Sony has announced a new power zoom lens for its Alpha range of mirrorless cameras. The Sony FE PZ 16-35mm f4 G Series lens is suitable for full-frame cameras.
Smooth aperture control
Sony aims the FE PZ 16-35mm f4 G Series lens squarely at filmmakers. It has separate rings for focus, zoom and aperture. There is also a switch on the lens, allowing you to select whether the aperture ring is smooth or clicked. In addition, there is an iris lock switch that prevents accidental shifts in exposure.
Power zoom
You can operate the power zoom lens by turning the zoom ring or with the rocker switch on the body of the lens. You can also remotely control the camera’s zoom while mounted on a gimbal. The FE PZ 16-35mm f4 G Series lens has four XD linear motors for the power zoom. Sony says these give precise and quiet zoom control. The lens has up to eight levels of adjustable zoom speed with compatible cameras. You can set the zoom speed to a constant rate. You can also make the speed depend on how far you push the rocker or how fast you turn the zoom ring. The length of the lens does not change when zooming.
Fast autofocus
The FE PZ 16-35mm f4 G Series lens has two additional high-thrust XD linear motors, which should deliver fast, responsive autofocus. Sony state that the autofocus is stable up to 4K 120 fps. The lens also has minimal focus breathing. The close focus distance is 0.92-0.79 feet, depending upon where you are in the zoom range. The FE PZ 16-35mm f4 G Series lens includes two advanced aspherical elements, a Super Extra-low Dispersion element and an ED element to suppress distortion and aberration effectively.
Lightweight
The FE PZ 16-35mm f4 G Series lens weighs only 12.5 ounces. It is 3 ½ inches long and 3 ¼ inches in diameter. The lens body has a dust and moisture-resistant design to protect it when you are shooting outdoors. The filter diameter is 72 mm.
Pricing and availability
The Sony FE PZ 16-35mm f4 G Series lens is set to retail at $1200 and will be available from July 2022.
