Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 [T 4.5] Manual Focus SLR Lens

Comments about Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 [T 4.5] Manual Focus SLR Lens:

For Product Photography, Portrait and still life this lens is amazingly sharp and has THE BEST Bokeh EVER.

Use it with Full frame or 35mm Film and you'll treat yourself with one of a kind lens.

some how Easy to focus on a 35mm film due to the bright viewfinder. However, No focus confirmation of any kind!! I found this is the only problem with it. But doesn't bother me.

Comments about Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 [T 4.5] Manual Focus SLR Lens:

this is a good lens but unfortunately , it is still not better or as good as the Zeiss 135mm f1.4. The bokeh is not creamy and smoothy enough compare to the Zeiss,if you want a manual focus and you don't have a Zeiss 135mm ,this would be a good lens for you.Finally i decide to return it back to B& H.

Comments about Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 [T 4.5] Manual Focus SLR Lens:

If you like bokeh this is the lens for you the down side is its not as useful (no autofocus)as the CZ135mm if you can afford only one high end 135mm prime the CZ135mm maybe the way to go.

The build quality is excellent, a lens that will last forever if not abused.

This is the bokeh lens that is unparalled by any lens by any brand. Its in a class by its self. If bokeh is something you care about its THE lens to have.

I list not having auto-focus as a con but its not that big of a drawback, the focus ring is very smooth and precise and a pleasure to use, but if it had AF it would be a must have lens.

Comments about Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 [T 4.5] Manual Focus SLR Lens:

I own the Minolta Maxxum 135 STF lens, which has the same optical design inside as the Sony. Only the barrel on the Sony lens has been changed (for the better) from the Minolta barrel. I can say without hesitation that this lens (the Maxxum version)is a perfect portrait lens. Don't let the "Smooth Trans Focus" in the name fool you. There is just no sharper lens. The STF refers to the parts of the image that are out of focus-in the foreground and backround having a very pleasing soft look. A small bright light in the distance, behind a person 6 feet away from the camera, would look bright in the center and gradually less bright toward the edges of the (out of focus) light. In a typical lens, the whole light would just look like a circle of light with the same brightness all across. Being designed in large part for portraiture, the lens does have slightly less contrast than my 100mm Maxxum macro, or my 200mm Maxxum macro. I have taken many test shots with the 135 STF on Fuji 100iso slide film in my Maxxum 9, and the shapness on the slides, from center through corners is just amazing and perfect. I am glad to see that Sony has kept it in production. The build quality-fugetabout-fantastic. It is all metal and solid as a rock-no looseness or play between the parts of the barrel.
Even the serial number is engraved right in the metal barrel, instead of having a sticker recessed in the barrel. The very large lens hood is plastic but is very thick and strong. It has black felt on the inside and has an overall look of high quality. This lens is f/2.8 but T/4.5, which means that the light throughput is actually the same as an f/4.5 lens. T stands for true.
I think this lens is a must-have if you intend to do much potrait or flower/nature work on a full frame Sony. It is better than my Maxxum 85mm 1.4 on film and probably on a FF digital camera. This lens also has a nice close minimum focus distance-resulting in about 1:4 reproduction. Make sure you get a 72mm filter to protect the front of the lens.