Sony FE 28-70mm f/4 OSS lens is in development

Sony has patented a 28-70mm f/4 OSS lens for FE-mount mirrorless cameras with full-frame image sensors and it might release this optic on the market in the not-so-distant future.

The list of E-mount lenses that can cover full-frame sensors is growing and it will continue to do so, as Sony is reporting that sales of Alpha-series mirrorless cameras are increasing.

The so-called FE-mount is doing well in the standard zoom area where the Zeiss FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS and the Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS models are available for the users.

Nevertheless, the PlayStation maker is allegedly working on another similar optic. Egami has discovered a patent for a Sony FE 28-70mm f/4 OSS lens that may join the company’s series of optics for full-frame mirrorless cameras.

The internal configuration of the Sony FE 28-70mm f/4 OSS lens, as seen in the patent application.

Sony FE 28-70mm f/4 OSS lens patented in Japan

Sony might expand its FE-mount lens series with a standard zoom model offering a focal range from 28mm to 70mm. The optic would also offer a constant maximum aperture of f/4, which would allow photographers to capture good photos even when the lighting conditions are not ideal.

Such lens would be aimed at a broad range of applications as it covers focal lengths from wide to telephoto, so it can be used for landscape or architecture shootings and for portrait or wildlife photo sessions.

The Sony FE 28-70mm f/4 OSS lens comes with built-in Optical SteadyShot technology, just like its name is suggesting. OSS is the Japanese company’s image stabilization technology and it will further improve the optic’s prowess in low-light conditions.

The lens features an inner focus mechanism therefore the front element will not move when focusing. The internal configuration of the optic is not mentioned, but the leaked sketch reveals about 12 elements divided in five groups.

Sony filed for this patent on September 5, 2013 and the application was approved on April 9, 2015. New Alpha-series FE-mount cameras are expected to show up this year, so we should not rule out the possibility of seeing this optic becoming official later this year.

Two standard zoom lenses are already available for FE-mount photographers

In the meantime, Sony FE-mount mirrorless camera owners can acquire the FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens which was released on the market in October 2013. It is available for purchase at Amazon for a price a little under the $500 mark.

The other FE-mount standard zoom lens is the Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS. Sony made it available in January 2014 and it can still be bought from Amazon for about $1,200.

These are the options at your disposal until the Sony FE 28-70mm f/4 OSS lens becomes official. Stay tuned to find out more details about the future of the FE-mount!