Sony announces FE 20mm f/1.8 G, their widest full-frame prime lens thus far
posted Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 1:52 PM EDT
Sony full frame fans can celebrate today, as you now have an ultra-wide, bright prime for FE-mount cameras. The FE 20mm f/1.8 G becomes the 56th lens in the ever-expanding E-mount line-up, and the widest available angle for full frame prime lenses to date.
FE 20mm f/1.8 G
Perhaps the most notable item from a first look at the press release for this lens is the relatively light weight for a high-end full frame prime, as the lens tips the scales at just 13.2 ounces (373g) making it a good candidate not only for still photography but also run-and-gun videographers in need of a compact, svelte prime for on-the-go shooting.
The ultra-wide 20mm focal length lends itself most notably to landscape, astro and architectural photography fields. Sony also mentions it being well-suited for portraiture, though we've not found this focal length to be good for anything in that field other than perhaps large groups, since ultra-wide angles tend to distort faces in unflattering ways.
Looking under the hood the lens sports two "advanced aspherical" elements and three "extra-low-dispersion" ED glass elements, reported to supress chromatic aberration (aka: false colors in the images). The lens is also reported to deliver superior corner-to-corner sharpness with minimal distortion, a common issue with wider angles.
Of course, one of the benefits to FE-mount full frame lenses in that they're also compatible with E-mount APS-C camera bodies, such as the super-popular A6000, in addition to newer models in the line-up. With this you'll experience a focal length of 30mm in equivalent terms, which is still a very useful focal length for videographers in general.
And while the list price of $899 US is not exactly cheap for a prime lens, users have the reassurance of weather sealing even at the relatively small size, ensuring a longer lasting durability over time. Additionally, the FE 20mm f/1.8 is protected by a fluorine front element coating to guard against dirt amd smudges in the field. The lens is threaded at 67mm and is compatible with all standard 67mm filters.
The FE 20mm f/1.8 G will be available in March 2020 for a suggested $899 US / $1199 CA.
