If you are looking for a lens that is an ideal complement to many zoom kits, then go for this Sony 55 210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS Lens. It is a lens that can indeed open new horizons of telephoto perspectives for you because it offers so much at so little price. It features an 82.5-315mm equivalent focal length range designed for the APS-C-format E-mount camera, which can change the photography game for you.
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Sony 55 210mm E mount review
It employs an optical design with two extra-low dispersion elements and two aspherical elements so that users can capture stills and videos with minimal aberrations. It also features Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, which dramatically reduces camera shake, enhancing image sharpness.
Thanks to its internal focus design, autofocus is also fast and responsive, and the minimum focus distance is 3.3′. It also looks quite stylish with its elegant design and classy finish.
Moreover, it also sports a seven-blade circular diaphragm to produce smooth and rounded bokeh. Coming on to its build, this lens measures 4.3 by 2.5 inches at its minimum position but doubles when zoomed to 210mm. It is also lightweight as it weighs only 12.2 ounces.
This makes it easy to carry and convenient for shots that require travel. The quality is also top-notch as the material used to create it feels pretty sturdy and reliable. It also comes with a front cap, rear cap, and reversible hood. What more can you ask with such a reasonable price tag?
Let us now look at these features of this Sony SEL55210 E Mount APS-C 55-210 mm F4.5-6.3 Telephoto Zoom Lens in detail to understand what makes it so special:
Product Overview
This telephoto zoom lens is not only a light and user-friendly lens, but it is also the most budget-friendly option in the tele zoom industry. It is not only ideal for Sony’s APS-C format mirrorless system but it also perfectly complements other kit zooms where it provides 82.5-315mm equivalent focal length range. It has some notable benefits, which make it much better than its counterparts. First of all, it is notably lighter and features a much more compact design than its predecessors.
It has been designed elegantly with a sharp finish and easy-to-use frame. The construction is also quite sturdy and is durable. Everything is solid, including the metal barrel, knurled focus, and zoom rings.
It can be used in various conditions, with the only drawback being that it is not weather sealed. So if inclement weather is a priority, then this lens is not for you as it cannot protect itself and the camera from dust and moisture.
Next, it has a variable f/4.5-6.3 maximum aperture, which helps keep down its overall size and weight to a minimum. This is why this Sony SEL55210 E Mount APS-C 55-210 mm F4.5-6.3 Telephoto Zoom Lens has the shortest dimensions of 4.3 by 2.5 inches and only doubles in length at 210mm.
The weight is also just 12.2 ounces, and it also has a small front element that supports 49mm screw-in lens filters. The box also includes a reversible hood and standard front and rear caps, and the best part is that it comes with a year warranty. This means you can rely on Sony to do the job.
Good performance
Coming on to the performance, Sony 55 210mm performs beautifully as it has two extra-low dispersion glass elements, which help it to reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations so that improved clarity and color neutrality can be reached. It also has two aspherical elements that further enhance performance as they reduce astigmatism, coma, field curvature, and other monochromatic aberrations.
These ED glass elements and aspherical elements result in crystal clear Optics and lead to not only visually accurate shooting but also enhance smoothness and sharpness.
What impacts its performance the most is its inbuilt Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, which reduces the appearance of camera shake to a minimum, thus leading to sharper imagery during a handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds.
So now, users can shoot sharp pictures by hand without needing to set up a tripod.
Effective control over camera blur
Additionally, the stabilization system can also be combined with the camera’s sensor-shift-type image stabilization to achieve more effective control over camera blur. That is why this lens is ideal for making videos at action-filled places and even for nature-watching.
Even though it has some pincushion distortion, which is typical for a tele zoom, it is well controlled as it is less than 1 percent at 55mm, and rises to approximately 1.7 percent between 130mm and 210mm.
Coming onto to focus, Sony 55 210mm employs an internal focus mechanism that is fast as well as more responsive to autofocus. With a minimum focus distance of 3.3 feet (1 meter) and easier handling during use, it does not change length, and Sony 55 210mm indeed is a masterpiece.
This feature makes the lens able to provide a decent 1:4.4 macro capability when shooting at the min distance of 210mm, to project the objects onto the image sensor at approximately ¼ life-size.
Pleasant bokeh quality
It also employs a rounded aperture, which is made up of 7 blades, to result in both a pleasant bokeh quality when selective focus techniques are employed and robust optical control.
Coming to Image Quality, we have tested it and personally found results strong from edge to edge. The image quality does drop significantly if zoomed to 130mm. But you can get closer to most of your subjects and brilliantly capture them with Sony’s compact 55-210mm Telephoto Lens.
The illumination across the frame is also open even though when wide open, at any focal length, it does show about a 1.5-stop deficit at the corners of the frame, thus giving photos a slight vignette.
The deficit can be cut to under -1EV by narrowing the aperture to make it negligible in field conditions. It’s not a big deal as users can eliminate this effect by enabling in-camera correction.
So now, users can easily crack standard long-shots and even pin-sharp close-ups with this Sony SEL55210 Zoom Lens. Its varied 55-210mm focal length, fast focusing, and 3.8x optical zoom provide plenty of opportunities for users to hone in on far-away subjects and let them lock onto it rapidly to produce some extraordinary images and videos.
So, all in all, this lens is perfect for all genres of photography, especially for action, wildlife, and sports photography. With its capability to blend 3.8x zoom complemented by a blur-reducing Optical SteadyShot, rounded lens aperture, and internal autofocus, this lens is an all-purpose brilliance. All of its technical specifications combined with impeccable design lets this deliver sharp pictures, wherever and whenever you’re standing.
Pros:
- Crystal-Clear Optics with extra-low dispersion glass elements and aspherical elements
- Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilizer makes shooting smooth, sharp, and accurate
- Natural bokeh effects with rounded seven-blade diaphragm
- Robust optical control
- All-Purpose Brilliance
- Fast internal focusing
- The price is very reasonable
- Light and compact
Cons:
- The aperture needs to be narrowed to f/8 to get quality images
- Results have a slight vignette
- Not weather sealed
Sony 55 210mm Specifications:
- Focal Length: 55 to 210mm
- 35mm Equivalent Focal Length: 82.5 to 315mm
- Max Aperture: f/4.5 to 6.3
- Min Aperture: f/22 to 32
- Lens Mount: Sony E
- Format Compatibility: APS-C
- The angle of View: 29° to 7° 40.’
- Max Magnification: 0.225x
- Min Focus Distance: 3.28′ / 1 m
- Optical Design: 13 Elements in 9 Groups
- Diaphragm Blades: 7, Rounded
- Focus Type: Autofocus
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Filter Size (Front): 49 mm
- Dimensions (ø x L): 63.8 x 108 mm / 2.51 x 4.25″
- Weight: 12.2 oz / 345 g
What’s In the Box?
- Sony E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS Lens
- Sony ALC-SH115 Lens Hood
- Sony ALC-F49S 49mm Front Lens Cap
- Sony ALC-R1EM Rear Lens Cap
- Limited 1-Year Warranty
Conclusions
If you’re looking for a tele zoom that gives solid results without bankrupting you, then Sony SEL55210 is the best option for you. It is an ideal budget-friendly lens. You can shoot at short shutter speeds, capture crisp action, and freeze motion.
Sony 55 210mm delivers tack-sharp results and performs beautifully. So add this to your photography kit <- Affiliate Link 🙂 and let it zoom into your world with quality, style, and professionalism.
