Sony has announced the 46th lens for its E-mount cameras, the compact and lightweight E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS, which is designed for its APS-C sensor cameras.
The new Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens. (Source: Sony.)
The new SEL18135 lens measures only 67.2 x 88 mm and weighs just 325 grams, making it an ideal fit for the ?6500, ?6300 and ?6000 cameras. Covering a 7.5x optical zoom its focal lengths range from the equivalent of 27mm to 202.5mm, which makes it suitable for a wide range of shooting situations, including portraiture, landscape, nature and travel photography. This lens features a new optical design with 16 elements in 12 groups, including one aspherical element that ensures corner-to-corner sharpness plus two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements to suppress chromatic aberration. Built-in optical image stabilisation makes it easier to shoot blur-free images handheld.
Autofocusing is driven by a linear motor, which is fast, precise and quiet. Seven iris diaphragm blades close to a circular aperture for attractive bokeh. The minimum focusing distance of 45 cm produces a magnification ratio of 0.29x. The lens is supplied with a petal-type lens hood plus front and rear caps. The release date and recommended pricing have yet to be confirmed but overseas reports state it will be available in February at a MSRP of around US$600.
Sony has also announced the up-coming availability of the ?6300 camera in silver but, again, with no pricing and shipping information. For more information, visit www.sony.com.au.
