SONY Sonnar T＊ 135mm F1.8 ZA
Review and photo examples of the Sonar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA.
Table of contents
Gallery
- The example photo was taken using a SONY A900
Review
The Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8ZA is a large-diameter medium-telephoto lens released in 2006. Since it is an α-mount lens, there is only a focus ring on the lens barrel and the aperture is controlled from the camera.
With inner focus, the lens length does not change depending on the focal length. The lens motor uses the motor on the camera side. Although the lens name is Sonnar, there are no inherited features such as the three-element lamination of the rear group, and the lens construction is modern and complex using two ED lenses.
Zeiss seems to like 135mm, and in the past they have released 135mm F4 and 135mm F3.5 for rangefinders, Contax brand has released 135mm F2 and 135mm F2.8, and Cosina Zeiss has released 135mm F2.
Sony Zeiss’s 135mm for FE mount is released under the Batis brand, and its aperture is limited to F2.8, perhaps because compactness was a priority.
The spec of 135mmF1.8, which is a single-lens reflex mount ZA lens, is the brightest among 135mm lenses. Since it is a Sony A-mount lens, it supports AF, and when I used it with the α900, I had no complaints about the AF speed or focusing accuracy. The lens barrel is large and heavy, and when used as a set with the α900, it weighs nearly 2kg.
However, the bokeh created by the open aperture of F1.8 was so beautiful that I was able to use it without worrying about the weight.
Currently, it is difficult to make mount adapters for α lenses that mechanically control the aperture, so used lenses are at their lowest and can be purchased at a fairly low price. This is a lens that I would like to use again with the α900 and α99-II.
The lens motor has a general specification that uses the driving force from the camera side, and does not include an SSM (ultrasonic motor) mounted on the lens side. Therefore, like the A-mount 85mm ZA, there are significant limitations in AF support when using an E-mount Sony α mirrorless camera and a Sony genuine mount adapter.
Among the A-mount Z series prime lenses, Planar 50mm and Distagon 24mm use SSM, and these have somewhat fewer limitations when used with E-mount.
As I wrote about Leica’s ELMARIT 135mm F2.8, 135mm is an unfortunate focal length that has been swallowed up by the wave of zooming.
Japanese manufacturers also place emphasis on brightness in their zoom lenses, and a maximum aperture of F2.8 is standard at focal lengths including 135mm.
Due to the evolution of digital camera sensors, noise reduction in the high ISO range and the introduction of image stabilization have reduced the significance of single focal length, medium-telephoto, and high-speed lenses. Given this situation, it is the trend of the times that there is no choice but to be weeded out.
SIGMA, a manufacturer that loves single focus lenses, released the Art 135mm F1.8 with the same specs as this lens in 2017, and I think it’s great that they have the spirit to bring the latest technology to this unpopular category.
Specification
SONY SONNAR 135mm
Lens configuration diagram, quoted from Sony’s official page
Carl Zeiss APO SONNAR 135mm
Lens configuration diagram, quoted from Carl Zeiss’s official page
| Items | SONY Sonnar 135mm | Zeiss Apo-Sonnar 135mm |
| Focal length(mm) | 135 | 135 |
| Max aperture | 1.8 | 2 |
| Min aperture | 22 | 22 |
| Leaf blade | 9 | 9 |
| Lens Construction | 11elements in 8groups | 11elements in 8groups |
| Min distance(m) | 0.72 | 0.8 |
| Lens length(mm) | 114.5 | 107.8 |
| Max diameter(mm) | 88 | 84 |
| Filter Size(mm) | 77 | 77 |
| Weight(g) | 995 | 930 |
| Model number | SAL135F18Z | – |
| Release date | 2006.10.27 | 2013.7.25 |
| Price(Yen/No-tax) | 200,000- | 200,000- |
Reference links
Update history
- 2024.04.10:update
- 2023.10.07:First draft
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