Sony follows up on its high-end full-frame lens announcements with more affordable models intended for both its APS-C and full-frame mirrorless cameras.
The FE 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G OSS may not seem cheap at $1,200 (£1,150; Australian price not available, but US converts to AU$1,580), but it's likely more than half the price of the as-yet unshipped 70-200mm f2.8 and in the same range as other lenses with similar specs. It should make Sony birders and sports enthusiasts happy, especially since it delivers an equivalent focal range of 105-300mm mounted on an APS-C model like the A6300, which needs that optical stabilization. Other notable specs include:
- 9-blade aperture for smooth, round out-of-focus highlights
- Dust-and-moisture resistant
- Sony Nano AR coating (to reduce flare and ghosting)
- Minimum focus distance of 3 ft/0.9m
- Linear motor
- Dimensions of 5.8 x 3.4 (84x144mm), 30.2 oz/854 g
The other lens is an inexpensive ($250, £240; Australian price not available, but US converts to AU$330) 50mm f1.8 prime. Sony already has a $300 50mm f1.8 for its APS-C E-mount, and that one has optical stabilization that the full-frame lacks. It has an updated optical design which hopefully has less fringing than the older lens. And it's a lot cheaper than the closest full-frame alternative, Zeiss' $1,000 (approximately £620, AU$1,200) 55mm f1.8 ZA. However, the lack of image stabilization is annoying.
Both lenses are slated to ship in May in the US, but in April for the UK.