Tech Tuesday—New E-Mount Lenses and Cameras from Sony

August 27, 2013

By Laura Brauer

Sony NEX users take note: the company just announced a trio of new E-mount lenses, most notably the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* 16-70mm (24-105mm-equivalent), constant aperture f/4 zoom (with a minimum aperture of f/22). This compact lens measures 2 5/8 x 2 15/16 inches, weighs 10.8 ounces, features a metal mount and Optical SteadyShot image stabilization.

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The Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* 16-70mm lens

Also new is the first G lens designed for E-mount cameras, a power-zoom 18-105mm, f/4 constant aperture lens. Like Sony’s 16-50mm (27-157.7mm-equivalent) power zoom E-mount lens, the zoom lever is positioned on the lens barrel and moves the lens smoothly and quietly through its focal range at fixed or variable speeds, making it ideal for video capture.

Unlike most zooms, the 3 1/16 x 5 5/16-inch lens doesn’t extend while zooming and maintains its relatively compact size throughout. The 18-105mm lens also features a metal mount and Optical SteadyShot image stabilization.

For NEX-users who want their lenses to match the color of their cameras, the 50mm, f/1.4 lens is now available in all black.

At the same time, Sony also announced the new 16 megapixel, NEX-5T mirrorless camera. In addition to WiFi, it’s the first Sony camera equipped with NFC (near field communication).

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The NEX-5T mirrorless camera

And for those on a budget, check out the new 20 megapixel, a3000, which also accepts E-mount lenses but is styled more like a DLSR—and costs only $400 with an 18-55mm kit lens (which might make a great gift for family members who want to get more into photography).

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The Sony a3000

While the 18-105mm G lens will be available in December, all other products will ship in September and are available for pre-order.

Prices:

  • 16-70mm: $1,000
  • 18-105mm: $600
  • 50mm: $300
  • NEX-5T: $700 (kit)/550 (body only)
  • a3000: $400 with kit lens