproof design and optical image stabilizer - an excellent, even unique, combination of features.

The SEL24240 lived up to its title of "travel zoom" in our testing. The optical design includes five aspherical elements and one of low dispersion glass. The lens provides high contrast and good sharpness throughout the frame.

The rounded 7-blade aperture contributes to beautifully shaped highlights in the blur zone, a rarity in the superzoom world. The lens with a length of 118.5 and a diameter of 80.5 mm is quite heavy - 780 grams. The autofocus drive is linear, the focusing is internal (the lens barrel does not rotate), the lens focuses starting from 0.5 m. But in terms of its optical qualities, it is still inferior to the models mentioned earlier.

Telezoom

5 Sony FE 70-200mm f/4G OSS (SEL70200G)

The telephoto lens is rightfully popular with reporters, wedding photographers, and generally anyone who needs to shoot close-ups from a distance of more than a few meters. There is also an "elder brother" of this lens from the GM line - with f / 2.8 aperture, but it costs much more. Therefore, we advise a similar in efficiency, but more affordable option, and we will leave the fast lens for professionals who do not have financial restrictions.

For a telephoto zoom, the nature of the image is equally important in the zone of sharpness and blur, therefore, the SEL70200G uses a rather complex optical design with three aspherical lenses and three more made of low dispersion glass. The lens delivers fairly soft and pleasing bokeh while still being sharp wide open.

The telephoto lens is made in a white dustproof housing, equipped with wide gripping focus and zoom rings. For shooting with a monopod or a tripod, a detachable tripod foot is provided on the body, and for confident handheld shooting, the lens has a dual-mode image stabilizer - a useful tool for reportage shooting. The SEL70200G measures 80x175mm, weighs 840 grams, and uses 72mm filters, making it relatively compact by full-frame lens standards.

portrait lens

6 Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 (SEL85F18)

Among the portrait optics in the Sony system, the SEL85F18 lens is the best in terms of price and quality ratio. This is a moderate telephoto lens with a fairly high aperture, shallow depth of field, soft pattern and beautiful bokeh. The 85mm focal length provides an angle of view that fits close-up faces in the frame exactly at the same distance as we are used to seeing each other. Thanks to this, the proportions of the face are transmitted without distortion.

Aperture f/1.8 is not a record by the standards of portrait optics, because there is a model SEL85F14GM with aperture f/1.4, but our version of a portrait lens is offered for a relatively low price. Tests have shown that this aperture is enough to keep only the eyes sharp in the portrait, because the depth of field for a close-up is only 7 mm.

The amount of spherical aberration is specially chosen so that the lens combines high resolution and beautiful bokeh. The beauty of the latter is also facilitated by a rounded 9-blade diaphragm. For ease of focusing, the SEL85F18 has a wide sensing ring, as well as a button that can be assigned, for example, to activate Eye AF. The portrait lens is compact - 78x82 mm and weighs only 371 grams. Thread for filters - 67 mm. The lens comes with an ALC-SH150 round lens hood. It is worth adding that at the time of writing the test, this portrait lens is one of the best, in our opinion, among all systems in terms of price and image quality.

wide angle

7 Sony FE 12-24mm f/4G (SEL1224G)

This is an ultra-wide-angle zoom with the smallest focal length (12mm) in a Sony E full-frame optics system. It provides a very wide field of view, which is essential in landscapes and for capturing interesting shots that use a strong perspective as an artistic technique. In addition, this lens is orthoscopic, that is, it does not distort vertical and horizontal lines, but transmits them straight in the frame, which will allow the SEL1224G to be successfully used in interior and architectural photography.

The optical design of the lens includes four aspherical elements, and to correct chromatic aberrations, three low-dispersion elements and one extra-low dispersion element are used.

The lens builds a uniformly sharp and contrasting image across the entire image field. Autofocus with Direct Drive SSM is very fast, accurate and quiet. Sharpness can also be adjusted with a convenient wide focus ring. Aperture throughout the range of focal lengths is constant and equal to f / 4. The rounded diaphragm has seven petals. The minimum focusing distance is 28 cm, which makes it possible to introduce an active foreground into the picture and thereby enhance the transmission of space. The lens hood in the SEL1224G has a built-in four-blade lens, so a special cover is supplied with the lens, and filters cannot be fixed in front of the front lens. The lens dimensions are 87x117.4 mm and its weight is 565 grams.

8 Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS (SEL1635Z)

The SEL1635Z is a Zeiss full-frame ultra wide-angle zoom with built-in Image Stabilizer and a constant f/4 aperture. Compared to the previous lens, this one is more compact and affordable. Its coverage angle is also smaller, so its capabilities are more modest when shooting a similar set of scenes. However, the weatherproof design and optical stabilizer make it more attractive to landscapers, reporters, and generally all photographers who have to shoot in difficult conditions.

This zoom ensures sharpness across the entire image field even at wide apertures, especially at the short throw position. This was achieved through the use of five aspherical lenses and three extra-low dispersion glass lenses. The rounded diaphragm has seven petals. The SEL1635Z lens focuses at a minimum distance of 28 cm. It is quite compact: 98.5x78 mm, weighs 518 grams, and the filter thread diameter is 72 mm.

macro lens

9 Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS (SEL90M28G)

Macro lenses are rarely good for anything other than macro photography, but the SEL90M28G, as we have seen in testing, surprisingly combines the capabilities of an excellent macro lens, a decent portrait lens, and a moderate reportage telephoto lens. However, first of all, this is a serious macro lens that will be useful to a wide range of photographers for both professional and creative shooting.

The lens focuses from a distance of 28 cm, providing a shooting scale of 1:1. The autofocus system has three ranges of focusing distance set by a switch. This solution eliminates the possibility of looking for sharpness where there is definitely none, thereby speeding up autofocus. To make autofocus work even more confidently, and it was easier for the photographer to crop, an optical stabilizer is provided. The focus ring has a wide distance scale for easy manual distance adjustment.

The lens housing is dust and moisture resistant, which allows you to shoot outdoors without fear, for example, of morning dew or rain. The bokeh of the SEL90M28G is, by macro lens standards, soft and evenly filled in highlights. The latter are neatly shaped thanks to the 9-blade diaphragm. Therefore, the lens is quite suitable for shooting with high requirements for bokeh.

In portraits, the SEL90M28G will work out all the details of the skin, and it will do it quite softly. Even the “Portrait” preset included in the camera is enough not to soften the image further. In the report, this lens will act simply as a 90mm "fix" with an aperture of f / 2.8 and ringing sharpness right from the wide aperture. SEL90M28G is not too big and heavy: it weighs 602 grams, it is 130.5 mm long, its diameter is 79 mm, and the thread diameter for filters is 62 mm.

Universal prime lens

10 Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 55mm f/1.8 ZA

The Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 55mm f/1.8 ZA, otherwise known as the SEL55F18Z, successfully combines the properties of a normal lens and a portrait lens, which our test confirmed. This fifty dollars is suitable for owners of all cameras with Sony E mount, regardless of the sensor format: on crop cameras it will work as an excellent portrait lens, and on full-frame cameras it will work as a universal “fix”, which can take a good picture of almost anything.

The SEL55F18Z focuses as close as 50cm, which is good enough for close-up shots of small subjects like flowers. In general, it is very well balanced.

The aperture ratio of the SEL55F18Z is not a record one, but the image is sharp, starting from an open aperture. In the backlight, although glare appears, the pictures do not lose contrast. Aberrations are noticeable wide open, but already at f/2.8 the image is flawless. The diaphragm is rounded, with nine petals. Bokeh is smooth, beautiful and without twisting.

The lens looks strict and simple: a black matte metal body, the only moving part is the electronic focusing ring. SEL55F18Z weighs only 281 grams, and its dimensions are 70.5 × 64.4 mm, due to which the most inexpensive filters, with a diameter of 49 mm, are also needed. Comes with a figure hood.

Choosing a standard lens for a Sony camera

It is believed that the choice of optics for Sony cameras is significantly narrower than for Nikon models and Canon. It is difficult to argue with this statement, but there is one interesting nuance. Market leaders gained superiority not due to native lenses, but due to "non-original". Tokina, Tamron, Sigma and others willingly make models with both F (Nikon) and EOS (Canon) mounts, but often ignore Sony cameras. It is difficult to explain in a nutshell why this happened, just accept this fact as an axiom. However, if we compare the number of models and the choice among the original glasses, then here Sony will not only not yield to Nikon and Canon, but can even surpass them in some segments.

First, Sony's photography division didn't come out of nowhere. In 2006, the company bought Konica Minolta's photography department. Sony engineers far-sightedly did not invent a new bayonet mount, but left Minoltov's A. This means that a vast layer of optics released by this once top manufacturer can easily fit modern Sony cameras.

Secondly, such a legendary company as Carl Zeiss has a special love for Sony. Zeiss lenses are available with different mounts, but only for Sony with autofocus and electronic contacts, which allows us to consider these lenses as "native". Despite the fact that the alliance with Sony somewhat spoiled the reputation of Carl Zeiss (primarily because “glasses” for the mass user began to be sold under the once very expensive brand), the optics of this company cannot be called unsuccessful.

In general, the choice of standard lenses for Sony is not as meager as adherents of the Nikon and Canon camps like to represent. In this review, we are considering standard lenses (you can find out what it is).

Sony SAL 18-70 f/3.5-5.6 DT

• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 9/11.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Filter diameter 55 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 66x77 mm.
• Weight 236 g.

This is the oldest kit lens that Sony equips kits for beginner photographers. In fact, it is an old film Minolta 28-100, converted to 1.5 crop with a corresponding change in focal lengths. The change is unsuccessful. It does not shine with sharpness, color reproduction, or optical quality. Even by the standards of whale models, this is not the most successful lens. Main and only competitive advantage- low price.

Sony SAL 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 DT SAM

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 7/8.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/3.5-5.6.
• Minimum aperture f/22-36.
• Minimum focus 0.25 m.
• Filter diameter 55 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 69.5x69 mm.
• Weight 210 g.

Sony's second attempt at a kit lens was much more successful. Despite the significant variation in the quality of various specimens, 18-55 is optically much better than 18-70 in almost all respects, except for the zoom factor. It is clear that one should not expect miracles from this "glass", but, in any case, with proper dexterity, one can get good shots with it. For beginners, the capabilities of this lens are enough for the first time, and then you can change it to something more advanced.

Sony SAL 16-105 f/3.5-5.6 DT

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 11/15.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/3.5-5.6.
• Minimum aperture f/22-36.
• Minimum focus 0.4 m.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Weight 470 g.

This is a very versatile lens, covering both wide angle and moderate telephoto ranges, while being relatively compact and lightweight. They love it for its versatility. The optical characteristics of this model are average: it surpasses whale models, but falls short of professional optics. The downside of this lens is the price (about 16 thousand rubles), which should be recognized as overpriced. However, for the sake of the versatility of this model, the high price tag is also forgiven. It is especially popular with tourists and travelers: except for 16-105, you can take nothing else on a trip.

Sony SAL 24-105 f/3.5-4.5

• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 11/12.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Minimum aperture f/22-27.
• Minimum focus 0.5 m.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 71x69 mm.
• Weight 395 g.

Another Minoltian development that Sony brought to life. Despite the complete similarity in focal lengths, the lens is not an analogue of Canon, inferior to it in all respects. The Kenon model is a professional lens of the L series, and the Sony model is the initial “glass” for cameras with a full-frame matrix, which is not enough stars from the sky. There is little point in its existence: focal lengths are inconvenient for crop, and full-frame owners are usually advanced enough not to shoot with such a simple lens.

Sony SAL 16-50 f/2.8 SSM DT

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/2.8.
• Minimum aperture f/22.
• Minimum focus 1 m.
• Filter diameter 72 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 81x88 mm.
• Weight 577 g.

Prior to the release of this lens, Sony did not have a model for advanced hobbyists. 16-50 closed this niche. It cannot be called unique in terms of optical characteristics, if you look at the picture from it very closely, then you can find weaknesses. However, this is a fast lens with a constant aperture of 2.8, and it costs only 25 thousand rubles. This is an excellent combination, which can be forgiven for minor optical flaws. Competitors have similar lenses that cost more.

Sony SAL 28-75 f/2.8 SAM

• Lens for full-frame cameras.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 14/16.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/2.8.
• Minimum aperture f/32.
• Minimum focus 0.38 m.
• Filter diameter 67 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 77.5x94 mm.
• Weight 565 g.

One of the most controversial lenses of the system. This is a very old model. It was developed in the 90s by Tamron, then produced under the Minolta brand, Sony engineers only built an ultrasonic motor into it without touching the optical design. The lens is good. He is doing well with both sharpness and contrast, and he adequately reproduces colors, and does not suffer from aberrations. Here is the contradiction. The price of the lens hints at the fact that this is a professional model, with the corresponding requirements for constructiveness and reliability, but there is nothing to brag about in this part of the 28-75 f / 2.8. This fact makes determining the potential audience of "glass" somewhat difficult. For amateurs, it is expensive (although 35 thousand rubles for a full-length lens with a constant aperture of f / 2.8 is cheap by the standards of other systems), but for professionals it is rather weak. They add inconsistencies and focal lengths that are good in full frame, but not in crop.

Sony SAL 18-200 f/3.5-6.3 DT

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 13/15.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 73x85.5 mm.
• Weight 405 g.

There is a similar hyperzoom in the lineup of almost any optics manufacturer, but Sony turned out to be one of the most unsuccessful. If Nikon and Canon 18-200 can boast of a quality higher than that of a whale lens, then Sony does not - it's exactly the same whale, only with very sweeping focal lengths. In fairness, it should be noted that Sony's hyperzoom is cheaper than its competitors, but this does not really save it. The only possible application is travel photography, although 16-105, even despite the smaller focal range, looks more interesting in this role.

Sony SAL 18-250 f/3.5-6.3 DT

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 13/16.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/3.5-6.3.
• Minimum aperture f/22-40.
• Minimum focus 0.45 m.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 75x86 mm.
• Weight 440 g.

With this lens, Sony engineers went further and made an even longer zoom, the magnification was 13.8x. This lens turned out to be somewhat better than the 18-200, even despite the increase in the focal range. In any case, I don’t want to compare pictures from it with “soap dishes”. 16-105 is also inferior, but not as critical as 18-200, so for photographers who don’t have too much high demands quality, this lens can even be recommended as the only one in the kit. But miracles should not be expected from him either.

Carl Zeiss SAL 16-80 f/3.5-4.5 DT ZA

• Lens for cameras with a crop factor of 1.5.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 10/14.
• Aperture blades 7.
• Maximum aperture f/3.5-4.5.
• Minimum aperture f/22-29.
• Minimum focus 0.35 m.
• Filter diameter 62 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 72x83 mm.
• Weight 445 g.

It was the first lens for Sony from Carl Zeiss and it made a lot of noise. It was after this model that Carl Zeiss began to be accused of pop. The lens, by the way, is quite good. It has high contrast, dense, saturated color, very noble background blur, which is rarely found in zoom lenses. Without a doubt, 16-80 has no analogues in quality among lenses with the same focal lengths from other manufacturers: both 15-85 from Canon and 16-85 from Nikon are optically worse. Everything would be fine, but 16-80 costs almost 35 thousand rubles, and for such a price you can and should find fault with it. There are two claims - strong chromatic aberrations and a weak construct. In general, the lens is more than good, but in terms of price and quality, it is far from ideal.

Carl Zeiss SAL 24-70 f/2.8 ZA SSM

• Lens for full-frame cameras.
• Groups / elements in the optical scheme 13/17.
• Aperture blades 9.
• Maximum aperture f/2.8.
• Minimum aperture f/22.
• Minimum focus 0.34 m.
• Filter diameter 72 mm.
• Dimensions (max. diameter x length) 83x111 mm.
• Weight 955 g.

This lens costs 75 thousand rubles, which could immediately put an end to its market prospects, if it were not so good. If after the release of 16-80 many blamed Carl Zeiss for compromise, then with 24-70 there are no such questions - this is really a lens of the highest level. Admittedly, this is one of the best 24-70 f/2.8 zooms of any brand, perhaps even the best at the moment. He has no shortcomings. Excellent resolution and sharpness right from the open aperture, high contrast, nice color and background blur, reliability and indestructibility. In general, a dream lens, but this dream costs more than almost all cameras in the Sony lineup, and this is the only fact that overshadows the pleasure of using this lens.

Let's summarize. Sony's lineup of standard lenses includes both models of popular focal lengths and several exclusive ones. The set is quite extensive, it has both whale lenses like 18-70 and masterpieces like 24-70, while being quite balanced. There is a choice for both beginners and professionals. Advanced amateurs who want and know how to take high-quality pictures, but at the same time cannot spend too much money on a lens, have not been forgotten. For them, 16-50 is optimal. The only thing missing in the lineup is optics with a constant f/4 aperture.

With the advent of new high-resolution full-frame sensors, there is a need for lenses that will be able to unleash their full potential. Sony was one of the first to realize this and introduced the G-Master line in 2016, setting a new standard in the field of photo optics. In this article, we will consider key features series, as well as follow the development of this line of lenses.

Previously, most manufacturers pleased us with either sharp lenses or lenses with beautiful bokeh. Apparently, looking at this, Sony, which has tremendous experience in the production of optics, decided to produce lenses that can combine these two qualities: thanks to a new type of lens, G-Master lenses have become super-sharp without losing beautiful defocus.

To understand why Sony has so many technologies and how the company has achieved what no one has been able to do so far, let's turn to history.

2003 and 2006: prologue

Back in 2003, two of the oldest Japanese manufacturers of photographic equipment, Konica and Minolta, merged into the Konica Minolta holding. It would seem that the two giants of the photo industry should form an indestructible duet that will dictate the terms of the entire market. But after a short cooperation for three years, the holding acquires Sony entirely.

In 2006, Konica Minolta's photography division was taken over by Sony, and the now-famous Sony α brand was born. Thus, the company strengthens its technological positions many years of experience and new employees. Minolta, for example, is known for the appearance the world's first autofocus 35mmSLR camera. And cooperation in the 1970s with the German company Leitz gave a separate impetus to the development of optics. Minolta lenses are still called the "golden reserve" due to their high sharpness and good contrast. Of course, these characteristics are inherited by Sony lenses, and the G-Master line becomes the crowning achievement of optics development.

Another proof that Sony knows how to make revolutionary optics is the CineAlta line, which appeared in 1999. Sony was the first company to make a 4K cinema system... in 2006! Today, its lenses support resolutions up to 8K and are used in the production of the largest Hollywood films.

Sony Alpha Professionals - Sergey Semenov

Sergei Semenov is an international economist by education. He worked in his specialty for 7 years, after which he completely went into photography. Moreover, the crisis of 2008 served as an impetus. For 10 years of work in photography, he visited more than 40 countries. Shoots in the genre of artistic landscape. He is the director of the world-famous AirPano project, which aims to show the most beautiful corners of the planet from a bird's eye view, capture them in a spherical (360 °) format (photo and video). Laureate of the competitions: "Wild Nature of Russia" (holds national geographic), EpsonPanoAwards, Trierenberg Super Circuit, AdMe Photo Awards, Golden Turtle, Photosight Awards, The Best Of Russia. His work is published in such publications as National Geographic, GEO, Der Spiegel, Daily Mail.

Sony 7RM3, F 6.3, 1/250 s, ISO 400, 70 mm

Frame fragment (100%)

Sony 7RM3, F 8, 1/160 s, ISO 1600, 26 mm

Frame fragment (100%)

2016: The first three Sony G-Master models are launched

Three years have passed since the introduction of the full-frame Sony A7 and A7R, and it becomes clear that the further, the more new high-resolution full-frame sensors need special lenses. It is them that Sony will present, demonstrating three models at once: zoom lenses loved by everyone F.E. 24–70 mmF/2.8 GM and FE70–200 mmF/2.8 GM OSS, as well as a portrait fix FE 85mm F/1.4GM. All lenses receive XA aspherical lenses.

XA lenses are some of the highest quality lenses in the world. It is thanks to them, or rather, thanks to precise processing in the production of a surface of 0.01 microns, that the lenses provide high resolution and beautiful bokeh.

	FE 24–70 mm F2.8 GM	FE 85 mm F1.4 GM	70–200 mm F2.8 GM OSS
Focal length
Maximum aperture value (F)
Minimum aperture value
Viewing Angle (35mm / APS-C)	84°-34° / 61°-23°		34°-12° 30’ / 23°-8°
Aperture blades
Minimum focusing distance		AF 0.85 meters, MF 0.8 meters
Filter diameter
Groups / elements

“These lenses are very difficult to manufacture, and for us it turned out to be a kind of challenge: how high accuracy can we achieve?” - Masanori Kishi, Deputy General Manager, Lens Design Division

The FE 24-70mm F/2.8 GM lens has such resolution quality at any focal length that any other discrete lens will envy. The model is designed for full-frame E-mount cameras, but it is also possible to use it with APS-C matrices (the focal length in this case becomes 36–105 mm). The 9-blade F/2.8 aperture stays the same at any focal length. Inside is a system of four types of lenses, providing excellent detail.

The Frequency-Contrast Response (MFT) graphs show how well the lens reproduces the finest details:

Sony Alpha Professionals - Vlad Shutov

Professionally engaged in photography since the 80s of the last century. Graduated from Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov (Faculty of Philology), Institute of Journalism (Photojournalism) under the Union of Journalists of the USSR. Member of the Union of Photographers of Russia. Member 15 personal exhibitions. He taught at the Academy of Photography. He gives lectures and conducts master classes.

“The Sony 24-70/2.8 GM is a true reportage lens, fast and grippy in autofocus. He, of course, cannot boast of such bokeh as his more “long” brother, but he is good for his sharpness, lack of bunnies and versatility of use. - Vlad Shutov.

Along with the 24-70 comes the FE 70-200mm F/2.8 GM OSS, delivering powerful resolution at reportage shooting aperture and beautiful bokeh in portraits. It becomes possible to block the tracking focus using three programmable buttons on the body (number 5 in the illustration). After you have precisely focused, press this button on the lens barrel - the plane of focus will be fixed in its current position. After you fine-tune the focus, press this button on the lens barrel and the focal length will be fixed at the current position. You can also assign a preview function to this button using the camera's custom settings. In addition, there are controls for autofocus, stabilizer and distance limiter.

The lens is equipped with dust and moisture protection. The illustration shows the locations of the sealing elements.

Optically, the lens is complex: 23 elements are included in 18 groups.

“The Sony 70-200/2.8 GM OSS covers my favorite focal length range. It focuses very quickly, so much so that even tracking autofocus works fine - there are practically no misses. This lens is very sharp, but at the same time it demonstrates beautiful bokeh, and for me this model can be said to be a standard lens. I use it not only when shooting outdoors, but often in the studio as well.” - Vlad Shutov

The latest lens introduced in 2016 is the FE 85mm F/1.4 GM portrait lens with an extended aperture ring. Sony says this lens will shoot 8K video. And it's not hard to believe when you consider that already today, the 42.4-megapixel sensor in the Sony A7R III produces 7952 × 5304 pictures and 3840 × 2160 4K video with amazing detail.

The portrait lens has an 11-blade aperture with rounded elements. This design results in a perfectly round aperture, which helps create particularly soft areas in the defocus area. For videographers, an aperture click control switch is provided - there will be no sudden jumps in the smooth aperture mode, which will allow you to change values ​​\u200b\u200bduring video recording.

2017: the already legendary lineup is replenished with a new trio

Models FE 100 mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS, FE 16–35 mm F/2.8 GM and FE 100–400 mm F/4.5-5.6 GM OSS appear on the market.

The FE 100 mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS becomes the first autofocus lens with an apodization element, and also gets the STF abbreviation in the name - Smooth Trans Focus optics achieve spectacular bokeh. Previously, this technology was used in Minolta lenses and later Sony in the 135 mm F / 2.8 model.

APD filter Aspherical lens ED glass

The apodizing element works on the principle of a gradient neutral density filter: it slightly darkens the edges, weakening various aberrations that can occur at the edges of the image. The number of aperture blades is 11.

The FE 16–35 mm F/2.8 GM is one of the most sought-after lenses in the line today. At 35mm, many photographers use lenses as a portrait lens. The 11-blade aperture, already traditional for the series, gives almost perfect bokeh on a full-frame matrix. The optical scheme consists of 16 elements in 13 groups.

“Sony 16-35/2.8 GM is fast and sharp. It, like all wide-angle lenses, has some vignetting at full aperture and at the short end, but, again, it is easily removed in a photo editor. As a summary, I will answer the question: are these lenses worth the money? Yes, they are. Should you buy them? If you have sony camera R - of course! - Vlad Shutov

The FE 100–400 mm F/4.5-5.6 GM OSS is a fast and quiet sports lens, Sony's longest telephoto zoom to date. On matrices APS-C, the focal length increases to 150–600 mm. Dual DDSSM linear actuators ensure fast focusing and precise subject tracking. The new motorized focusing system Direct Drive Super Sonic wave Motor allows you to focus even at the smallest depth of field. The motorized DDSSM system is quiet in operation, making it ideal for movies where the focus point changes constantly during movie recording. The lens itself is smaller and lighter than its closest competitors.

Sony Alpha Professionals - Anton Unitsyn

Anton Unitsyn, by his example, proves that sometimes it is not only possible, but also necessary to seriously change your life. It would seem that he was destined for a wonderful career as a physicist. Graduated from Novosibirsk State University, worked for 5 years at the Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. And suddenly he dropped out of graduate school to go to professional photography. But the result, which he immediately showed in a new area, surprised everyone. Three dozen international (collective) exhibitions. Winner of many competitions. Publications in various mass media. Laureate of a Russian government scholarship for cultural and art workers in 2015, winner of a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation in 2012 and 2014. He teaches photo reporting at the Faculty of Journalism of NSU.

“Lenses 100-400 mm, like any telezoom, are rare guests in my backpack. I am very close to the statement of Robert Capa: “If you could not do good frame, you couldn't get close enough." Therefore, the telephoto is in my hands when I physically cannot approach the object being filmed. So it was with the sports shooting of the regatta in Croatia. The yachts travel at a relatively long distance, there is no possibility to move between them during the race. This is where super-telefocal distances come to the rescue, allowing you to compress space for interesting rhythms and angles and make close-ups. The lens performed brilliantly. I used aperture 5.6 for all occasions as it is available over the entire range of focal lengths. Excellent fast tenacious focusing pleasantly surprised me, given the rather closed aperture. All images are exceptionally sharp, on my A9's 24MP, a very nice drawing. I took a number of large portraits of regatta participants using this particular lens.

In general, I am very afraid of the word “ideal” - in my opinion, this is something unattainable. However, the 100-400 lens certainly came very close to this line. A year later, I will have to shoot the regatta again, but already in Italy, and, in principle, there is an opportunity to take the new 400 2.8. But I will prefer the 100-400 as it is lighter, more compact and more flexible in use due to the wide range of focal lengths.” - Anton Unitsyn

Sony ILCE-9 , F 5.6, 1/1250, ISO100, 100mm

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Sony ILCE-9 , F 4.5, 1/1250, ISO100, 100mm

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Sony ILCE-9 , F 5.6, 1/1000, ISO100, 355 mm

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“I really love capturing all the details when shooting in the city, from rooftops or from mountains, and often 200mm is not enough. So I switched to 100–400 mm with pleasure; it's a pity, the weight let us down - it's heavy. But 100-400 works great with an extender, and when I photographed bears in Kamchatka, the extender helped a lot, turning the lens into a super telephoto lens without losing autofocus and without compromising quality. Obviously, these two lenses are amazing in terms of workmanship, the bodies are a monolith! Ergonomics is beyond praise. The kit includes sensible cases in which the lenses can be transported separately. For me, there is only one minus - these are different diameters, so you have to carry a whole bunch of different filters. ” - photographer Sergey Semenov

Sony 7RM3, F 5.6, 1/5000, ISO100, 100 mm

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Sony 7RM2, F 11, 1/800, ISO800, 100mm

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2018: discrete breakthroughs

This summer, another long-focus lens from the G Master series is coming out - the FE 400mm F/2.8 GM OSS prime. Lightweight for its class, designed for sports and shooting wildlife. Along with the company's portrait cameras, the FE 400 has an 11-blade aperture, which gives excellent bokeh.

In contrast to the 400 mm telephoto, in September 2018 a new wide-angle model is released - FE 24 mm F1.4 G Master, which, together with FE 85 mm, becomes the fastest model in the line. The weight of the 24 mm lens is only 445 grams, which is an order of magnitude lighter than competitors' models. For example, a similar model from Sigma weighs almost twice as much. The lens uses a system of 13 elements, two of which are XA lenses. The DDSSM autofocus motor gives videographers fast, accurate and quiet focusing. In addition, it is possible to turn off the “stops” of the aperture for smooth exposure changes during recording. There is a programmable autofocus lock button on the body, as well as an AF / MF switch. Like all lenses in the G Master series, the FE 24mm F1.4 is water and dust resistant.

Instead of a summary, a few more words about technology

Aspheric XA lenses, which have already been mentioned in the article, is a unique Sony proprietary technology developed specifically for the G-Master series, which allows you to achieve ultra-high sharpness at all focal lengths. Aspheric lenses are made using more complex and precise technologies than spherical lenses. This achieves a high surface accuracy of 0.01 micron.

Resolution 50 line pairs/mm allows you to convey subtle contrast transitions. When designing lenses, Sony engineers eliminated optical aberrations, in particular chromatic aberrations.

Perfect bokeh. When designing a lens, in parallel with increasing the resolution and improving the frequency-contrast characteristics, you need to constantly monitor the quality of the bokeh. For this, a simulation method was used. In addition, each lens is manually adjusted. The higher the resolution, the better the lens renders subtle contrast transitions. To achieve this, a number of optical aberrations, in particular chromatic aberrations, and coma were completely eliminated during the design phase.

New drive. Focusing uses lens position sensors. For each model from the G-Master line, the drive is designed separately. For example, in the FE 70-200mm F/2.8 GM OSS model, the optical elements are divided into two groups, each with its own autonomous drive. The result is smoother focusing for both stills and videos. In addition, linear drive technology is used - direct non-contact electromagnetic focus control for fast response and extremely quiet operation. This ensures easy operation and quiet operation both when taking photos and when recording videos.

Today, the seven lenses in the G-Master line give photographers an unlimited field of action in a wide variety of categories: sports, outdoors, portraits, urban photography, architecture and more.

Contact lenses with tiny built-in cameras have been patented by Google and Samsung. The emergence of this technology in everyday life already seems inevitable. Soon people will begin to communicate with each other in a new way. The only thing that worries most users in this regard is the question of whether they will improve or worsen technical means the quality of human communication.

The day is not far off when we will be able to videotape our conversations with family members and friends. For some, such records will help prove their case in a dispute, and someone will be able to review pleasant or important moments of their lives over and over again. Despite the fact that this technology can be used for selfish purposes, in general, the presence of the so-called "smart eyes" will add an incredible amount to our physical capabilities.

The patent description talks about contact lenses that can recognize when a person blinks intentionally, and not for natural reasons. By intentional action (blinking), the video recording produced by contact lenses is turned on or off.

"It is known that blinking, on average, takes from 0.2 to 0.4 seconds. Based on this, if this process lasts more than 0.5 seconds, then we can assume that this is a deliberate delay." That's what the patent says.

An interesting fact is that three weeks ago, Samsung received almost the same patent. You might think that Sony is just trying to copy Korean technology. But the key difference between the patents is that the contact lenses developed by the Japanese also have a mechanism for storing recorded video information.

When recording is done with Samsung's hypothetical contact lenses, the video is directly sent to an external storage device such as a smartphone. But the Sony patent refers to a technology by which the recorded video can be stored directly in the lens. This provides easy and fast access to information.

How is that even possible? The online publication Tech Story reports that the lenses are equipped with miniature piezoelectric sensors that measure changes in pressure, acceleration, temperature or force. All these changes are converted into electrical charge. Sensors read the user's eye movements and determine when to turn recording on or off.

The power required to power the sensors and other electronic components of the lenses comes from a simple process called electromagnetic induction, when exposed to magnetic field the conductor is capable of generating a weak electric current.

This current will be needed not only for power, it will also be used in the mechanism for correcting the angle of the lens relative to the human eye. This is how autofocus will work, adjusting to the subjects.

"It looks like Sony is introducing additional contact lens controls," writes Rodi Lee, a reporter for Tech Times magazine, in his article. "Lenses can be adjusted for aperture, autofocus, and even image stabilization to correct eye movement imperfections."

Unfortunately, while many of the features described above, whether or not related to versions of smart eye technology being developed by Google, Samsung, and Sony, are purely hypothetical; supposed.

But Li says the three tech giants have been working on the technology for years. There are serious reasons to believe that they have achieved some success and do not intend to give up their positions so soon. AT technical terms exciting prospects await us. Let's hope that all the innovations that will appear in the very near future will be directed to the benefit of mankind.

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