SONY DT 55-200mm F/4-5.6 SAM

The Sony DT 55-200mm F/4-5.6 SAM is a new lens featuring a Silent Autofocus Motor.

Sony has recently updated its 18-55mm and 55-200mm zoom lenses to include a new Silent Autofocus Motor (SAM). During testing we found AF to be fairly quiet although it’s hard to say it’s silent, it is reasonably paced. There’s an MF switch for quick changing to manual focus, which is handy, but the focus ring is pretty skinny so those with larger fingers may find it fiddly. The front element rotates during focusing too, so using screw-on filters would be awkward with this lens. The build is a bit plasticky (including the lens mount) and although there is a large, ridged and rubberised zoom ring providing a smooth action through most of the zoom range, it had a tendency to ‘stick’ at around 200mm on our sample. There’s no need for a lens-based anti-shake system, as this is built in to all Sony Alpha D-SLR bodies.

Specification
Street price: £250
Lens mount: Sony Alpha
Max aperture: f/4-5.6
Min aperture: f/32-45
Minimum focus: 0.95mm
Filter size: 55mm
Image stabiliser: No
AF/Manual Focus switch: Yes
Autofocus motor: Yes
Lens mount construction: Plastic
Distance window: No
Construction: 13 elements in 9 groups
Aperture blades: 9
Dimensions (DxL): 71.5x85mm
Weight: 305g

Visit: www.sony.co.uk