Sony Sonnar T* Fe 35mm F28 Za Lens for E-mount Cameras Review

The Sony version of the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 35mm is an excellent add-on to the Sony A7, A7r, and A7s. With the Sony Due east mount full-frame camera this lens volition requite y'all a 35mm viewing angle. On the APS-C cameras similar the NEX-7, you lot'll see something more similar 50mm. Cracking on both occasions.

Sony Zeiss Sonnar 35mm f2.eight T*: Amazon / Adorama

4 Things To Love About The Zeiss Sonnar 35mm

1. Sharpness Is Amazing

It'south very very sharp in the center and only falls off slightly towards the edges which I believe contributes to that signature Zeiss 3D popular.

The colors that come through this lens also give images a actually dandy look that I've never had with my Canon lenses. It is about similar any image I accept with this lens needs no post-processing or colour enhancement. The image it puts on the sensor is stunning every fourth dimension.

Direct out of the camera. No post-processing.

View on Smugmug at 100%. Or download the original. I've ready the sharpness to 0 in Lightroom on this shot.

2. Build Quality Is Dandy

The merely negative reviews I actually see on the forums with regards to the Sony Zeiss Sonnar 35mm is the build quality. Some say it feels cheap. I think it feels light, not cheap.

In that location is a difference and I recall people get confused nearly this. Information technology's light and solid. I don't have any concerns about the build quality, and I have a lot of lenses.

The only exception is the lens hood that will fall apart on you after a month as it'south held together by two pieces of double-sided record. Double side record! Seriously? Unfortunately yeah and in that location are non a lot of 3rd party lens hoods out there still. However super glue works.

iii. Astonishing Bokeh

Although this lens is just an f2.8, on the full-frame sensors of the Sony A7, A7r A7s, the shallow depth of field is very narrow giving you a focus fallout that is very soft all the same vibrant, leaving you with an incredibly pleasant Bokeh.

My crazy niece enjoying the California dominicus.

4. Atmospheric condition Sealed

The Sony Iron 35mm is also weather sealed. But understanding how weather sealing works, doesn't mean a whole lot and information technology shouldn't impact your opinion about a lens, it normally just ways there is a piece of tape roofing a screw somewhere inside.

But still, information technology'due south dainty to know that a piffling water or dust will take a harder time making its way into your lens. And I fifty-fifty took it out that ane fourth dimension information technology rained in Southern California with no consequences.

Northern Arizona – It was very windy and sandy here and my lens was fine. No sand in the focus ring like with my Canon lenses.

DXOMark Scores As The Second All-time 35mm They've Always Tested

DXOMark (their image below), also rates this lens every bit the second-best lens they've ever tested. The get-go being the Sigma 35mm F1.four DG HSM. But that affair is much larger.

3 Things I Don't Like About This Lens

It would exist awesome to say this lens is perfect. But it does have its flaws. After all, it's a Zeiss for under a grand.

1. Bad Vignetting

I'one thousand a landscape and travel lensman mostly. Ane of the problems with this lens is it has got a nasty vignette which never really goes away. Even at f/xi. Not the end of the globe, but not slap-up either. Y'all'll lose a little item in the edges when trying to correct for this. Run across the chart below.

Sony Zeiss Sonnar 35mm Vignette Test

2. Colour Shifting Band Blueprint

The Zeiss Sonnar 35mm also has a strange color shifting that occurs in a band-like pattern.

You won't observe this unless you're doing some heavy color and contrast work or shooting solids. Similar I'll get a niggling banding when shooting articulate bluish skies. And it's non fun to prepare.

You can run across it hither with saturation and vibrance maxed.

I went and tested this with all my other lenses and none of them had problems like this. I did go some color shifts only not with the ring-like pattern of the Sony Zeiss 35mm.

Sony Zeiss Sonnar 35mm Color Issues

Sample Of Banding In The Sky

I'one thousand mostly now seeing this banding only in the skies. It can exist fixed with a little Photoshop piece of work.

3. Bad Diffraction At Loftier Apertures

This lens has its sweetness spots.

Information technology's peachy at f5.6 and even to f9 but starts to lose quality quickly by f11 making this non such a nifty landscape lens if you like shooting above f11. Which on a lens every bit wide every bit 35mm, it'due south not actually necessary to stop down more than f11 anyway.

Big Island Hawaii on the Sony A7r @ f9.5

Personal Thoughts

I hope in the hereafter Sony would make a 35mm lens that was slightly faster. Although that'due south by no ways a con for this lens because this lens is what it is and I review it based on that.

A faster lens would be bigger and heavier which would innovate other unwanted features. I ever retrieve it'due south funny seeing people fustigate lenses by saying "It's not fast."

That'due south like maxim, "I don't similar the Ford Mustang because information technology'south not a Motorcycles." Buy a faster lens if you want a faster lens. And on a full-frame sensor like the Sony A7r, the depth of field is every bit shallow as what you get on a Fuji X100T @ f2, which is APS-C fifty-fifty though that's a "faster lens."

What Filter Sizes Should Yous Get For The Sony Sonnar T* Fe 35mm F2.8?

If you're searching for the correct size filter to get you might see two different sizes floating around out there. This is because it takes two sizes. Y'all tin can screw a filter directly onto the lens which has a filter size of 49mm. Great for a UV filter.

You can too screw filters directly onto the lens hood. The filter size for this is 40.5mm. This is really handy because information technology allows yous to rapidly accept on and off your filters if not needed for a detail shot. I use this for my polarizers.

Sony 35mm F2.8 Review Conclusions

All in all, this is a actually great lens and is really fun to shoot with. Information technology has its place in my kit and I really enjoy it for an everyday walk-around use. It'south also a lot of fun to utilize for video. Information technology is my #i lens for all occasions now. I really hope we see a 14mm and 24mm prime with the same quality from Sony.