The a dimension

Unleash your imagination with the power of a creativity

 Digital SLR basics
072 How an SLR camera works
074 Body-integrated image stabilization
076 Focal length
078 Focal length and angle of view
Contents 080 Focal length and apparent perspective
082 Depth of field
084 Utilizing depth of field
Image gallery 086 Macro shooting
008 Jun Imura 088 Lens hoods
012 Duncan McEwan 089 Circular polarlizing filters
014 Cameron Lawson
016 Ken Spencer Choosing the right lens
018 Hiromasa Mano 092 Portraits
096 Landscapes
The a lens lineup 100 Snapshots
024 a lenses 104 Macro close-ups
026 16mm F2.8 Fisheye (SAL16F28) 108 Sports
028 20mm F2.8 (SAL20F28) 112 Wildlife
030 28mm F2.8 (SAL28F28) 114 Pets
032 35mm F1.4G (SAL35F14G)
034 50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14) a system technology
036 Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (SAL85F14Z)
® ®
118 Body-integrated image stabilization
038 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z)
® ®
120 Circular aperture and defocusing effect
040 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF (SAL135F28) 122 STF lens and defocusing effect
042 300mm F2.8G (SAL300F28G) 124 ED glass and aspherical lenses
044 500mm F8 Reflex (SAL500F80) 126 SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor)
046 50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28) 128 Autofocus reflex lens
048 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) 129 DMF (Direct Manual Focus)
050 DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118) 130 ADI flash metering
052 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* DT16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z)
® ®
132 High-speed synchro
054 DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870)
056 DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3 (SAL18200) Specifications & terminology
058 24–105mm F3.5–4.5 (SAL24105) 134 Lens performance and MTF graphs
060 70–200mm F2.8G (SAL70200G) Fixed focal length lenses
062 75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) Zoom lenses
064 1.4x Teleconverter (SAL14TC) Carl Zeiss® lenses
066 2x Teleconverter (SAL20TC) 138 Glossary
068 Carl Zeiss lenses
®
142 a lenses — basic specifications
Image gallery
008–021
Jun Imura
10 11
Duncan McEwan

12 13
Cameron Lawson
Ken Spencer

16 17
Hiromasa Mano

18 19
20 21
The a lens lineup
024–069
The performance and quality you need
to realize your personal creative vision
Photography allows us to capture those special
moments we want to remember forever. Whether it
is the smile on a loved one's face, a bustling market
scene in an exotic foreign land, or a breathtaking vista
of natural grandeur, it is the emotional impact of these
moments that moves us, and that we want to convey
to others.
24
Whether that impact is effectively conveyed or not
isn't simply a matter of fortuitous timing, though. It also
depends very much on the quality, angle of view, and
imaging characteristics of the lenses used to capture
each image. And it is this ability to change lenses for
different shots that makes SLR photography so versa-
tile and endlessly fascinating.
The a lineup, including our high-performance, profes-
sional-grade Carl Zeiss® and G series lenses, offers a
diverse array of high-quality lenses and teleconverters
designed to help you respond to virtually any photo-
graphic or creative challenge. So that you can share
those special moments in life with your family, your
friends, and the world at large.
Cameras may change and be replaced, but lenses
are lasting assets. Reflecting Sony's corporate commit-
ment to innovation, quality, and optical excellence,
the lenses introduced in these pages constitute a fully
integrated system that brings a new dimension in cre-
ativity to digital SLR photography.
25

A unique fisheye perspective that
expands your photographic horizons
The 16mm F2.8 Fisheye (SAL16F28) is a 35mm format
compatible lens with a 180º angle of view that shows
us realities which are always there, but beyond our
natural ability to see. The key to this amazing view is
curvilinear optical distortion, which causes linear ele-
ments like the horizon to take on a pronounced curva-
ture. It is by taking advantage of this distortion that
the lens is able to produce such unique images.
26
You can control how the distortion affects your image
by varying the position of the elements in the frame,
and you can magnify the effect by shooting your sub-
ject at very close range. With a minimum shooting dis-
tance of just 20cm/7.9", the 16mm F2.8 Fisheye lets you
capture amusing and dramatic close-up images with
strikingly exaggerated perspective. Normal, O56, A12,
and B12 filters are built in.
16mm F2.8 Fisheye
(SAL16F28)
A mode, F8 (1/80 sec.), ISO 100, Auto white balance
16mm F2.8 Fisheye (SAL16F28)
● Image circle format: 35mm (180º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 24mm (110º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 11 elements in 8 groups (incl. one filter)
● Aperture blades: 7 ● Minimum aperture: F22 ● Minimum focus distance: 0.2m / 7-7/8"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.15x ● Filter size: built-in (4) ● Lens hood: fixed
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 75 x 66.5mm / 2-15/16 x 2-5/8" ● Weight: approx. 400g / 14.1 oz
27

A super wide-angle view that captures
depth and drama on a grand scale
The superbly crafted 20mm F2.8 (SAL20F28) super
wide-angle lens offers approximately four times the
imaging area of a standard 50mm lens. It has a 94º
angle of view when mounted on a 35mm-format SLR
and a 70º angle of view when mounted on an APS-C
format digital SLR. At smaller apertures the depth of
field is so great that this effectively becomes a 'pan-
focus' lens that can capture foreground and back-
ground elements with equal sharpness.
28
Superior optics suppress image aberration across the
focusing range, from infinity in to the minimum shoot-
ing distance of just 25cm/9.8". A rear-focusing mecha-
nism enables ultra-fast autofocusing for on-the-fly
snapshots, while a circular 7-blade iris assures smooth
background defocusing that really makes your sub-
ject stand out.
20mm F2.8
(SAL20F28)
M mode, 1/125 sec., F16, ISO 100, Auto white balance
20mm F2.8 (SAL20F28)
● Image circle format: 35mm (94º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 30mm
(70º angle of view) ● Lens configuration: 10 elements in 9 groups
● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F22
● Minimum focus distance: 0.25m / 9-7/8" ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.13x
● Filter size: 72mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 78 x 53.5mm / 3-1/16 x 2-1/8"
● Weight: approx. 285g / 10.1 oz ● Included accessories: lens hood
29
 28mm F2.8
(SAL28F28)

Light, compact, and fast: an easy-to-handle

wide-angle with a built-in sliding lens hood
28mm wide-angle lenses have been considered a kit-
bag essential by generations of SLR photographers,
and the 28mm F2.8 (SAL28F28) makes it brilliantly clear
why. Only 42.5mm/1.67" in length and 185g/6.5 oz in
weight, it's gratifyingly responsive and easy to handle,
with a generous angle of view that captures satisfying- 28mm F2.8 (SAL28F28)
ly complete images of crowds, streets, beaches, or ● Image circle format: 35mm (75º angle of view)
markets — any place with a lot happening in a limited ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format
DSLR: approx. 42mm (54º angle of view)
space. It's also great for architecture, interiors, and
● Lens configuration: 5 elements in 5 groups
snapshots, and although the 28mm focal length is ● Aperture blades: 7 ● Minimum aperture: F22
available on many standard zoom lenses, the com- ● Minimum focus distance: 0.3m / 11-13/16"
pact handling ease and bright, super-crisp imaging ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.13x
● Filter size: 49mm
of this fixed focal length 28mm are hard to beat. ● Lens hood: integrated
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length):
The 28mm F2.8 also shines when mounted on an APS- 65.5 x 42.5mm / 2-9/16 x 1-11/16"
● Weight: approx. 185g / 6.5 oz
C format digital SLR, where it offers 42mm equivalent
performance that makes it ideal as a standard lens.
Contrast is excellent, and the deep depth of field
assures faithful rendition of key details in both fore-
ground and background. With its versatile angle of
view, it's a lens that focuses the viewer's attention on
the creativity of your composition.

30 A mode, F5.6 (1/30 sec.), -0.7EV, ISO 100, White balance: Shade 31

A fast, large-aperture lens with the superb
performance of high-quality G optics
The 35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) is composed of 10 ele-
ments in 8 groups, and offers the highest level of
image quality and handling performance. A molded
glass aspherical lens element ensures outstanding
sharpness at large apertures, and double-floating
construction helps maintain image quality at the
periphery when shooting at close range. As a result,
the 35mm F1.4 G offers stunning edge-to-edge sharp-
ness from infinity down to the minimum shooting dis-
tance of 30cm / 11.8". A circular 9-blade iris assures
beautiful background defocusing at larger apertures.
32
Although it does not exhibit the apparent perspective
enhancement that is characteristic of very wide-
angle lenses, the 35mm F1.4 G offers approximately
double the image area of a 50mm lens. Depth of field
is exceptional: at F2.8 the depth of field is approxi-
mately as deep as at F5.6 on a 50mm lens, making this
lens ideal for snapshots and indoor photos. Together
with the Super SteadyShot® image stabilization system
built into a series camera bodies, it's a powerful tool
for handheld shooting in low light.
35mm F1.4 G
(SAL35F14G)
M mode, 1/800 sec., F2, ISO 100, Auto white balance
35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G)
● Image circle format: 35mm (63º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 52.5mm
(44º angle of view) ● Lens configuration: 10 elements in 8 groups
● Aperture blades: 9 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F22
● Minimum focus distance: 0.3m / 11-13/16" ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.2x ● Filter size: 55mm
● Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 69 x 76mm / 2-3/4 x 3"
● Weight: approx. 510g / 1 lb 2 oz ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
● Included accessories: lens hood, carrying case
● Aspherical element
33
 50mm F1.4
(SAL50F14)

A large-aperture standard lens with natural

perspective and a rich range of expression
The 50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14) packs the light-gathering
power of high-grade, large-aperture optics into a
light, compact package. Designed to make the most
of available light while providing natural perspective
and well-balanced image rendition from the classic
midrange angle of view, it's fast and versatile enough
for a broad range of shooting applications, from inte-
riors to landscapes.
Gaussian design with 7 elements arranged in 6 groups
assures excellent contrast and resolution, and al-
though eminently suited to low-light shooting, that's
not the 50mm F1.4's only advantage. Its large-aper-
ture capability also means you have a wider range
of f-stop settings to choose from, and can explore
the creative potential of depth of field control to
the fullest.
50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14)
● Image circle format: 35mm (47º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
approx. 75mm (32º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 7 elements in 6 groups
● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture)
● Minimum aperture: F22
● Minimum focus distance: 0.45m / 17-11/16"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.15x ● Filter size: 55mm
● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 65.5 x 43mm / 2-9/16 x 1-11/16"
● Weight: approx. 220g / 7.8 oz
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
● Included accessories: lens hood

When mounted on an APS-C format digital SLR, the

50mm F1.4 offers the focal length equivalent of a
75mm medium telephoto lens. But whether you use
it with a 35mm format SLR or an APS-C format SLR, it
offers superb background defocusing characteristics
that really make your subject stand out.

34 M mode, 1/180 sec., F2.0, ISO 100, Auto white balance 35


A bright, medium telephoto lens
with impressive credentials
The Planar ® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (SAL85F14Z) is a collab-
orative creation by Sony and Carl Zeiss ® that brings a
new standard of excellence to the medium telephoto
category. Planar ® optics are famous for the delicacy of
the images they deliver, and the 85mm focal length is
considered by many to be ideal for portrait photography,
allowing a relaxed and appropriate shooting distance
between photographer and subject. Designed to
achieve the highest standard of digital SLR imaging
performance, the Planar ® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA offers ex-
cellent contrast, outstanding image fidelity, and
exquisitely smooth background defocusing.
36
Portraits aren't the only thing at which the Planar ® T*
85mm F1.4 ZA excels, though, because its edge-to-
edge sharpness and clarity also make it an excellent
choice for landscape photography. The lens is excep-
tionally easy and comfortable to work with, featuring
a wide focus ring with an auto clutch mechanism,
and a focus hold button to enable focus lock during
AF shooting.
Carl Zeiss® Planar® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA
(SAL85F14Z)
M mode, 1/2000 sec., F2.8, ISO 100, Auto white balance
Planar ® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (SAL85F14Z)
● Image circle format: 35mm (29º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx.
127.5mm (19º angle of view) ● Lens configuration: 8 elements in 7 groups
● Aperture blades: 9 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F22
● Minimum focus distance: 0.85m / 33-1/2" ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.13x
● Filter size: 72mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 81 x 75mm / 3-3/16 x 2-15/16"
● Weight: approx. 640g / 1 lb 6.6 oz
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
● Included accessories: lens hood, carrying case
37
 Carl Zeiss® Planar® T* 135mm F1.8 ZA
(SAL135F18Z)

A versatile large-aperture telephoto lens

of outstanding quality and brightness
The Sonnar® T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z) is an
exceptionally bright telephoto lens, and its 135mm
focal length brings your subject in close without
compressing the perspective the way more powerful
telephoto lenses do. It's a superb lens for portraits,
indoor sports, and landscapes, with an F1.8 maximum
aperture that makes it extremely effective in low-light Sonnar ® T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z)
conditions, and defocusing characteristics that fully ● Image circle format: 35mm (18º angle of view)
live up to the high standard set by its cousin, the ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
approx. 202.5mm (12º angle of view)
Planar® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA.
● Lens configuration: 11 elements in 8 groups
● Aperture blades: 9 (circular aperture)
Composed of 11 elements in 8 groups, including two ● Minimum aperture: F22
ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements to correct ● Minimum focus distance: 0.72m / 28-3/8"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.25x
chromatic aberration, the Sonnar® T* 135mm F1.8 ZA is ● Filter size: 77mm
also excellent for close-up work, offering a maximum ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round
magnification ratio of 0.25x at a minimum shooting ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 88 x 114.5mm / 3-7/16 x 4-1/2"
● Weight: approx. 995g / 2 lb 3.1 oz
distance of 72cm/28.3". An internal focusing mecha-
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
nism assures rapid autofocusing for quick-action ● Included accessories: lens hood, carrying case
shooting. Easy and comfortable to operate, the lens
also features a wide focus ring with auto clutch, and
a focus hold button for positive focus lock during
AF operation. With the light-gathering power of its
F1.8 aperture and support for the Super SteadyShot®
image stabilization built into a series camera bodies,
the Sonnar ® T*135mm F1.8 ZA lets you enjoy
available-light shooting to the fullest. ● ED glass

38 M mode, 1/80 sec., F4, ISO 200, Auto white balance 39

 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF
(SAL135F28)

A unique medium telephoto lens with

distinctively rich defocusing characteristics
The 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF (SAL135F28) is a manual
focus 35mm format compatible lens that is truly in a
league of its own. With conventional lens design, it is
extremely difficult to balance the demands of crisp,
aberration-free imaging and smooth defocusing.
But with this lens's unique STF (Smooth Transition
135mm F2.8 [ T4.5] STF (SAL135F28)
Focus) design, these two conflicting goals are un-
● Image circle format: 35mm (18º angle of view)
compromisingly achieved. ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
approx. 202.5mm (12º angle of view)
The lens consists of 8 elements arranged in 6 groups, ● Lens configuration: 8 elements in 6 groups
(incl. 2 optical elements for apodization)
with the fifth and sixth elements bonded together to ● Aperture blades: 9 in auto mode, 10 in manual mode
create an apodization optical element that is mount- (circular aperture)
ed directly behind the aperture iris. It boasts excep- ● Minimum aperture: F31 [T32] (T = Transmissive brightness)
● Minimum focus distance: 0.87m / 34-1/4"
tionally high contrast and resolution that ensure ultra-
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.25x
crisp imaging, while the apodization optical element ● Filter size: 72mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round
smoothes the transition between in-focus and out-of- ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 80 x 99mm / 3-1/8 x 3-7/8"
focus areas of the image to offer distinctively richer, ● Weight: approx. 730g /1 lb 9.7 oz ● Teleconverter support
● Included accessories: lens hood, carrying case
more refined defocusing of the foreground and
background.

Ideal for portraits, landscapes, and close-up work, the

135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF also features a circular stepless
T4.5–6.7 manual aperture mechanism to enable fine
control of imaging and defocusing characteristics.

40 M mode, 1/60 sec., T5.6, ISO 100, Auto white balance 41

 300mm F2.8G
(SAL300F28G)

Bright, long-range telephoto power

with quiet, responsive autofocusing
This superbly crafted lens offers the long-range tele-
photo power you need to capture distant sports,
wildlife, and landscape subjects. Built to the meticu-
lous standards of our G series lenses, it boasts a bright,
F2.8 aperture that lets you use faster shutter speeds,
and an 8.1º angle of view that lets you zero-in on an
300mm F2.8G (SAL300F28G)
area 1/36th the size of the image area of a 50mm lens.
● Image circle format: 35mm (8.1º angle of view)
With a minimum focusing distance of just 2.0m/78.7", ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
you can even use it for portraits and close-ups. approx. 450mm (5.2º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 13 elements in 12 groups (incl. one filter)
● Aperture blades: 9 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F32
Contrast and resolution are unparalleled, and three ● Minimum focus distance: 2.0m / 78-3/4"
ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass lens elements are incor- ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.18x
porated to thoroughly correct chromatic aberration. ● Filter size: 42mm (with a dedicated filter)
● Lens hood: clip-on-mount round
The lens is also equipped with a responsive SSM (Super
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 122 x 242.5mm /
Sonic wave Motor) autofocus drive system for precise, 4-13/16 x 9-9/16" ● Weight: approx. 2.310g / 5 lb 1.5 oz
quiet focusing, as well as a focus hold button, an elec- ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
tronic focus range limiter, and two DMF (Direct Manual ● Included accessories: lens hood, slot-in type circular polarizing filter,
lens strap, hard carrying case
Focus) modes: one that lets you fine-tune the focus
manually after autofocus has been achieved, and
one that lets you adjust the focus manually anytime.

● ED glass

42 M mode, 1/1600 sec., F5.6, ISO 100, Auto white balance 43

 500mm F8 Reflex
(SAL500F80)

The ultra-compact super telephoto lens

that pioneered reflex-design autofocusing
The 500mm F8 Reflex (SAL500F80) isn't just compact, it's
also the first reflex lens to offer the speed and conve-
nience of autofocusing. Its catadioptric design uses
both lenses and mirrors to pack 500mm telephoto
power — equivalent to 750mm when mounted on an
APS-C format digital SLR — into a body 118mm/4.6"
long, weighing only 665g/23.5 oz. Ideal for fieldwork 500mm F8 Reflex (SAL500F80)
on wilderness and nature assignments, or in any situa- ● Image circle format: 35mm (5º angle of view)
tion where the photographer has to wait patiently for ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
approx. 750mm (3.1º angle of view)
the critical action but be ready to respond instantly ● Lens configuration: 7 elements in 5 groups (incl. 1 filter)
when it happens. A focus-hold button is conveniently ● Aperture blades: none ● Minimum aperture: F8 (fixed)
located on the side of the lens barrel for quick and ● Minimum focus distance: 4.0m / 157-1/2"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.13x
reliable operation.
● Filter size: 42mm (with a dedicated filter)
● Lens hood: screw-mount round
Reflex lenses are notable for their absence of chro- ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 89 x 118mm / 3-1/2 x 4-5/8"
matic aberration, and the 500mm F8 Reflex is no ● Weight: approx. 665g / 1 lb 7.5 oz
● Included accessories: lens hood, snap-in ND filters
exception. Color fidelity is excellent, with outstanding
clarity and the distinctive ringed defocusing effect
that is the signature of reflex lens design. And since
reflex design eliminates the mechanical iris used to
control the aperture in most lenses, the amount of light
passing through the lens is controlled via a set of snap-
in neutral-density filters.

44 A mode, F8 (1/500 sec.), ISO 400, White balance: Daylight 45


A compact and versatile macro lens
with ultra-smooth defocusing
The 50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28) is a 35mm format
compatible lens that captures 1:1 life-size images with
the high contrast and resolution that are hallmarks of a
truly great macro lens. A double floating mechanism
minimizes aberrations across the focusing range to
assure beautiful imaging from infinity down to the mini-
mum shooting distance of 20cm/7.9". With naturally
smooth defocusing characteristics and compact,
easy-handling versatility, it's a macro lens that's great
for landscapes and snapshots, too.
46
The 50mm F2.8 Macro is designed for ease of use with
either auto or manual focusing. The wide focus ring is
easy to fine-tune manually, yet doesn't rotate and
throw your grip off when you're using autofocus. A
focus hold button and focus range limiter are also pro-
vided to help you use autofocus in difficult situations.
Whether you're shooting subjects close up or far away,
you get mobility and framing versatility that 100mm-
class telephoto macro lenses just can't match.
50mm F2.8 Macro
(SAL50M28)
A mode, F3.2 (1/80 sec.), +0.7EV, ISO 400, White balance: Shade
50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28)
● Image circle format: 35mm (47º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 75mm
(32ºangle of view) ● Lens configuration: 7 elements in 6 groups
● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F32
● Minimum focus distance: 0.2m / 7-7/8" ● Max. magnification ratio: 1x
● Filter size: 55mm ● Lens hood: not included
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 71.5 x 60mm / 2-13/16 x 2-3/8"
● Weight: approx. 295g / 10.4 oz ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
47

A telephoto macro lens with a versatile
and comfortable shooting distance
The 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) is a medium tele-
photo lens that provides amazingly sharp images, and
the working distance you need to use lighting setups,
reflectors, and other advanced macrophotography
techniques. The increased working distance also
makes it easier to get 1:1 life-size images of butterflies
and other small, camera-shy creatures. A double
floating mechanism minimizes aberrations to ensure
crystal-clear imaging from infinity down to the mini-
48
mum shooting distance of 35cm/13.8", enabling the
lens to perform as beautifully on portraits and land-
scapes as it does on macro close-ups.
Like its 50mm sibling, the 100mm F2.8 Macro has a
wide, easy-to-rotate focus ring with auto clutch, a
focus hold button, a focus range limiter, and is de-
signed for smooth intuitive operation during auto
and manual focusing.
100mm F2.8 Macro
(SAL100M28)
A mode, F7.1 (1/125 sec.), ISO 200, Auto white balance, Flash
100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28)
● Image circle format: 35mm (24º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 150mm (16º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 8 elements in 8 groups ● Aperture blades: 9 (circular aperture)
● Minimum aperture: F32 ● Minimum focus distance: 0.35m / 13-3/4" ● Max. magnification ratio: 1x
● Filter size: 55mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 75 x 98.5mm / 2-15/16 x 3-7/8"
● Weight: approx. 505g / 1 lb 1.8 oz ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
● Included accessories: lens hood
49

A super wide-angle zoom for imaging
beyond the limits of human vision
Developed specifically for APS-C format digital SLR
cameras, the DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118) zoom
offers an angle of view equivalent to that of a 35mm
format, 16.5–27mm zoom lens. At 11mm it provides a
spectacular 104º angle of view that goes beyond the
limits of human vision, with significantly enhanced per-
spective that adds a sense of depth and drama to the
scene. At 18mm it provides a more natural perspec-
tive that is perfect for snapshots and general photo-
graphy. With zoom capability, it's easy to manipulate
50
perspective to enhance the emotional impact of
your photos.
Three aspherical elements and one ED (Extra-low Dis-
persion) glass element are incorporated to suppress
aberration, and flaring and ghosting have been
minimized to ensure excellent contrast and quality
across the zoom range. This lens also has a circular
aperture for beautiful defocusing, and an internal
focusing mechanism for fast, responsive AF shooting.
DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6
(SAL1118)
A mode, F5.6 (1/30 sec.), +1.3EV, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight
DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118)
● Image circle format: APS-C
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 16.5mm – 27mm
(104º – 76º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 15 elements in 12 groups ● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture)
● Minimum aperture: F22 – F29 ● Minimum focus distance: 0.25m / 9-13/16"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.125x ● Filter size: 77mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 83 x 80.5mm / 3-1/4 x 3-3/16" ● Weight: approx. 360g / 12.7 oz
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) ● Included accessories: lens hood
DT
● Aspherical element ● ED glass
51
 Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T* DT16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA
(SAL1680Z)

A standard zoom lens with

an impeccable pedigree
With its distinguished Carl Zeiss® pedigree, this fast-
response zoom concentrates superb all-round optical
performance in a single, easy-to-carry lens. Devel-
oped specifically to match the imaging characteris-
tics of APS-C format digital SLR cameras, it offers an DT
angle of view equivalent to that of a 35mm format,
24–120mm zoom lens. Carl Zeiss® T* coatings ensure
Vario-Sonnar ® T* DT16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z)
superb clarity and light transmission, with contrast that ● Image circle format: APS-C
rivals many fixed focal length lenses across the entire ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
zoom range. Amazingly compact despite its impres- approx. 24mm – 120mm (83º – 20º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 14 elements in 10 groups
sive 5x zoom power, the Vario-Sonnar® T* DT 16–80mm
● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture)
F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z) is an all-round lens that you'll ● Minimum aperture: F22 – F29
want to carry everywhere. ● Minimum focus distance: 0.35m / 13-3/4"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.24x
● Filter size: 62mm
Another unique appeal of this lens is its wide-angle ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal
capability. Whereas most standard zooms stop at ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 72 x 83mm / 2-13/16 x 3-1/4"
28mm, this one offers the equivalent of 24mm — and ● Weight: approx. 445g / 15.7 oz
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
at that focal length, it's like having an extra lens!
● Included accessories: lens hood, lens case
Constructed of 14 elements in 10 groups, the lens
maintains consistent quality throughout the image,
with aberration and distortion effectively compensat-
ed by the inclusion of two molded glass aspherical
elements. A wide focus ring assures easy manual
focusing, and an auto clutch mechanism prevents
the ring from rotating during autofocus operation. ● Aspherical element

52 A mode, F6.3, (1/50 sec.) ISO 200, White balance: Daylight 53


A classic all-round zoom with wide,
standard, and telephoto angles of view
The DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870) is specifically
designed to match the imaging characteristics of
APS-C format digital SLRs, and offers a zoom range
equivalent to that of a 35mm format, 27–105mm lens.
It's an exceptionally versatile range that packs wide-
angle, standard, and telephoto lens capabilities into
a single, compact unit, allowing you to experiment
freely with the fundamental photographic elements
of perspective, angle of view, and depth of field.
From wide-angle landscapes with rich perspective
and depth, to telephoto portraits with compressed
perspective and beautiful background defocusing,
the DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 really delivers.
54
Given the capabilities of this lens, its compact, light-
weight design comes as a welcome surprise. With one
aspherical and one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass ele-
ment, effective compensation is provided for chro-
matic aberration and other types of distortion, ensur-
ing sharpness and clarity right across the focal length
range. The minimum focusing distance of 0.38m/15" is
sufficient for standard close-up work, and the circular
aperture lets you create satisfying defocused effects
behind and around portraits, and in night scenes that
include pinpoint light sources.
DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6
(SAL1870)
M mode, 1/500 sec., F8, ISO 200, Auto white balance, flash
DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870)
● Image circle format: APS-C
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 27mm – 105mm
(76º – 23º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 11 elements in 9 groups ● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture)
● Minimum aperture: F22 – F36 ● Minimum focus distance: 0.38m / 14-15/16"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.25x ● Filter size: 55mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 66 x 77mm / 2-5/8 x 3" ● Weight: approx. 235g / 8.3 oz
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) ● Included accessories: lens hood
DT
● Aspherical element ● ED glass
55
 DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3
(SAL18200)

A high-quality one-lens solution

that's ready for any challenge
When you want to travel light and shoot a variety
of subjects without having to change lenses, the
wide zoom coverage of the DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3
(SAL18200) delivers all the quality and flexibility you
need. Specifically designed for APS-C format digital
SLRs, it offers a focal length range equivalent to that
of a 35mm format, 27–300mm lens, enabling you
to move easily from taking long-range telephoto
close-ups to shooting portraits, group photos,
and indoor scenes.
Constructed of 15 elements in 13 groups, the lens
includes three aspherical elements and two ED (Extra-
low Dispersion) glass elements to correct aberration
and assure clear, color-accurate images with excel-
lent resolution and contrast across the entire zoom
DT
DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3 (SAL18200)
● Image circle format: APS-C
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
approx. 27mm – 300mm (76º – 8º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 15 elements in 13 groups
● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture)
● Minimum aperture: F22 – F40 ● Minimum focus distance: 0.45m /
17-11/16" ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.27x
● Filter size: 62mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 73 x 85.5mm / 2-7/8 x 3-3/8"
● Weight: approx. 405g / 14.3 oz
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
● Included accessories: lens hood

range. Flaring and ghosting are also suppressed, and

an internal focusing mechanism enables any focal
length setting to be used at the minimum shooting dis-
tance of 45cm/17.7". Add the smooth defocusing and
snappy AF response that this lens offers, and you've
got a combination that's tough to beat. ● Aspherical element ● ED glass

56 A mode, F6.3 (1/500 sec.), -0.3EV, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight 57
 24–105mm F3.5–4.5
(SAL24105)

A 35mm format standard zoom lens

with ultra-compact handling ease
The 24–105mm F3.5–4.5 (SAL24105) is a 35mm format
compatible lens that packs versatile zoom perfor-
mance into an ultra-compact body just 69mm/2.7"
24–105mm F3.5–4.5 (SAL24105)
long. Offering the focal length equivalent of 36– ● Image circle format: 35mm (84º – 23º angle of view)
157.5mm when it is mounted on an APS-C format ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
digital SLR, this lens makes it easy to compose just approx. 36mm – 157.5mm (61º – 15º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 12 elements in 11 groups
the portrait, snapshot or landscape image you want.
● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture)
● Minimum aperture: F22 – F27
A 7-blade circular aperture assures beautiful back- ● Minimum focus distance: 0.5m / 19-11/16"
ground defocusing, and two aspherical elements help ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.18x ● Filter size: 62mm
● Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal
maintain excellent image quality over the entire zoom ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 71 x 69mm / 2-13/16 x 2-11/16"
range by compensating for comatic aberration that ● Weight: approx. 395g / 13.9 oz
can cause comet-shaped distortion of off-axis point ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
● Included accessories: lens hood
light sources. In addition, the aspherical elements also
reduce flaring and enable more compact lens design.
An internal focusing mechanism improves AF response
time and handling by eliminating the need to extend
and retract the barrel when focusing, and a wide
focus ring and auto clutch allow you to switch bet-
ween automatic and manual focusing with ease. ● Aspherical element

58 A mode, F7.1 (1/200 sec.), -0.3EV, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight 59

A bright, powerful telephoto zoom
built to the highest optical standards
The large-aperture 70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200) is
a 35mm format compatible telephoto zoom lens
designed to meet the demands of photographers
who are uncompromising in their pursuit of image
excellence. Constructed of 19 elements in 16 groups,
including four ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements
to rigorously compensate for chromatic aberration, it
offers superb sharpness and contrast across its wide
focal length and aperture range. The aperture's large-
diameter 9-blade circular iris provides rich, portrait-
quality foreground and background defocusing that
attracts the viewer's attention on the main subject.
60
An internal focusing system and built-in SSM (Super
Sonic wave Motor) enable quiet, responsive auto-
focusing, with a minimum shooting distance of
1.2m/47.2" for truly dramatic close-ups. The lens also
features three focus hold buttons, an electronic focus
range limiter, and two DMF (Direct Manual Focus)
modes: one that lets you fine-tune the focus manually
after autofocus has been achieved, and one that lets
you adjust the focus manually anytime. A detachable
tripod mount and a petal-shaped lens hood with a slot
to enable polarizing filter rotation are also provided.
70–200mm F2.8 G
(SAL70200G)
A mode, F11 (1/8 sec.), -0.7EV, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight
70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G)
● Image circle format: 35mm (34.12º – 30º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 105mm – 300mm
(23º – 8º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 19 elements in 16 groups ● Aperture blades: 9 (circular aperture)
● Minimum aperture: F32 ● Minimum focus distance: 1.2m / 47-1/4"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.21x ● Filter size: 77mm
● Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 87 x 196.5mm /
3-7/16 x 7-3/4" ● Weight: approx. 1.340g / 2 lb 15.3 oz (without tripod mount)
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) ● Teleconverter support
● Included accessories: lens hood, lens case
● ED glass
61
 75–300mm F4.5–5.6
(SAL75300)

A telephoto zoom lens of

awesome versatility and power
For subjects that cannot be approached, either
because of distance or inaccessibility, this powerful
35mm format compatible telephoto zoom is the
perfect solution. Offering a zoom range equivalent
to 112.5–450mm when mounted on an APS-C format
digital SLR, it captures your compositions with natural
perspective at the low end of its zoom range, and with
dramatically compressed perspective at the high end.
This versatile performance makes it suitable for every-
thing from sports and wildlife to landscapes and candid
snapshots. And with a minimum shooting distance of
just 1.5m/59" and maximum magnification of 0.25x,
it lets you produce stunning, full-frame close-ups
with ease.
Built for easy portability and comfortable handling,
the 75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) features 13 ele-
ments in 10 groups, a distance encoder for ADI flash
75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300)
● Image circle format: 35mm (32º – 8.1º angle of view)
● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR:
approx. 112.5mm – 450mm (21º – 5.2º angle of view)
● Lens configuration: 13 elements in 10 groups
● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture)
● Minimum aperture: F32 – F38
● Minimum focus distance: 1.5m / 59"
● Max. magnification ratio: 0.25x
● Filter size: 55mm
● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 71 x 122mm / 2-13/16 x 4-13/16"
● Weight: approx. 460g / 1 lb 0.2 oz
● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder)
● Included accessories: lens hood

metering, and a 7-blade circular aperture for crisp

imaging and beautiful defocusing. Team it with a
second zoom lens in the wide-angle to standard
focal length range, and you've got a two-lens
combo that can handle virtually any subject
you're likely to encounter.

62 M mode, 1/250 sec., F5.6, ISO 200, Auto White Balance 63

 1.4x Teleconverter
(SAL14TC)

An affordable and compact addition

for powerful super-telephoto shooting
Light, compact, and easy to use, teleconverters
extend the focal length of the primary lens and sig-
nificantly enhance your ability to capture distant
subjects. Although the 1.4x teleconverter (SAL14TC)
reduces the light-gathering power of the lens it is
attached to by one f-stop, it boosts lens power signifi-
cantly enough to make it a cost-effective and practi- 1.4x Teleconverter (SAL14TC)
cal alternative to carrying a bulky super-telephoto lens. ● Image circle format: 35mm
● Lens configuration: 5 elements in 4 groups
● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 64 x 20mm / 2-1/2 x 3/4"
Designed for use with the 70–200mm F2.8 G
● Weight: approx. 170g / 6 oz
(SAL70200G), 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G), and ● ADI flash metering support
135mm F2.8F [T4.5] STF (SAL135F28), the 1.4x telecon- ● Included accessories: lens case
verter respectively converts these three lenses into an
autofocus 98–280mm F4.0 telephoto zoom, an auto-
focus 420mm F4 super-telephoto, and a manual focus
189mm F4 [T6.3] STF mediumtelephoto lens. Because
the minimum shooting distance of the primary lens
does not change, magnification is increased by 1.4x,
making this teleconverter a great tool for close-up
shots, too.

64 70–200mm F2.8G (SAL70200G) with 1.4x Teleconverter (SAL14TC), M mode, 1/500 sec., F5, ISO 100, Auto white balance 65

A fast, easy answer to the quest
for even greater telephoto power
This 2x teleconverter (SAL20TC) is compatible with
the same three a lenses as the 1.4x teleconverter
(SAL14TC) — extending their focal length for stunning
results in sports, nature, and close-up photography,
while minimizing the number of lenses you need to
carry. The 70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G) becomes
an autofocus 140–400mm F5.6 super-telephoto zoom,
the 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G) becomes an auto-
focus 600mm F5.6 super-telephoto, and the 135mm
F2.8 [4.5] STF (SAL135F28) becomes a manual-focus
270mm F5.6 [T9.0] telephoto lens.
66
2x Teleconverter
(SAL20TC)
70–200mm F2.8G (SAL70200G) with 2x Teleconverter (SAL20TC),
A mode, F6.3 (1/500 sec.), -0.3EV, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight
Because the minimum shooting distance of the pri- 2x Teleconverter (SAL20TC)
● Image circle format: 35mm
mary lens remains the same, the 2x teleconverter also
● Lens configuration: 6 elements in 5 groups
effectively doubles the lens's magnification. In the ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 64 x 43.5mm / 2-1/2 x 1-11/16"
case of a lens like the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF, which nor- ● Weight: approx. 200g / 7.1 oz
mally offers 0.25x magnification, this means you get ● ADI flash metering support
● Included accessories: lens case
undiminished image quality with impressive 0.5x mag-
nification. And although the maximum aperture of
your primary lens is reduced by two f-stops when using
a 2x teleconverter, you can overcome the problem of
camera shake simply by boosting ISO sensitivity and
utilizing the Super SteadyShot® image stabilization
system built into your a System camera body.
67
 A beautiful union of craftsmanship and Carl Zeiss® lenses
high technology, brought to you
exclusively by Carl Zeiss® and Sony

Take the unrivalled optical skills of renowned lens-

maker Carl Zeiss® . . . add Sony's world-leading ex-
pertise in digital imaging systems . . . and you've got
a winning combination that is providing today's digital
SLR photographers with access to brilliant new stand-
ards of image quality.

The a series lineup already includes three high-perfor-

mance lenses that are a product of this collaboration:
the Planar® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (SAL85F14Z), the Sonnar®
T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z), and the Vario-Sonnar®
T* DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z).All three can
capture the subtlest details of the subject in clear,
sharp images with authentic color rendition and su-
perb background defocusing. Textures are revealed
with a clarity that is almost tangible, while highlights
and shadow areas that other lenses present with little
or no definition are captured with extraordinary pre-
cision as a well-defined, clearly discernible tonal gra-
dations. Delivering consistently accurate and reliable
performance at every focal length they cover, these
outstanding lenses put the no-compromise quality
demanded by professionals firmly in the hands of
a System users.

68 69
Digital SLR basics
072–089
 Digital SLR basics

1 How an SLR camera works

The SLR difference: interchangeable lenses let you call the shots Designed for better imaging: the a System difference

Pentaprism/pentamirror
Pentaprism/ Pentaprism/
Corrects the left/right orientation of the image reversed
Focusing screen pentamirror Focusing screen pentamirror
by the mirror and directs it to the viewfinder eyepiece.

Viewfinder Viewfinder

Viewfinder
Provides a clear, real-image
view of the subject that is
essentially identical to the
image that will be captured
by the sensor.
Main mirror
Reflects the image com-
posed by the lens up Image sensor
into the viewfinder penta- Captures the image formed
prism/pentamirror. by the lens, performing the
same role that film plays in a
conventional film camera.
Aperture iris
Controls the amount of light reaching the sensor, and
plays a central role in determining depth of field and
other imaging characteristics.
Image Image
sensor sensor
Aperture iris (full-open aperture) Aperture iris (shooting aperture)
Shutter Shutter
Mirror
1) Subject image to viewfinder 2) Subject image to image sensor
The mirror and pentaprism/pentamirror direct the subject image to When the shutter is released, the mirror flips up to allow the subject
the viewfinder eyepiece, enabling accurate framing and focusing image to fall on the image sensor.
regardless of the lens attached.
Electrical contacts Electrical contacts
Locking
Alignment
pin hole
Lens mount mark
The lens mount is the inter-
face that connects the
lens to the camera body. Mirror
Alignment
Precision-machined sur- mark Locking pin
faces ensure positive
mounting, with mechani-
cal and electronic con-
tacts for accurate auto- Aperture lever Aperture lever
focusing, aperture control,
and data exchange. The AF coupler
rim of the mount is finished
in the a System's signa-
ture color, cinnabar. AF coupler Lens Camera body

Single-lens reflex cameras, commonly referred to as
SLR cameras, are fundamentally different from point-
and-shoot compact cameras in that they use inter-
changeable lenses. This is probably the single greatest
advantage of SLR photography, because the ability
to change lenses means you have much greater cre-
ative control over how your photos look.
Basically, a digital SLR camera consists of a body and
one or more interchangeable lenses. The camera
body contains the image sensor and the viewfinder
through which you look to frame your subject, as well
as the various mechanisms and electronic compo-
nents needed to measure light values, control the
shutter speed, and operate the shutter. The lens, on
the other hand, contains the optical elements that
determine the lens's performance characteristics, and
an aperture mechanism, often referred to as an iris or
diaphragm, which controls the size of the opening
through which the light passes. Although the auto-
focusing mechanism on many lenses is driven by a
motor in the camera body, some lenses contain an
autofocus drive motor of their own.
When you aim a digital SLR camera at your subject,
light rays reflected from the subject pass through the
camera lens, where they are composed into an
image that is projected onto a mirror positioned at a
45° angle in front of the camera's image sensor. The
mirror reflects this image up into a glass pentaprism/
pentamirror on the top of the camera body where it
is redirected to the viewfinder eyepiece. Since the
left/right orientation of the image gets reversed when
it reflects off the mirror, the pentaprism/pentamirror
also flips the image on the horizontal axis so that it
appears in the viewfinder the same way it does to
the naked eye.
Regardless of the aperture setting you use when you
actually take a photo, the iris mechanism in the lens
remains in the full-open position until the moment of
shutter release to provide the brightest possible
viewfinder image while you compose your shot. If you
are taking a photo at the maximum aperture setting,
the iris stays in the full-open position when the shutter
is released; if not, then the blades of the iris extend,
reducing the size of the aperture to achieve the
desired setting. At the same time, the mirror in the
camera body swings up out of the way, and the shut-
ter in front of the image sensor opens to allow light
from the lens to strike the sensor. When the light has
been captured by the sensor, the shutter closes, the
mirror returns to its original position, and the iris blades
retract, returning the aperture to full-open position.
This complex series of actions is executed the instant
you press the shutter button, and is fundamental to SLR
photography. But the important thing is that the scene
you see in the viewfinder is essentially identical to the
image that is delivered to the image sensor. Regard-
less of the lens you choose to shoot with, the scene you
see and the scene the camera records are the same.

72 73
 Digital SLR basics

2 Body-integrated image stabilization

Super SteadyShot® Inside: body-integrated camera shake protection with any a lens Super SteadyShot® is the key to blur-free low-light, telephoto and macro shooting

Camera shake vs. shutter speed, focal length and magnification

Slow shutter speeds, long focal lengths, and high magnifications
all increase the risk of blurring caused by camera shake. Although
you may be able to reduce the risk somewhat by increasing
ISO sensitivity or opening the aperture, Super SteadyShot
image stabilization provides a wider margin of safety
in all three cases.

Low risk High risk

Camera shake risk

Fast Shutter speed Slow

Short (wide-angle) Focal length Long (telephoto)

No camera shake blur A slow shutter speed of 1/8 sec. was needed to capture the sense of dynamic motion Entire image blurred Low Magnification High
Super SteadyShot ON in the stream above. With Super SteadyShot image stabilization on, only the surface Super SteadyShot OFF
of the flowing water is blurred; with image stabilization off, the entire image is blurred.

Low-light shooting Telephoto shooting Macro shooting

Indoor shots, night scenes, and other low-light Telephoto lenses enable you to take close-up Macro lenses enable you to take truly dramat-
shooting situations that require the use of slow- shots of distant subjects, but the risk of camera ic close-ups, but the higher magnification
er shutter speeds inevitably increase the risk of shake increases significantly at longer focal increases the risk of camera shake and
camera shake. lengths. motion blurring.
No camera shake blur High-power telephoto shots are particularly susceptible to blurring caused by camera Entire image blurred
Super SteadyShot ON shake, but with the Super SteadyShot system you can enjoy the benefits of image Super SteadyShot OFF
stabilization with any a lens, from wide-angle to telephoto.

Even if you're new to digital photography, today's
advanced cameras make it relatively easy to take
correctly focused and exposed photos. But there
will still be times when you enlarge a photo that you
thought was going to be a winner, and discover that,
in fact, the image is quite blurry. This blurring is usually
caused by camera shake, which even the steadiest
hand can find hard to overcome at slow shutter
speeds and the higher magnifications of telephoto
and macro shooting.
To prevent blurring caused by camera shake, the gen-
erally accepted rule of thumb is to use a shutter speed
at least as fast as "1 divided by the focal length." This
means that to prevent blurring when the focal length
of the lens is 50mm, you should use a shutter speed of
1/60 sec. or faster. And when shooting at a focal
length of 100mm, you should use a shutter speed of
1/125 sec. or faster.
Of course you can try to prevent camera shake simply
by being careful to hold the camera steady and using
faster shutter speeds, or by using a tripod. But those
solutions are not always an option. The light may be
too dim to allow the use of fast shutter speeds, and
even if a tripod is available, there may not be time
to set it up. That's why image stabilization systems are instantly shift the camera's image sensor in the oppo-
so useful. site direction to compensate for the motion. Although
the stabilizing effect varies according to the lens and
Although it is possible to compensate for camera shooting conditions, it is generally effective enough to
shake optically, within the lens, this increases the allow shooting at shutter speeds up to 3.5 steps slower
weight, size, and cost of the lens considerably. A more than would otherwise be possible.
efficient approach is to integrate image stabilization
directly into the camera body, so that its benefits can
be enjoyed with all lenses. And that's the approach
the Super SteadyShot ® system takes. With the Super
SteadyShot image stabilization system, two gyro sen-
sors and actuators are integrated into the camera
body. When camera shake is detected, the actuators

74 75
 Digital SLR basics

3 Focal length
Understanding of focal length: a guide to intelligent lens selection Nominal focal length vs. equivalent focal length

Focal plane (image sensor plane) Focal plane (image sensor plane) 35mm format SLR image circle (ø43.3mm)

Angle of view with an APS-C format digital SLR APS-C format digital SLR image circle (ø29mm)

Focal length is the distance

from the optical center of the
lens to the focal plane when a
Angle of view subject at infinity is in focus. The
(measured diagonally) angle of view, also known as
the picture angle, is measured
in degrees of arc and deter-
mines how much of the scene
Focal length can be included in the frame.
Optical center of lens
The specifications inscribed on the front of
APS-C format digital SLR image area (23.6 x 15.8mm)
each lens are always stated in terms of the Angle of view with a 35mm format SLR
35mm format. To determine the equivalent
35mm format SLR image area (36 x 24mm)
view when the lens is mounted on an APS-C
format digital SLR, multiply the stated focal The a System includes DT series lenses that are
, length by 1.5. specifically designed for use with APS-C format digi-
500mm 3°10
tal SLR cameras, and 35mm format lenses that can
, be used with both 35mm format SLR cameras and
300mm 5°20
APS-C format digital SLR cameras. Because the
200mm 8° image circle of the 35mm format is approximately
At 200mm 1.5 times larger than the image circle of the APS-C Image captured by a Image captured by an
focal length format (43.3mm vs. 29mm), the equivalent focal 35mm format SLR APS-C format digital SLR
100mm 16°
length of a 35mm format lens mounted on an APS-C
format camera body is approximately 1.5 times
50mm 32° greater than the nominal focal length of the lens.

35mm 44° At 100mm

focal length
24mm 61°

18mm 76°

At 28mm The four photos shown here were taken

11mm 104° focal length from the same point, but at different focal
Another way to look at it is to consider the image area of the two
lengths to demonstrate how focal length 47° angle of view 32° angle of view
respective formats. The image area of the traditional 35mm format is
affects the angle of view, the size of the
36 x 24mm, whereas the size of an APS-C type image sensor is 23.6 x
subject in the frame, and the apparent per- Focal length (50mm)
15.8mm. This means that when a 35mm format lens is mounted on an
spective. The conceptual chart at the left
Focal length Angle of view APS-C format camera, the camera only 'sees' the central portion of Focal plane
shows the correlation between focal length
(mm) (degrees) the image, effectively cropping the image to a smaller field of view
At 18mm and angle of view when shooting with an Optical center of lens
that is equivalent to what a lens with a 1.5x longer focal length would
(with lens mounted on an APS-C format digital SLR) focal length APS-C format digital SLR.
produce on a 35mm format camera.

One of the greatest attractions of SLR photography is
the wide variety of lenses you can use to shoot with.
But which one should you choose? Since the choice
of lens will vary according to your shooting situation
and creative intent, it's not always easy to know which
one to pick. But focal length plays a key role in deter-
mining lens performance, and a thorough undestand-
ing of the subject will help you make the right choice.
Basic lens specifications are inscribed on the front of
every a lens. On the front of the DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6
(SAL1870) zoom lens, for example, the inscription
reads: "DT3.5–5.6/18–70 0.38m/1.3ft MACRO ø55." The
DT prefix indicates that the lens is specifically designed
for use with APS-C format digital SLRs, and the num-
bers 3.5–5.6 indicate the maximum aperture (f-stop
setting) possible at the shortest and longest focal
lengths, which are 18mm and 70mm, respectively. The
0.38m/1.3ft designation indicates the minimum focus-
ing distance of the lens in meters and feet, and ø55
indicates filter size, in millimeters, that the lens accepts.
Lenses are generally categorized according to their
focal length because the focal length determines the
area of the image captured (angle of view), and can
significantly effect depth of field and apparent per-
spective. The most common such categories are
super-wide angle, wide-angle, standard, medium-
telephoto, telephoto, and super telephoto, although
macro and other special-purpose lenses are some-
times treated as a separate category. Zoom lenses
are categorized in the same way according to the
focal length range they cover.
In optical terms, focal length is defined as the dis-
tance in millimeters from the optical center of a lens to
the focal plane (image sensor plane) when a subject
at infinity is in sharp focus. The size of the subject and
the area covered vary according to the focal length;
at short focal lengths the subject appears smaller but
the angle of view is wider; at long focal lengths the su-
bject appears larger but the angle of view is narrower.

76 77
 Digital SLR basics

4 Focal length and angle of view

Focal length lets you control angle of view and magnification

Focal length Focal length Focal length Focal length

11mm 18mm 24mm 28mm
(16.5mm) (27mm) (36mm) (42mm)
Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view

104° 76° 61° 54°

Focal length Focal length Focal length Focal length

35mm 50mm 70mm 100mm
(52.5mm) (75mm) (105mm) (150mm)
Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view

44° 32° 23° 16°

Focal length Focal length Focal length Focal length

135mm 200mm 300mm 500mm
(202.5mm) (300mm) (450mm) (750mm)
Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view

, ,
12° 8° 5° 20 3° 10

Focal length figures in parentheses indicate the equivalent focal length that will be obtained when shooting with an APS-C format digital SLR.

If you mount a zoom lens on an SLR camera and zoom
in while looking through the viewfinder, your view of
the world narrows, and details of the scene in front of
you seem to grow in size dramatically. These changes
are a direct result of the changes in focal length you
make when you rotate the zoom ring. When you zoom
in or out, the most noticeable difference is the change
in the angle of view. The angle of view tells you how
much of a scene can be covered by the lens at a par-
ticular focal length. It is expressed in degrees and is
generally measured diagonally. The twelve pictures
above were taken from the same point at different focal
lengths to demonstrate how the angle of view changes.
At shorter focal lengths, the area of the scene that
can be captured is larger and the elements that
make up the scene appear smaller. At longer focal
lengths, the reverse is true: the area that can be cap-
tured is smaller and the elements that make up the
scene appear larger.
Lenses that offer an angle of view of about 47 degrees
are commonly referred to as standard lenses because
the view they offer is very similar to what can be seen
with the naked eye. By the same token, zoom lenses
that include this angle of view in their focal length
range are referred to as standard zoom lenses. The
DT18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870) zoom lens, which has
an angle of view that ranges from 23° to 76°, is a good
example of a standard zoom lens.

78 79
 Digital SLR basics

5 Focal length and apparent perspective

Focal length and shooting distance let you control apparent perspective

Focal length Focal length Focal length Focal length

11mm 16mm 24mm 50mm
(16.5mm) (24mm) (36mm) (75mm)
Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view

104° 76° 61° 32°

Focal length Focal length Focal length Focal length

70mm 100mm 200mm 300mm
(105mm) (150mm) (300mm) (450mm)
Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view Angle of view

,
23° 16° 8° 5° 20

Focal length figures in parentheses indicates the equivalent focal length that will be obtained when shooting with an APS-C format digital SLR.

Perspective refers to the apparent relative distance
and position of the elements in a scene. In a photo-
graph, if the distance between foreground and back-
ground elements appears greater than it does to the
naked eye, we say the perspective seems exaggerat-
ed. If, on the other hand, the distance appears to be
less than it does to the naked eye, we say the per-
spective seems compressed.
Understanding perspective can be tricky, though,
because it is intimately connected with human per-
ception and how our brains process visual information.
In the previous section, Focal length and angle of view
(pp. 78–79), the 12 sample photos showed how the
angle of view changes with focal length. But what
about perspective? Although there may appear to
be a difference in perspective, as the three photos at
the bottom of the following page (p. 81) show, there is
actually none.
So how can perspective be controlled? The answer is
to change both focal length and shooting distance. In Photos taken at different focal lengths will have the same apparent perspective
the sample photos above, the photographer moved if the subject distance is the same. If you compare the central portion of an image
taken at 28mm with a full-frame view of an image taken from the same point at 100mm,
farther away from the subject each time the focal
you can see that the perspective remains constant.
length was increased. As a result, the size of the young
girl in the foreground remains constant, but the size of
the elements in the background increases.
In the first photo in the series, taken at focal length of
11mm, the perspective seems exaggerated and the
young girl appears to be standing quite far away from
the buildings and sidewalk café behind her. But in the
last photo, taken at 300mm, the perspective seems
compressed and the young girl appears to be stand- Full-frame view of image taken at 28mm Central portion of image taken at 28mm Full-frame view of image taken at 100mm
ing almost level with the café's signboard.
By experimenting with various focal lengths and shoot-
ing distances, you can learn to control perspective at
will, and use it to enhance the expressiveness and cre-
ativity of your photographs.

80 81
 Digital SLR basics

6 Depth of field
Depth of field: the key to controlling how much of a scene is in focus The ABCs of depth of field: aperture, focal length and shooting distance

Depth of field vs. aperture / focal length / shooting distance

Aperture, focal length, and shooting distance can all affect
depth of field significantly. By understanding the role these
factors play, you can control the extent to which various
elements in the frame are in or out of focus.

Shallow Deep

Depth of field

Large (smaller f-stop numbers) Aperture Small (larger f-stop numbers)

Long (telephoto) Focal length Short (wide-angle)

Short Shooting distance Long

Depth of field determines the extent to which things in front of and
behind the actual focus point will appear in focus. In this shot, the
photographer focused on the second glass from the left.
24–105mm F3.5-4.5 (SAL24105),
A mode, F6.3 (1/100sec.), ISO 100, White balance; Daylight
Wide-angle lens at small aperture
(deep depth of field)
A landscape photo like the one above is a
typical example of a situation in which you
want a deep depth of field to ensure overall
sharpness of the image. In this case, a relative-
ly wide-angle lens set to a smaller aperture
(larger f-stop number) will help you achieve
your creative goals.
Telephoto lens at large aperture
(shallow depth of field)
For wildlife photography and situations where
you want your subject to stand out from the
background, the shallow depth of field of a
telephoto or super-telephoto lens set to a larg-
er aperture (smaller f-stop number) will help
you defocus the background to make the
main subject stand out.
Macro lens at close range
(shallow depth of field)
At the extremely short shooting distances typi-
cal of macro photography, depth of field is
inherently very shallow. If you want to empha-
size this even more you can use a larger aper-
ture setting (smaller f-stop number) to ensure
that only limited part of your subject is in focus.

Depth of field is a term that refers to the extent to
which things in front of and behind the actual focus
point will be in focus. When the depth of field is
extremely shallow, only things that are in the same
plane as the focus point will be in sharp focus; fore-
ground and background elements will appear blurry
and out of focus. When depth of field is relatively
deep, foreground and background elements within a
certain range of the main subject will also be in focus.
It's also important to note that, generally speaking,
approximately one-third of this zone of sharp focus is
in front of the focus point, and approximately two-
thirds of it are behind the focus point.
Depth of field is affected by the aperture setting, focal
length, and shooting distance. In the case of the aper-
ture setting, smaller apertures (larger f-stop numbers)
increase depth of field, and larger apertures (smaller
f-stop numbers) decrease depth of field. On a lens
with an aperture range of F1.4 to F22, opening the
aperture up to F1.4 results in a shallow depth of field,
and narrowing the aperture to F22 results in a deep
depth of field.
In the case of focal length, depth of field is deeper at
shorter focal lengths and shallower at longer focal
lengths. And assuming that the aperture and focal
length remain constant, the depth of field is deeper at will probably want to use a lens with a relatively
long shooting distances, and shallower at short shoot- short focal length and shoot at a small aperture
ing distances. to ensure as much of the scene as possible is in
sharp focus.
Once you understand the relationship between these
various factors, you can use them to manipulate
depth of field to suit your creative intent and subject
matter. If you are taking a portrait photo, for example,
you will probably want to use a lens with a relatively
long focal length, such as a medium telephoto lens,
and shoot at a large aperture to defocus the back-
ground and make your subject stand out. If, on the
other hand, you are taking a scenic photo, you

82 83

7 Utilizing depth of field
Manipulating depth of field to achieve your creative goals
35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) at F1.4
Changing aperture setting to vary the depth of field
These two photos of a chessboard were shot from the same distance
and at the same focal length, but with different aperture settings.
At F1.4 the depth of field is so shallow that everything in front of and
behind the focus point is defocused, while at F22, the other chess
pieces and the furniture in the background are more fully defined.
75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) at 300mm, F5.6
Changing the focal length to vary the depth of field
The two photos above were shot at the same aperture setting, but
at different focal lengths. (For purposes of comparison, shooting dis-
tance was also adjusted to ensure that the composition of the two
photos is the same.) As you can see, the depth of field is shallower
and background defocusing is much more pronounced in the shot
taken at 300mm than in the shot taken at 50mm.
84
35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) at F22
DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870) at 50mm, F5.6
100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) at approx. 0.6m shooting distance
Changing the shooting distance to vary the depth of field
These two macro photos of a poppy flower were taken at the same
aperture setting and focal length, but from different distances. As you
can see, the depth of field is shallower and background defocusing is
much more pronounced in the shot taken from 0.6m than in the shot
taken from 1.2m.
As explained in the preceding section (pp. 82-83),
aperture plays a significant role in controlling depth of
field. In an actual shooting situation, however, focal
length and shooting distance are likely to be your first
priority because it is these two factors that determine
the composition of your shot. If your subject is a far-
away mountain range, for example, the long shooting
distance assures deep depth of field even if you use a
telephoto lens with a shallow depth of field. And if your
subject is very close to the camera, the depth of field
will be shallow and the background will be defocused
even if you use a wide-angle lens with a deep depth
of field. Furthermore, if the distance from your main
subject to the background is very short, you will find
background defocusing difficult to achieve even with
a large-aperture telephoto lens. So although aper-
ture-based depth of field control is an extremely pow-
erful creative tool, you should remember that the
shooting situation itself may limit the degree to which
it can be effectively used.
Digital SLR basics
100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) at approx. 1.2m shooting distance
Depth of field and defocusing are inversely related:
as depth of field increases, background defocusing
becomes harder to achieve, and as depth of field
decreases, background defocusing becomes easier
to achieve. So consider your creative goals, and
select a lens and aperture setting that will let you get
the results you seek. If you want to include as much
background detail as possible, use the smallest possi-
ble aperture, and if you want to defocus the back-
ground to make it less distracting, use the largest possi-
ble aperture. With telephoto lenses, also pay attention
to the distance from your subject to the background;
the longer the distance, the greater the degree of
defocusing. If you prefer less defocusing, use a smaller
aperture and increase the shooting distance by mov-
ing away from your main subject. On macro shots,
extremely short shooting distances can make the
depth of field so shallow that you will need to use a
small aperture if you want to ensure that all of your
main subject is in focus.
85

8 Macro shooting
Consider minimum shooting distance and magnification when choosing a macro lens
With the life-size imaging capabilities of a dedicated, high-perfor-
mance macro lens, you can turn everyday objects into strikingly
original and artistic photos.
The ability to capture stunning, high-quality macro
images at very close range is another advantage of
SLR photography. But how close you can actually get
to your subject depends on the minimum shooting
distance of the lens you are using. Most lenses are
designed to meet the needs of general photography
and achieve their highest performance in the middle
to far distance. As such, their minimum shooting dis-
tance is usually about 10 times their focal length. The
50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14), for example, has 45cm/17.7"
minimum shooting distance.
Macro lenses, on the other hand, are specifically
designed for close-up shooting performance. The
86
100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28),
M mode, 1/60 sec, F4, ISO 100, White balance; Custom
with HVL-F56AM flash unit
50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28), for example, has a min-
imum shooting distance of 20cm/7.9". making it possi-
ble to get much closer to your subject than you can
with a normal lens. And although it produces truly
beautiful macro images, it is by no means limited to
close-up shooting, and is an excellent choice for por-
trait and landscape photos, too.
The maximum magnification ratio of a macro lens in-
dicates the magnification of the lens at its minimum
shooting distance, and is a key indicator of close-up
performance. A maximum magnification ratio of
0.25x, for example, indicates that an object 4cm in size
will be captured by the camera's image sensor at a
Digital SLR basics
Move in close to maximize magnification and visual impact
Magnification ratio: life size (1x) Magnification ratio: 0.5x Magnification ratio: 0.33x Magnification ratio: 0.25x
Magnification ratios
The magnification ratio is the ratio between the actual size of an object
and the size it will be when captured by the image sensor at the mini-
mum shooting distance.
50mm Macro lens (SAL50M28)
Working distance (approx. 5cm/2" at 1x magnification)
Image sensor
Minimum shooting distance (approx. 20cm/7.9" at 1x magnification)
100mm Macro lens (SAL100M28)
Working distance (approx. 16cm/6.3" at 1x magnification)
Image sensor
Minimum shooting distance (approx. 35cm/13.8" at 1x magnification)
Shooting distance vs. working distance
You may sometimes hear photographers refer to the "working distance"
of a lens. Although similar in concept to shooting distance, the two
terms are not interchangeable. Working distance is measured from the
subject to the front of the lens, whereas shooting distance is measured
from the subject to the focal plane.
size of 1cm. Both the 50mm F2.8 Macro and the a lens with a slightly longer minimum shooting distance
100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) feature a maximum will allow you to shoot from farther away and reduce
magnification ratio of 1x that enables them to pro- the likelihood that your subject will be frightened
duce life-size images. Compared to the maximum away. With the 50mm F2.8 Macro and the 100mm F2.8
magnification ratio of 0.15x offered by a standard lens Macro, you can obtain impressive 1x life-size images
like the 50mm F1.4, the difference in close-up capa- from distances of about 20cm/ 7.9" and 35cm/13.8",
bility is evident. respectively. Just choose the one that suits the shoot-
ing situation best.
Although the minimum shooting distance and the
maximum magnification ratio are both important
measures of macro performance, in practice it is the
minimum shooting distance that should guide you in
your choice of lens. If your objective is to take photos
of butterflies or other insects and small living creatures,
87
 Digital SLR basics

9 Lens hoods 10 Circular polarizing filters

A simple tool that plays an important role in assuring superior image quality Polarizing filters suppress reflection and assure optimum contrast and color

Flaring is produced by extraneous

light reflecting off the surface of lens
elements or the inside of the lens bar-
rel, and can cause streaking and sig-
nificantly reduce image contrast. In
the left-hand picture shot without a
lens hood, contrast is poor, with visible
flaring in the upper right quadrant of
the frame. a

Without lens hood (flaring, poor contrast) With lens hood (no flaring, high contrast)

Ghosts are a form of flaring that pro-

duces spot-shaped blemishes. (photo,
Without polarizing filter Because circular polarizing filters effectively screen out light reflected from dust parti- With polarizing filter
far left). Ghosting is most likely to occur
cles and water vapor in the atmosphere, the blue color tones of the sky appear
in strongly backlit situations when the
exceptionally rich and deep.
sun is close to the edge of the image
field. Even with a lens hood attached,
there are times when ghosting cannot
be avoided, and the only way to elimi-
nate it is to shift your position slightly
Visible ghosts Enlarged view No ghosts and reframe the shot. (photo, near left)

How lens hoods work

a lenses are provided with petal or
Extraneous light
round lens hood according to lens type.

(Upper photo: SAL1118 with petal a

hood; lower photo: SAL300F28G with
round hood)
Light needed for
image formation

Extraneous light Lens hood Without polarizing filter Foliage also benefits significantly from the use of a polarizing filter, with highly saturat- With polarizing filter
ed color and improved contrast that enhances detail and overall image clarity.

Photographic images are formed by capturing light,
but not all of the light that enters a lens is necessarily
"good" light. Light rays that enter the lens at too sharp
an angle do not contribute to image formation. On
the contrary, they can reflect off the lens elements
and the inside of the lens barrel, causing image anom-
alies known as "flaring" and "ghosting." Flaring often
appears as noticeable streaks of light and can signifi-
cantly degrade overall image contrast, while ghosting
appears as blemishes that can seriously detract from
the beauty of an image.
To help prevent such flaring and ghosting, a lenses
feature multi-coated elements, and virtually all are
equipped with a detachable or built-in lens hood that
is specially designed to match the imaging character-
istics of the lens. Telephoto lenses that have relatively
narrow angle of view, for example, come with easy-
to-store round hoods that extend forward from the
lens to afford maximum protection. Wide-angle lenses
and some zoom lenses, on the other hand, are equip-
ped with petal-shaped hoods that provide protection
without intruding into the lens's imaging area. When
shooting with flash you should remove or retract the
hood to prevent it from casting a shadow into the
image frame, but otherwise you should always keep
the hood in place to protect the quality of your images.
Polarizing filters, also known as PL filters, suppress glare
and reflection to ensure optimum image quality, par-
ticularly on landscape photos. There are two basic
types of polarizing filters: circular polarizing filters,
which are designed for use with autofocus lenses, and
linear polarizing filters, which can only be used with
manual-focus lenses.
Just like the polarized sunglasses often worn by fisher-
men and boating enthusiasts, polarizing filters are
extremely effective in cutting glare from water, glass,
and other highly reflective surfaces. Even more impor-
tant from the standpoint of photography, they screen
out the scattered light that is reflected by airborne
dust and water vapor particles, improving contrast
and color saturation when shooting outdoors.
Circular polarizing filters are most effective in bright,
sunny weather when the sun is at your back and at a
90° angle to your subject. Before shooting, look the
viewfinder and rotate the filter to find the point at
which its effect is the strongest. On landscape shots,
you'll be rewarded by improved contrast and notice-
ably richer greens and blues in foliage and the sky.

88 89
Choosing the right lens
092–115
Choosing the right lens — 1
Portraits
Defocus the background
to bring your subject to life
In portrait photography, you generally want to use a
large aperture to ensure a shallow depth of field. This
enables you to blur background details and focus the
viewer's attention on the main subject. Tight framing
can also help eliminate distracting background ele-
ments, but it's difficult for your subjects to relax and
pose naturally if you stand too close.
The solution is to use a medium telephoto or telephoto
lens that enables you to frame your subject tightly
92
while maintaining a comfortable shooting distance.
With a bright lens like the Planar ® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA
(SAL85F14Z), you can open the aperture up to obtain
a very shallow depth of field that throws the main sub-
ject into dramatic relief. Remember, though, that fore-
ground and background elements can sometimes
add interest to your photos, so experiment and take
several shots at different aperture settings to see what
works best in each scene.
Planar ® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (SAL85F14Z), M mode, 1/200 sec., F4, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight 93

Use large-aperture lenses indoors and
wide-angle lenses for action portraits
Although medium telephoto and telephoto lenses are
a popular choice for portraits, they are not your only
option. Indoors, a large-aperture standard lens like the
50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14) provides excellent background
defocusing and enables the use of faster shutter
speeds for handheld shooting. And when mounted on
a digital SLR with an APS-C type image sensor, such a
lens has an effective focal length that approaches
that of a medium telephoto lens.
94
Portraits
DT 11-18mm F4.5-5.6 (SAL1118),
M mode, 1/125 sec., F11, ISO 100,
White balance: Daylight,
HVL-F56M flash unit
Wide-angle lenses can also be used to capture
dynamic action portraits of subjects as they move
about. Such lenses also offer greater depth of field,
enabling you to include background and foreground
details that can reveal the time, place, and context of
a scene. Just be sure to choose your shooting angle
carefully to ensure that such details enhance the
overall beauty of the final image.
50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14), M mode, 1/30 sec., F2.5, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight 95
Choosing the right lens — 2
Landscapes
Use wide-angle zoom and small apertures
to capture sweeping vistas and sharp detail
Landscape photos can be taken with a variety of
standard lenses, but super wide and wide-angle lens-
es are often chosen for their ability to capture scenic
vistas on a grand scale. A super wide-angle lens like
the DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118), which offers a
focal length equivalent to 16.5–27mm when mounted
96
on a digital SLR with an APS-C type image sensor, not
only enables you to get more of the scene in the
frame, it can also significantly enhance the apparent
perspective to add depth and drama to the scene.
In the photo shown here, for example, the seemingly
enhanced perspective naturally draws the viewer's
DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118), M mode, 1/500 sec., F10, ISO 100, Auto white balance
eye from the snowfield in the foreground to the majes- require the use of slower shutter speeds, a tripod and
tic peaks in the distance. remote shutter release like the RM-S1AM Remote
Commander are recommended additions to your kit.
You can also use a small aperture setting of F11 or
above to achieve a pan-focus effect that ensures
crisp imaging across the entire scene. Since this may
97
 Landscapes
DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3 (SAL18200),
M mode, 1/125 sec., F7.1, ISO 100,
White balance: Daylight
Include multiple elements in the frame, and
zoom in to achieve a balanced composition
Composition is the key to successful landscape pho-
tography, and you can add depth and interest to
your photos by including foreground and background
elements in the frame.
In the image on the left, for example, the photogra-
pher used a 20mm super wide-angle lens to include a
vast expanse of sky in the frame. In this case, it is the
clouds that make this technique effective; without
98 20mm F2.8 (SAL20F28), M mode, 1/80 sec., F11, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight
them, the image would seem flat and uninteresting.
Zoom lenses are also often used in landscape photog-
raphy because they make it easy to change the fram-
ing to achieve an aesthetically pleasing balance
between the various elements in your composition. In
the photo above, the photographer zoomed in on the
forest until the bright green meadow grass occupied
about one-third of the image area, creating a well-
balanced and visually attractive composition.
99
Choosing the right lens — 3
Snapshots
For snapshots, nothing beats the handling ease
and framing flexibility of a standard zoom lens
Spontaneity is the key to successful snapshot shooting.
Image quality is important, of course, but it is even
more important to capture the moment. Because
there are photo opportunities nearly everywhere,
a snapshot lens should be light, compact, and easy
to carry. In the past, this generally meant you were
limited to fixed focal length lenses, but with today's
advanced optical technology you can now choose
from a wide range of high-performance zoom lenses.
100
Compact zooms not only let you frame your shots
freely, they also offer fast zooming and focusing that
let you respond to photo opportunities quickly. And
although zoom lenses are often not as bright as fixed
focal length lenses, you can use Super SteadyShot®
in-camera image stabilization and high-sensitivity
ISO settings to help you achieve blur-free results in
low light. For flexibility, handling ease, and super-
sharp photos at a moment's notice, a compact
zoom lens is hard to beat.
Vario-Sonnar ® T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z), A mode, F6.3 (1/40 sec.), ISO 200, White balance: Cloudy 101
 24–105mm F3.5–4.5 (SAL24105), A mode, F8 (1/640 sec.), ISO 100, White balance: Daylight
When you see an opportunity, shoot once,
then reframe your subject and shoot again
The secret of good snapshot photography is to
respond to photo opportunities quickly and sponta-
neously. Such opportunities can be short-lived, so take
at least one shot right away.
Zoom lenses are ideal for this sort of spontaneous
shooting. Standard zoom lenses like the Vario-Sonnar®
T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z), DT 18–70mm
F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870), and 24–105mm F3.5–4.5 (SAL24105)
are particularly well suited to this kind of photography.
In addition, the telephoto zoom DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3
102 Vario-Sonnar ® T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z), A mode, F11 (1/200 sec.), ISO 100, White balance: Daylight
Snapshots
(SAL18200) offers portability and operating ease that
make it an excellent choice, too.
Once you've taken the first shot, spend a bit more time
shooting at different exposure settings, and vary the
composition by zooming in or out. In a photo like the
one on the facing page, a change in focal length
alone can make a big difference. And in a photo like
the one above, varying the amount of sky, sea, and
shoreline you include in the frame can create an
entirely new composition. With a zoom lens, it's easy!
103
Choosing the right lens — 4
Macro close-ups
Choose a 100mm macro for working distance,
and a 50mm macro for mobility and easy handling
a macro lenses feature high-quality optics that
achieve crisp imaging with an exceptionally shallow
depth of field at close range. It is this outstanding qual-
ity that creates a dramatic contrast between the
incredible sharpness of the part of the image that is in
focus, and the smooth, attractive texture of the part of
the image that is out of focus.
Macro lenses are available in different focal lengths,
and you should base your choice of macro lens on the
type of photos you want to shoot. A 100mm medium
telephoto macro lens enables you to defocus the
104
background significantly even at relatively low magni-
fication, and because it allows you to shoot from
slightly further away, it makes it easier to photograph
subjects such as butterflies and insects that may take
wing if you get too close. A 50mm macro lens, on the
other hand, offers a wider angle of view that enables
you to include background elements that add con-
text to your composition and help establish the scene.
It is lighter and more compact, making it easier to hold
the camera steady and maintain crisp focus under
conditions of high magnification and extremely shal-
low depth of field.
50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28), A mode, F4 (1/500 sec.), ISO 100, White balance: Daylight 105
100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28), A mode, F4 (1/6 sec.), +1.3EV, ISO 100, White balance: Cloudy
Macro close-ups
Specifically designed for close-up shooting,
macro lenses open the door to a hidden world
Flowers are naturally attractive subjects for close-up
photography, and many mid-range zoom lenses are
perfectly adequate for taking pictures of lilies, sun-
flowers, and other relatively large floral subjects. Zoom
lenses like the DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870), DT
18–200 F3.5–6.3 (SAL18200), and 75–300mm F4.5-5.6
(SAL75300) offer magnifications of up to 0.25~0.27x,
enabling you to capture frame-filling images of sub-
jects slightly larger than a credit card. Because they
are generally not as bright as dedicated macro lens-
106
es, you may need to use slower shutter speeds when
shooting in shady conditions. If the wind is causing
your subject to move, you can prevent motion blur by
boosting the camera's ISO sensitivity and to allow use
of faster shutter speeds.
Large-aperture lenses like the Sonnar ® T* 135mm F1.8
ZA (SAL135F18Z) and 70–200mm F2.8G (SAL70200G)
can also be used for macro shooting. They allow you
to use faster shutter speeds to prevent subject-motion
DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118), A mode, F11 (1/15 sec.), +0.3EV, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight
blur, and large apertures to significantly defocus the wide-angle zoom lens. Such lenses allow you to show
background. And the unique 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF both a flower and its surroundings in a single frame,
(SAL135F28), which is specifically designed to achieve and demonstrate that you don't necessarily need a
ultra-smooth defocusing, can be used to produce macro lens to take a great close-up photo!
beautiful macro close-ups.
Although magnification is a key factor in taking macro
photos of flowers, it's certainly not the only one. The
photo of sunflowers shown above, for example, was
taken with the DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118) super
Choosing the right lens — 5
Sports
Capture the drama with 200mm+ telephoto,
freeze the action with fast shutter speeds
Telephoto and zoom lenses with a focal length of
200mm or more are key players in sports, where it is
often difficult for photographers to get close to the
action. The 75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) telephoto
zoom and DT 18–200mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL18200) zoom are
good choices for outdoor sports in sunny weather, but
if the lighting is less than ideal, you may not be able to
use shutter speeds that are fast enough to freeze the
action. If that's the case, simply increase the camera's
ISO sensitivity to allow the use of faster shutter speeds.
108
If you're really serious about sports photography, lens-
es like the 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G) telephoto or
70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G) zoom telephoto are the
way to go. These large-aperture G lenses feature super-
sharp optics and are bright enough to allow the use of
the faster shutter speeds needed to capture sports
action. And by boosting camera ISO sensitivity, they
can even be used to shoot indoor sports. Both lenses
also feature internal focusing mechanisms and SSM
(Super Sonic wave Motor) for high-speed autofocusing.
300mm F2.8G (SAL300F28G), M mode, 1/1250 sec., F6.3, ISO 100, Auto white balance 109
 70–200mm F2.8G (SAL70200G) with 2x teleconverter (SAL20TC), A mode, F5.6 (1/800 sec.), -1.0EV, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight
Wide-angle lenses and teleconverters can
further expand your sports shooting horizons
While telephoto close-ups of athletes are certainly
dramatic, a wider view of the scene can sometimes
result in a more dynamic and engaging composition.
In the photo of the boy on his skateboard, for exam-
ple, the use of a super wide-angle lens enabled the
photographer to include the take-off ramp and plenty
of sky in the frame, greatly emphasizing the height of
the boy's jump. A wider view of the frame can also
add interest by capturing the expressions of team-
mates and spectators, too.
110 16mm F2.8 Fisheye (SAL16F28), M mode, 1/500 sec., F8, ISO 100 Auto white balance, built-in flash
Sports
If, on the other hand, more telephoto power is what
you need, teleconverters offer an affordable and
convenient solution. Available in 1.4x and 2x (SAL14TC
and SAL20TC), they can be attached to lenses like
the 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G) or 70–200mm F2.8 G
(SAL70200G) to achieve a significant power boost with
only a one- or two-step reduction in lens brightness.
Compact and easy to carry, teleconverters make a
great addition to your kitbag on any sports shoot.
111
 500mm F8 Reflex (SAL500F80), A mode, F8 (1/320 sec.), ISO 200, White balance: Daylight
Choosing the right lens — 6
Wildlife
On the wide-open savannah, super
telephoto lenses are a powerful ally
In wildlife photography, where it can be extremely dif-
ficult to get close to the subjects you are photograph-
ing, super telephoto lenses are your greatest ally. The
300mm F2.8G (SAL300F28G) offers exceptional bright-
ness and fast, quiet, SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor)
autofocusing, and can be combined with a 1.4x or 2x
teleconverter (SAL14TC / SAL20TC) to achieve 420mm
or 600mm super telephoto power, which is equivalent
to 630mm or 900mm when mounted on a digital SLR
with an APS-C type image sensor.
Another alternative is to go with the 500mm F8 Reflex
(SAL500F80), which offers the equivalent of 750mm
112 500mm F8 Reflex (SAL500F80), A mode, F8 (1/500 sec.), ISO 200, White balance: Daylight
telephoto when mounted on a digital SLR with an APS-
C type image sensor. The lens uses two reflecting mir-
rors to achieve incredible power with a minimum of
weight and bulk. Measuring just 89mm/3.5" in dia-
meter and 118mm/4.6" in length, it weighs only 665g/
23.5 oz, making it a great choice for photographing
birds and wildlife in the field. It also offers autofocusing,
and although the aperture is fixed at F8, in fair weather
you can use quite fast shutter speeds by setting the
camera's sensitivity to ISO 200 or 400.
113
 Choosing the right lens — 7

Pets

DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870),

A mode, F8 (1/40 sec.), -0.3EV, ISO 100,
White balance: Daylight

Pet photos are easy with a standard

or telephoto zoom and manual focusing
Pet photos and portrait photos are alike in that you
want to focus on your subject's eyes. But in pet photos,
it's a good idea to use a smaller aperture to gain
enough depth of field to keep the nose, tail, and other
parts of the pet's body in focus, too. This means that
instead of choosing an extremely bright lens like you
would for a human portrait, you can choose a stand-
ard or telephoto zoom lens that lets you vary the fram-
ing as your pet moves around.
For best focusing results, use Spot AF or focus area
selection to zero-in on your pet's eyes. But remember,
animal subjects don't sit still the way human subjects
do, and you may need to use the Focus Hold button or
Direct Manual Focus to get the precise shot you want.
A zoom lens is also good when you're photographing
cats and other animals that may run away if you get
too close. Keep your body low to the ground to avoid
startling your subject, and let the lens do the work.
To add interest to your photos, try to capture the mo-
ment when the cat yawns or stretches, and vary the
framing to include other elements in the composition.

114 Vario-Sonnar ® T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z), A mode, F8 (1/125 sec.), -0.7EV, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight 115
 a system technology
118–132

116 117
 a system technology

1 Body-integrated image stabilization

Piezoceramic element
Understanding the benefits of Super SteadyShot ® sensor-shift image stabilization Frame
Spindle

Frictive force

Drive axle

In-camera image stabi- Effective with any a lens Ultra-precise sensor-shift

Expansion
lization Because Super movement
Unlike lens-based sys- SteadyShot is built into Independent piezoelec-
tems, the Super the camera, its benefits tric ultrasonic linear actu-
SteadyShot system works can be enjoyed with the ators assure instanta- Contraction
by shifting the image sen- entire lineup of a lenses. neous and ultra-precise
sor in the camera body. sensor-shift movement for
How the linear actuators work
more effective image
When the actuators' piezoceramic elements expand, friction
stabilization.
causes the corresponding x-axis and y-axis frames to move
along with them. But when the elements contract, they do so
at such high speed that the frames are left behind. By repeat-
ing these actions at ultra-high frequency, the actuators are
able to shift the frames with extreme precision.

Hall device position sensor Gyro sensor for x-axis motion (horizontal)
X-axis frame (horizontal shift)
Magnet
Gyro sensor for
Y-axis frame (vertical shift) y-axis motion
Analog signal processing
(vertical)
Gyro sensor
Mounting plate Sensor Signal amplification
substrate +
Position detection
Gyroscopic motion sen-
sors
Image Two gyroscopic motion
sensor Microcomputer for image
Camera Drive circuitry sensors are used to in-
stabilization control
lens dependently measure
Y-axis
Focal point horizontal and vertical
actuator
position data camera shake.
X-axis actuator
AF drive signal
Coupler Coupler AF drive unit Microcomputer for
3-piece sensor-shift unit Focal length camera control
The sensor-shift unit consists of a mounting Lens CPU
plate, a y-axis frame (for vertical shift), and
an x-axis frame (for horizontal shift). When Schematic diagram of Super SteadyShot system
Y-axis actuator assembled, the y-axis frame is mounted Highly accurate image sensor shifting is achieved by analyzing input from two gyroscopic motion sensors, an IC
inside the x-axis frame to enable four-way chip (focal length) and distance encoder (subject distance) in the lens, and a high-sensitivity Hall device that moni-
X-axis actuator sensor shift. tors image sensor position.

Unlike lens-based image stabilization systems that work
by shifting optical elements within the lens, the Super
SteadyShot ® system is integrated directly into the
camera body, and works by shifting the image sensor
itself. There are several advantages to this approach,
one of the most important of which is that it allows the
benefits of image stabilization to be enjoyed with any
lens. Sensor-shift image stabilization also reduces the
At the core of the Super SteadyShot system is a three- prevent accidental activation when panning the
Anti-dust system
piece unit that consists of a mounting plate and two camera to track moving subjects. System accuracy Sensor A special coating
movable frames, one of which contains the image is also enhanced by focal length and shooting on the low-pass filter
sensor. Two piezoelectric ultrasonic linear actuators distance data feedback from the lens, and by high- in front of the image
sensor helps prevent
are used to drive the frames, enabling the sensor to sensitivity Hall devices that continuously monitor image
static electricity
be shifted with extreme precision on both the x and y sensor position. buildup that can
axes. Thanks to the outstanding effectiveness of this attract airborne
mechanism in canceling the effects of camera shake, Together with coatings that suppress static electricity dust particles.

constraints imposed on lens design, enabling the size,
weight, and cost of lenses to be held in check because
there is no need to incorporate motion sensors or sta-
bilization mechanisms into each lens. It also enables
photographers to enjoy the benefits of image stabi-
lization with large-aperture medium telephoto and
wide-angle lenses, which by their very nature are extre-
mely difficult to equip with optical stabilization systems.
photographers can shoot at shutter speeds up to 3.5 buildup inside the camera, the sensor-shift system also Low-pass filter
steps slower than would otherwise be possible. helps reduce the likelihood of image sensor dust cont- The image sensor is
protected from dust
Camera movement is detected by dual gyroscopic amination by vibrating the sensor every time the cam-
contamination by
motion sensors that respond to both high-speed and era is switched off. using the sensor-shift
low-speed shake, assuring effective image stabiliza- mechanism to
tion in a wide range of shooting situations. The motion vibrate the sensor
every time the cam-
sensors can also discriminate between blur-causing era is switched off.
camera shake and intentional movement to help

118 119

2 Circular aperture and defocusing effect
Circular aperture mechanisms: the key to distinctive defocusing characteristics
Circular aperture unit
The blades used in a System circular aperture units
have a compound curvature that helps maximize
the defocusing characteristics of each lens.
Circular aperture
Full aperture
Conventional aperture
When the background of a photo includes city lights
or sun-dappled foliage or water, close examination
may reveal patterns in the shape of the aperture in
the defocused areas. Called "point light source defo-
cusing," this effect can add a special touch to por-
traits and macro shots. However, obtaining beautiful
defocusing is difficult with conventional aperture
designs because defocusing produces polygonal
shapes with the same number of sides as the number
of aperture blades.
With a lens that has a 6-blade aperture, for example,
defocused point light sources will have a clearly
defined hexagonal shape. Although a more circular
defocusing pattern can be obtained regardless of the
120
Circular aperture Conventional aperture
Aperture blade movement and aperture shape
The circular aperture in a lenses ensures smoother defocusing
because it retains near-perfect circular shape 1~2 stops down from the
full-open position. A conventional aperture at the same setting takes
on a polygonal shape with the same number of sides as the number of
blades, resulting polygon-shaped point light source defocusing.
-0.5 EV -1.0 EV -1.5 EV -2.0 EV
number of aperture blades by opening the aperture
all the way, a phenomenon known as vignetting can
cause the defocused point light sources to assume an
irregular ovoid shape near the image periphery.
While increasing the number of aperture blades can
also produce a more circular defocusing pattern, the
use of too many blades can slow operation of the
aperture mechanism to an unacceptable degree.
For this reason, the mechanisms used in interchange-
able SLR lenses usually have no more than nine
aperture blades.
The aperture blades in most a lenses are formed into
a composite curve, and the curvature and tapering
With circular aperture
F4
Smooth, circular defocusing
pattern
The a System's circular aper-
ture mechanism provides
smooth, attractive defocusing
even when the aperture is
reduced from the maximum
by 1 or 2 stops. {Photo taken at
F4 with the 50mm F1.4
(SAL50F14) lens}
near the tip are designed to form a near-perfect circle
when the aperture is 1~2 stops down from maximum.
As a result, even when you reduce the aperture until
the influence of vignetting is diminished, point light
sources are defocused and transformed into smooth,
attractive circles free of ovoid deformation and
polygonal facets.
Although the defocusing characteristics of a lens
tend to be more noticeable in images with point light
sources in the background, circular aperture mecha-
nisms can ensure smoother, more attractive defocus-
ing with virtually any type of background. This is partic-
ularly evident when the aperture is reduced from the
maximum by 4~5 stops because it is in this range that
a system technology
With conventional aperture
F4
Faceted, polygon-shaped
defocusing pattern
With conventional aperture
mechanisms, polygonal
shapes become prominent in
defocused areas when the
aperture is reduced from the
maximum by 1 or 2 stops.
the polygonal shape of an aperture can be most
noticeable. Generally speaking, increasing the num-
ber of aperture blades makes the aperture more
circular and defocusing more attractive.
Of course the shape of the aperture is just one of
many factors that can affect defocusing, and while
the exceptionally circular shape of the aperture
mechanism used in a lenses is an important advan-
tage, it is not a magic cure-all. Ultimately, it is the supe-
rior optical properties of a lenses that enable them to
offer truly superb defocusing; the circular aperture
simply allows the natural characteristics of each lens
to be realized to the fullest possible extent.
121
 a system technology

3 STF lens and defocusing effect

Smooth Trans Focus: a leader in the quest for beautiful defocusing

Principle of the STF lens

STF lens Apodization Conventional lens

optical element
A a A a

b c b c

STF lens defocusing Conventional lens defocusing

A 135mm medium telephoto lens with
unparalleled defocusing characteristics
Unique to the a System, the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF
(SAL135F28) boasts superb optical performance
and incredibly smooth, natural defocusing.
(point "A" in focus) (point "A" in focus)
The inclusion of an apodization optical ele- With a conventional lens, defocusing at
ment ensures that defocusing at points "b" "b" and "c" has a clearly defined circular
and "c" are equally smooth and natural. pattern.

Aperture efficiency comparison

100
Aperture efficiency (%)

Incidence
135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF (SAL135F28), M mode, 1/160 sec, T4.5, The flowers in the background of the example
height
ISO 100, White balance; Daylight photo show the unique defocusing characteristics
Apodization of the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF lens. The center of the
135mm F2.8 135mm F2.8 optical defocused area is brightest, becoming gradually
(not a lens in a series) STF lens Conventional lens
(not a lens in a series) element fainter toward the periphery to ensure smoother
SAL135F28 SAL135F28 more aesthetically pleasing defocusing.
SAL300F28G SAL300F28G
0
0 5 10 15 20
Image height (mm) Spherical aberration
STF lens aperture efficiency Spherical aberration Apodization optical element
The 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF has an exception- With almost no spherical aberration, the The apodization optical element acts as a
ally large diameter (72mm filter size) for a 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF offers image sharpness graduated neutral density filter, with light Conventional vs. STF defocusing
fixed focal length lens, ensuring high aper- and clarity comparable to that of the transmission highest at the center and With the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF lens, defocused point
ture efficiency with virtually no vignetting. 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G). gradually decreasing towards the peri- light sources blend smoothly into one another. With
Even with the aperture fully opened, defo- phery to ensure ultra-smooth defocusing a conventional lens, defocused point light sources
cusing is superb right up to the periphery of with no sharply defined edges or visible have sharply defined edges that make them obtru-
the image. geometric form. sively prominent.

The 135mm F2.8 [ T4.5] STF lens (SAL135F28) is a "Smooth
Trans Focus" lens that is unique to the a System, and
incorporates a special apodization optical element
that is designed to achieve the most aesthetically
pleasing defocusing effect possible.
The apodization optical element is created by bond-
ing convex and concave elements together. Al-
though the convex element is made of normal optical
glass, the concave element is designed to act as a
kind of graduated neutral density filter, with light trans-
mission highest at the center and gradually decreas-
ing towards the periphery. So whereas conventionally
designed lenses produce a defocusing pattern of
uniformly bright circles, the 135mm F2.8 [ T4.5] STF's
apodization optical element causes the intensity of
defocused point light sources to fade out radially from
the center, ensuring ultra-smooth defocusing with no
sharply defined edges or visible geometric form.
Conventionally designed lenses can also suffer from
residual spherical aberration that causes the bright-
ness of the defocusing pattern to vary in different
areas of the image. In addition, the quality of fore-
ground and background defocusing can differ wide-
ly, with many lenses providing beautiful background
defocusing but poor foreground defocusing.
Defocusing characteristics can also be degraded by
vignetting and uncorrected residual comatic aberra-
tion or curvilinear distortion.
To avoid such problems and ensure excellent defo-
cusing both in front of and behind the focus point, the
135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF is designed to the highest optical
standards in every detail. Vignetting is suppressed by
its generously large diameter and 135mm fixed focal
length, and as the MTF (Modulation Transfer Function)
curve shown on page 134 shows, contrast and resolu-
tion are exceptionally high, with consistently sharp
imaging from the center of the lens right out to
the periphery.
To further maximize its beautiful defocusing, the
135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF is also equipped with two circu-
lar aperture control mechanisms. One is an automatic
aperture controlled by the camera, and the other is a
manual aperture that offers stepless manual control
ranging from T4.5 to T6.7. The lens is marked with both
F and T aperture settings for easy reference when
shooting, with the T aperture settings reflecting the
reduction in actual light transmission effected by the
apodization optical element.

122 123
 a system technology

4 ED glass and aspherical lenses

ED glass: a powerful solution to chromatic aberration Aspherical lenses: multiple benefits for sharper imaging

ED glass lens elements Conventional optical glass Molded glass aspheri-

By correcting chromatic cal lens elements Spherical lens
aberration, ED glass Aspherical lens ele-
plays a key role in ments help correct
achieving truly superior spherical and comatic
performance in tele- aberration, and curvilin-
photo and super tele- ear distortion. The photo
Focal plane
photo lenses. The photo to the left shows the
to the left shows the ED molded glass aspherical
glass elements used in ED optical glass lens element used in Focal
the 300mm F2.8 G the 35mm F1.4 G plane
(SAL300F28G) and (SAL35F14G).
70–200mm F2.8 G
(SAL70200G) lenses.
With a spherical lens like the one shown above, the focal
Focal plane point of light passing through the periphery of the lens is slight-
ly in front of the focal plane, resulting in the formation of a
blurry disk instead of a well-defined point. Lenses exhibiting
Schematic diagram of the 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G) H High dispersion glass this type of spherical aberration are also more susceptible
to flaring.
Anomalous dispersion

Refractive index (n)

glass
A
Aspherical lens
L

Low Aspherical lens Aspherical lens

dispersion
glass F C
ED glass
400 500 600 700 800
Wavelength (nm)
35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) Vario-Sonnar ® T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5ZA Focal
Comparison of longitudinal chromatic aberration Anomalous dispersion characteristics of ED glass
(SAL1680Z) plane
The graph to the right The graph above shows the relationship between wave-
Longitudinal chromatic

shows longitudinal chro- length and refractive index for high dispersion, low dispersion, Superior performance in an extremely compact size
matic aberration for the and anomalous dispersion glass. Although it is possible to Aspherical lens elements also contribute to more compact lens design
SAL300F28G (Lens A, Lens A minimize chromatic aberration between the wavelengths because a single aspherical element can correct aberration and distortion
aberration (mm)

red line), and a hypo-
thetical lens having the
exact same structure,
but containing only
conventional optical
glass elements (Lens B,
blue line).
Lens B indicated by the lines marked F and C simply by using a that would otherwise require the use of multiple spherical elements to correct. Aspherical lenses are designed so that the refractive index
combination of high and low dispersion glass elements, the Lenses like the 35mm F1.4 G and Vario-Sonnar ® T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA are varies from the center to the periphery, ensuring that light
anomalous dispersion ED glass used in a lenses has a higher good examples of how the inclusion of just one or two aspherical elements rays passing through different areas of the lens all have a
0 refractive index at the low end of the visible spectrum, can make it possible for an extremely compact lens to offer truly superb common focal point. The resulting image is sharp and the
making it more effective in suppressing the purple fringing image quality. lens is less susceptible to flaring.
400 450 500 550 600 650 700
that can appear at the border between light and dark areas
Wavelength (nm) of an image.

The color of light is determined by its wavelength, and
because different wavelengths travel at different
speeds when they pass through a lens, a phenome-
non called dispersion occurs. As a result, the focal
points of various colors do not all fall in the exact same
focal plane. In an SLR camera, this causes the focal
point of some colors to be slightly in front of the image
sensor, and the focal point of other colors to be slightly
behind it (longitudinal color aberration). In addition,
different wavelengths are affected by magnification
differently, causing the focal point to be offset to the
right or left of the optical axis (lateral color aberration).
Together, these aberrations can distort color in cap-
tured images and cause unwanted color "fringing" at
the border between light and dark areas of an image.
ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass was developed specifi-
cally to combat color aberration. It has a low refrac-
tive index and an extra-low dispersion index that help
ensure light rays of all colors are brought closer to the
correct focal point. The high-quality ED glass used in
a lenses is also notable for its anomalous dispersion
characteristics, which help minimize differences in the
degree to which colors are affected.
ED elements are used to enhance the performance of
many a lenses. Large-aperture telephoto lenses such
as the 70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G), 300mm F2.8 G
(SAL300F28G), and Sonnar ® T* 135mm F1.8 ZA
(SAL135F18Z) incorporate from two to four ED ele-
ments to ensure virtually aberration-free ultra-sharp,
high-contrast imaging even at maximum aperture.
ED glass is also used in APS-C format wide-angle and
standard a lenses such as the DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6
(SAL1118) and DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870).
Aspherical lens elements are another means by which
aberration and distortion can be corrected. With ordi-
nary spherical lens elements, light rays passing through
the periphery are refracted more than light rays pass-
ing through the center. As a result, the light rays do
not all converge at the same point, and although the
difference in the point of convergence is very small,
it can be enough to degrade image sharpness and
contrast. Bright, large-aperture lenses are particularly
prone to this type of aberration, and although it can
be reduced to some extent by stopping the aperture
down, the inclusion of aspherical elements assures
superb imaging even with the aperture fully open.
Aspherical lens elements are also effective in control-
ling the curvilinear distortion that can occur with wide
and super-wide lenses, and the comatic aberration
that can cause defocused point light sources at the
periphery of an image to have comet-like tails.
Due to their effectiveness in compensating for various
types of aberration and distortion, aspherical ele-
ments also help reduce the overall number of ele-
ments needed in a lens, making it possible to create
extremely compact high-performance lenses like the
35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) and the Vario-Sonnar ® T*
DT16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z).

124 125
 a system technology

5 SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor)

Built-in SSM drive for quiet, responsive autofocusing

SSM mechanism When a 2-phase al-

The photo shows the SSM drive ternating current is
unit used in the 300mm F2.8 G applied to the piezo-
(SAL300F28G). The notched sta- electric elements in
tor is fixed to the lens barrel; the the base of the stator,
rotor is held against the stator torsional forces cause
P
by a spring-loaded retaining micron-scale elastic
P P
ring and connected to the deformation of the sta-
focusing lens drive mechanism. tor. This creates a trav-
70–200mm F2.8 G 300mm F2.8 G eling wave that drives
(SAL70200G) (SAL300F28G) the rotor by generat-
SSM-equipped lenses ing traction at point P.
The SSM-equipped 300mm F2.8 G and Although the defor-
70–200mm F2.8 G also support direct manu- mation of the stator is
al focusing and feature focus hold buttons extremely small, the
and a focus range limiter. supersonic frequency
of the wave that is
Piezoelectric element
AC voltage, generated drives the
Phase B Stator rotor at extremely
Focus ring Focusing cam high speed.
Rotor
Differential roller AC voltage,
Phase A
Rotor Rotor Stator

SSM unit
SSM components
Stator The primary components of the
SSM unit are the rotor (left) and
the stator (right) on which the
piezoelectric elements are
mounted.

SSM focusing mechanism

During AF operation, movement of
the SSM rotor is transmitted via a dif-
ferential roller to the focusing cam SSM control circuit
that drives the focusing lens group. Advanced electronic circuitry controls the
Focusing lens group When focusing manually, it is the speed and direction of rotor movement by
outer focus ring itself that drives the regulating the speed and direction of the
roller, cam, and focusing lens group. traveling wave in the stator.

The supersonic wave motor (SSM) used in the
70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G) and 300mm F2.8 G
(SAL300F28G) represents a truly remarkable advance
in autofocus drive technology. Unlike conventional
electric motors it incorporates no magnets or coils, yet
delivers powerful torque. It is also exceptionally quiet
and responsive, with a ring-shaped form that enables
it to be integrated into the lens barrel with a minimum
of weight and bulk.
The motor itself consists of a stator that is attached to
the lens barrel, and a rotor that is held against the sta-
tor by a spring-loaded retaining ring. When current is
applied to piezoelectric elements in the stator, they
vibrate at supersonic speeds to create a traveling
wave in the stator that causes the rotor to rotate in the
opposite direction. The notched edge of the stator
serves to amplify the effect of the traveling wave,
resulting in high torque that eliminates the need for
bulky and potentially noisy gearbox mechanisms. This,
together with the fact that the supersonic vibrations
produced by the unit are inaudible to the human ear,
ensures extremely quiet operation.
SSM drive also has the advantage of enabling ual focusing after autofocus has been achieved in sin-
extremely responsive and accurate autofocusing. gle and auto AF modes as can be done with other a
On/off response is virtually instantaneous, and the lenses, SSM-equipped lenses let photographers focus
unit exerts powerful braking force on the focusing manually when using continuous AF mode, too.
lens drive mechanism as soon as the motor stops.
In addition, accuracy is enhanced by using a high-
precision sensor to monitor the rotational position of
the focusing lens drive ring.
Yet another advantage of SSM drive is that it provides
greater focusing freedom by enabling both fulltime
DMF (Direct Manual Focus) and standard DMF. So in
addition to being able to immediately switch to man-

126 127
 a system technology

6 Autofocus reflex lens 7 DMF (Direct Manual Focus)

A pioneering innovation in compact reflex lens performance The convenience of autofocusing, plus creative manual control

500mm F8 Reflex lens
(SAL500F80)
The white disc-like object visible
inside the lens is the doughnut-
shaped concave primary mir-
ror. Although it performs much
the same function as a convex
lens, it is reflective rather than
refractive, and thus produces
no chromatic aberration.
Light directed to the AF sensor Camera body clutch mechanism When DMF is active, the clutch gear automatically disen-
gages to enable manual focusing as soon as autofocusing
Charging motor is complete. Because the mechanism is built into the cam-
era body, the benefits of DMF can be enjoyed with all a
System autofocus lenses.
500mm F8
Reflex
Autofocusing engaged Manual focusing engaged
exit pupil
Exit pupil
Light emerging from the back of the lens has a
doughnut-like shape. Light in the two areas indicated
by dark gray circles is directed to the AF sensor to
enable autofocusing.
Cam gear for AF/DMF switching

How a reflex lens works Equivalent image sensor position AF motor

Condenser lens AF sensor

Timing belt Clutch gear
Secondary Encoder
Primary mirror
mirror When the clutch gear is disengaged, the AF drive coupler
Clutch gear AF drive coupler
rotates in response to manual focus ring movement. As a
result, accurate information about current subject distance
continues to be provided to the image stabilization and
flash metering control systems during manual focusing.

Auto-clutch equipped lens During AF operation During manual operation

Focus ring Floating ring

Separator lenses

Mirror lens section
Light reflects off the primary and secondary mirrors before passing through the lens
elements aligned with the hole in the primary mirror. It is this folded light path that
enables the 500mm F8 Reflex to offer the dual benefits of high telephoto power and
compact size.
AF sensor section
With conventional reflex lenses, autofocusing cannot
be effected because the secondary mirror blocks the
light path to the AF sensor. On the 500mm F8 Reflex
however, tighter focusing of the light from the primary
mirror enables the use of a smaller mirror, and this,
together with the enhanced sensitivity of the AF sen- A floating ring is attached to the cam that moves the
sor used in a System camera bodies, makes autofo- focusing lens elements. During AF operation, the floating
cusing possible. ring rotates freely without engaging the outer focus ring,
but during manual operation, rotation of the focus ring
causes the clutch lever to lock onto the floating ring so
Pivot pin that the rotation is transmitted to the focus cam.

Clutch lever

Unlike conventional lenses that use only lens elements,
the 500mm F8 Reflex (SAL500F80) incorporates two
mirrors — a large doughnut-shaped primary mirror with
a concave surface, and a smaller secondary mirror
with a convex surface. Using these mirrors, the optical
path is folded back on itself twice, enabling the lens to
achieve 500mm super telephoto power in a body that
is only 118mm/4.6" long. And because mirrors reflect
light without dispersing it, reflex lenses are inherently
free of the chromatic aberration that tends to occur in
long focal length lenses, enabling sharp, clear imag-
ing without the use of expensive ED glass.
Thanks to their compact size, high power, and ultra-
sharp imaging, reflex telephoto lenses were very pop-
ular in the era of all-manual SLR photography. But with
the advent of autofocusing, such lenses were found to
have a significant drawback: they could not support
AF shooting because the secondary mirror blocked
the light path to the AF sensor.
On the a System, this seemingly insurmountable prob-
lem was solved by focusing light from the primary mir-
ror more tightly to allow the use of a smaller secondary
mirror, and by increasing the sensitivity of the AF sensor
used in a System cameras. In addition, the rearmost
elements in the lens were redesigned to suppress non-
chromatic aberration that can occur when light from
the primary mirror is tightly focused. The result is the
exceptionally sharp imaging of the world's first auto-
focus reflex lens — the 500mm F8 Reflex.
DMF (Direct Manual Focus) is a convenient feature
that enables photographers to seamlessly switch
between automatic and manual focusing. When DMF
is activated, a clutch mechanism disengages the AF
drive as soon as autofocusing is complete to allow
manual fine-tuning via the focus ring on the lens bar-
rel. It's a great aid to achieving correct focus when
shooting portraits, macro close-ups, and other types of
photos where the depth of field is extremely shallow,
or when the camera has focused on an area other
than the one intended.
Because the camera returns to AF mode as soon as
the user presses the shutter release button again, the
transition from autofocusing to manual focusing and
back can be made with exceptional ease, greatly
enhancing shooting freedom. DMF is supported by all
a lenses except the manual focus 135mm F2.8 [T4.5]
STF (SAL135F28); on lenses equipped with an internal
auto clutch to prevent the focus ring from rotating
during AF operation, it ensures a particularly high
level of focus control and handling ease.

128 129
 a system technology

8 ADI flash metering

Advanced a system technologies for more beautiful flash exposures

Pre-flash waveform Pre-flash

(flat pre-flash)

brightness
Distance encoder

Flash
External flash unit
The distance encoder in the lens monitors focus
cam rotation to determine the position of the focus-
ing lens elements, and transmits current subject dis- Light metering sensor
tance information to the camera.

Light reflected from subject

Light metering sensor Distance encoder

The light metering sensor measures
How ADI works
both ambient light and reflected
During P-TTL flash metering, the light metering sensor in the camera measures the ref-
flash illumination.
lected light of the pre-flash to determine the necessary level of flash brightness. During
ADI flash metering, information from the distance encoder in the lens is combined with
the light metering information to ensure more accurate flash brightness control.

Lens Camera Flash

Vario-Sonnar ® T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z), M mode, 1/10 sec., F5.6, ISO 200, The benefits of ADI flash metering
Light metering Flash
White balance ; Daylight, with external flash unit HVL-F56AM apply equally to night scene photos
sensor head
like the one shown here and strongly
Pre-flash backlit daytime photos.
P-TTL flash metering ADI flash metering
metering
Focal length data Pre-flash control
data data HVL-F56AM HVL-F36AM
IC chip
Flash External flash units
Subject distance CPU Flash setting a System external flash units such as the
data data control unit
Distance HVL-F56AM and HVL-F36AM support ADI P-TTL flash metering vs. ADI flash metering
encoder flash metering and a wide range of other When shooting a light-colored subject
advanced flash functions. against a light-colored background, P-TTL
ADI flash metering system flash metering produces a slightly underex-
To achieve more accurate flash brightness control, the ADI flash metering system analyzes ambient posed image, but ADI flash metering com-
and reflected pre-flash light values from the light metering sensor in the camera, as well as informa- pensates for the high reflectivity of the scene
tion about subject distance and focal length from the distance encoder and IC chip in the lens. to produce a beautifully exposed image.

Most a lenses are equipped with a distance encoder
that can determine the position of the focusing lens
elements and transmit current subject distance infor-
mation to the camera. This enables the camera to use
highly accurate ADI (Advanced Distance Integration)
flash metering to ensure correct flash exposure in a
wide range of shooting situations.
With conventional flash metering systems, the flash is
fired in advance of actual shutter release to measure
how much light is reflected by the subject and back-
ground. The drawback of this method is that extremely
light- or dark-colored subjects and backgrounds may
result in a false reading because they reflect too
much or too little light. When taking a picture of a
light-colored subject against a light-colored back-
ground, for example, so much light may be reflected
that the scene is interpreted as being brighter than it
actually is. As a result, flash output will be reduced too
much and the photo will be underexposed. Converse-
ly, if the frame is dominated by a subject/background
that is very dark-colored, flash output may be set so
high that the resulting photo is overexposed.
The ADI flash metering system overcomes this problem
by using subject distance information obtained from
the distance encoder in the lens to make a more
accurate assessment of the actual shooting situation.
If the pre-flash reflection is high and subject distance is
relatively long, the system recognizes that more illumi-
nation is actually needed and increases flash power
accordingly. If, on the other hand, pre-flash reflection
is low and subject distance is short, the system recog-
nizes that less illumination is actually needed and de-
creases flash power. In effect it acts as a form of intelli-
gent flash control that automatically compensates for
the reflectivity of the subject and background.
As a result, ADI flash metering makes it easy to obtain
beautifully exposed photos even shooting against
highly reflective backgrounds such as mirrors and win-
dows, or illuminated backgrounds such as nighttime
cityscapes and sunsets.
ADI flash metering is supported by all distance
encoder equipped a lenses and built-in flash units, as
well as by external flash units such as the HVL-F56AM
and HVL-F36AM. If the external flash units are posi-
tioned off-camera, ADI flash metering automatically
switches to P-TTL (Pre-flash Through The Lens) flash
metering. With maximum guide numbers of 56 and
36 (ISO100/m), respectively, the HVL-F56AM and HVL-
F36AM also support advanced functions such as TTL
wireless flash and high-speed synchronization.

130 131
a system technology
High-speed synchro
When using a flash to provide fill lighting in bright day-
light, it is normally necessary to use a relatively slow
shutter speed to ensure the flash and shutter are cor-
rectly synchronized. As a consequence, the aperture
must be reduced to prevent overexposure, making it
extremely difficult to defocus the background to
make the subject stand out.
The solution to this problem is to use an advanced
flash unit like the HVL-F56AM or HVL-F36AM, both of
which can deliver a continuous burst of illumination
that permits synchronization at speeds of up to 1/4000
132
Normal flash synchronization
With normal flash synchronization, background
defocusing is not possible in a scene like this
because slow shutter speeds prevent the use of
large apertures .
Sonnar ® T* 135mm F1.8ZA (SAL135F18Z), A mode,
F8 (1/250 sec.), +1.0EV, ISO 100, White balance;
Daylight, with external flash unit HVL-F56AM
Specifications & terminology
134–143
High-speed flash synchronization
With high-speed synchro, extremely fast shutter
speeds can be used, enabling the aperture to be
opened wide to defocus the background.
Sonnar ® T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z), A mode,
F2.8 (1/2000 sec.), +1.0EV, ISO 100, White balance;
Daylight, with external flash unit HVL-F56AM
of a second. If a fast shutter speed is selected, the
flash automatically switches to high-speed synchro
mode and the letter 'H' is displayed in the camera's
viewfinder.
An HSS icon is displayed on the flash
unit's LCD panel when high-speed
synchro is enabled. Two-way commu-
nication between the flash unit and
the camera makes switching automatic.
If a slow shutter speed is selected,
normal synchro will be used;
if a fast shutter speed is selected,
high-speed synchro will be used.
 Specifications & terminology

Lens performance and MTF graphs

Fixed focal length lenses

How to read an MTF graph 16mm F2.8 Fisheye 20mm F2.8 28mm F2.8 50mm F1.4
(SAL16F28) (SAL20F28) (SAL28F28) (SAL50F14)
Green: Contrast value at maximum aperture
100 100 100 100
Red: Contrast value at F8
80 80 80 80

Indicates excellent performance 100

60 60 60 60
with high contrast and resolution

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)
at the center of the lens. 40 40 40 40
80
20 20 20 20

60
0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20
Indicates the level to which
resolution and contrast are Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical
The MTF graphs on the following pages illustrate
maintained at the periphery of 40 center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm)
the superior performance characteristics of
the lens. a lenses. Values are plotted for both maximum
Contrast (%)

and F8 aperture settings at spatial frequencies

20
of 10 lp/mm and 30 lp/mm (10, 20, and 40 50mm F2.8 Macro 100mm F2.8 Macro 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF 500mm F8 Reflex
lp/mm for Carl Zeiss ® lenses). Two graphs are
shown for zoom lenses; one at the shortest focal
(SAL50M28) (SAL100M28) (SAL135F28) (SAL500F80)
0 4 8 12 16 20 length (wide-angle) and one at the longest 100 100 100 100
Distance from optical center of lens (mm) focal length (telephoto). In the example graph
for the 135mm F2.8 [ T4.5] STF (SAL135F28) shown 80 80 80 80
to the left, the graph lines indicate the high
contrast and sharpness of the lens from the cen- 60 60 60 60
Max. aperture F8 aperture
Spatial frequency ter out to the periphery, and the narrowness of
R T R T

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)
the gap between the R and T lines indicates the 40 40 40 40
10 line pairs / mm
lens's excellent defocusing characteristics.
30 line pairs / mm 20 20 20 20

0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20
Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical
center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm)

35mm F1.4 G 300mm F2.8 G

(SAL35F14G) (SAL300F28G)
MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) is a mathematical When reading MTF graphs, check the height and
function used to evaluate lens performance in terms shape of the curves at each spatial frequency. The 100 100

of a lens's ability to transmit the contrast of a subject to higher the 10 lp/mm and 30 lp/mm curves are on the
80 80
the focal plane. It is usually shown as a graph, with the graph, the higher the contrast and resolving power.
contrast transmission value (in %) plotted on the verti- The smaller the gap between the green and red 60 60

cal axis and the distance from the optical center of curves, the more consistent the performance across

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)
40 40
the lens (in mm) plotted on the horizontal axis. A target the aperture range. And the smaller the gap between
composed of pairs of lines of increasing spatial fre- solid and dotted lines, the more consistent and attrac- 20 20

quency is used to conduct MTF tests. tive the defocusing characteristics.

0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20
Distance from optical Distance from optical
The graph above shows contrast values at spatial The height of the curves will tend to be lower for large- center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm)
frequencies of 10 lp/mm and 30 lp/mm (line pairs per aperture and wide-angle lenses, and tend to slope
millimeter). Green lines indicate contrast values at down at maximum aperture. Also note that if a lens is
full-open aperture, and red lines indicate contrast to be used with a digital SLR with an APS-C type image
values at F8 aperture; solid lines represent radial (R) sensor, the smaller size of the sensor means that y-axis
measurements made from the optical center out to values greater than 14.2mm can be ignored.
the periphery, while dotted lines represent tangential
(T) measurements made at a 90º angle to radial It should be remembered, though, that MTF graphs Max. aperture F8 aperture R: Radial values
Spatial frequency T: Tangential values
R T R T
measurements. are only one measure of performance. In practice, 10 line pairs / mm
factors such as size, weight, cost, and intended use 30 line pairs / mm
are also very important and should be given careful MTF graphs above show contrast values at spatial frequencies of
consideration when choosing a lens. 10 lp/mm and 30 lp/mm for a and G series lenses.

134 135
 Specifications & terminology

Zoom lenses Cal Zeiss ® lenses

DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118) DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870) Planar ® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (SAL85F14Z) Sonnar ® T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z)
At 11mm At 18mm At 18mm At 70mm Max. aperture F8 aperture Max. aperture F8 aperture
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80

60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60
Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)
40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40

20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20
Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical
center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm)

DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3 (SAL18200) 24–105mm F3.5–4.5 (SAL24105) Vario-Sonnar ® T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z)
At 18mm At 200mm At 24mm At 105mm At 16mm
100 100 100 100
Max. aperture F8 aperture
100 100
80 80 80 80

80 80
60 60 60 60

60 60
Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)
40 40 40 40

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)
40 40
20 20 20 20

20 20
0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20
Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical
0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12
center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm)
Distance from optical Distance from optical
center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm)

75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) 70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G) At 80mm

Max. aperture F8 aperture
At 75mm At 300mm At 70mm At 200mm 100 100
100 100 100 100
80 80
80 80 80 80
60 60
60 60 60 60

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)
40 40
Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

Contrast (%)

40 40 40 40
20 20
20 20 20 20

0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12
0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 0 4 8 12 16 20 Distance from optical Distance from optical
Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm)
center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm)

Max. aperture F8 aperture R: Radial values Spatial frequency R T R: Radial values

Spatial frequency T: Tangential values T: Tangential values
R T R T 10 line pairs / mm
10 line pairs / mm 20 line pairs / mm
30 line pairs / mm 40 line pairs / mm

MTF graphs above show contrast values at spatial frequencies of MTF graphs above show contrast values at spatial frequencies of
10 lp/mm and 30 lp/mm for a and G series zoom lenses. 10 lp/mm, 20 lp/mm and 40 lp/mm for Carl Zeiss ® lenses.

136 137

Glossary
ADI flash metering
p. 130
ADI (Advanced Distance
Integration) flash metering mini-
mizes the influence of subject and
background reflectivity to ensure
more accurate exposure when
shooting with flash. It is supported
by a System camera built-in flash
units and advanced external
flash units such as the HVL-F56AM
and HVL-F35AM, and all distance
encoder equipped a lenses.
Angle of view
p. 78
Angle of view is measured in
degrees of arc and indicates how
much of a scene a lens can cap-
ture. Angle of view is determined
solely by the focal length of the
lens; the field of view (sometimes
called the picture angle) is deter-
mined by the angle of view and
the shooting distance.
Aperture
p. 120
The aperture is the opening that
regulates the amount of light
passing through a lens. The size of
the aperture also affects depth of
field, with larger apertures (small-
er F-stop numbers) making depth
of field shallower, and smaller
apertures (larger F-stop numbers)
making it deeper.
Apodization optical element
pp. 40, 122
An apodization optical element is
an optical element designed to
act as a graduated neutral densi-
ty filter, with highest light transmis-
sion at the center and lowest light
transmission at the periphery.
An apodization optical element
is built into the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5]
STF (SAL135F28) lens to ensure
138
ultra-smooth defocusing
characteristics.
APS-C
p. 77
APS-C is one of three picture sizes
defined by the Advanced Photo
System (APS) film standard that
was introduced in 1996. The C
(Classic) size measures 23.4 x
16.7mm, and since this corre-
sponds to the size of the image
sensor used in many digital SLR
cameras, the APS-C designation
has also come to be applied to
such cameras and their sensors.
Aspherical lens element
p. 125
A lens element with a variable
curvature that is specially
designed to suppress spherical
aberration without the need for
additional corrective elements.
Although aspherical elements
require a high degree of manu-
facturing precision to produce,
they make it possible to create
light, compact lenses that deliver
extremely high image quality.
Auto clutch
p. 129
An auto clutch is a mechanism
that prevents the focus ring on
the lens barrel from rotating dur-
ing autofocus operation, yet
enables the focus ring to engage
the focusing mechanism during
manual focus operation. This en-
sures improved camera-holding
stability when autofocusing, and
allows the focus ring to be made
wider for easier manual focusing.
Circular aperture
p. 120
Circular aperture mechanisms
contribute to the excellent defo-
cusing characteristics of a lenses
by using specially designed
blades to ensure that the aper-
ture remains extremely circular
even when reduced from the
full-open position by one or two
F-stops.
Contrast
pp. 124, 134
In the context of lens perfor-
mance, contrast does not refer
to the distribution of tonal values
from light to dark as in a photo-
graph, but rather to the ability to
distinguish between fine details
that are of slightly different bright-
ness. A lens with higher contrast
will therefore produce a sharper,
crisper image than one with lower
contrast.
Defocusing characteristics
pp. 120, 122
Defocusing characteristics, also
known as bokeh, describe the
appearance of the areas of an
image that are blurred because
they are outside the zone of cor-
rect focus. With poorly designed
lenses, defocused areas often
contain visually distracting,
sharply defined polygonal shapes
that correspond to the shape of
the lens aperture. With a lenses,
defocused areas have a
smoother, more even visual tex-
ture that makes in-focus elements
stand out from the background
beautifully.
Depth of field
pp. 82, 84
Depth of field refers to the range
of camera-to-subject distances
within which focus will be accept-
ably sharp. Depth of field is affect-
ed by a number of factors, includ-
ing aperture size, subject dis-
tance, and to a more limited
degree, focal length.
Distance encoder
pp. 119, 130
A distance encoder is a device
incorporated into most a lenses
to monitor the position of the
focusing lens elements and trans-
mit accurate shooting distance
information to the camera. This
information is then combined
with light metering information to
ensure more accurate ADI
(Advanced Distance Integration)
flash brightness control.
DMF (Direct Manual Focus)
p. 129
Direct Manual Focus (DMF) is an
a System feature that enables
photographers to effortlessly
switch between auto and manual
focusing. When DMF is active, the
AF drive disengages as soon as
autofocusing is complete to allow
manual fine tuning via the focus
ring on the lens barrel. Fulltime
DMF that allows manual focusing
at any time is also possible when
using a lenses equipped with
SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor)
drive.
DT (Digital Technology) lenses
pp. 50, 52, 54, 56, 142
DT lenses are lenses that have
been specially designed for
use with a System cameras
equipped with an APS-C type
image sensor. Although they can-
not be used with 35mm format
SLR cameras, they offer the multi-
ple advantages of outstanding
image quality, compact size, and
low weight.
ED glass
p. 124
ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass is
a type of optical glass that was
specifically developed to com-
bat color aberration. It has a low
refractive index and an extra-low
dispersion index that help ensure
light rays of all colors are brought
closer to the correct focal point.
The high-quality ED glass used in
a lenses is also notable for its
anomalous dispersion character-
istics, which help minimize differ-
ences in the degree to which
colors are affected.
Flaring
p. 88
Flaring is a phenomenon that
occurs when extraneous light rays
that do not contribute to image
formation enter a lens and reflect
off the surface of individual lens
elements or the inside of the lens
barrel. It can significantly reduce
image contrast and sharpness, as
well as create unwanted streak-
ing and ray-shaped patterns.
Flaring can be eliminated in
most cases by proper use of a
lens hood.
Floating lens mechanism
p. 32
A floating lens mechanism is a
mechanism that allows lens ele-
ments other than the focusing
group to move, thereby minimiz-
ing aberrations that can be intro-
duced at different focusing dis-
tances. It can be particularly ef-
fective in ensuring superior image
quality across the focusing range
Specifications & terminology
on lenses with extremely short
minimum focusing distances.
F-number
pp. 82, 84
F-numbers, which are also often
referred to as F-stops, indicate the
size of the aperture relative to the
focal length of a lens, with each
successive F-number represent-
ing a halving or doubling of the
amount of light allowed to pass
through the lens. Because F-num-
bers actually represent fractions
(the diameter of the aperture in
millimeters divided by the focal
length in millimeters), smaller F-
numbers indicate larger apertures
and larger F-numbers indicate
smaller apertures.
Focal length
pp. 76, 78, 80
Focal length is defined as the dis-
tance in millimeters from the opti-
cal center of a lens to the focal
plane (image sensor) when a sub-
ject at infinity is in sharp focus.
Long focal length lenses (tele-
photo) have a narrow angle of
view and make distant subjects
appear larger; short focal length
lenses (wide-angle) have a wide
angle of view and make distant
subjects appear smaller.
Focus hold button
pp. 46, 48
The focus hold button is a con-
venient feature offered on some
a lenses to make it easy to lock
the focus during autofocus oper-
ation. Although the focus can also
be locked by holding the shutter
button pressed halfway, the
focus hold button permits focus
to be locked across multiple
frames even in continuous AF
(AF-C) mode.
139

Focus range limiter
pp. 46, 48
The focus range limiter is another
convenient focusing feature
offered on some a telephoto
and macro lenses. It helps boost
autofocusing speed by allowing
photographers to limit the dis-
tance range within which the AF
system will seek a focusing target.
Ghosting
p. 88
Ghosting is a type of flaring that
usually takes the form of spot-
shaped blemishes with a clearly
defined shape. It is most likely to
occur when the sun or other such
bright light source is close to the
edge of the image field, and
although antireflective lens coat-
ings and the use of lens hood are
generally effective in suppressing
it, in some situations the only way
to eliminate it is to take the shot
from a different position or angle.
G Lens
pp. 32,42 60,142
a lenses bearing the 'G' designa-
tion are specially designed and
constructed to the highest stand-
ards of optical performance. Built
to last a lifetime, they combine
superb clarity and sharpness with
exquisite defocusing characteris-
tics, and measure up to the most
demanding professional specifi-
cations in every detail.
HSS (High-Speed Synchro)
p. 132
High-speed synchro enables flash
photography at very fast shutter
speeds. As a result, photogra-
phers can shoot at the large
apertures needed to effectively
defocus the background even
when using a flash to provide fill
140
lighting in bright outdoor situa-
tions. High-speed synchro is sup-
ported by a System camera
built-in flash units, as well as
high-performance external flash
units such as the HVL-F56AM and
HVL-F36AM.
Image stabilization
pp. 74, 118
Image stabilization is a technolo-
gy that was developed to help
prevent blurring caused by cam-
era shake. Although it is possible
to equip individual lenses with
mechanisms that shift lens ele-
ments to compensate for camera
shake, this adds considerably to
the size, weight, and cost of a
lens, and, of course, only works
with the lens it is installed on.
The Super SteadyShot ® system,
on the other hand, is built into the
camera body, so it works with all
a lenses, and provides efficient
stabilization that enables shoot-
ing at shutter speeds up to 3.5
steps slower than would otherwise
be possible.
Internal/rear focusing
mechanisms
p. 39
Internal focusing and rear focus-
ing mechanisms eliminate the
need for the lens barrel to extend
and retract when focusing. In ad-
dition to making the lens more com-
pact, the reduction in the weight
of moving parts ensures faster
focusing and easier handling.
Large-aperture lenses
p. 94
Large-aperture lenses are some-
times referred to as 'fast' lenses
because their exceptional light-
gathering power enables the use
of faster shutter speeds. Although
inherently more prone to various
types of aberration than lenses
with smaller apertures, recent
advances in optical and lens
manufacturing technology
have led to the development of
extremely high-performance
large-aperture lenses.
Magnification ratio
p. 86
The magnification ratio is the ratio
between a subject's actual size
and the size at which it is project-
ed onto the focal plane (image
sensor). If a subject 10mm high
appears 1mm high at the focal
plane, the magnification ratio is
10:1; if it appears 2mm high, the
magnification ratio is 10:2. Since
these values apply only at the fo-
cal plane, images appear much
larger on a monitor or as a print.
MTF (Modulation Transfer
Function) graphs
p. 134
The modulation transfer function is
one widely used measure of lens
performance that allows the con-
trast reproduction capabilities
and resolution of a lens from its
center to periphery to be diplay-
ed in a single graph.
Multi-coatings
p. 88
Multi-coatings are thin, trans-
parent, antireflective coatings
applied to lens elements to help
prevent flaring and ghosting that
can reduce contrast and
degrade image quality.
Peripheral light
p. 143
Peripheral light is light that passes
through a lens near the outer
edge of the lens disc. Although
inherent optical design con-
straints prevent some peripheral
light from reaching the focal
plane, and can thus cause ob-
servable light fall-off at the peri-
phery of an image, this can often
be avoided by reducing the
aperture slightly.
Perspective
pp. 78, 80
In photography, perspective
refers to the apparent relative dis-
tance and size of the elements in
a scene. When shooting with a
wide-angle lens, the perspective
can seem exaggerated because
foreground elements appear to
be very large in relation to back-
ground elements. And when
shooting with a telephoto lens,
perspective can seem compress-
ed because background ele-
ments appear to be very large in
relation to foreground elements.
Reflex lens
pp. 44, 128
A reflex lens is a lens that uses two
mirrors to fold the optical path
back on itself to achieve a long
focal length within a short lens
barrel. Although their design does
not permit the inclusion of a vari-
able aperture mechanism, reflex
lenses are much lighter than con-
ventional lenses of equivalent
focal length, are notably free of
chromatic aberration, and have
a distinctive ring-shaped defocus-
ing pattern.
Refraction
p. 124
Refraction refers to the deflection
from a straight path that light rays
undergo when they pass through
a glass lens. It is this phenomenon
that makes it possible to use multi-
ple lens elements to cause all light
rays that enter a camera lens to
converge and form a sharply
focused image on the camera's
image sensor.
Resolution
pp. 121, 134
In the context of lens perfor-
mance, resolution refers to the
ability of a lens to distinguish fine
detail. It is not related to image
sensor resolution, although both
image sensor and lens resolution
ultimately affect the quality of an
image. Lens resolution, like con-
trast, is usually measured by test-
ing how many line pairs per mil-
limeter the lens can distinguish,
and is a key factor in determining
image sharpness.
Shooting distance
p. 87
With reference to compact cam-
eras, the terms "shooting dis-
tance" and "focus distance" gen-
erally mean the distance from the
front of the camera lens to the
subject, but in SLR photography,
these terms describe the distance
from the focal plane (image sen-
sor) to the subject when the sub-
ject is in sharp focus.
SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor)
pp. 126
The SSM (Super Sonic wave
Motor) is an autofocus system
drive motor that uses supersonic
vibrations generated by piezo-
electric elements to produce high
torque output with minimal oper-
ating noise. It also supports full-
time DMF (Direct Manual Focus)
that enables photographers to
fine-tune the focus manually
during autofocus operation.
Specifications & terminology
STF lens
pp. 40, 122
STF stands for Smooth Trans Focus
and describes the ultra-smooth
defocusing characteristics of
the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF lens
(SAL135F28). In addition to offer-
ing truly outstanding contrast and
resolution, the lens is equipped
with a unique apodization optical
element that ensures beautifully
smooth defocusing of both fore-
ground and background.
Teleconverter
pp. 64, 66, 142
A teleconverter is an attachment
lens that can be mounted
between the camera body and
lens to extend the focal length of
the lens being used. The a lens
lineup includes 1.4x and 2x
teleconverters (SAL14TC and
SAL20TC) for use with the
70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G),
300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G), and
135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF (SAL135F28).
Maximum aperture will be
reduced by one F-stop with the
1.4x teleconverter, and by two
F-stops with the 2x teleconverter.
Working distance
p. 87
Working distance refers to the dis-
tance from the front surface of
the lens or lens barrel to the sub-
ject. Macro lenses such as the
100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28)
offer a longer working distance
that helps prevent the photo-
grapher or camera from casting
shadows on the subject when
taking macro close-ups.
141
 Specifications & terminology

a lenses — basic specifications

35mm-
equivalent Max. ADI Weight
Lens focal length Angle of Angle of magnifi- Min. flash Dimensions torutume
configuration when mount- view view No. of Min. cation focus metering Hood (Dia. x L) (g)
(groups / ed on DSLR (APS-C (35mm aperture aperture ratio distance (distance Filter dia. shape / (mm) (oz) Provided
Product Model name Description elements) (mm) format) *1 format) blades (f) (x) (m) encoder) (mm) mount (in.) approx. accessories

7 83 x 80.5 360
SAL1118 DT 11–18mm f/4.5–5.6 *2 12 / 15 16.5–27 104–76° —
(circular aperture)
22–29 0.125 0.25 O 77 petal / bayonet
3-1/4 x 3-3/16 12.7 oz
hood

7 66 x 77 235
SAL1870 DT 18–70mm f/3.5–5.6 *2 9 / 11 27–105 76–23° —
(circular aperture)
22–36 0.25 0.38 O 55 bayonet
2-5/8 x 3 8.3 oz
hood

7 73 x 85.5 405
SAL18200 DT 18–200mm f/3.5–6.3 *2 13 / 15 27–300 76–8° —
(circular aperture)
22–40 0.27 0.45 O 62 petal / bayonet
2-7/8 x 3-3/8 14.3 oz
hood

7 71 x 69 395
SAL24105 24–105mm f/3.5–4.5 11 / 12 36–157.5 61–15° 84–23°
(circular aperture)
22–27 0.18 0.5 O 62 petal / bayonet
2-13/16 x 2-11/16 13.9 oz
hood

7 71 x 122 460
SAL75300 75–300mm f/4.5–5.6 10 / 13 112.5–450 21–5° 20' 32–8°10'
(circular aperture)
32–38 0.25 1.5 O 55 bayonet
2-13/16 x 4-13/16 1 lb 0.2 oz
hood

8 / 11 75 x 66.5 400
SAL16F28 16mm f/2.8 Fisheye 24 110° 180° 7 22 0.15 0.2 — (integrated) fixed —
(incl. 1 filter) 2-15/16 x 2-5/8 14.1 oz

7 78 x 53.5 285
SAL20F28 20mm f/2.8 9 / 10 30 70° 94° 22 0.13 0.25 — 72 petal / bayonet hood
(circular aperture) 3-1/16 x 2-1/8 10.1 oz

65.5 x 42.5 185

SAL28F28 28mm f/2.8 5/5 42 54° 75° 7 22 0.13 0.3 — 49 integrated —
2-9/16 x 1-11/16 6.5 oz

7 65.5 x 43 220
SAL50F14 50mm f/1.4 6/7 75 32° 47°
(circular aperture)
22 0.15 0.45 O 55 bayonet
2-9/16 x 1-11/16 7.8 oz
hood

7 71.5 x 60 295
SAL50M28 50mm f/2.8 Macro 6/7 75 32° 47°
(circular aperture)
32 1.0 0.2 O 55 —
2-13/16 x 2-3/8 10.4 oz
—

9 75 x 98.5 505
SAL100M28 100mm f/2.8 Macro 8/8 150 16° 24°
(circular aperture)
32 1.0 0.35 O 55 bayonet
2-15/16 x 3-7/8 1 lb 1.8 oz
hood

6 / 8 (incl. 1 9 auto / 10 manual 80 x 99 730

SAL135F28 135mm f/2.8 [T4.5] STF *3 202.5 12° 18° 31 [T32] 0.25 0.87 — 72 bayonet hood, case
apod. element) (circular aperture) 3-1/8 x 3-7/8 1 lb 9.7 oz

5/7 8 42 89 x 118 665

SAL500F80 500mm f/8 Reflex 750 3° 10' 5° — 0.13 4.0 — screw-on hood, slot-in ND filter
(incl. 1 filter) (fixed) (provided) 3-1/2 x 4-5/8 1 lb 7.5 oz

64 x 20 170
SAL14TC 1.4x Teleconverter *4 4/5 — — — — — — — O* 6
— —
2-1/2 x 3/4 6 oz
case

64 x 43.5 200
SAL20TC 2x Teleconverter *5 5/6 — — — — — — — O* 6
— —
2-1/2 x 1-11/16 7.1 oz
case

9 69 x 76 510
SAL35F14G 35mm f/1.4 G 8 / 10 52.5 44° 63°
(circular aperture)
22 0.2 0.3 O 55 petal / bayonet
2-3/4 x 3 1 lb 2 oz
hood, case

9 87 x 196.5 1,340 *7
SAL70200G 70–200mm f/2.8 G 16 / 19 105–300 23–8° 34–12° 30'
(circular aperture)
32 0.21 1.2 O 77 petal / bayonet
3-7/16 x 7-3/4 2 lb 15.3 oz
hood, case

122 x 242.5 2,310 *7 hood, slot-in circular polarizing

12 / 13 9 42
SAL300F28G 300mm f/2.8 G
(incl. 1 filter)
450 5° 20' 8° 10 '
(circular aperture)
32 0.18 2.0 O (provided)
round / clip-on
4-13/16 x 9-9/16 5 lb 1.5 oz
filter, lens strap,
hard carrying case

9 81 x 75 640
SAL85F14Z Planar ® T* 85 mm f/1.4 ZA 7/8 127.5 19° 29°
(circular aperture)
22 0.13 0.85 O 72 bayonet
3-3/16 x 2-15/16 1 lb 6.6 oz
hood, case

9 88 x 114.5 995
SAL135F18Z Sonnar ® T* 135 mm f/1.8 ZA 8 / 11 202.5 12° 18°
(circular aperture)
22 0.25 0.72 O 77 bayonet
3-7/16 x 4-1/2 2 lb 3.1 oz
hood, case

Vario-Sonnar ® T* 7 72 x 83 445
SAL1680Z
DT 16–80 mm f/3.5–4.5 ZA *2
10 / 14 24–120 83–20° —
(circular aperture)
22–29 0.24 0.35 O 62 petal / bayonet
2-13/16 x 3-1/4 15.7 oz
hood, case

*1 : Digital SLR camera with an APS-C type (23.6 mm x 15.8 mm) image sensor • Equivalent focal length is approx. 1.5x stated focal length when lenses are mounted on a digital SLR with an APS-C type image sensor.
*2 : Compatible only with digital SLR cameras with an APS-C type image sensor; not compatible with 35mm SLR cameras • Depending on the type of focusing lens mechanism employed, focal length may vary slightly according to shooting distance.
*3 : Manual focus only Stated focal length is measured with focus at infinity.
*4 : AF supported with center focus frame only • Light transmission inherently decreases at lens periphery. To reduce peripheral light fall-off, reduce aperture by 1 or 2 stops.
*5 : Compatible with SAL70200G / SAL300F28G (AF & MF operation) and SAL135F28 (MF only) • Non-metric weights and measurements are approximate and may vary.
*6 : Except SAL135F28 • Specifications are based on the latest information available at the time of printing, and are subject to change without notice.
*7 : Without tripod mount

142 143
© 2007 by Sony Corporation
First printing April 2007

Printed in Japan

Special Thanks
Tomoko Saito (Art de Vivere), Hironori Doi (RISE Communications Pty Ltd), Russell Carr,
The Helicopter Line, E QUBE PUBLISHING, Show Film, Stage & Screen, Allan Hamilton, Hamish Bagley,
Nicholas Andrewes, Nikki Bodle, Jonathan L Carr, Saveur FERRARA (Riviera Kanko Service),
Hotel Westminster Nice, The Heritage Hotel Queenstown, Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai,
Eze-Village, Volkswagen Japan, Auberge Au Mirador, Big Foot, SHOTOVER JET

Information and product specifications contained herein are current as of February 2007,
and are subject to change without notice.