Sony DT 35mm F1.8 SAM

Sony

DT 35mm F1.8 SAM

Released October 2010

A 170 g APS-C A-mount standard prime with F1.8 aperture and a built-in SAM autofocus motor.

Mount
Sony A
Focal length
35 mm
Max aperture
f/1.8
Stabilisation
–
Weight
170 g

What reviewers say

Both find useful detail, low distortion and restrained colour fringing in a light plastic lens. DXOMARK’s Alpha580 test finds substantial wide-open corner shading, whereas Photo Review’s Alpha33 JPEG test finds it negligible. Photo Review reports softer wide-open edges, best detail stopped down, pleasant blur and autofocus slower and noisier than premium ultrasonic motors; DXOMARK notes the lack of direct manual focusing.

From photoreview.com.au and dxomark.com

Optics

Lens type
Prime
Focal length
35 mm
Maximum aperture
f/1.8
Minimum aperture
f/22
Optical construction
Six elements in five groups
Diaphragm
Seven blades; circular aperture (Photo Review)
Angle of view
44° on APS-C

Mount and compatibility

Mounts
Sony A
Image circle
APS-C
Image circle detail
Designed for APS-C A-mount cameras; 52.5 mm equivalent field of view
Teleconverter support
Sony 1.4× and 2× teleconverters unsupported

Focus and stabilisation

Autofocus
Yes
Minimum focus distance
0.23 m
Maximum magnification
0.25×
Autofocus detail
Built-in SAM (Smooth Autofocus Motor)
Focus distance detail
0.23 m minimum focus; focus ring rotates during autofocus (Photo Review)
Magnification detail
0.25× maximum reproduction ratio
Stabilisation detail
Sony describes use with A-mount camera-body stabilisation

Design

Filter diameter
55 mm
Maximum diameter
70 mm
Length
52 mm
Weight
170 g
Controls
AF/MF switch (Photo Review)
Filter detail
55 mm non-rotating filter thread (Photo Review)
Dimensions detail
70 mm maximum diameter × 52 mm length
Weight detail
Approximately 170 g, maker lens weight
Lens hood
Bayonet hood supplied; cylindrical type (Photo Review)
In the box
Lens hood; front and rear caps and instruction leaflets (Photo Review)
Release detail
Sony’s Japanese and US announcements specify October 2010 sale; the actual-read maker announcements give no exact first-sale day.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • F1.8 maximum aperture
  • 170 g lens weight
  • 0.23 m minimum focus

Cons

  • APS-C coverage only
  • Plastic lens mount

Closest rivals

Model
MountFocal lengthMax apertureStabilisationWeightReleased
Sony A50 mmf/1.8–170 gJun 2009
Sony A30 mmf/2.8–150 gOct 2009
Sony A50 mmf/1.4No518 gMay 2013

Sources

  1. sony.jp/ichigan/products/SAL35F18/spec.html
  2. sony.jp/ichigan/products/SAL35F18/feature_1.html
  3. sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/201008/10-0824
  4. sony.mediaroom.com/2010-08-24-Shooting-for-the-Stars-Sony-Breaks-New-Ground-Aga…
  5. photoreview.com.au/reviews/dslr-lenses/dslr-lenses-aps-c/sony-dt-35mm-f18-sam-l…
  6. dxomark.com/sony-dt-35mm-f1-8-sam-test-and-review-of-an-inexpensive-sony-prime-…

Photo: sony.jp

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