Feature List

Wide-angle shot of desert landscape with sunset behind distant mountains

From ultra-wide 20 mm to 70 mm

With an unprecedented0 ultra-wide 20 mm to short-telephoto 70 mm zoom range, this versatile lens is an excellent choice for a wide range of movie and still subjects. The ultra-wide 20 mm end of the zoom range maintains a wide angle of view when shooting movies with a 16:9 or 2.35:1 aspect ratio that reduces view angle.
Profile portrait of woman looking right on ship lower deck

Outstanding G Lens image quality

With two AA (advanced aspherical) elements, one aspherical element, three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements, and one ED aspherical element, this state-of-the-art lens design corrects both chromatic and spherical aberration for high optical performance right out to the image edges, from ultra-wide 20 mm to 70 mm.
Close-up of white holly leaves with significant background bokeh

Excellent close-up performance

AA (advanced aspherical) elements help to achieve a minimum focus distance of 0.3 meters (wide) to 0.25 meters (telephoto) when using AF, and 0.25 throughout the zoom range when focusing manually. Maximum magnification is 0.39x for detailed close-ups. Close focus makes it easy to maneuver around small subjects to find the idea angle.
Near-profile close-up portrait of woman looking left in ship hallway with significant background bokeh

Constant F4 maximum aperture

A constant F4 maximum aperture offers greater flexibility in choosing apertures at any focal length. The selected aperture remains constant throughout the zoom range. There is no need to use extreme ISO settings at the telephoto end of the range, and high shutter speeds can be used as needed to achieve the desired effect.
View of lens barrel held in user’s hand, emphasising compact size of the lens

Compact, lightweight, mobile design

This compact, lightweight lens combines state-of-the-art optical design with Sony’s high-thrust XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motor technology. Used with a compact mirrorless body, it can deliver superb image quality in any situation at focal lengths from ultra-wide to short telephoto. A great choice for shooting with minimum gear.
Illustration of XD Linear Motor

Peak AF performance for stills and movies

Two XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors achieve fast, quiet, smooth focus drive with up to 60% higher AF speed2 and up to two times2 better performance while tracking2 for reliable, precise tracking. Moving subjects are reliably tracked when shooting continuous stills at up to 30 fps3, and high-frame-rate movie capture is smooth.
Wide-angle portrait of woman with part of suspension bridge span in background

Refined movie imagery

Advanced technology reduces focus breathing as well as focus and axial shift when zooming so that distracting image shifts are minimised. XD Linear Motors and a newly developed aperture unit dramatically reduce noise and vibration when shooting movies. The breathing compensation function provided in compatible α series bodies0 is also supported.
Man shooting while walking on boat deck with camera hand-held, using LCD screen for monitoring

Active Mode supports ultra-wide images

Active Mode0 image stabilisation in α series cameras works effectively at the ultra-wide 20 mm end of the zoom range, providing excellent image stabilisation performance while maintaining a wide angle of view. This can be particularly useful for shooting smooth, stable handheld footage while walking.
Split screen: left side view of lens with aperture ring and iris lock switch highlighted (left); right side view of lens with aperture ring click ON/OFF switch highlighted (right)

Aperture ring with click ON/OFF switch

An independent aperture ring offers direct, intuitive aperture control. A click ON/OFF switch allows the aperture click stops to be turned off when smooth, seamless operation is required.
Split screen: side view of lens barrel with focus hold button highlighted (left); close-up of focus hold button and focus mode switch (right)

Focus hold buttons and focus mode switch

Customisable focus hold buttons are provided in two locations for easy access and control. Other functions can be assigned to the focus hold button from the body menus to match shooting needs. A focus mode switch makes it possible to switch between autofocus and manual focus on the fly, to quickly adapt to changing shooting conditions.
Illustration of locations of dust and moisture resistant seals on lens body

Dust and moisture resistant design

A dust and moisture resistant design0 provides extra reliability for outdoor use in challenging conditions.
Close-up view of front lens element with fluorine coating

Fluorine front element coating

The front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels fingerprints, dust, water, oil, and other contaminants, while making it easier to wipe off any contaminants that do become attached to the lens surface.