A Compact and Capable Zoom: The Sony 20-70mm F4 G Lens

Sony has announced a 20-70mm F4 G standard zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. The lens features a lightweight and compact body and has a wide angle of 20mm, which is unique among standard zoom lenses, which typically have a wide angle of 24mm.

Sony FE 20-70mm f4 G zoom lens

Sony refers to this feature as a key advantage of the new lens. It enables the user to maintain a wide field of view when shooting video in aspect ratios of 16:9 or 2.35:1. Additionally, the wide-angle allows for the use of software stabilization (as the lens does not have an optical image stabilization system) without significant loss of image at the edges of the frame. As a result, the new Sony 20-70mm F4 G lens is particularly useful for videography.

The new Sony lens features a dedicated aperture ring, as well as zoom and focus control rings. The aperture ring includes a lock switch – when set to the “A” position, the aperture control is transferred to the camera for automatic mode.

Additionally, there is a switch on the opposite side of the lens barrel that deactivates the aperture ring, enabling a smooth transition when shooting video. Furthermore, when used with full-frame cameras, the lens allows for stunning bokeh effects due to its 9-blade rounded aperture.

The manufacturer emphasizes that the new Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G lens is suitable for vlogging and video recording, shooting portraits, and landscapes.

The new lens features dual XD linear motors, which Sony claims autofocus is 60% faster than the current Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA counterpart. The minimum focusing distance is 0.25m in manual mode, and the maximum magnification is 0.39x at a focal length of 70mm.

The autofocus system is designed to be effective for both 4K and 8K video recordings. Sony claims that there will be no misses in focus. However, it should be noted that the new Sony 20-70mm F4 G lens does not have an optical stabilization system, which would have made the lens bulkier.

The lens design incorporates two AA (Advanced Aspherical) elements, one aspherical element, three ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) glass elements, and one aspherical ED element. This combination allows for the correction of chromatic and spherical aberrations and ensures high optical performance for the new E-mount lens.

Price and release date

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G is available to pre-order from today on Bhphotovideo.com and Adorama.com for a suggested price of $1,098. The lens will go on sale in March 2023.

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G specifications

Sony FE 20-70mm f4 G zoom lens
  • Focal Length: 20 to 70mm
  • Maximum Aperture: f/4
  • Minimum Aperture: f/22
  • Lens Mount: Sony E
  • Lens Format Coverage: Full-Frame
  • Angle of View: 94°
  • Minimum Focus Distance: 9.8″ / 25 cm
  • Maximum Magnification: 0.39x
  • Optical Design: 16 Elements in 13 Groups
  • Diaphragm Blades: 9, Rounded
  • Focus Type: Autofocus
  • Image Stabilization: No
  • Front Filter Size: 72 mm
  • Dimensions (ø x L): 78.7 x 99 mm
  • Weight: 17.2 oz / 488 g

DZOFilm recently announced the release of a new 18-35mm T2.9 Catta Ace FF Cine Zoom lens. This is the third lens in the Catta Ace FF Cine lens series, joining the already existing Catta Ace 35-80mm T2.9 and Catta Ace 70-135mm T2.9.

About Ankeet Solanki

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