The Sony 16-55 f/2.8 G may be the most important lens ever announced for the APS-C line of Sony’s mirrorless cameras. With this lens, Sony is committing to offering professional-level lens options for working photojournalists and travel photographers who want to use the compact a6000 line. My biggest gripe with Sony’s APS-C line over the past decade has been their weak lens lineup. This is a big step in the right direction.
The weather-sealed lens contains two aspherical elements and three ED elements along with Sony’s Nano AR and fluorine coatings to ensure the best image quality, and a 9 circular blade diaphragm for smooth bokeh. Autofocus is powered by an XD linear motor for fast and quiet operation. At under one pound (494g), the lens remains relatively compact.
Sony also announced the E 70-350 f/4.5-6.3 G OSS, a dedicated APS-C telephoto zoom with optics that should be dramatically better than the common 55-210mm kit lens. As the name indicates, it has built-in image stabilization. With one aspherical element and three ED elements, the lens weighs 1.25lbs and is weather sealed.
Price and Wait
If you’re as excited about the 16-55 f/2.8 as I am, your wait for the lens’s release in October might seem much longer, but those interested in the 70-350 will have to wait even longer, until November.
Expect the 16-55 f/2.8 to cost about $1399, while the 70-350 will set you back $999 or so.
Ready to pre-order? You can support L&M by ordering from your favorite shops below, beginning tomorrow (Aug 29th) :
