The provided document describes the Sony SEL18200LE lens, a high-magnification zoom lens designed for use with Sony cameras. This lens is engineered to deliver high imaging performance, making it suitable for a wide range of photographic applications.
Function Description
The Sony SEL18200LE is a versatile zoom lens that allows photographers to capture subjects from wide-angle to telephoto perspectives without changing lenses. Its high magnification capabilities make it ideal for various shooting scenarios, including landscapes, portraits, travel, and everyday photography. The lens incorporates advanced optical elements to ensure high image quality across its zoom range. A key feature is its circular aperture, which contributes to beautifully round and pleasing out-of-focus areas (bokeh), enhancing the aesthetic quality of images, particularly in portraits and scenes with shallow depth of field.
Important Technical Specifications
- Lens Type: High Magnification Zoom
- Aperture (Max.): f/3.5 - 6.3. This indicates a variable maximum aperture, meaning the widest aperture changes as you zoom from wide-angle to telephoto. At the wide end (18mm), the maximum aperture is f/3.5, and at the telephoto end (200mm), it is f/6.3.
- Aperture (Min.): f/22 - 40. This specifies the narrowest aperture settings available, which also vary with the focal length.
- Focal Length (35mm equivalent): APS: 27-300mm (35mm Equivalent: 18-200mm). This indicates that the lens is designed for APS-C sensor cameras. The actual focal length range is 18-200mm, which translates to an effective focal length of 27-300mm on an APS-C camera when compared to a full-frame (35mm) sensor. This broad range provides significant versatility.
- Lens Groups-Elements: The optical construction consists of 13 groups and 17 elements. This complex design is crucial for correcting various optical aberrations and ensuring sharp, clear images throughout the zoom range.
- Minimum Focus Distance: 1' 6" (50cm). This relatively short minimum focusing distance allows for close-up shots, adding to the lens's versatility.
- Aperture Blade: 7 blades (Circular aperture). The seven-blade circular aperture design is responsible for producing smooth, aesthetically pleasing bokeh, making out-of-focus backgrounds appear soft and creamy.
- Aspheric Elements: 4 aspheric, 2 ED. The inclusion of four aspherical elements helps to reduce spherical aberration and distortion, leading to sharper images with better contrast. Two Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements are used to suppress chromatic aberration, which can appear as color fringing around high-contrast edges, thereby improving color accuracy and image clarity.
- Lens Weight: 16.3 oz (460g). This moderate weight makes the lens relatively portable and comfortable to use for extended periods.
- Magnification: x 0.27. This refers to the maximum reproduction ratio, indicating how large a subject can be rendered on the camera's sensor relative to its actual size. A magnification of 0.27x suggests decent close-up capabilities, though it is not a dedicated macro lens.
- Dimensions (Approx.): 2 11/16 x 3 13/16" (68 x 96.7mm). These compact dimensions contribute to the lens's portability and ease of handling.
Usage Features
The SEL18200LE lens is designed for ease of use and versatility. Its broad zoom range means photographers can carry a single lens for most shooting situations, reducing the need to swap lenses and potentially missing shots. The high magnification zoom is beneficial for travel and general-purpose photography, allowing users to capture wide landscapes as well as distant subjects. The circular aperture is a significant usage feature for photographers who prioritize aesthetic quality, particularly in portraits where a pleasing background blur can enhance the subject. The combination of aspherical and ED elements ensures that images are sharp and clear with good color rendition, even in challenging lighting conditions. Its relatively light weight and compact size make it a convenient option for photographers who are on the go.
Maintenance Features
The document does not explicitly detail maintenance features for the lens itself, such as weather sealing or specific cleaning instructions. However, it does list "Supplied Accessories" which are crucial for the care and protection of the lens:
- Front and rear lens cap: These caps are essential for protecting the front and rear optical elements from dust, scratches, and impact when the lens is not in use or is being transported.
- ALC-SH124 lens hood: A lens hood is a critical accessory for reducing flare and ghosting caused by extraneous light entering the lens. It also provides an additional layer of physical protection for the front element against accidental bumps or impacts.
General lens maintenance would typically involve keeping the lens caps on when not in use, using a soft, lint-free cloth for cleaning the exterior, and specialized lens cleaning solutions and cloths for the optical surfaces. Avoiding extreme temperatures and humidity, and storing the lens in a dry, dust-free environment, are also standard maintenance practices to ensure its longevity and performance.
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