We were all caught off guard today when Sony announced two new FE lenses, the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 OSS telephoto zoom and the 50mm f/1.8 prime lens, and the third generation RX10 III.
The FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 is the first Sony E-mount lens to reach a 300mm focal length, making it the longest reaching E-mount lens to date. It features four aspherical glass elements, two ED (extra-low dispersion) glass elements and Nano AR coating to suppress spherical aberration, distortion and chromatic aberration.
The close-up performance of this lens is also very good. You can focus as close as 3 feet (0.9m) with a maximum magnification of 0.31x.
It incorporates Sony’s optical SteadyShot image stabilisation to help reduce camera shake, while the linear actuator allows for fast, smooth and quiet autofocus. The lens is also dust and moisture resistant.
Weighing less than 7oz (192g), the FE 50mm f/1.8 promises to be one of the smallest and lightest primes for the FE system, and it will also be one of the most affordable. It features a standard focal length and a fast circular aperture. With an aspherical element that compensates for all forms of aberration, it should also deliver excellent optical quality. It comes with a solid metal mount.
Both lenses will be available in Europe from April 2016. The zoom will cost around €1450 while the 50mm prime will cost about €300. You can pre-order both at B&H Photo here and here.
To find out more about the Sony RX10 III, click here!