In an announcement that is sure to make a lot of people very happy, Sony announced a pair of new lenses, one all-new and the other, for the first time as a stand-alone product. The new optics, a 20mm f2.8 pancake and a 18-200 superzoom, will be exclusive to Sony's E-mount NEX line of cameras.
So, what of the new lenses?
The big headline announcement here is the 20mm f2.8 pancake. Why the name? The lens is virtually flat at less than an inch long. For users of Sony's ever-shrinking NEX cameras, this is the ideal travel lens as it provides the go-anywhere size of a point and shoot with the image quality of a dSLR. On Sony's 1.5x APS-C sensor, the lens will provide the equivalent of a 30mm field of view, providing an ideal, not too wide not too narrow field of view.
Secondly (and 'about time' for many)), is the 18-200 as a stand-alone optic. Previously, Sony only offered this lens as a kit optic for its NEX-VG30 camcorder. Now, anyone with an E-mount camera can utilize this all-in-one lens that has been optimized for video shooting thanks to its specially-designed (to be quiet) AF, zooming, and focusing capabilities. The lens also features in-lens optical stabilization, too.
As for pricing and availability, the new 28 f2.8 pancake will hit stores in April at a price of about $350. The 18-200? Look for it to ship in March for around $1200.
Want to buy photo gear in the Cleveland area? Well, there's Cleveland-based Dodd Camera, with its downtown superstore. In addition, there are many smaller Cleveland metro area chain stores in the Cuyahoga County area, too. Dodd is an authorized Sony dealer.
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