New Offerings Include 16-70mm F4 Carl Zeiss Lens, 18-105mm F4 G Lens™ and 50mm F1.8 portrait lens in black

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sony has announced three new additions to its line of E-mount interchangeable lenses, including a versatile mid-range zoom (16-70mm F4) by Carl Zeiss, a power-zoom G lens (18-105mm F4) optimized for video – Sony’s first ever G Lens™ for E-mount cameras - as well as a new black finish option for the popular 50mm F1.8 portrait lens.

The ever-growing family of E-mount interchangeable lenses now totals 18 different models from Sony, Carl Zeiss and now G lenses, giving shooters an impressive selection of creative tools to enhance their photography.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS Zoom Lens (SEL1670Z)

The new Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* 16-70mm F4 zoom lens gives photographers the opportunity to experience legendary Carl Zeiss optical excellence in a supremely compact, easy-to-carry zoom lens. A practical 4x zoom range of 16-70mm (24-105mm in 35mm full-frame equivalent) makes this model ideal for a wide range of everyday photo situations, from landscapes and portraits to informal snapshots and everything in between.

This premium lens provides outstanding contrast and resolution at all zoom settings, and it has a renowned T* coating on optical surfaces that reduces glare and ghosting for natural color reproduction, superb definition and clarity. Lens size and weight are minimized thanks to Advanced Aspherical lens (AA lens) technology, which combines four aspherical elements with one ED glass element.

Additionally, the new Carl Zeiss E-mount lens maintains a constant F4 maximum aperture at all focal lengths, reducing the need for high ISO settings when zoomed in and allowing the use of high shutter speeds to freeze fast-moving action. It also has an extra refinement in the circular aperture which enables naturally smooth background defocus, and features Optical SteadyShot image stabilization for reducing the effects of hand shake.

Aesthetically, it has a stylish metal exterior and the premium look, feel and construction expected from Carl Zeiss.

E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS Power Zoom Lens (SELP18105G)

The new E 18-105mm F4 G power zoom lens is the first ever G lens created for Sony’s E-mount line of cameras. The premium all-around lens covers a generous 5.8x zoom range from 18mm – 105mm (full frame equivalent 27mm - 157.5mm) and is an ideal choice for travel photography as well as every day, general purpose shooting.

The innovative optical design of the new zoom reflects its G Lens pedigree. Two ED glass elements are combined with three aspherical elements for high resolution and contrast throughout the entire zoom range, minimizing distortion and color aberration.

Featuring a remarkably smooth, quiet autofocus and powerzoom operation, the premium G lens is particularly suited for video shooting. The conveniently-placed zoom lever on the lens barrel allows fixed or variable-speed power zooming, with easy fingertip operation to reduce unwanted camera shake. Further, the overall lens length remains unchanged during focusing and zoom operation, maintaining consistent handling and delivering a more natural shooting experience.

Like the new Carl Zeiss zoom lens, the E 18-105mm F4 Gmodel has a circular aperture that enables smooth, professional quality background defocus, and maintains a constant F4 maximum aperture for plenty of brightness at all zoom settings. It also features Optical SteadyShot to cut the effects of camera shake while shooting.

50mm F1.8 Portrait Lens in Black

In response to user demand, the E 50mm F1.8 fixed-focal length lens is now available with a stylish black finish to match any black E-mount interchangeable lens camera. This bright, wide-aperture prime lens is ideal for capturing atmospheric handheld portraits with flattering background defocus. It also has Optical SteadyShot for reducing camera shake and smooth, quiet autofocus capabilities.

Pricing and Availability

• The new Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* 16-70mm F4 zoom lens will be available in late September for about $1000.
• The new E 18-105mm F4 G Series zoom lens will be available in December for about $600
• The new E 50mm F1.8 portrait lens in black will be available in late September for about $300

The new lenses will all be available at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) and other authorized dealers nationwide.

Please visit blog.sony.com for a full video preview of the new E-mount lenses and follow #SonyNEX on twitter for the latest α NEX camera news.