Nex-7 and the 24mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar Lens – Sample Photos with 100% Crops, Exif, Specs, and First Impressions

Sony‘s SEL24F18Z 24mm f/1.8 E-Mount Carl Zeiss Sonnar Lens opens up a new world for owners of NEX cameras. The equivalent of 36mm in full-frame or 35mm format, this lens is a versatile medium wide-angle focal length with superb Zeiss Sonnar optical design. The extremely wide maximum aperture of f/1.8 is ideal for shooting under low-light conditions, and with the seven blades that form a near-circular aperture, it can also create photos with lovely shallow depth-of-field (which provides a powerful sense of space).

The design includes aspherical lenses which compensate for distortion and an ED element which suppresses chromatic aberration, for excellent corner-to-corner sharpness (even with the aperture wide open).  Direct Manual Focus (DMF) allows you to manually focus after autofocus has locked on, so you can easily fine-tune your focusing without switching modes. This is especially useful when shooting with very shallow depth-of-field.  A linear motor used for autofocus drive helps make this lens ideal for video–a very low-noise focus operation, with a stepping motor built into the lens for smooth, quiet aperture actuation. This lens is a wonderful addition to any photographer’s camera bag.

Carl Zeiss Sonnar Optics

This is the first Carl Zeiss lens to be released in the Sony E-mount lineup, employing the legendary “Sonnar” optical design for standout image dimensionality and presence. Aspherical lenses located on either side of the aperture effectively compensate for distortion, while an ED element suppresses chromatic aberration. The overall result is excellent corner-to-corner sharpness even with the aperture wide open, for impressive overall resolution.

Large f/1.8 Aperture

The large f/1.8 aperture is an ideal choice for shooting interiors in low light, as well as for superb background defocusing. Despite being a wide angle lens (36 mm in the 35 mm format), this lens allows for 1/4 macro shooting with accurate focus as close as 6.2″ (16 cm). The ability to get close to the subject enhances this lens’s ability to create beautifully defocused backgrounds while providing a strong sense of space.

Smooth, Quiet Autofocus for Video

Lens operation is fast but at the same time smooth and quiet, minimizing noise and image jitter when shooting movies. A linear motor used for focus drive contributes to low-noise focus operation, while a stepping motor built into the lens provides smooth, quiet aperture actuation ideal for movie shooting.

Circular Aperture

The lens features seven aperture blades that form a near circle. This results in a pleasing defocused circular effect on the background of your image when the aperture is set wide open.

Direct Manual Focus

Direct Manual Focus (DMF) allows for direct manual focusing after autofocus lock-on without having to switch modes. In cases where autofocus has trouble locking onto the subject, or when the user wants to focus at a specific point, this feature enables fast and easy fine-tuning. This can be particularly useful for portraits as well as macro shots in which depth of field can be extremely shallow.