Sony has just announced its widest premium prime: the FE 24mm f/1.4 GM Lens. This is the lens many pros have been waiting for, especially those shooting landscapes and architecture, because it finally gives photographers a high-end and super-fast choice. Astrophotography is an ideal genre for this lens, as well, thanks to the bright f/1.4 maximum aperture and a design that suppresses sagittal flare, for reproducing point light sources. The lens also claims to be among the smallest and lightest in its class, with a size of just 3 x 3.6", a weight of less than one pound, and a front filter diameter of 67mm.
Befitting a G Master lens, the 24mm is, of course, equipped with Sony's latest optical technology, such as two extreme aspherical (XA) elements for corner-to-corner sharpness and three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements for correcting chromatic aberrations. A Nano AR Coating is present to combat flare and ghosting, while a fluorine coating and weather-sealed construction protect the lens in adverse conditions. A high-speed Direct Drive SSM autofocus motor has also been implemented for fast, quiet focusing. The lens barrel offers a rubberized focus ring, alongside a programmable focus hold button, an AF/MF switch, and an aperture ring that can be de-clicked.
This is the lens I have been waiting to add to my collection. What do you think about it? Let us know in the Comments section, below!
2 Comments
Although I prefer a wider lens for astrophotography, I have gotten great results with my Sony mirrorless. No stars eaten!
It's interesting that they tout this lens as useful for astrophotography when there is a well known (and as yet unresolved by Sony) "Star-Eater" anti-noise spatial filtering algorithm in Sony mirrorless cameras that makes them undesirable to use for long-exposure astrophotography.