Sony's First E-Mount Fisheye Zoom Lens Announced

Sony has announced the FE 8-14mm F3.5 Fisheye G, the company's first standalone fisheye lens for its E-mount camera system. The lens will launch in October with a retail price of $1599.

According to DPReview, the new zoom lens is the most compact of its kind. It offers a 180-degree field of view across its entire focal range. At 8mm, it produces a circular fisheye image. At 14mm, the fisheye effect fills the entire frame.

Optical Design and Performance

The lens is constructed with 16 elements in 13 groups. This includes three aspheric elements, four extra-low dispersion elements, and one aspheric ED lens. Sony promises minimal chromatic aberration. A pair of linear motors handles autofocus, enabling subject tracking at up to 120 frames per second when paired with a high-end camera. The minimum focusing distance is 0.15 meters throughout the zoom range.

Shooters can turn distortion compensation off. This switches the rendering from equisolid to equidistant. The equisolid style makes the center of the image appear larger, compressing the edges. The equidistant style makes the center look smaller for a more even appearance overall. This setting primarily affects JPEGs, as Raw shooters can adjust distortion correction in post-production.

Physical Design and Features

Despite being a full-frame lens, it is notably compact. It weighs 314 grams and measures 83mm in length with a 63mm diameter. The lens zooms internally, so its length remains constant. It features dust and moisture resistance and a fluorine coating on the front element.

Sony has included several professional controls. There is an aperture ring that can be clicked or declicked. The lens also has a customizable button, a zoom lock switch, and an AF/MF/FH switch. The FH setting locks manual focus, which Sony says is useful for astrophotography or VR content. A rear filter holder is also present.

The removable lens hood must be taken off at certain focal lengths to avoid it appearing in the frame.

Comparison and Intended Use

Sony positions the lens as a tool for photography, video, and VR capture. The company states it has minimal focus breathing. A pair of these lenses can be used for VR capture, while a trio can record 360-degree footage.

When shooting standard 16:9 video, the full circular fisheye effect is not captured. This can be avoided by using a Sony camera capable of shooting 3:2 open gate video.

DPReview provided a direct comparison with a recent competitor.

The source notes that the Canon lens is both faster and wider at its maximum aperture, but the Sony option is substantially lighter. The lens will be available for purchase starting in October.