BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY MARCH 201544
A Twist in the Tale
The Sony DT 35mm f/1.8 SAM is a good option for Sony APS-C camera users
on a tight budget. K Madhavan Pillai puts this lens on the test bench.- Plastic mount
- Loose focus ring
MINUS- Overall sharpness
- Small and light
- Comes with
lens hood
PLUSWEIGHTAGE OF
PARAMETERSFeatures
Performance
Build Quality
Ergonomics
Warranty &
Support15%25%35%5%20%Sony DT 35mm f/1.8 SAM
TESTBeyond this, the other features are
unremarkable. There is no mistaking the
low-budget nature of this lens. It is entirely
built of plastics, including the mount.
Made of six elements in fi ve groups, the
optical design is simplistic and there
are no specialised elements to speak of.
The focusing occurs by linear barrel
extension. The lens motors are not entirely
silent. The focus ring moves during AF but
the front fi lter does not. There is no
full-time MF override and forcefully rotating
the MF ring without fi rst uncoupling itS
ony has been slowly but surely
chiseling their way into a market
by developing lineups to address
various price segments. The DT
35mm f/1.8 SAM is an entry level
APS-C format prime lens (signifi ed by
the DT, which rather ambiguously stands
for ‘Digital Technology’). It was released
with the objective of luring an advanced
hobbyist while keeping the price as low
as possible.Features
It delivers an equivalent focal length of
52.5mm, in full-frame parlance, which is
a slightly narrower fi eld of view than our
normal vision and quite apt for people,
street, architecture and some kinds of
landscape photography. The maximum
aperture of f/1.8 (similar to f/2.5 with a
full frame) is quite useful in low light.
It also allows a good level of constriction
in the depth of fi eld, and consequently,
good bokeh.SPECIFICATIONSModel name Sony DT 35mm f/1.8 SAM
MRP Rs. 15,490
Lens construction 6 elements in 5 groups
Angle of view 44° (APS-C)
Diaphragm blades 7
Filter diameter 55mm
Dimensions 70 x 52mm
Weight 170g