Review of Sony Sonnar T* E 24mm F/18 Za Lens

The Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.8 ZA ($1,099.99) is an older lens, released when Sony was nonetheless calling its Alpha line of APS-C mirrorless cameras NEX. Despite its historic period, information technology's a phenomenal performer, fifty-fifty on the latest 24MP photographic camera bodies. It's precipitous from edge to edge at f/i.eight, shows no distortion, and is capable of capturing images with a shallow depth of field thanks to a solid close-focus capability. It'southward an expensive lens, but one that's worthy of being named Editors' Choice.

Design

The Zeiss 24mm F1.8 ($679.00 at Amazon U.k.) is a large prime number, measuring 2.6 by 2.5 inches, weighing 7.9 ounces, and supporting 49mm front filters. Its barrel is metal, and it ships with a matching black metallic hood, which is reversible for storage. It's free of beautification, save for the blueish Zeiss badge. The only control is a knurled metal manual focus ring.

Manual focus is electronic, which is a downer for photographers who eschew autofocus. Turning the focus ring but activates the internal focus motor to conform focusing elements, rather than moving them mechanically. This method doesn't provide solid tactile feedback. If yous're a transmission focus fiend, consider the Zeiss Loxia 2.8/21, which doesn't support autofocus, simply delivers a true mechanical transmission focus experience.

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The Sonnar doesn't feature optical prototype stabilization—broad-angle primes seldom do. Its wide aperture and field of view lessen the need for stabilization for stills; you should exist able to mitt hold a sharp shot at 1/30-2d without too much difficulty. But if you're looking at the the lens for handheld video work, exist aware that you'll terminate up with jittery footage. At press time, the Alpha 6500 is the only APS-C body with built-in stabilization.

The lens is designed for utilize with APS-C bodies, which accept image sensors smaller than 35mm film. Because of that, its field of view is roughly equal to a 36mm lens mounted to a 135 organization. You lot tin can apply the Sonnar with full-frame models like the Alpha 7 Two, just the photographic camera will automatically crop images to friction match the smaller APS-C sensor size, reducing resolution. You lot can change settings to use the entirety of the sensor, but photos will have a nighttime black circumvolve surrounding them.

The 24mm F1.8 focuses equally close equally 6.2 inches (16cm). At its closest working distance it projects images onto the paradigm sensor at ane:iv life-size, giving it a decent macro capability. When working that shut you'll have quite a bit of control over depth of field, with f/i.8 images blurring backgrounds significantly.

The Sonnar was released before Sony started to seal its premium APS-C bodies from dust and moisture. If you plan on using it with an Alpha 6300 or 6500, be enlightened that y'all should avoid doing so in heavy precipitation. You'll demand to reach for an FE lens to completely protect sealed models.

Epitome Quality

I tested the 24mm F1.viii with the 24MP Alpha 6500. At f/1.8 it is exceptionally sharp, notching two,749 lines per picture tiptop on Imatest'south center-weighted sharpness test. Our examination image is just as precipitous at the edge of the frame every bit it is at the centre. The score is well in backlog of the 1,800 lines we desire to see at a blank minimum.

Stopping down to f/two, f/2.8, and f/iv nets similar sharpness scores. There's a minor improvement at f/5.six (2,883 lines) and f/8 (2,916 lines), which is only about as much resolution as you can expect from a 24MP image sensor. Diffraction sets in at narrower apertures, cuting resolution at f/11 (ii,683 lines), f/16 (two,149 lines), and f/22 (1,260 lines).

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At that place's no baloney of which to speak. The direct lines on our test chart announced just as straight in photographs. There is some dimness at the corners of the frame at f/1.viii and f/2—they're about 2 stops (-2EV) dimmer than the eye. It'southward lessened at f/four, and the frame is evenly lit at f/five.6 and narrower. JPG shooters can rectify this automatically with in-camera correction, and Raw photographers can eliminate the vignette look using a lens profile correction in Lightroom CC.

Conclusions

Bated from its request price, at that place'southward not much to gripe nigh with the Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.eight ZA. It'south an extremely precipitous lens, even at the edges of the frame at f/one.8, and it focuses quite close. Prototype quality is only astounding, and when shooting at a wide discontinuity you get images with a blurred background to make your subject pop. It'south non perfect—a lack of weather condition sealing and optical stabilization continue it from getting a perfect score—but it should still be considered as the best broad-angle prime lens y'all tin get for APS-C Sony cameras, and our Editors' Choice.

Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.eight ZA

Cons

The Lesser Line

The Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.viii ZA is an exceptionally sharp, premium wide-angle lens for Sony's APS-C mirrorless system.

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Source: https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/sony-carl-zeiss-sonnar-t-e-24mm-f18-za