Sony reveals 55-300mm telephoto zoom for Alpha A-mount

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posted Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 12:00 AM EDT

The Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM lens. Photo provided by Sony.Sony Electronics Inc. has today revealed a new Alpha-mount telephoto zoom lens for cameras with APS-C sized sensors, the Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM lens. 35mm-equivalent focal lengths vary from 82.5 to 450mm.

With an affordable pricetag of just US$300, the new lens--model number SAL55300--will ship this September in the US market. Its design features twelve lens elements in nine groups, of which one is an Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass element, but no aspherics. Available apertures vary from f/4.5 to f/22 at wide angle, and fall to a range of f/5.6 to f/29 by the telephoto position. There's a seven-bladed circular aperture, and the SAL55300 can focus as close as 1.4 meters (4' 6"), with a maximum magnification of 0.27x.

The Sony SAL55300 weighs 460 grams (1 lb. 3 oz.), and has dimensions of 77 x 116.5mm (3 1/8" x 4 5/8"). Included with the lens are front and rear caps, and a bayonet-type, ALC-SH112 lens hood.

More details in the press release below.

The Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM lens. Photo provided by Sony. Click for a bigger picture!

The Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM lens.
Photo provided by Sony.

Press Release

Sony Introduces Versatile, High-Quality Telephoto Zoom Lens for Alpha A-Mount Camera Line

High-Speed, Quiet DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM Telephoto Zoom Lens to hit Retail in September

SAN DIEGO, Jul 25, 2012 – From flattering portraits to faraway wildlife and fast-action sports, nearly every subject can be captured beautifully with the new SAL55300 telephoto zoom lens, the latest addition to Sony’s A-mount lens lineup.

Optimized for use with α A-mount camera models with APS-C sensors, the compact, stylishly-designed interchangeable lens is an ideal addition to the camera bag for any Sony photographer.

“The new SAL55300 lens is a perfect complement to our acclaimed line of Alpha A-mount cameras with Translucent Mirror Technology, allowing consumers to capture distant, faraway subjects with razor-sharp focused images and Full HD videos,” said Mike Kahn, director of the alpha business at Sony Electronics.  “With a versatile 55-300mm, 5.5x magnification range, fast, quiet performance and an attractive price tag, it’s a welcome addition to our alpha A-mount system.”

The new SAL55300 lens features a whisper-quiet Smooth Autofocus Motor (SAM) and an advanced optical design to get the best from the high-speed performance and high resolution sensors common to Sony’s A-mount camera lineup.  Additionally, it contains an ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) glass element, commonly featured on premium Sony G Lens models, that reduces color aberrations, improves image quality and provides excellent contrast and corner-to-corner sharpness.

 

Pricing and Availability
The new SAL55300 A-mount interchangeable lens for A-mount cameras will be available in September for about $300 at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) and other authorized dealers nationwide.

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