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(SR4) Ultrawide G lens (SR2) Possible Zeiss lens roadmap

[shoplink 7489 ebay][/shoplink]
Pictured on top: The [shoplink 7489 ebay]Sony DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6[/shoplink]. There will be a similar zoom for fullframe within 2011.

It’s very difficult for me to get reliable info about the upcoming lenses. This because the recent Earthquake in Japan changed the plan of all camera manufactors (Sony and Zeiss). As I already told you the 500mm f/4.0 G lens has been delayed and I have to check what of the orgiginal 4-5 planed Fullframe lenses will be announced within 2011. But there is one small reliable info I can share with you today. Sony should release a premium ultrawide G fullframe zoom within end 2011. I have been told it is “along the lines of the [shoplink 7489 ebay]11-18[/shoplink] but much higher quality, and not DT” Check the 11-18 Sont DT lens at [shopcountry 7489].

One more rumor (SR2)
I ask my sources if they know something about that Zeiss lens roadmap I got from a new source:
14mm Distagon f/2.8
28mm Distagon f/2
35mm Distagon f/1.4
200mm ApoSonnar f/2

Would love this to be true!!! If you know more about the lens roadmap feel free to drop me a text at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com or use the contact form on the right sidebar (it’s anonymous!)

The current Zeiss fullframe lenses are the:
– SAL-1635Z 16-35mm f/2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* (Check those direct search links for price and specs: [shopcountry 7490])
– SAL-24F20Z Sony Distagon T* 24mm f/2 SSM (Price and specs: [shopcountry 7497])
– SAL-2470Z 24-70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* (Price and specs: [shopcountry 7491])
– SAL-85F14Z Telephoto 85mm f/1.4 Carl Zeiss Planar T* (Price and specs: [shopcountry 7492])
– SAL-135F18Z 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* (Price and specs: [shopcountry 7493])

[poll id=”59″]

 

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Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources (60-80% the rumor is correct)
SR5=almost certainly correct!

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62 Responses

    1. May I ask you, why would you need a 18mm f1.8 or f2.0? and BTW if you really want a “HSM” I suppose u’re searching in the wrong place…

  1. 11-18mm full frame lens? Whut?
    That’s even possible in a first place? I don’t recall any 10 or 11mm lens that covers Full Frame. Won’t it limit angle of view? Won’t it have huge vignetting on full frame?

    Anyway – this would be IMO most interesting lens.
    Distagon 35mm f/1.4 so many people vote for? It’s gonna be really expensive, Nikon 35 f/1.4 goes for 1700 USD at B&H, that’s much more even than Distagon T* 24mm f/2 (which goes for 1300 USD). Aged Minolta design is around 1400 USD but never the less it’s quite poor lens all things considered (even though it has many people who seem to love it).

    As for Distagon 28mm f/2 – I don’t really see a point in releasing this lens currently.

    1. It’s only 11mm wider than the Sigma, and will probably be much more expensive. Perfectly doable.

      As long as no one expects it to be f2.8, as that would be just gigantic.

      1. Hehehe 🙂 Yea, I guess Zeiss wouldn’t try that one. Standard aperture range would be good enough anyway as long as they would keep it acceptably sharp at corners and eliminate terrible chromatic aberrations from current 11-18.

        I’m very curious of what comes out of it, as I slowly collect cash for my new UWA – was about to buy something else, but with new offer I guess I’ll have to reconsider. 🙂

  2. whoaaa… 11-18mm FF format? That will be ultra ultra wide on a FF and ultra wide enough for an APS-C camera.

    Only questions is whether the front element is protruding out like the sigma 12-24 or not…

        1. That’s probably still too fast to have a front filter thread. Depending on how much specialty glass they throw at the design, it’s unlikely it’ll have an f4 aperture at the wide end and 77mm threads.

          Of course, if they don’t try to fit a front filter thread to it like Nikon and Tokina have done, that’ll give them a lot more freedom in the design and they could make it faster. Some would simply refuse to buy it if they did, though. The other option would be to use a filter holder like the telephotos have, but I’m not sure how easy that would be to do with an UWA zoom.

  3. actually, do you guy worry after purchase a great lens ~$1-2k and found out later companies release similar lens with very near quality but with 20-30% price cheaper….

    1. Depending on what you do with your photography almost as good, isn’t good enough.
      Money is important, but 20-30% not so much as the image and the confidence knowing your optics are as sharp and as fast as anyone else shooting the same shot.
      I only have so much room in my bag, so having four top quality lenses to build my photography around and each of them optically strong makes my live easer in the long run.
      Cameras come and go…………….quality glass is an investment in your craft.

      Nice rumor, hope some of it is true.

    1. In my street bag I carry something I call the “family” Zeiss CZ 16-35f2.8, the CZ 24-70f2.8 and thee CZ135f1.8 all of them about the same size and weight and look very much alike.
      I try to keep each in its spot so I can grab the one I want without looking.

      With full-frame sensors moving from 24MP to 40MP and higher soon I hope to carry smaller and LIGHTER primes and use PS to replace my desire to carry as many zooms, but the lens must be corner to corner sharp and clean. So spending what I can on quality is okay.

      I continue to be disappointed how big and heavy quality full-frame glass has become. I often have my Minolta 50mmf1.4 in my coat pocket. For me it’s not much use below f2 but it’s great when you don’t want to stick-out in the crowd. It’s been my friend since 1985 and one of the first AF lenses made by Minolta.

      1. Nice Zeiss collection!

        I’m a big fan of primes myself. Optical quality is great, they are smaller, and the 1+ extra stop really helps. And as you said, high grade zooms ridiculously heavy and big.

        That being said, my favorite lenses to this day are the Minolta 35mm f2 and the Minolta 135 f2.8[t4.5]. I have yet to own an actual Sony lens! XD

        1. oh no…
          comment for steve above pancanikonpus

          *sigh*
          reply system on SAR could use a little work….

  4. 28/2 makes me a sad panda. I see no point in replacing my Minolta.

    Does this mean Sony have no plans of making any f1.4 or faster lenses wider than 35mm?

    1. Seeing as how no one is willing to sell their Minolta 28/2 at a reasonable price, hearing that Zeiss is potentially releasing a new one makes me very happy. I’d rather pay the fortune for the updated Zeiss lens with a warranty.

      Honestly, Zeiss should have released the 28/2 instead of the 24/2. 28mm is such a better focal length (on FF).

  5. Any new glass is good 🙂

    28/2 is a little close to the 24/2 to be a priority, IMO, but since the Zeiss manual focus 28/2 is excellent, I won’t complain!

    I’m also hoping for a new 50. I think there’s a bigger market for a pro 50/1.4 or 50/2 Makro Planar than there is for a 14/2.8 (which would have to be a completely new design).

  6. To Andrea:
    Do you have any news about VG10 successor?
    I’m desperately seeking for my camcorder replacement. (Still using 2003 DCR-PC330!)
    Although I think the NX70 would be a good successor to my venerable model, yet I’m reluctant to let go the chance to make the most of my lens collection:
    currently I’m using A350 body with

    16-35 CZ
    70-300G
    50 1.4

    16-105 (“retired”)
    75-300 (“retired”)

    I think the 16-35 would make gorgeous landscape video shots!

    BTW, I’m also looking forward to A77 as well.

  7. Not offense to admin but do you know that much about cameras and lenses? Serious question. How long have you been using (D)SLRs?

    The Sony DT 11-18mm lens is equivalent to a full frame 16.5mm – 27mm f/7.2-8.4 lens on a full frame camera.

    However Sony already sells the premium Sony Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F/2.8 SSM lens.

    Notice three things about the *existing* Sony FF ultra wide zoom:

    1. It is a Zeiss already
    2. It has a greater equivalent focal range than the DT lens
    3. It is much faster (brighter) lens and has better focusing (SSM) than the DT lens

    So why on earth would you bring up the DT 11-18mm in reference to a new Zeiss Ultra-Wide zoom when that much better Zeiss Ultrawide zoom already exists?

    You’re probably confusing a new Sony Ultrawide *DT* SAM lens replacement with the already existing Zeiss FF lens.

    1. Maybe Andrea has show this lens cause his source told that it’s gonna be “along the lines of the 11-18”? So he has show us 11-18 in case someone wouldn’t know what source referred to?
      Go figure.
      🙂

    2. “The Sony DT 11-18mm lens is equivalent to a full frame 16.5mm – 27mm f/7.2-8.4 lens on a full frame camera.” – PhotoNut

      ^^^
      And that’s why Mr. Nut, CZ is planning a new FF 11-18mm as there is no FF11-18mm in the market?

      1. That does not make any sense. Why would Zeiss make a FF 11-18mm full frame lens? For what purpose? Who is asking for this?

        It is the DT 11-18mm that is being refreshed!

        1. Read PhotoNut what Andrea’s source told: “along the lines of the 11-18 but much higher quality, and not DT“.

          It likely won’t be exactly 11-18mm, just the lens with similar focal length – super-ultra-wide – but what source says for sure is that it’s Full Frame lens.

          Why would Zeiss make so ultrawide full frame lens? Most likely for Landscape photographers – a guy from Luminous Landscape will surely welcome this lens for his A900. 🙂

          1. Oh, and: erm… lol!
            To fix our both mistake: It won’t be Zeiss lens, but rather Sony G.

            (ok, looks like not only PhotoNut has problems with reading plain text, hehehehe)

    3. Notice three things about the rumors if you read carefully?

      1, Admin did not bring up the 1635Z in reference to the rumored ultra wide FF lens.

      2, First part of the rumor refer to a ultra wide “G” lens, not a Zeiss. It will possibly position in between the Zeiss and cheaper DT lens.

      3, Second part of the rumor refer to Zeiss road map on prime.

      Most likely it is the nut who is confused.

  8. At last lens news!

    The 35mm should be top priority. Since the current 35mm is the old Minolta design and there already is CZ 24mm F2.

    Admin, what happen to the 50mm F1.2? We need that lens!

    1. “Admin, what happen to the 50mm F1.2? We need that lens!” – it was only a patent. Noone knows if this lens will be released at all nor when. Certainly it won’t be any time soon.

      But never the less I’d love to see these two 50mm primes on market and certainly would get one!

  9. This cannoot be correct that there will be an 11-18 mm or fullframe, that would be insane, if at all doable and with very limited use.

    For FF there is already an excelent lens in SAL 2.8/16-35 ZA. Extremely good optics, Zeiss, very niceely built, SSM and f/2.8.

    Cannot see any need of replacing that.

    Possibly a new 11-18 or similar for APS-C could be possible, since the current lens is not very bright.

    /Mats

  10. it’s a rumor site, take everything with a grain of salt, no need to bash the admin, she’s doing her job to provide rumors for us alpha shooters, that’s it nothing more. She’s not making this stuff up, it’s just info she gets, so just enjoy the site and keep your rude comments to yourself!

  11. Sad to see no 50mm f/1.4 on the list. How much longer do we have tolerate poorly performing lenses frozen in time? Sony changes camera bodies every few months, but a lens refresh takes DECADES.

        1. Carl, my old Minolta 50mmf1.4 is poor on my 850 between 1.4 and 2.0
          and I do see the coma problem also.
          But is just the right size for a pocket 🙂

          1. I’d say all my Minolta primes are pocketable. My 35/1.4 and 100 Soft are pretty much the same size as two 50/1.4s stood end-on-end.

            On the other hand, if I put my 80-200/2.8 in my pocket, people might think I’m packin’ meat.

          2. Well, I walk with nearly 1kg Tamron 70-300 lens, so it’s perfectly doable 🙂

            And than people pop-up screaming that NEX-5 with kit lens isn’t pocketable! lol

  12. Strangely true,
    I wish one of the “real” experts could shed some insight on why lenses are so difficult in 2011.

    I get the feeling the entire manufacturing process is still all by hand.

    And you would think, with today’s computers and the precision manufacturing technologies optical quality would be better also.

    The Zeiss compay can’t be a handful of old guys setting at a workbench grinding glass from blocks by hand with wooden tools and using a ruler can it 🙂

  13. I welcome newly designed, high quality lenses. I hope that the actual performance meets the hype. Certainly the Zeiss line will live up to the hype as the quality of pretty much all of their lenses are excellent.

  14. When will Sony G and Zeiss will adopt weather sealing? I have a 16-80 but now it has fungus on it… what a waste of investment it will be if you’ll be spend premium price for a premium lens only to be ruined by the elements. even if you don’t use it.

  15. For Full Frame 10-20mm F/1.2 is doable, but the downside is the cost so an F/2.0 would be a winner! 🙂

  16. @Admin,
    9 months ago, you wrote:
    “But there is one small reliable info I can share with you today. Sony should release a premium ultrawide G fullframe zoom within end 2011. I have been told it is “along the lines of the 11-18 but much higher quality, and not DT” ”
    So far as I know, this lens hasn’t been anounced yet…?
    Any new news on this front…?

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