The a Dimension

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 Contents 078 Focal length and angle of view 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 Whether that impact is effectively conveyed or not The a lineup, including our high-performance, profes- Cameras may change and be replaced, but lenses moments we want to remember forever. Whether it isn't simply a matter of fortuitous timing, though. It also sional-grade Carl Zeiss® and G series lenses, offers a are lasting assets. Reflecting Sony's corporate commit- is the smile on a loved one's face, a bustling market depends very much on the quality, angle of view, and diverse array of high-quality lenses and teleconverters ment to innovation, quality, and optical excellence, scene in an exotic foreign land, or a breathtaking vista imaging characteristics of the lenses used to capture designed to help you respond to virtually any photo- the lenses introduced in these pages constitute a fully of natural grandeur, it is the emotional impact of these each image. And it is this ability to change lenses for graphic or creative challenge. So that you can share integrated system that brings a new dimension in cre- moments that moves us, and that we want to convey different shots that makes SLR photography so versa- those special moments in life with your family, your ativity to digital SLR photography. to others. tile and endlessly fascinating. friends, and the world at large.

24 25 16mm F2.8 Fisheye (SAL16F28)

A mode, F8 (1/80 sec.), ISO 100, Auto white balance

A unique fisheye perspective that 16mm F2.8 Fisheye (SAL16F28) ● Image circle format: 35mm (180º angle of view) expands your photographic horizons ● 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) The 16mm F2.8 Fisheye (SAL16F28) is a 35mm format You can control how the distortion affects your image ● Aperture blades: 7 ● Minimum aperture: F22 ● Minimum focus distance: 0.2m / 7-7/8" compatible lens with a 180º angle of view that shows by varying the position of the elements in the frame, ● 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 us realities which are always there, but beyond our and you can magnify the effect by shooting your sub- natural ability to see. The key to this amazing view is ject at very close range. With a minimum shooting dis- curvilinear optical distortion, which causes linear ele- tance of just 20cm/7.9", the 16mm F2.8 Fisheye lets you ments like the horizon to take on a pronounced curva- capture amusing and dramatic close-up images with ture. It is by taking advantage of this distortion that strikingly exaggerated perspective. Normal, O56, A12, the lens is able to produce such unique images. and B12 filters are built in.

26 27 20mm F2.8 (SAL20F28)

M mode, 1/125 sec., F16, ISO 100, Auto white balance

A super wide-angle view that captures 20mm F2.8 (SAL20F28) ● Image circle format: 35mm (94º angle of view) depth and drama on a grand scale ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 30mm (70º angle of view) ● Lens configuration: 10 elements in 9 groups The superbly crafted 20mm F2.8 (SAL20F28) super Superior optics suppress image aberration across the ● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F22 wide-angle lens offers approximately four times the focusing range, from infinity in to the minimum shoot- ● Minimum focus distance: 0.25m / 9-7/8" ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.13x ● Filter size: 72mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal imaging area of a standard 50mm lens. It has a 94º ing distance of just 25cm/9.8". A rear-focusing mecha- ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 78 x 53.5mm / 3-1/16 x 2-1/8" angle of view when mounted on a 35mm-format SLR nism enables ultra-fast autofocusing for on-the-fly ● Weight: approx. 285g / 10.1 oz ● Included accessories: lens hood and a 70º angle of view when mounted on an APS-C snapshots, while a circular 7-blade iris assures smooth format digital SLR. At smaller apertures the depth of background defocusing that really makes your sub- field is so great that this effectively becomes a 'pan- ject stand out. focus' lens that can capture foreground and background elements with equal sharpness.

28 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 kitbag 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 space. It's also great for architecture, interiors, and DSLR: approx. 42mm (54º angle of view) ● 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" ● C format digital SLR, where it offers 42mm equivalent Weight: approx. 185g / 6.5 oz 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 foreground 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 35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G)

M mode, 1/800 sec., F2, ISO 100, Auto white balance

A fast, large-aperture lens with the superb 35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) ● Image circle format: 35mm (63º angle of view) performance of high-quality G optics ● 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 The 35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) is composed of 10 ele- Although it does not exhibit the apparent perspective ● Aperture blades: 9 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F22 ments in 8 groups, and offers the highest level of enhancement that is characteristic of very wide- ● 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" image quality and handling performance. A molded angle lenses, the 35mm F1.4 G offers approximately ● Weight: approx. 510g / 1 lb 2 oz ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) glass aspherical lens element ensures outstanding double the image area of a 50mm lens. Depth of field ● Included accessories: lens hood, carrying case sharpness at large apertures, and double-floating is exceptional: at F2.8 the depth of field is approxi- construction helps maintain image quality at the mately as deep as at F5.6 on a 50mm lens, making this periphery when shooting at close range. As a result, lens ideal for snapshots and indoor photos. Together the 35mm F1.4 G offers stunning edge-to-edge sharp- with the Super SteadyShot® image stabilization system ness from infinity down to the minimum shooting dis- built into a series camera bodies, it's a powerful tool tance of 30cm / 11.8". A circular 9-blade iris assures for handheld shooting in low light. beautiful background defocusing at larger apertures. ● Aspherical element

32 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- 50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14) riors to landscapes. ● 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) Gaussian design with 7 elements arranged in 6 groups ● Lens configuration: 7 elements in 6 groups assures excellent contrast and resolution, and al- ● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture) though eminently suited to low-light shooting, that's ● Minimum aperture: F22 ● not the 50mm F1.4's only advantage. Its large-aper- Minimum focus distance: 0.45m / 17-11/16" ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.15x ● Filter size: 55mm ture capability also means you have a wider range ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round of f-stop settings to choose from, and can explore ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 65.5 x 43mm / 2-9/16 x 1-11/16" the creative potential of depth of field control to ● Weight: approx. 220g / 7.8 oz ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) the fullest. ● 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 Carl Zeiss® Planar® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (SAL85F14Z)

M mode, 1/2000 sec., F2.8, ISO 100, Auto white balance

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

36 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: Planar® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA. approx. 202.5mm (12º angle of view) ● 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" ● distance of 72cm/28.3". An internal focusing mecha- Weight: approx. 995g / 2 lb 3.1 oz ● 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 Focus) design, these two conflicting goals are un- 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF (SAL135F28) ● 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 with the fifth and sixth elements bonded together to (incl. 2 optical elements for apodization) ● 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) tionally high contrast and resolution that ensure ultra- ● Minimum focus distance: 0.87m / 34-1/4" ● 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 ● more refined defocusing of the foreground and Included accessories: lens hood, carrying case 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 telephoto 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 area 1/36th the size of the image area of a 50mm lens. 300mm F2.8G (SAL300F28G) ● 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) ● ● Contrast and resolution are unparalleled, and three Aperture blades: 9 (circular aperture) Minimum aperture: F32 ● 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) The lens is also equipped with a responsive SSM (Super ● Lens hood: clip-on-mount round ● 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, Focus) modes: one that lets you fine-tune the focus lens strap, hard carrying case 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 convenience 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" ● reliable operation. Max. magnification ratio: 0.13x ● 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 50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28)

A mode, F3.2 (1/80 sec.), +0.7EV, ISO 400, White balance: Shade

A compact and versatile macro lens 50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28) ● Image circle format: 35mm (47º angle of view) with ultra-smooth defocusing ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 75mm (32ºangle of view) ● Lens configuration: 7 elements in 6 groups The 50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28) is a 35mm format The 50mm F2.8 Macro is designed for ease of use with ● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F32 compatible lens that captures 1:1 life-size images with either auto or manual focusing. The wide focus ring is ● Minimum focus distance: 0.2m / 7-7/8" ● Max. magnification ratio: 1x ● Filter size: 55mm ● Lens hood: not included the high contrast and resolution that are hallmarks of a easy to fine-tune manually, yet doesn't rotate and ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 71.5 x 60mm / 2-13/16 x 2-3/8" truly great macro lens. A double floating mechanism throw your grip off when you're using autofocus. A ● Weight: approx. 295g / 10.4 oz ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) minimizes aberrations across the focusing range to focus hold button and focus range limiter are also pro- assure beautiful imaging from infinity down to the mini- vided to help you use autofocus in difficult situations. mum shooting distance of 20cm/7.9". With naturally Whether you're shooting subjects close up or far away, smooth defocusing characteristics and compact, you get mobility and framing versatility that 100mm- easy-handling versatility, it's a macro lens that's great class telephoto macro lenses just can't match. for landscapes and snapshots, too.

46 47 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28)

A mode, F7.1 (1/125 sec.), ISO 200, Auto white balance, Flash

A telephoto macro lens with a versatile 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) ● Image circle format: 35mm (24º angle of view) and comfortable shooting distance ● 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) The 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) is a medium tele- mum shooting distance of 35cm/13.8", enabling the ● Minimum aperture: F32 ● Minimum focus distance: 0.35m / 13-3/4" ● Max. magnification ratio: 1x photo lens that provides amazingly sharp images, and lens to perform as beautifully on portraits and land- ● Filter size: 55mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 75 x 98.5mm / 2-15/16 x 3-7/8" the working distance you need to use lighting setups, scapes as it does on macro close-ups. ● Weight: approx. 505g / 1 lb 1.8 oz ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) reflectors, and other advanced macrophotography ● Included accessories: lens hood techniques. The increased working distance also Like its 50mm sibling, the 100mm F2.8 Macro has a makes it easier to get 1:1 life-size images of butterflies wide, easy-to-rotate focus ring with auto clutch, a and other small, camera-shy creatures. A double focus hold button, a focus range limiter, and is de- floating mechanism minimizes aberrations to ensure signed for smooth intuitive operation during auto crystal-clear imaging from infinity down to the mini- and manual focusing.

48 49 DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118)

A mode, F5.6 (1/30 sec.), +1.3EV, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight

A super wide-angle zoom for imaging DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118) ● Image circle format: APS-C beyond the limits of human vision ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: approx. 16.5mm – 27mm (104º – 76º angle of view) Developed specifically for APS-C format digital SLR perspective to enhance the emotional impact of ● Lens configuration: 15 elements in 12 groups ● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture) cameras, the DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118) zoom your photos. ● 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 offers an angle of view equivalent to that of a 35mm ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 83 x 80.5mm / 3-1/4 x 3-3/16" ● Weight: approx. 360g / 12.7 oz format, 16.5–27mm zoom lens. At 11mm it provides a Three aspherical elements and one ED (Extra-low Dis- ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) ● Included accessories: lens hood spectacular 104º angle of view that goes beyond the persion) glass element are incorporated to suppress limits of human vision, with significantly enhanced per- aberration, and flaring and ghosting have been spective that adds a sense of depth and drama to the minimized to ensure excellent contrast and quality DT scene. At 18mm it provides a more natural perspec- across the zoom range. This lens also has a circular tive that is perfect for snapshots and general photo- aperture for beautiful defocusing, and an internal graphy. With zoom capability, it's easy to manipulate focusing mechanism for fast, responsive AF shooting. ● Aspherical element ● ED glass

50 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 characteristics 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) ● sive 5x zoom power, the Vario-Sonnar® T* DT 16–80mm Lens configuration: 14 elements in 10 groups ● 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 ● at that focal length, it's like having an extra lens! ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) ● 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 DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870)

M mode, 1/500 sec., F8, ISO 200, Auto white balance, flash

A classic all-round zoom with wide, standard, and telephoto angles of view

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

54 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 DT need. Specifically designed for APS-C format digital SLRs, it offers a focal length range equivalent to that DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3 (SAL18200) of a 35mm format, 27–300mm lens, enabling you ● Image circle format: APS-C to move easily from taking long-range telephoto ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: close-ups to shooting portraits, group photos, approx. 27mm – 300mm (76º – 8º angle of view) ● Lens configuration: 15 elements in 13 groups and indoor scenes. ● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F22 – F40 ● Minimum focus distance: 0.45m / Constructed of 15 elements in 13 groups, the lens 17-11/16" ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.27x ● ● includes three aspherical elements and two ED (Extra- Filter size: 62mm Lens hood: bayonet-mount petal ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 73 x 85.5mm / 2-7/8 x 3-3/8" low Dispersion) glass elements to correct aberration ● Weight: approx. 405g / 14.3 oz and assure clear, color-accurate images with excel- ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) lent resolution and contrast across the entire zoom ● 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 distance 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 performance 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) ● the portrait, snapshot or landscape image you want. Lens configuration: 12 elements in 11 groups ● 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) ● light sources. In addition, the aspherical elements also Included accessories: lens hood 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 between automatic and manual focusing with ease. ● Aspherical element

58 A mode, F7.1 (1/200 sec.), -0.3EV, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight 59 70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G)

A mode, F11 (1/8 sec.), -0.7EV, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight

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

60 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 75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) ● dramatically compressed perspective at the high end. Image circle format: 35mm (32º – 8.1º angle of view) ● Focal length equivalent when mounted on an APS-C format DSLR: This versatile performance makes it suitable for every- approx. 112.5mm – 450mm (21º – 5.2º angle of view) thing from sports and wildlife to landscapes and candid ● Lens configuration: 13 elements in 10 groups snapshots. And with a minimum shooting distance of ● Aperture blades: 7 (circular aperture) ● Minimum aperture: F32 – F38 just 1.5m/59" and maximum magnification of 0.25x, ● Minimum focus distance: 1.5m / 59" it lets you produce stunning, full-frame close-ups ● Max. magnification ratio: 0.25x with ease. ● Filter size: 55mm ● Lens hood: bayonet-mount round ● Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 71 x 122mm / 2-13/16 x 4-13/16" Built for easy portability and comfortable handling, ● Weight: approx. 460g / 1 lb 0.2 oz the 75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) features 13 ele- ● ADI flash metering support (distance encoder) ments in 10 groups, a distance encoder for ADI flash ● 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 significantly 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 ● Designed for use with the 70–200mm F2.8 G Dimensions (max. diameter x length): 64 x 20mm / 2-1/2 x 3/4" ● 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 autofocus 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 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

A fast, easy answer to the quest for even greater telephoto power

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

66 67 A beautiful union of craftsmanship and ® high technology, brought to you Carl Zeiss lenses 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 standards of image quality.

The a series lineup already includes three high-performance 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 superb 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 precision 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 pentamirror pentamirror by the mirror and directs it to the viewfinder eyepiece. Focusing screen Focusing screen

Viewfinder Viewfinder

Image Image sensor sensor Viewfinder Provides a clear, real-image view of the subject that is Aperture iris (full-open aperture) Aperture iris (shooting aperture) essentially identical to the Shutter Shutter image that will be captured by the sensor. 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. Main mirror regardless of the lens attached. Reflects the image composed 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 Electrical contacts Electrical contacts conventional film camera. Locking Alignment pin hole Lens mount mark The lens mount is the inter- face that connects the Mirror lens to the camera body. Alignment Precision-machined sur- mark Locking pin faces ensure positive mounting, with mechanical and electronic contacts for accurate auto- Aperture lever Aperture lever focusing, aperture control, Aperture iris and data exchange. The AF coupler Controls the amount of light reaching the sensor, and rim of the mount is finished plays a central role in determining depth of field and in the a System's signa- other imaging characteristics. ture color, cinnabar. AF coupler Lens Camera body

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

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 at least as fast as "1 divided by the focal length." This to set it up. That's why image stabilization systems are instantly shift the camera's image sensor in the oppo- advanced cameras make it relatively easy to take means that to prevent blurring when the focal length so useful. site direction to compensate for the motion. Although correctly focused and exposed photos. But there of the lens is 50mm, you should use a shutter speed of the stabilizing effect varies according to the lens and will still be times when you enlarge a photo that you 1/60 sec. or faster. And when shooting at a focal Although it is possible to compensate for camera shooting conditions, it is generally effective enough to thought was going to be a winner, and discover that, length of 100mm, you should use a shutter speed of shake optically, within the lens, this increases the allow shooting at shutter speeds up to 3.5 steps slower in fact, the image is quite blurry. This blurring is usually 1/125 sec. or faster. weight, size, and cost of the lens considerably. A more than would otherwise be possible. caused by camera shake, which even the steadiest efficient approach is to integrate image stabilization hand can find hard to overcome at slow shutter Of course you can try to prevent camera shake simply directly into the camera body, so that its benefits can speeds and the higher magnifications of telephoto by being careful to hold the camera steady and using be enjoyed with all lenses. And that's the approach and macro shooting. faster shutter speeds, or by using a tripod. But those the Super SteadyShot® system takes. With the Super solutions are not always an option. The light may be SteadyShot image stabilization system, two gyro sen- To prevent blurring caused by camera shake, the gen- too dim to allow the use of fast shutter speeds, and sors and actuators are integrated into the camera erally accepted rule of thumb is to use a shutter speed even if a tripod is available, there may not be time 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 determines 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 a format digital SLR, multiply the stated focal The System includes DT series lenses that are , specifically designed for use with APS-C format digi- 500mm 3°10 length by 1.5. tal SLR cameras, and 35mm format lenses that can , 300mm 5°20 be used with both 35mm format SLR cameras and 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 focal length from the same point, but at different focal 11mm 104° 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- 15.8mm. This means that when a 35mm format lens is mounted on an Focal length (50mm) spective. The conceptual chart at the left APS-C format camera, the camera only 'sees' the central portion of Focal plane Focal length Angle of view shows the correlation between focal length the image, effectively cropping the image to a smaller field of view (mm) (degrees) At 18mm and angle of view when shooting with an that is equivalent to what a lens with a 1.5x longer focal length would Optical center of lens focal length APS-C format digital SLR. (with lens mounted on an APS-C format digital SLR) produce on a 35mm format camera.

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

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

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

ShortShooting distance Long

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

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

82 83 Digital SLR basics

7 Utilizing depth of field Manipulating depth of field to achieve your creative goals

35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) at F1.4 35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) at F22 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) at approx. 0.6m shooting distance 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) at approx. 1.2m shooting distance

Changing aperture setting to vary the depth of field Changing the shooting distance to vary the depth of field These two photos of a chessboard were shot from the same distance These two macro photos of a poppy flower were taken at the same and at the same focal length, but with different aperture settings. aperture setting and focal length, but from different distances. As you At F1.4 the depth of field is so shallow that everything in front of and can see, the depth of field is shallower and background defocusing is behind the focus point is defocused, while at F22, the other chess much more pronounced in the shot taken from 0.6m than in the shot pieces and the furniture in the background are more fully defined. taken from 1.2m.

As explained in the preceding section (pp. 82-83), Depth of field and defocusing are inversely related: aperture plays a significant role in controlling depth of as depth of field increases, background defocusing field. In an actual shooting situation, however, focal becomes harder to achieve, and as depth of field length and shooting distance are likely to be your first decreases, background defocusing becomes easier priority because it is these two factors that determine to achieve. So consider your creative goals, and the composition of your shot. If your subject is a far- select a lens and aperture setting that will let you get away mountain range, for example, the long shooting the results you seek. If you want to include as much distance assures deep depth of field even if you use a background detail as possible, use the smallest possi- telephoto lens with a shallow depth of field. And if your ble aperture, and if you want to defocus the back- subject is very close to the camera, the depth of field ground to make it less distracting, use the largest possi- will be shallow and the background will be defocused ble aperture. With telephoto lenses, also pay attention even if you use a wide-angle lens with a deep depth to the distance from your subject to the background; of field. Furthermore, if the distance from your main the longer the distance, the greater the degree of subject to the background is very short, you will find defocusing. If you prefer less defocusing, use a smaller 75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) at 300mm, F5.6 DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870) at 50mm, F5.6 background defocusing difficult to achieve even with aperture and increase the shooting distance by mov- a large-aperture telephoto lens. So although aper- ing away from your main subject. On macro shots, Changing the focal length to vary the depth of field ture-based depth of field control is an extremely pow- extremely short shooting distances can make the The two photos above were shot at the same aperture setting, but at different focal lengths. (For purposes of comparison, shooting dis- erful creative tool, you should remember that the depth of field so shallow that you will need to use a tance was also adjusted to ensure that the composition of the two shooting situation itself may limit the degree to which small aperture if you want to ensure that all of your photos is the same.) As you can see, the depth of field is shallower it can be effectively used. main subject is in focus. and background defocusing is much more pronounced in the shot taken at 300mm than in the shot taken at 50mm.

84 85 Digital SLR basics

8 Macro shooting Consider minimum shooting distance and magnification when choosing a macro lens 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 minimum 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 With the life-size imaging capabilities of a dedicated, high-perfor- 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28), terms are not interchangeable. Working distance is measured from the mance macro lens, you can turn everyday objects into strikingly M mode, 1/60 sec, F4, ISO 100, White balance; Custom subject to the front of the lens, whereas shooting distance is measured original and artistic photos. with HVL-F56AM flash unit from the subject to the focal plane.

The ability to capture stunning, high-quality macro 50mm F2.8 Macro (SAL50M28), for example, has a min- size of 1cm. Both the 50mm F2.8 Macro and the a lens with a slightly longer minimum shooting distance images at very close range is another advantage of imum shooting distance of 20cm/7.9". making it possi- 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) feature a maximum will allow you to shoot from farther away and reduce SLR photography. But how close you can actually get ble to get much closer to your subject than you can magnification ratio of 1x that enables them to pro- the likelihood that your subject will be frightened to your subject depends on the minimum shooting with a normal lens. And although it produces truly duce life-size images. Compared to the maximum away. With the 50mm F2.8 Macro and the 100mm F2.8 distance of the lens you are using. Most lenses are beautiful macro images, it is by no means limited to magnification ratio of 0.15x offered by a standard lens Macro, you can obtain impressive 1x life-size images designed to meet the needs of general photography close-up shooting, and is an excellent choice for por- like the 50mm F1.4, the difference in close-up capa- from distances of about 20cm/ 7.9" and 35cm/13.8", and achieve their highest performance in the middle trait and landscape photos, too. bility is evident. respectively. Just choose the one that suits the shoot- to far distance. As such, their minimum shooting dis- ing situation best. tance is usually about 10 times their focal length. The The maximum magnification ratio of a macro lens in- Although the minimum shooting distance and the 50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14), for example, has 45cm/17.7" dicates the magnification of the lens at its minimum maximum magnification ratio are both important minimum shooting distance. shooting distance, and is a key indicator of close-up measures of macro performance, in practice it is the performance. A maximum magnification ratio of minimum shooting distance that should guide you in Macro lenses, on the other hand, are specifically 0.25x, for example, indicates that an object 4cm in size your choice of lens. If your objective is to take photos designed for close-up shooting performance. The will be captured by the camera's image sensor at a of butterflies or other insects and small living creatures,

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

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 while maintaining a comfortable shooting distance. large aperture to ensure a shallow depth of field. This With a bright lens like the Planar® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA enables you to blur background details and focus the (SAL85F14Z), you can open the aperture up to obtain viewer's attention on the main subject. Tight framing a very shallow depth of field that throws the main sub- can also help eliminate distracting background ele- ject into dramatic relief. Remember, though, that fore- ments, but it's difficult for your subjects to relax and ground and background elements can sometimes pose naturally if you stand too close. add interest to your photos, so experiment and take several shots at different aperture settings to see what The solution is to use a medium telephoto or telephoto works best in each scene. lens that enables you to frame your subject tightly

92 Planar® T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (SAL85F14Z), M mode, 1/200 sec., F4, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight 93 Portraits

DT 11-18mm F4.5-5.6 (SAL1118), M mode, 1/125 sec., F11, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight, HVL-F56M flash unit

Use large-aperture lenses indoors and wide-angle lenses for action portraits

Although medium telephoto and telephoto lenses are Wide-angle lenses can also be used to capture a popular choice for portraits, they are not your only dynamic action portraits of subjects as they move option. Indoors, a large-aperture standard lens like the about. Such lenses also offer greater depth of field, 50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14) provides excellent background enabling you to include background and foreground defocusing and enables the use of faster shutter details that can reveal the time, place, and context of speeds for handheld shooting. And when mounted on a scene. Just be sure to choose your shooting angle a digital SLR with an APS-C type image sensor, such a carefully to ensure that such details enhance the lens has an effective focal length that approaches overall beauty of the final image. that of a medium telephoto lens.

94 50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14), M mode, 1/30 sec., F2.5, ISO 200, White balance: Daylight 95 Choosing the right lens — 2 Landscapes

DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118), M mode, 1/500 sec., F10, ISO 100, Auto white balance

Use wide-angle zoom and small apertures to capture sweeping vistas and sharp detail

Landscape photos can be taken with a variety of on a digital SLR with an APS-C type image sensor, not eye from the snowfield in the foreground to the majes- require the use of slower shutter speeds, a tripod and standard lenses, but super wide and wide-angle lens- only enables you to get more of the scene in the tic peaks in the distance. remote shutter release like the RM-S1AM Remote es are often chosen for their ability to capture scenic frame, it can also significantly enhance the apparent Commander are recommended additions to your kit. vistas on a grand scale. A super wide-angle lens like perspective to add depth and drama to the scene. You can also use a small aperture setting of F11 or the DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118), which offers a In the photo shown here, for example, the seemingly above to achieve a pan-focus effect that ensures focal length equivalent to 16.5–27mm when mounted enhanced perspective naturally draws the viewer's crisp imaging across the entire scene. Since this may

96 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- them, the image would seem flat and uninteresting. tography, and you can add depth and interest to Zoom lenses are also often used in landscape photog- your photos by including foreground and background raphy because they make it easy to change the fram- elements in the frame. ing to achieve an aesthetically pleasing balance between the various elements in your composition. In In the image on the left, for example, the photogra- the photo above, the photographer zoomed in on the pher used a 20mm super wide-angle lens to include a forest until the bright green meadow grass occupied vast expanse of sky in the frame. In this case, it is the about one-third of the image area, creating a well- clouds that make this technique effective; without balanced and visually attractive composition.

98 20mm F2.8 (SAL20F28), M mode, 1/80 sec., F11, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight 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. Compact zooms not only let you frame your shots Image quality is important, of course, but it is even freely, they also offer fast zooming and focusing that more important to capture the moment. Because let you respond to photo opportunities quickly. And there are photo opportunities nearly everywhere, although zoom lenses are often not as bright as fixed a snapshot lens should be light, compact, and easy focal length lenses, you can use Super SteadyShot® to carry. In the past, this generally meant you were in-camera image stabilization and high-sensitivity limited to fixed focal length lenses, but with today's ISO settings to help you achieve blur-free results in advanced optical technology you can now choose low light. For flexibility, handling ease, and super- from a wide range of high-performance zoom lenses. sharp photos at a moment's notice, a compact zoom lens is hard to beat.

100 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

Snapshots

When you see an opportunity, shoot once, then reframe your subject and shoot again

The secret of good snapshot photography is to (SAL18200) offers portability and operating ease that respond to photo opportunities quickly and sponta- make it an excellent choice, too. neously. Such opportunities can be short-lived, so take at least one shot right away. Once you've taken the first shot, spend a bit more time shooting at different exposure settings, and vary the Zoom lenses are ideal for this sort of spontaneous composition by zooming in or out. In a photo like the shooting. Standard zoom lenses like the Vario-Sonnar® one on the facing page, a change in focal length T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z), DT 18–70mm alone can make a big difference. And in a photo like F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870), and 24–105mm F3.5–4.5 (SAL24105) the one above, varying the amount of sky, sea, and are particularly well suited to this kind of photography. shoreline you include in the frame can create an In addition, the telephoto zoom DT 18–200mm F3.5–6.3 entirely new composition. With a zoom lens, it's easy!

102 Vario-Sonnar® T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z), A mode, F11 (1/200 sec.), ISO 100, White balance: Daylight 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 background significantly even at relatively low magni- achieve crisp imaging with an exceptionally shallow fication, and because it allows you to shoot from depth of field at close range. It is this outstanding qual- slightly further away, it makes it easier to photograph ity that creates a dramatic contrast between the subjects such as butterflies and insects that may take incredible sharpness of the part of the image that is in wing if you get too close. A 50mm macro lens, on the focus, and the smooth, attractive texture of the part of other hand, offers a wider angle of view that enables the image that is out of focus. you to include background elements that add context to your composition and help establish the scene. Macro lenses are available in different focal lengths, It is lighter and more compact, making it easier to hold and you should base your choice of macro lens on the the camera steady and maintain crisp focus under type of photos you want to shoot. A 100mm medium conditions of high magnification and extremely shal- telephoto macro lens enables you to defocus the low depth of field.

104 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 DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118), A mode, F11 (1/15 sec.), +0.3EV, ISO 100, White balance: Daylight

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 es, you may need to use slower shutter speeds when blur, and large apertures to significantly defocus the wide-angle zoom lens. Such lenses allow you to show photography, and many mid-range zoom lenses are shooting in shady conditions. If the wind is causing background. And the unique 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF both a flower and its surroundings in a single frame, perfectly adequate for taking pictures of lilies, sun- your subject to move, you can prevent motion blur by (SAL135F28), which is specifically designed to achieve and demonstrate that you don't necessarily need a flowers, and other relatively large floral subjects. Zoom boosting the camera's ISO sensitivity and to allow use ultra-smooth defocusing, can be used to produce macro lens to take a great close-up photo! lenses like the DT 18–70mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL1870), DT of faster shutter speeds. beautiful macro close-ups. 18–200 F3.5–6.3 (SAL18200), and 75–300mm F4.5-5.6 (SAL75300) offer magnifications of up to 0.25~0.27x, Large-aperture lenses like the Sonnar® T* 135mm F1.8 Although magnification is a key factor in taking macro enabling you to capture frame-filling images of sub- ZA (SAL135F18Z) and 70–200mm F2.8G (SAL70200G) photos of flowers, it's certainly not the only one. The jects slightly larger than a credit card. Because they can also be used for macro shooting. They allow you photo of sunflowers shown above, for example, was are generally not as bright as dedicated macro lens- to use faster shutter speeds to prevent subject-motion taken with the DT 11–18mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL1118) super

106 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 If you're really serious about sports photography, lens- 200mm or more are key players in sports, where it is es like the 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G) telephoto or often difficult for photographers to get close to the 70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G) zoom telephoto are the action. The 75–300mm F4.5–5.6 (SAL75300) telephoto way to go.These large-aperture G lenses feature super- zoom and DT 18–200mm F3.5–5.6 (SAL18200) zoom are sharp optics and are bright enough to allow the use of good choices for outdoor sports in sunny weather, but the faster shutter speeds needed to capture sports if the lighting is less than ideal, you may not be able to action. And by boosting camera ISO sensitivity, they use shutter speeds that are fast enough to freeze the can even be used to shoot indoor sports. Both lenses action. If that's the case, simply increase the camera's also feature internal focusing mechanisms and SSM ISO sensitivity to allow the use of faster shutter speeds. (Super Sonic wave Motor) for high-speed autofocusing.

108 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

Sports

Wide-angle lenses and teleconverters can further expand your sports shooting horizons

While telephoto close-ups of athletes are certainly If, on the other hand, more telephoto power is what dramatic, a wider view of the scene can sometimes you need, teleconverters offer an affordable and result in a more dynamic and engaging composition. convenient solution. Available in 1.4x and 2x (SAL14TC In the photo of the boy on his skateboard, for exam- and SAL20TC), they can be attached to lenses like ple, the use of a super wide-angle lens enabled the the 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G) or 70–200mm F2.8 G photographer to include the take-off ramp and plenty (SAL70200G) to achieve a significant power boost with of sky in the frame, greatly emphasizing the height of only a one- or two-step reduction in lens brightness. the boy's jump. A wider view of the frame can also Compact and easy to carry, teleconverters make a add interest by capturing the expressions of team- great addition to your kitbag on any sports shoot. mates and spectators, too.

110 16mm F2.8 Fisheye (SAL16F28), M mode, 1/500 sec., F8, ISO 100 Auto white balance, built-in flash 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- telephoto when mounted on a digital SLR with an APS- ficult to get close to the subjects you are photograph- C type image sensor. The lens uses two reflecting mir- ing, super telephoto lenses are your greatest ally. The rors to achieve incredible power with a minimum of 300mm F2.8G (SAL300F28G) offers exceptional bright- weight and bulk. Measuring just 89mm/3.5" in dia- ness and fast, quiet, SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) meter and 118mm/4.6" in length, it weighs only 665g/ autofocusing, and can be combined with a 1.4x or 2x 23.5 oz, making it a great choice for photographing teleconverter (SAL14TC / SAL20TC) to achieve 420mm birds and wildlife in the field. It also offers autofocusing, or 600mm super telephoto power, which is equivalent and although the aperture is fixed at F8, in fair weather to 630mm or 900mm when mounted on a digital SLR you can use quite fast shutter speeds by setting the with an APS-C type image sensor. camera's sensitivity to ISO 200 or 400.

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

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 –13 2

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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 X-axis frame (horizontal shift) Gyro sensor for x-axis motion (horizontal) Magnet Gyro sensor for y-axis motion Y-axis frame (vertical shift) Analog signal processing (vertical) Gyro sensor Mounting plate Sensor Signal amplification substrate + Position detection Gyroscopic motion sensors Image Microcomputer for image Two gyroscopic motion Camera sensor Drive circuitry stabilization control sensors are used to in- lens Y-axis dependently measure Focal point actuator horizontal and vertical position data X-axis actuator camera shake. 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 At the core of the Super SteadyShot system is a three- prevent accidental activation when panning the Anti-dust system by shifting optical elements within the lens, the Super piece unit that consists of a mounting plate and two camera to track moving subjects. System accuracy Sensor A special coating ® SteadyShot system is integrated directly into the movable frames, one of which contains the image is also enhanced by focal length and shooting on the low-pass filter camera body, and works by shifting the image sensor sensor. Two piezoelectric ultrasonic linear actuators distance data feedback from the lens, and by high- in front of the image itself. There are several advantages to this approach, are used to drive the frames, enabling the sensor to sensitivity Hall devices that continuously monitor image sensor helps prevent static electricity one of the most important of which is that it allows the be shifted with extreme precision on both the x and y sensor position. buildup that can benefits of image stabilization to be enjoyed with any axes. Thanks to the outstanding effectiveness of this attract airborne lens. Sensor-shift image stabilization also reduces the 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, photographers can shoot at shutter speeds up to 3.5 buildup inside the camera, the sensor-shift system also Low-pass filter weight, and cost of lenses to be held in check because steps slower than would otherwise be possible. helps reduce the likelihood of image sensor dust cont- The image sensor is there is no need to incorporate motion sensors or sta- Camera movement is detected by dual gyroscopic amination by vibrating the sensor every time the cam- protected from dust contamination by bilization mechanisms into each lens. It also enables motion sensors that respond to both high-speed and era is switched off. using the sensor-shift photographers to enjoy the benefits of image stabi- low-speed shake, assuring effective image stabiliza- mechanism to lization with large-aperture medium telephoto and tion in a wide range of shooting situations. The motion vibrate the sensor every time the cam- wide-angle lenses, which by their very nature are extre- sensors can also discriminate between blur-causing era is switched off. mely difficult to equip with optical stabilization systems. camera shake and intentional movement to help

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2 Circular aperture and defocusing effect Circular aperture mechanisms: the key to distinctive defocusing characteristics With circular aperture With conventional aperture

Circular aperture Conventional aperture

F4 F4

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 Circular aperture unit full-open position. A conventional aperture at the same setting takes The blades used in a System circular aperture units on a polygonal shape with the same number of sides as the number of have a compound curvature that helps maximize blades, resulting polygon-shaped point light source defocusing. the defocusing characteristics of each lens.

Circular aperture

Smooth, circular defocusing Faceted, polygon-shaped pattern defocusing pattern The a System's circular aper- With conventional aperture ture mechanism provides mechanisms, polygonal smooth, attractive defocusing shapes become prominent in even when the aperture is defocused areas when the reduced from the maximum aperture is reduced from the Full aperture -0.5 EV -1.0 EV -1.5 EV -2.0 EV by 1 or 2 stops. {Photo taken at maximum by 1 or 2 stops. Conventional aperture F4 with the 50mm F1.4 (SAL50F14) lens}

When the background of a photo includes city lights number of aperture blades by opening the aperture near the tip are designed to form a near-perfect circle the polygonal shape of an aperture can be most or sun-dappled foliage or water, close examination all the way, a phenomenon known as vignetting can when the aperture is 1~2 stops down from maximum. noticeable. Generally speaking, increasing the num- may reveal patterns in the shape of the aperture in cause the defocused point light sources to assume an As a result, even when you reduce the aperture until ber of aperture blades makes the aperture more the defocused areas. Called "point light source defo- irregular ovoid shape near the image periphery. the influence of vignetting is diminished, point light circular and defocusing more attractive. cusing," this effect can add a special touch to por- sources are defocused and transformed into smooth, traits and macro shots. However, obtaining beautiful While increasing the number of aperture blades can attractive circles free of ovoid deformation and Of course the shape of the aperture is just one of defocusing is difficult with conventional aperture also produce a more circular defocusing pattern, the polygonal facets. many factors that can affect defocusing, and while designs because defocusing produces polygonal use of too many blades can slow operation of the the exceptionally circular shape of the aperture shapes with the same number of sides as the number aperture mechanism to an unacceptable degree. Although the defocusing characteristics of a lens mechanism used in a lenses is an important advan- of aperture blades. For this reason, the mechanisms used in interchange- tend to be more noticeable in images with point light tage, it is not a magic cure-all. Ultimately, it is the supe- able SLR lenses usually have no more than nine sources in the background, circular aperture mecha- rior optical properties of a lenses that enable them to With a lens that has a 6-blade aperture, for example, aperture blades. nisms can ensure smoother, more attractive defocus- offer truly superb defocusing; the circular aperture defocused point light sources will have a clearly ing with virtually any type of background. This is partic- simply allows the natural characteristics of each lens defined hexagonal shape. Although a more circular The aperture blades in most a lenses are formed into ularly evident when the aperture is reduced from the to be realized to the fullest possible extent. defocusing pattern can be obtained regardless of the a composite curve, and the curvature and tapering maximum by 4~5 stops because it is in this range that

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3 STF lens and defocusing effect Smooth Trans Focus: a leader in the quest for beautiful defocusing

Principle of the STF lens

STF lensApodization Conventional lens optical element A a A a

bc bc

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

Aperture efficiency comparison 100 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 a STF lens Conventional lens (not a lens in a series) (not a lens in series) element fainter toward the periphery to ensure smoother SAL135F28 SAL135F28 more aesthetically pleasing defocusing. SAL300F28G SAL300F28G

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

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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 slightly 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 glass A Aspherical lens L

Low Aspherical lens Aspherical lens dispersion glass FC

ED glass Refractive index (n) 400500600 700 800 Wavelength (nm) ® Focal Comparison of longitudinal chromatic aberration Anomalous dispersion characteristics of ED glass 35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G) Vario-Sonnar T* DT 16–80mm F3.5–4.5ZA (SAL1680Z) plane The graph to the right The graph above shows the relationship between wave- 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 red line), and a hypo- 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 thetical lens having the 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 exact same structure, 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 but containing only 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 conventional optical making it more effective in suppressing the purple fringing image quality. lens is less susceptible to flaring. 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 glass elements (Lens B, Longitudinal chromatic aberration (mm) that can appear at the border between light and dark areas blue line). Wavelength (nm) of an image.

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

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

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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

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

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

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8 ADI flash metering Advanced a system technologies for more beautiful flash exposures

Pre-flash waveform Pre-flash (flat pre-flash)

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

130 131 a system technology

High-speed synchro

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

When using a flash to provide fill lighting in bright day- of a second. If a fast shutter speed is selected, the light, it is normally necessary to use a relatively slow flash automatically switches to high-speed synchro shutter speed to ensure the flash and shutter are cor- mode and the letter 'H' is displayed in the camera's rectly synchronized. As a consequence, the aperture viewfinder. must be reduced to prevent overexposure, making it extremely difficult to defocus the background to An HSS icon is displayed on the flash make the subject stand out. unit's LCD panel when high-speed synchro is enabled. Two-way commu- nication between the flash unit and The solution to this problem is to use an advanced the camera makes switching automatic. flash unit like the HVL-F56AM or HVL-F36AM, both of If a slow shutter speed is selected, normal synchro will be used; which can deliver a continuous burst of illumination if a fast shutter speed is selected, that permits synchronization at speeds of up to 1/4000 high-speed synchro will be used.

132 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

100 Indicates excellent performance 60 60 60 60 with high contrast and resolution at the center of the lens. 40 40 40 40 80

20 20 20 20 Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) 60 Contrast (%) Indicates the level to which 0481216 20 0481216 20 0481216 20 0481216 20 Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical resolution and contrast are The MTF graphs on the following pages illustrate center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) center of lens (mm) maintained at the periphery of 40 the superior performance characteristics of the lens. a lenses. Values are plotted for both maximum 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 Contrast (%) 048121620 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- Max. aperture F8 aperture 60 60 60 60 Spatial frequency ter out to the periphery, and the narrowness of R T R T 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 Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) 0481216 20 0481216 20 0481216 20 0481216 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 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. Contrast (%) Contrast (%) 0481216 20 0481216 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 measurements. are only one measure of performance. In practice, R T R T 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

40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40

20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) 036912 036912 036912 036912 048121620 048121620 048121620 048121620 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 40 40 40 40

40 40 20 20 20 20

20 20 Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) 036912 036912 048121620 048121620

Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Distance from optical Contrast (%) Contrast (%) 036912 036912 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 40 40 40 40 40 40 20 20 20 20 20 20 Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) Contrast (%) 036912 036912 048121620 048121620 048121620 048121620 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 R T R T T: Tangential values 10 line pairs / mm T: Tangential values 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 Specifications & terminology

Glossary

ultra-smooth defocusing not be used with 35mm format on lenses with extremely short ADI flash metering Circular aperture Depth of field characteristics. SLR cameras, they offer the multi- minimum focusing distances. p. 130 p. 120 pp. 82, 84 ple advantages of outstanding ADI (Advanced Distance Circular aperture mechanisms Depth of field refers to the range image quality, compact size, and APS-C F-number Integration) flash metering mini- contribute to the excellent defo- of camera-to-subject distances low weight. mizes the influence of subject and p. 77 cusing characteristics of a lenses within which focus will be accept- pp. 82, 84 background reflectivity to ensure APS-C is one of three picture sizes by using specially designed ably sharp. Depth of field is affect- F-numbers, which are also often ED glass more accurate exposure when defined by the Advanced Photo blades to ensure that the aper- ed by a number of factors, includ- referred to as F-stops, indicate the shooting with flash. It is supported System (APS) film standard that ture remains extremely circular ing aperture size, subject dis- p. 124 size of the aperture relative to the by a System camera built-in flash was introduced in 1996. The C even when reduced from the tance, and to a more limited ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass is focal length of a lens, with each units and advanced external (Classic) size measures 23.4 x full-open position by one or two degree, focal length. a type of optical glass that was successive F-number represent- flash units such as the HVL-F56AM 16.7mm, and since this corre- F-stops. specifically developed to com- ing a halving or doubling of the and HVL-F35AM, and all distance sponds to the size of the image bat color aberration. It has a low amount of light allowed to pass Distance encoder encoder equipped a lenses. sensor used in many digital SLR refractive index and an extra-low through the lens. Because F-num- Contrast cameras, the APS-C designation pp. 119, 130 dispersion index that help ensure bers actually represent fractions has also come to be applied to pp. 124, 134 A distance encoder is a device light rays of all colors are brought (the diameter of the aperture in Angle of view such cameras and their sensors. In the context of lens perfor- incorporated into most a lenses closer to the correct focal point. millimeters divided by the focal p. 78 mance, contrast does not refer to monitor the position of the The high-quality ED glass used in length in millimeters), smaller F- Angle of view is measured in to the distribution of tonal values focusing lens elements and trans- a lenses is also notable for its numbers indicate larger apertures Aspherical lens element degrees of arc and indicates how from light to dark as in a photo- mit accurate shooting distance anomalous dispersion character- and larger F-numbers indicate much of a scene a lens can cap- p. 125 graph, but rather to the ability to information to the camera. This istics, which help minimize differ- smaller apertures. ture. Angle of view is determined A lens element with a variable distinguish between fine details information is then combined ences in the degree to which solely by the focal length of the curvature that is specially that are of slightly different bright- with light metering information to colors are affected. Focal length lens; the field of view (sometimes designed to suppress spherical ness. A lens with higher contrast ensure more accurate ADI called the picture angle) is deter- aberration without the need for will therefore produce a sharper, (Advanced Distance Integration) pp. 76, 78, 80 Flaring mined by the angle of view and additional corrective elements. crisper image than one with lower flash brightness control. Focal length is defined as the dis- the shooting distance. Although aspherical elements contrast. p. 88 tance in millimeters from the opti- require a high degree of manu- Flaring is a phenomenon that cal center of a lens to the focal DMF (Direct Manual Focus) facturing precision to produce, occurs when extraneous light rays plane (image sensor) when a sub- Aperture Defocusing characteristics they make it possible to create p. 129 that do not contribute to image ject at infinity is in sharp focus. p. 120 light, compact lenses that deliver pp. 120, 122 Direct Manual Focus (DMF) is an formation enter a lens and reflect Long focal length lenses (tele- The aperture is the opening that extremely high image quality. Defocusing characteristics, also a System feature that enables off the surface of individual lens photo) have a narrow angle of regulates the amount of light known as bokeh, describe the photographers to effortlessly elements or the inside of the lens view and make distant subjects passing through a lens. The size of appearance of the areas of an switch between auto and manual barrel. It can significantly reduce appear larger; short focal length Auto clutch the aperture also affects depth of image that are blurred because focusing. When DMF is active, the image contrast and sharpness, as lenses (wide-angle) have a wide field, with larger apertures (small- p. 129 they are outside the zone of cor- AF drive disengages as soon as well as create unwanted streak- angle of view and make distant er F-stop numbers) making depth An auto clutch is a mechanism rect focus. With poorly designed autofocusing is complete to allow ing and ray-shaped patterns. subjects appear smaller. of field shallower, and smaller that prevents the focus ring on lenses, defocused areas often manual fine tuning via the focus Flaring can be eliminated in apertures (larger F-stop numbers) the lens barrel from rotating dur- contain visually distracting, ring on the lens barrel. Fulltime most cases by proper use of a Focus hold button making it deeper. ing autofocus operation, yet sharply defined polygonal shapes DMF that allows manual focusing lens hood. enables the focus ring to engage that correspond to the shape of at any time is also possible when pp. 46, 48 the focusing mechanism during the lens aperture. With a lenses, using a lenses equipped with The focus hold button is a con- Apodization optical element Floating lens mechanism manual focus operation. This en- defocused areas have a SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) venient feature offered on some pp. 40, 122 sures improved camera-holding smoother, more even visual tex- drive. p. 32 a lenses to make it easy to lock An apodization optical element is stability when autofocusing, and ture that makes in-focus elements A floating lens mechanism is a the focus during autofocus oper- an optical element designed to allows the focus ring to be made stand out from the background mechanism that allows lens ele- ation. Although the focus can also DT (Digital Technology) lenses act as a graduated neutral densi- wider for easier manual focusing. beautifully. ments other than the focusing be locked by holding the shutter ty filter, with highest light transmis- pp. 50, 52, 54, 56, 142 group to move, thereby minimiz- button pressed halfway, the sion at the center and lowest light DT lenses are lenses that have ing aberrations that can be intro- focus hold button permits focus transmission at the periphery. been specially designed for duced at different focusing dis- to be locked across multiple An apodization optical element use with a System cameras tances. It can be particularly ef- frames even in continuous AF is built into the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] equipped with an APS-C type fective in ensuring superior image (AF-C) mode. STF (SAL135F28) lens to ensure image sensor. Although they can- quality across the focusing range

138 139 Specifications & terminology

lighting in bright outdoor situa- types of aberration than lenses straints prevent some peripheral converge and form a sharply Focus range limiter STF lens tions. High-speed synchro is sup- with smaller apertures, recent light from reaching the focal focused image on the camera's pp. 46, 48 ported by a System camera advances in optical and lens plane, and can thus cause ob- image sensor. pp. 40, 122 The focus range limiter is another built-in flash units, as well as manufacturing technology servable light fall-off at the peri- STF stands for Smooth Trans Focus convenient focusing feature high-performance external flash have led to the development of phery of an image, this can often and describes the ultra-smooth Resolution offered on some a telephoto units such as the HVL-F56AM and extremely high-performance be avoided by reducing the defocusing characteristics of and macro lenses. It helps boost HVL-F36AM. large-aperture lenses. aperture slightly. pp. 121, 134 the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF lens autofocusing speed by allowing In the context of lens perfor- (SAL135F28). In addition to offer- photographers to limit the dis- mance, resolution refers to the ing truly outstanding contrast and Image stabilization Magnification ratio Perspective tance range within which the AF ability of a lens to distinguish fine resolution, the lens is equipped system will seek a focusing target. pp. 74, 118 p. 86 pp. 78, 80 detail. It is not related to image with a unique apodization optical Image stabilization is a technolo- The magnification ratio is the ratio In photography, perspective sensor resolution, although both element that ensures beautifully gy that was developed to help between a subject's actual size refers to the apparent relative dis- image sensor and lens resolution smooth defocusing of both fore- Ghosting prevent blurring caused by cam- and the size at which it is project- tance and size of the elements in ultimately affect the quality of an ground and background. p. 88 era shake. Although it is possible ed onto the focal plane (image a scene. When shooting with a image. Lens resolution, like con- Ghosting is a type of flaring that to equip individual lenses with sensor). If a subject 10mm high wide-angle lens, the perspective trast, is usually measured by test- Teleconverter usually takes the form of spot- mechanisms that shift lens ele- appears 1mm high at the focal can seem exaggerated because ing how many line pairs per mil- shaped blemishes with a clearly ments to compensate for camera plane, the magnification ratio is foreground elements appear to limeter the lens can distinguish, pp. 64, 66, 142 defined shape. It is most likely to shake, this adds considerably to 10:1; if it appears 2mm high, the be very large in relation to back- and is a key factor in determining A teleconverter is an attachment occur when the sun or other such the size, weight, and cost of a magnification ratio is 10:2. Since ground elements. And when image sharpness. lens that can be mounted bright light source is close to the lens, and, of course, only works these values apply only at the fo- shooting with a telephoto lens, between the camera body and edge of the image field, and with the lens it is installed on. cal plane, images appear much perspective can seem compress- lens to extend the focal length of Shooting distance although antireflective lens coat- The Super SteadyShot® system, larger on a monitor or as a print. ed because background ele- the lens being used. The a lens ings and the use of lens hood are on the other hand, is built into the ments appear to be very large in p. 87 lineup includes 1.4x and 2x generally effective in suppressing camera body, so it works with all relation to foreground elements. With reference to compact cam- teleconverters (SAL14TC and MTF (Modulation Transfer it, in some situations the only way a lenses, and provides efficient eras, the terms "shooting dis- SAL20TC) for use with the Function) graphs to eliminate it is to take the shot stabilization that enables shoot- tance" and "focus distance" gen- 70–200mm F2.8 G (SAL70200G), Reflex lens from a different position or angle. ing at shutter speeds up to 3.5 p. 134 erally mean the distance from the 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G), and steps slower than would otherwise The modulation transfer function is pp. 44, 128 front of the camera lens to the 135mm F2.8 [T4.5] STF (SAL135F28). be possible. one widely used measure of lens A reflex lens is a lens that uses two subject, but in SLR photography, Maximum aperture will be G Lens performance that allows the con- mirrors to fold the optical path these terms describe the distance reduced by one F-stop with the pp. 32,42 60,142 trast reproduction capabilities back on itself to achieve a long from the focal plane (image sen- 1.4x teleconverter, and by two Internal/rear focusing a lenses bearing the 'G' designa- and resolution of a lens from its focal length within a short lens sor) to the subject when the sub- F-stops with the 2x teleconverter. mechanisms tion are specially designed and center to periphery to be diplay- barrel. Although their design does ject is in sharp focus. constructed to the highest stand- p. 39 ed in a single graph. not permit the inclusion of a vari- Working distance ards of optical performance. Built Internal focusing and rear focus- able aperture mechanism, reflex SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) to last a lifetime, they combine ing mechanisms eliminate the lenses are much lighter than con- p. 87 Multi-coatings superb clarity and sharpness with need for the lens barrel to extend ventional lenses of equivalent pp. 126 Working distance refers to the dis- exquisite defocusing characteris- and retract when focusing. In ad- p. 88 focal length, are notably free of The SSM (Super Sonic wave tance from the front surface of tics, and measure up to the most dition to making the lens more com- Multi-coatings are thin, trans- chromatic aberration, and have Motor) is an autofocus system the lens or lens barrel to the sub- demanding professional specifi- pact, the reduction in the weight parent, antireflective coatings a distinctive ring-shaped defocus- drive motor that uses supersonic ject. Macro lenses such as the cations in every detail. of moving parts ensures faster applied to lens elements to help ing pattern. vibrations generated by piezo- 100mm F2.8 Macro (SAL100M28) focusing and easier handling. prevent flaring and ghosting that electric elements to produce high offer a longer working distance can reduce contrast and torque output with minimal oper- that helps prevent the photo- HSS (High-Speed Synchro) Refraction degrade image quality. ating noise. It also supports full- grapher or camera from casting Large-aperture lenses p. 132 p. 124 time DMF (Direct Manual Focus) shadows on the subject when High-speed synchro enables flash p. 94 Refraction refers to the deflection that enables photographers to taking macro close-ups. Peripheral light photography at very fast shutter Large-aperture lenses are some- from a straight path that light rays fine-tune the focus manually speeds. As a result, photogra- times referred to as 'fast' lenses p. 143 undergo when they pass through during autofocus operation. phers can shoot at the large because their exceptional light- Peripheral light is light that passes a glass lens. It is this phenomenon apertures needed to effectively gathering power enables the use through a lens near the outer that makes it possible to use multi- defocus the background even of faster shutter speeds. Although edge of the lens disc. Although ple lens elements to cause all light when using a flash to provide fill inherently more prone to various inherent optical design con- rays that enter a camera lens to

140 141 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° — 22–29 0.125 0.25 O 77 petal / bayonet hood (circular aperture) 3-1/4 x 3-3/16 12.7 oz

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

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

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

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

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° 22 0.15 0.45 O 55 bayonet hood (circular aperture) 2-9/16 x 1-11/16 7.8 oz

7 71.5 x 60 295 SAL50M28 50mm f/2.8 Macro 6 / 7 75 32° 47° 32 1.0 0.2 O 55 — — (circular aperture) 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° 32 1.0 0.35 O 55 bayonet hood (circular aperture) 2-15/16 x 3-7/8 1 lb 1.8 oz

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 — — case 2-1/2 x 3/4 6 oz

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

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

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

12 / 13 9 42 122 x 242.5 2,310 *7 hood, slot-in circular polarizing SAL300F28G 300mm f/2.8 G 450 5° 20' 8° 10' 32 0.18 2.0 O round / clip-on filter, lens strap, (incl. 1 filter) (circular aperture) (provided) 4-13/16 x 9-9/16 5 lb 1.5 oz hard carrying case

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

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

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

*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

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.