Sony has introduced its flagship G Master™ brand of interchangeable lenses. New brand consisting of three top-of-the-line full-frame E-type lenses, including the standard 24-70mm prime F2.8, 85mm fixed focal length portrait lens F1.4 and telephoto 70-200mm zoom lens with F2 constant aperture.8. Delivering an unrivalled combination of high resolution and beautiful bokeh, these new lenses use innovative Sony optical technology, design and calibration techniques. It enables them to capture still and video images with a level of detail and expression never before possible.
“The new G Master brand represents a group of the finest and most impressive lenses Sony has ever delivered to the market,” said Yosuke Aoki, vice president, Digital Imaging, Sony Europe. “We developed these lenses knowing what the future holds for digital imaging, and we can say with confidence that the G Master brand will continue to inspire and amaze photographers and videographers for years to come.
The new FE 24-70mm F2 standard zoom lens.8 GM
Equipped with a range of today’s most advanced technologies, the new FE 24-70mm F2.The 8 GM SEL2470GM model is the best choice for those who need the highest optical performance for portraits, travel and event photography, or even just everyday shooting[i].
The design of the new lens has three aspherical elements, including a new extremely precise XA extreme aspherical element, which reduces aberrations and provides extremely high resolution throughout the zoom focal length and aperture values, as well as over the entire frame in any image file. In addition, the lens’ ED Extra-low-Dispersion glass and Super ED glass keep chromatic aberration to a minimum, while delivering maximum resolution and bokeh without distorting natural colors.
The lens features a 9-blade diaphragm that maintains an almost circular aperture shape at all settings and features Sony’s original Nano AR coating, which suppresses glare and provides remarkable contrast and clarity.
The new FE24-70mm F2.8 GM is equipped with a direct SSM Super Sonic wave motor focusing system, which operates with the highest efficiency due to new algorithms that quickly and accurately move the lens elements to the desired position. The motor runs smoothly and quietly, making this lens ideal for both stills and video.
To maximize your use, the lens is protected against dust and moisture, has a compact, streamlined design, and features a manual/automatic focus AF/MF switch as well as focus lock, zoom lock, and hood release buttons.
Also introduced two new filters for the FE24-70mm F2.8 GM, including VF-82MP protection filter and VF-82CPAM circular polarizing filter.
The new telephoto prime FE 85mm F1.4 GM
Designed as a high-end portrait lens, the highly anticipated new FE 85mm F1 fixed focal length telephoto lens.4 GM SEL85F14GM strikes the perfect balance between resolution and bokeh in a compact body.
This lens features a new XA extreme aspherical element as well as three ED glass elements that work together so that the focused area is captured with extreme sharpness, while the surrounding unfocused areas of the frame smoothly dissolve to form a beautiful soft background.
It features a circular aperture with 11 blades – the largest number of blades ever used in a lens – which guarantee a smooth and attractive bokeh effect. On the outside, the new model features Sony’s original Nano AR coating, which is particularly important for a portrait lens because it reduces backlighting and stray images, even when the subject is in a brightly lit background, backlit or similarly difficult lighting conditions.
For precision autofocus, the FE 85mm F1 lens.4 GM is equipped with an SSM focus ring drive that provides enough power and speed to move the lens’ large and heavy focus group of elements. It also features two position sensors to enable perfect control of large and heavy lens elements during focusing.
This new professional portrait lens is dust and moisture resistant and features an on/off aperture ring that can be adjusted depending on whether the user is shooting stills or video. A manual/automatic AF/MF switch and focus lock button are also provided[ii].
New professional telephoto zoom lens FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
Covering the commonly used 70-200mm focal length range, the new FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS telephoto zoom lens SEL70200GM model offers extremely high imaging accuracy, autofocus performance and image stabilization, making it versatile for shooting nature, sports, weddings, and a variety of other events and locationsi.
This new flagship telephoto zoom lens delivers extraordinary sharpness and clarity across the zoom range thanks to three advanced lens elements – the XA aspherical element, and Super ED and ED glass elements, as well as Nano AR coatings.
The new FE 70-200mm F2 lens.8 GM OSS includes a floating focus system – a first for a zoom lens – which enables a minimum focus distance of just 0.96m and optimises AF performance in both stills and movies.
The lens features an SSM Super Sonic Motor actuator and two linear motors that act together to move large lens elements quickly – a task that requires high levels of actuator control and ensures accurate autofocus.
The new model also has a built-in Optical SteadyShot™ optical image stabilization system for clear and sharp images of objects at all focal lengths, as well as a swiveling tripod mount that allows you to quickly remove the camera from the tripod if necessary.
The new 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens is protected against dust and moisture and has a fluoroplastic coating on the front surface. Focus lock button and focus range limiter are also included.
Sony has also announced new compact 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, the SEL14TC and SEL20TC, respectively, which further increase the working distance while retaining the streamlined design and familiar feel of a 70-200mm lens[iii].
Pricing and Availability
The new lenses are the standard FE 24-70mm F2 zoom lens.8 GM SEL2470GM and a fast 85mm F1 portrait fix.4 GM SEL85F14GM will be available in America in March 2016.
New telephoto zoom lens 70-200mm F2.8 GM SEL70200GM and its compatible 1.4x and 2x teleconverters will be available in America in May 2016, prices to be announced later.
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[i] Software upgrades may be required to make these lenses compatible with some cameras. See Details. Sony esupport website.sony.com.
[ii] Limitations apply to autofocus operation during video shooting when used with some camera bodies. Some cameras may require software upgrades to be compatible with the FE 85mm F1 lens.4 GM during shooting video.
[iii] At the time of this presentation, the only compatible lens is the SEL70200GM.
What makes G Master™ lenses by Sony stand out from their other interchangeable lenses? Are they specifically designed for professional photographers or can they benefit hobbyists as well? How do they compare in terms of image quality and performance? Additionally, are they compatible with all Sony cameras or only specific models? I would appreciate some insights on these lenses to help me make an informed decision. Thank you!