Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 (T4.5) STF Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

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Price: $1,398.00    

Product Feature

• Smooth transmission focus system for pleasing effect
• Apodization lens element smooths out-of-focus areas
• Subjects stand out vividly against smooth, even backgrounds
• Manual aperture ring adjusts from T 4.5 to T 6.7, manual focusing with comfortable wide focus ring
• Circular aperture gives spot light sources a circular shape

Product Description

Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8-4.5 Telephoto LensA unique telephoto lens for smooth, natural focus effects in foreground and background. This advanced STF(Smooth Transition Focus) telephoto lens incorporates an apodization optical element that distributes light rays to create smooth, aesthetically pleasing out-of-focus backgrounds that make sharp-focus subjects stand out more vividly. Mounted on the Sony a (alpha) DSLR-A100 camera, this lens provides a 200mm focal length (35mm equivalent). Features:* Smooth Transmission Focus: While subjects remain in sharp focus, out-of-focus backgrounds or foregrounds are blurred smoothly and evenly with gradation that thickens toward the edges of the frame for a pleasing aesthetic effect.* Transmissive Brightness: After light passes through the apodization element, the lens aperture of f2.8 yields a T (transmissive brightness) equivalent of 4.5; a manual aperture ring can adjust T setting from 4.5 to 6.7.* Wide Focus Ring: The dedicatedmanual focusing system is controlled by a wide focus ring that's comfortable to hold and gives you a solid, hands-on feel for pinpoint focusing of your subject.* Circular Aperture: Because aperture blades form a near circle at the wide openings used for low-light shots, spot-light sources have apleasing circular defocused effect.Specifications: 135mm f/2.8 (T4.5) STF Telephoto Lens Smooth Transmission Focus system for pleasing effect Apodization Lens Element smoothes out-of-focus areas Subjects stand out vividly against smooth, even backgrounds Manual aperture ring adjusts from T 4.5 to T 6.7 Manual focusing with comfortable wide focus ring Circular Aperture gives spot-light sources a circular shape Focal Length 35mm Equivalent: 135 mm Focal Length APS: 202.5 mm Angle of View 35mm Equivalent: 18Angle of View APS: 12Min Focus Distance: 2.85 ft (87 cm) Aperture Maximum: f2.8 (T=4.5) Aperture Minimum: f31 (T=f32) Maximum Magnification: 0.25X Lens Constru

Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 (T4.5) STF Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera Review

Sony 135mm/f2.8[T4/5] is one of the great but underappreciated lenses in the market. Part of that may be due to Sony's lack of marketing initiatives and a part of it the price tag. But, to a greater part, it may also be usability challenges as this is not a lens for the casual photographer (see below).

Build Quality: Superb. This is a substantial piece of metal and glass, that comes nicely wrapped in its own soft, well padded leather bag, a lens hood with black non-reflective lining and covers for the front (72mm) and back. The focusing ring is smooth, as is the aperture control ring.

Image Quality: Outstanding. While the STF (Smooth Transition Focus) is revered for its unmatched, silky smooth rendering of out of focus areas (bokeh), it does so while also being one of the sharpest lenses even wide open. The images tend to have a unique 3D feel.

Usability: This is a manual focus only lens, hence not for people who can't do without auto-focus. In fact, there is no focus confirmation. For them, Sony's 135mm/f1.8 Zeiss would be the answer. It is also a better lens for low light performance. Outside of that realm, and if you're a willing participant in the system's focus-on-the-subject for its great rewards, like I have become, the STF lens has a lot to offer.

Focusing with this lens has been easy for me, even without using any manual focus assist feature. And if your camera has an assist feature similar to my primary camera (Sony SLT-A55), which allows a 7x-14x zoom (Live View as well as Electronic View Finder), it is even better. My back up camera (Sony NEX-3) goes a step further, with its Focus Peaking feature (All NEX-series cameras, and SLT-65 and SLT-77 now have it).

Unlike other lenses, this lens has two modes to control the aperture. Each mode affects a specific aperture diaphragm.

Auto Mode: This mode allows control of a traditional diaphragm through the camera, as in "Aperture Priority" mode. For this mode to take effect, the aperture ring should be set to "A". The aperture size ranges from f/4.5 thru f/32.

Manual Mode: This mode shifts the control to, an unconventional, step-less diaphragm with aperture size ranging from T4.5 thru T6.7. This is achieved by turning the aperture ring past the click (which identifies the Auto Mode selection).

Personally, I leave the conventional aperture wide open, while varying the step-less diaphragm given that for most practical purposes specific to this lens, I would be using aperture around f/5.6.

Another thing to note is that, although this lens is identified as 135mm/f2.8[T4.5], the f2.8 only relates to DOF, as the aperture is indeed wide open to f/2.8. However, due to couple of apodization elements used inside the lens, the transmissive setting "wide open" is f/4.5, hence the T4.5 denomination.

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