The new Sony FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G E-Mount lens was announced with the FX6. Just like the FX6, this cool piece of glass was designed to meet the demands of independent shooters (and projects) together with high-end productions. Read more about this hybrid cinema lens.

Sony FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G

The FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G is a full-frame wide-angle cinema zoom that is armed with advanced optical performance, operability, and intelligent shooting functions. The lens announced at IBC 2019, will be available in December 2020 to pair with FX6, FX9, and other full-frame Sony cameras. This new lens supports intelligent shooting functions unique to E-mount cameras – such as fast and accurate AF within a shallow depth of field – while also offering manual focus options in a form factor familiar to professional cinema creators.

Precise, responsive manual focus

Linear Response MF enables smooth, lag-free manual focus, allowing DPs and camera operators to adjust the focus accurately and intuitively. The focus ring offers a 120 deg large angle of rotation for finer control, with distance scale markers for consistent focus reset during multiple takes. For complete creative control to suit any user including photographers who are used to shooting stills, FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G also offers reversible zoom ring rotation, modes switchable between AF/MF and Full manual, and the option to engage ‘click stops’, providing tactile feedback for precise adjustments of the aperture ring. When the click stops are disengaged, the aperture ring moves smoothly and quietly.

Fast, accurate AF and AE

The FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G fully supports the Enhanced Hybrid phase/contrast-detection autofocus (AF) and Auto Exposure (AE) capabilities of the FX9 full-frame camera. This breakthrough technology allows you to concentrate on framing while the camera and lens work seamlessly together to maintain focus on subjects with shallow depth of field.

Linear response manual focus technology

Linear response manual focus and Enhanced Hybrid autofocus offer quick, quiet, and precise focusing performance to suit cine applications. That means the technology allows responsive, lag-free control for smooth operation. As explained, the focus ring provides 120° rotation with fine control, and distance is marked in feet. The switch also features a setting for click stops so you can use a tactile feel when focusing. The Enhanced Hybrid autofocus supports phase and contrast detection, and the lens also supports auto-exposure as supported on a Sony Cine camera such as the PXW-FX9.

Price and availability

The Sony FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G costs $5,498 USD. Preorders start today via the B&H website.

Final insights: Hybrid lens (AF+Cine)

The FE C 16-35mm T3.1 can be defined as a hybrid lens, which offers cine-lens advantages combined with solid AF capabilities. The technology that allows that is called Linear Response Manual Focus. In the case of the new FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G, this technology works pretty fine (according to reviewers), which means the AF is fast accurate and the manual focusing is valid and can be used in cinema productions.  Furthermore, it needs to be noted that this is a heavy piece of glass. Don’t think of it as an AF regular rehoused lens, but more like a cinema-sized lens that also has the privilege of pretty good autofocusing.