Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Overview
An Early Look at the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Lens
Impressively Bright, Surprisingly Compact
A classic wide-angle prime with an updated, sleek form factor, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM is further characterized by its speed and advanced optical design. The versatile focal length suits everything from street shooting to landscape and documentary subjects, and the fast maximum aperture excels in low light and for controlling depth of field.
G Master Optical Design
As part of Sony's esteemed G Master series, this lens is designed to achieve a balance of impressive resolution and sharpness along with distinctive and pleasing bokeh.
- Two XA (extreme aspherical) elements effectively control astigmatism, field curvature, coma, distortion, and other spherical aberrations for a high degree of sharpness and accurate rendering.
- One extra-low dispersion element reduces chromatic aberrations and color fringing for improved clarity and color neutrality.
- Nano AR Coating II has been applied to reduce surface reflections, flare, and ghosting for increased contrast and color rendering in strong lighting conditions. This updated coating is better suited for larger, curved elements and is especially adept at minimizing internal reflections.
Wide-Angle Versatility and f/1.4 Speed
- The 35mm focal length is inherently versatile; perfectly suited for street, landscape, and reportage subjects, it also excels as a creative choice for other applications like fashion and portraiture.
- Fast f/1.4 maximum aperture benefits working in low-light conditions and also helps to control depth of field and produce selective focus effects.
- Rounded 11-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing bokeh quality when employing selective focus techniques.
Fast and Precise Focusing
Two XD Linear Motors provide quick, quiet, and precise autofocus and subject tracking performance. This design also contributes to more natural, intuitive Linear Response manual focus control and an AF/MF switch is located on the lens barrel for tactile control over this setting.
- Internal focusing design offers more responsive focusing performance and maintains a consistent overall lens length during operation.
- Minimum focusing distance of 9.8" suits making dynamic close-up images.
- Despite its wide-angle field of view, the close minimum focusing distance and bright maximum aperture enable creating shallow depth of field imagery characterized by a strong close-up subject and a soft background.
Durable and Reliable Design
Besides signaling impressive optics, G Master lenses are also characterized by a robust and reliable physical construction that includes weather sealing and protective coatings.
- Unique among fast wide-angle primes, the 35mm f/1.4 GM is distinguished by its sleek and lightweight form factor, measuring 3 x 3.9" and weighing 1.1 lb.
- Dust- and moisture-sealed design better permits working in inclement conditions and rubberized control rings benefit handling in colder temperatures.
- Fluorine-coated front element resists dust, moisture, and fingerprints and is easy to clean.
- A focus hold button is featured on the lens barrel for intuitive tactile control and rapid access to select settings.
- Physical aperture ring can be de-clicked for smooth, silent aperture switching to benefit video applications.
