Sony Launch the Ultra-Wide FE 20-70mm F4 G Lens
Sony has launched the FE 20-70mm F4 G, a conventional zoom lens with ultra-wide coverage while preserving long-range reach. The unstabilized lens provides a constant F4 aperture in a reasonably tiny and lightweight body.
“The FE 20-70mm F4 G is our 71st E-mount lens and is redefining the standard zoom in our G Lens category to meet the needs to today’s content creators,” said Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “Having tools that creators can utilize to create both still and video content is ever more important. The FE 20-70mm F4 G ranges from 20mm to 70mm in a compact form factor – this is an excellent lens option for hybrid content creators and those seeking versatility in a standard zoom.”
A key benefit of a zoom lens that includes a 20mm offering is its ability to maintain a wide-angle-of-view when shooting video with a 16:9 or 2.35:1 aspect ratio. This allows content creators to capture more within a single frame, which is critical when vlogging or selfie-style shooting. The wide-angle also provides content creators with additional flexibility to crop their frames in the post-production process to increase the effectiveness of image stabilization. This increasingly popular editing technique benefits creators filming without the stabilization support of a gimbal.
The new lens boasts unique G Lens image quality in a surprisingly compact and lightweight package. With two AA (advanced aspherical) elements, one aspherical element, three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements, and one ED aspherical element, this lens simultaneously corrects chromatic and spherical aberration for extremely high optical performance across the whole zoom range. Optimized coatings add high flare and ghost resistance for extraordinary contrast and clarity.
Beautiful bokeh is achieved with full-frame image sensors and is further enhanced by a 9-blade circular aperture and optimally controlled spherical aberration. This combination supports the naturally rendered bokeh, offering impressive, memorable imagery.
The FE 20-70mm F4 G has a minimum focus distance of up to 30 cm at the wide end and up to 25 cm at the telephoto end of the zoom range when using AF, making it easy to maneuver around subjects to find the ideal angle.
The lens’s focus group is driven by two of Sony’s latest XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors, providing a fast, quiet, low-vibration focus drive. Thrust efficiency has been significantly improved over previous models, resulting in up to a 60% increase in AF speed. Because tracking performance has been improved by about two times compared to previous models, moving subjects are tracked with consistent reliability and precision. Reliable tracking is achieved when shooting continuous stills of fast-moving subjects at up to 30 frames per second with the Alpha 1 camera, and it can smoothly record when shooting video at a high frame rate.
The FE 20-70mm F4 G features the latest lens technology to reduce focus breathing and focus and axial shift when zooming. This lens has also been carefully designed for quiet operation when shooting movies, with advanced XD linear motors and a newly developed aperture unit that dramatically reduces noise and vibration.
The Alpha brand series cameras’ Active Mode image stabilization is highly effective at the wide 20mm end of the FE 20-70mm F4 G zoom range. This can be particularly useful for shooting smooth, stable handheld footage while walking.
Focus is especially critical when shooting high-resolution 4K or 8K movies. The FE 20-70mm F4 G’s compact design and XD linear motors work with Alpha series camera bodies to easily acquire accurate focus and smoothly track fast-moving subjects. The ability to leave focus to the camera when solo shooting can be a huge advantage.
In addition, the Linear Response MF ensures that the focus ring responds directly and linearly to subtle control when focusing manually, and an independent aperture ring offers direct intuitive aperture control.
Here are some sample pictures:
The Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G will be available around the start of February at a recommended price of $1099.
More info on Sony’s website.
