New reports confirm that Sony has just announced its highly anticipated **100mm Macro Lens**, designed to revolutionize macro photography. This lens promises to push the boundaries of magnification and deliver exceptionally smooth background blur, making small subjects more prominent and visually appealing.
The **100mm Macro Lens** features a maximum aperture of **f/2.8**, a minimum focus distance of **10.2 inches** (or **26 cm**), and offers a maximum magnification of **1.4x**. With a robust optical design consisting of **17 elements in 13 groups**, this lens is engineered for high performance in challenging macro environments.
According to a detailed comparison by photographer **Alex Cooke**, the new lens significantly outperforms the previous **90mm Macro Lens**. In real-world tests conducted in a forest setting, Cooke demonstrated how the **100mm** excels in capturing minute subjects, such as tiny mushrooms and intricate raindrops on leaves. The new design adds an **aperture ring**, a **second custom button**, and **faster autofocus**, ensuring that photographers have more control and flexibility.
The video showcases Cooke lying in leaf litter, shooting wide open at **f/2.8** to achieve a dreamy focus on critical details. He also highlights how the lens maintains clarity even when stopped down to **f/14**, effectively managing backgrounds that remain clean and smooth.
One of the standout features of the **100mm Macro Lens** is its compatibility with teleconverters, which the **90mm** lacks. Cooke pushes the lens to its limits with a **1.4x teleconverter**, enabling him to capture stunning close-ups of individual droplets and textures that would typically go unnoticed. He notes that even at **f/14**, the depth of field remains razor-thin, allowing for artistic expression depending on the desired outcome.
The lens is also designed with an **11-blade** aperture to create beautiful bokeh, enhancing the aesthetic quality of images. Cooke illustrates this by walking through various apertures while maintaining the same forest scene, showcasing the lens’s ability to render highlights smoothly.
As the video progresses, viewers witness Cooke capturing astonishing details of minute organisms and fungi. He employs a **2x teleconverter**, further extending the lens’s reach and compressing distant backgrounds into mesmerizing colors behind delicate mushrooms.
This lens is not just a technical upgrade; it’s a tool that encourages photographers to explore the often overlooked beauty of the macro world. Cooke emphasizes the practical considerations of upgrading from the **90mm**, especially as used prices for that model may decline.
For anyone passionate about macro photography, the **Sony 100mm Macro Lens** represents a significant leap forward. It combines advanced features with exceptional performance, making it a compelling choice for both amateur and professional photographers.
Check out the full comparison video above to see why the **Sony 100mm Macro Lens** might be the key to unlocking new creative possibilities in your photography.
