According to the infamous “reliable sources,” Sony plans to announce a new 16-35mm F/2.8 GM II E-mount zoom lens in February at or before the CP+ camera show in Japan.
The lens would be the second G Master II design, which includes a lighter, smaller construction, and vast improvements in optical performance.
Image Credit – Sony
The previous GM II lens released earlier this year was the Sony FE 24-70mm F/2.8 GM II E-mount lens, which has received five-star rating reviews for its refined take on the fast standard zoom.
With a constant aperture of F/2.8 straight down the focal length, the 24-70mm GM II has been called the most well-rounded G Master zoom ever made.
That was before this new 16-35 F/2.8 G Master II, which is believed to have the same compact and lightweight design as the 24-70mm.
Other than being similar in design, we have no further specs at this point, and likely won’t until at least January when the release window opens up.
However, perhaps we could take a second look at the FE 24-70mm F/2.8 GM II for a few clues. The 24-70 F/2.8 GM II is 22 percent lighter and 18 percent smaller than the previous GM model.
It is built with two extra-low dispersion and two Super extra-dispersion lens elements to suppress chromatic aberration and color fringing.
Image Credit – Sony
There are also five aspherical elements, including two extreme aspherical elements (XA) which can reduce the ‘onion ring’ around the image’s background bokeh. All the elements have Sony’s Nano AR Coating II which combats lens flare and ghosting and internal reflections.
An 11-blade aperture diaphragm helps create smooth, circular bokeh at all aperture settings. Meanwhile, the lens relies on four XF Linear Autofocus motors with a floating focus for fast focusing that is quieter and more precise than the previous DDSSM focusing system.
That’s the 24-70mm GM II in a nutshell, and it’s likely that Sony’s rumored 16-35mm F/2.8 GM II will rely on the same new technology for a compact and light design that is faster focusing, easier to carry, and with improved optical performance.
But don’t expect it to come cheap, if the 24-70mm F/2.8 is any indication, it’ll cost at least $2300 or somewhere in that window.
Moreover, Sony is also expected to announce a 20-70 F/4.0 G lens. Which will be similar in design, but a tad slower than the current 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master lens.
Expect Two XA (extreme aspherical) elements and three standard aspherical elements incorporated into the optical design, along with the standard DDSSM focusing system.
We’ll find out soon, as 2023 is right around the corner.
[source: Sony Alpha Rumors]
Order Links:
- Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II Lens, E-mount (B&H)
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