Sony Announces the 100mm Lens – things you must know about the lens
Sony announced the 2 new lens 100mm F2.8 STF G Master and FE 85mm F1.8 lenses. The 100mm F2.8 Lens is getting a major spotlight due to its uniqueness and features, let’s see what actually new inside the lens and why you should get that lens if you are into event or portrait photography.
apodization (APD) element
Sony used apodization (APD) element or filter whatever you can say. The apodization (APD) element is being already used by Fuji and Canon and Now Sony is also adding in the lineup.
The elements helps to create more natural bokeh. It minimizes the harsh texture when there are strong contrast in the out of focus part of the background. It’s actually a radial natural density filter that get more darker towards the edges causing the disc of light to fade towards the edges. And that actually helps every indivual disc to produce more smooth and creamy bokeh.
11-blade aperture help you to get amazing rounded bokeh. A Macro switching ring helps the lens to focus close subjects as 0.57m/1.87ft (0.25x magnification).
The lens also features optical image stabilization that helps to combat camera shake on go.
Lens size comparison
Camera and lens size comparison by camerasize.com
Take a look what happen when you attach the lens with Sony A7R II camera against 5D Mark IV.
The 85mm F1.8 Lens for FF Sony
The 85mm F1.8 lens is lightweight and compact portrait lens for the Sony FE Mount system cameras and the lens is also dust and moisture – resistance.
Both lenses are expected to ship in March. The FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS will cost $1500, while the FE 85mm F1.8 will sell for $600.
Press Release
Sony Introduces 100mm F2.8 STF G Master™ with Highest Ever Quality Bokeh for an α Lens
New Full-frame 85mm F1.8 Mid-telephoto prime lens and Compact Radio-Controlled Flash announced as well
LAS VEGAS, Feb. 7, 2017 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today introduced two new lenses for their popular line of E-mount interchangeable lens cameras.
Sony’s new lenses include one of their flagship G Master Series – an FE 100mm F2.81 STF GM OSS mid- telephoto prime lens (model SEL100F28GM) built to deliver breathtaking bokeh with a unique STF™ (Smooth Trans Focus) design, and a new compact, lightweight FE 85mm F1.8 mid-telephoto prime lens (model SEL85F18) that is a welcome addition to the bag of any hobbyist or enthusiast photographer looking to create amazing portraits.
They have also introduced a new powerful, compact flash (model HVL-F45RM) with radio-controlled wireless communication that is ideal for professional shooting with Sony’s lineup of α7 full-frame cameras.
FE 100mm F2.81 STF GM OSS Telephoto Prime Lens
A specially designed mid-telephoto, full-frame prime lens, the new 100mm STF is built to produce truly unique, magnificent and beautiful bokeh while maintaining the exceptional standard of resolution that is showcased by Sony’s entire line of flagship G Master series lenses, making it a powerful photographic tool for any portrait, fashion, nature or wedding photographer.
These impressive defocus capabilities are made possible by the lens’ advanced optical structure, as it features a newly designed 11-bladed aperture and a unique optical apodization lens element. Similar to a neutral density filter that increases in density towards the edges, the apodization element creates beautiful transitions of in-focus to out-of-focus areas within an image, making for exceptionally soft, smooth bokeh that adds depth and dimensionality. This allows the subjects to stand out against beautifully defocused elements in both the foreground and background, producing an image that is naturally pleasing to the eye. The design of the lens also ensures that vignetting is kept to an absolute minimum, ensuring optimum image quality.
Additionally, the new 100mm lens supports both contrast AF and focal-plane phase detection AF2, and has a high-precision, quiet direct drive SSM (Super Sonic Motor) system that ensures exceptionally fast and accurate AF performance. The SEL100F28GM also offers up to 0.25x close-up capabilities with a built-in macro switching ring, built-in Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization, a customizable focus hold button, AF/MF switch, aperture ring and more. It is dust and moisture resistant as well3.
FE 85mm F1.8 Telephoto Prime Lens
The new 85mm F1.8 mid-telephoto prime lens offers an extremely versatile, lightweight and compact telephoto prime lens solution for a variety of Sony camera owners ranging from working professionals to emerging enthusiasts that have stepped up to full-frame or APS-C cameras for the first time. With its wide F1.8 aperture, it can produce impressive, exceptionally sharp portraits with soft background defocus that take advantage of its 85mm focal length and wide F1.8 maximum aperture.
The new prime lens features a 9-bladed circular aperture mechanism that ensures smooth, natural looking bokeh, and a double linear motor system to allow for fast, precise and quiet focusing. It also has a focus hold button that can be customized and assigned together with functions in the camera body like the popular Eye AF feature. There is a smooth, responsive focus ring and AF/MF switch as well, and the lens is also dust and moisture resistant3.
New Compact Radio-controlled Flash
Sony’s new HVL-F45RM flash enhances the radio-controlled lighting system capabilities of their growing system, offering a compact professional shooting solution when combined with the currently available wireless remote controller FA-WRC1M and receiver FA-WRR1.
The new flash, which is designed to complement the compact bodies of Sony’s E-mount camera lineup including full-frame α7 models, produces a maximum lighting output as expansive as GN454. This ensures sufficient illumination even when shooting with bounce lighting or high-speed-sync (HSS) flash. The radio capabilities of the HVL-F45RM allow it to be used as a transmitter or a receiver at up to 30m (approx. 98 feet5), making it an ideal fit for creative lighting with multiple flashes. Additionally, unlike optical flash systems, radio-control flashes do not require a direct line-of-sight between components to function properly, while also minimizing any impact that bright sunlight has on signal transmission and control.
The HVL-F45RM flash has an impressive battery life of up to 210 bursts, and can tilt up to 150o vertically, a complete 360o horizontally and up to 8o downward to maximize versatility. Usability has been maximized with a new large, bright and highly visible LCD display, an LED light, dust and moisture resistant design3 and a revamped menu system that mimics those of Sony’s newest camera systems.
Pricing and Availability
Both of the new lenses and the new flash unit will ship to authorized dealers throughout North America.
The new FE 100mm F2.8 STF OSS GM Telephoto Prime Lens will ship this March for about $1,500 US and $2,050 CA.
The new FE 85mm F1.8 Mid-Telephoto Prime Lens will ship this March for about $600 US and $800 CA.
Replacement lens hoods for each of the new models will also be available for purchase as well.
The new HVL-F45RM flash will ship this May for about $400 US and $550 CA.
You comparison to the Canon 100 F2.8 is hardly fair since one is a macro lens and the other is not.