Sony A Lenses

42 interactive lens diagrams

Minolta A / Sony A autofocus SLR mount, introduced in 1985 | 35 mm film, APS-C digital, and full-frame digital

Sony A mount descends from Minolta's autofocus A mount, introduced in 1985 with the Maxxum/Dynax/Alpha SLR system. It began as a body-driven AF SLR platform and later gained in-lens motors, digital communication, and compatibility with Sony Alpha DSLR and translucent-mirror SLT cameras.

The system matters because it bridges Minolta's autofocus innovations and Sony's later mirrorless rise. Sony inherited not only the mount but also a body of full-frame and APS-C lens design assumptions built around SLR flange geometry and mechanical aperture operation.

A-mount lenses include classic Minolta G optics, Sony G lenses, and Zeiss ZA collaborations. In this catalog, A mount is useful for studying the last mature phase of Minolta-derived autofocus SLR design before E mount became Sony's main platform.

Mount interface

Flange focal distance 44.5 mm, bayonet mount. 0° at 12 o'clock from the camera front; the lens-side view is the horizontal mirror. Dotted strokes mark photo-scaled or schematic (not-to-scale) dimensions.

Sony A mount — camera-side front view (base)Sony A bayonet mount, camera-side front view. Flange focal distance 44.5 mm, nominal throat 49.7 mm. Profile sony-a/base.
Camera-side front
Sony A mount — lens-side rear view (base)Sony A bayonet mount, lens-side rear view. Flange focal distance 44.5 mm, nominal throat 49.7 mm. Profile sony-a/base.
Lens-side rear
Throat / openingMount ringBayonet lug / slotLock pin / notchIndex markElectrical contactMechanical couplingScrews / sealsDatum & axis
LAOWA 15mm f/4 Wide Angle 1:1 Macro— 12 ELEMENTS / 9 GROUPS, f = 16.00 mm, F/4.1MINOLTA AF 100mm f/2— 7 ELEMENTS / 6 GROUPS, 100mm f/2, 1.0m MFDMINOLTA AF 100mm f/2.8 Macro— 8 elements / 8 groups, f = 100.0 mm design, F/2.83 design; marketed f/2.8MINOLTA AF 135mm f/2.8 [T4.5] STF— 8 ELEMENTS / 6 GROUPS, 135mm f/2.8 [T4.5] STF, MODELED EFL 135.001536 mmMINOLTA AF 20mm f/2.8— 10 ELEMENTS / 9 GROUPS, 20mm, f/2.8MINOLTA AF 28-70mm f/2.8 G— 16 ELEMENTS / 11 GROUPS, 4-GROUP N-P-N-P ZOOM, 28.7 / 50.0 / 68.3mm DESIGN STATESMINOLTA AF 28-75mm f/2.8 (D)— 28-75mm f/2.8, 16 elements / 14 groups, 4 hybrid aspherical surfacesMINOLTA AF 28mm f/2— 9 elements / 9 groups, f = 28.0 mm, F2.0MINOLTA AF 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 New (v2)— 35-105 mm full-frame A-mount zoom, Patent f = 36.0-60.0-102.0 mm, 13 optical media / 10 groups (12 production elements)MINOLTA AF 35mm f/1.4— 10 ELEMENTS / 8 GROUPS, 35mm MARKETED / 34.983 mm DESIGN, f/1.4 MARKETED / F/1.45 DESIGNMINOLTA AF 35mm f/2— 7 ELEMENTS / 6 GROUPS, 35mm MARKETING / 35.0002mm MODELED, f/2MINOLTA AF 400mm f/4.5 APO G— 8-ELEMENT / 6-GROUP PATENT MODEL, 390 mm PATENT HEADER / 391.43 mm COMPUTED EFL, F/4.59 DESIGNMINOLTA AF 70-200mm f/2.8 APO G (D) SSM— Patent Example 1: 19 elements / 15 air-spaced optical clusters, Production class: 70-200mm f/2.8 A-mount, Patent f = 71.8 / 105.0 / 195.0 mm; Fno = 2.88MINOLTA AF 80-200mm f/2.8 APO— 16 ELEMENTS / 13 GROUPS, DESIGN 82-195mm, F/2.88 DESIGNMINOLTA AF APO Tele 200mm f/2.8— 200mm f/2.8, 8 elements / 7 groups, 2ω = 12° in patent; 12°30′ manufacturer angle of viewMINOLTA AF APO TELE 300mm f/2.8— Patent Example 8: f = 295.0 mm, FN = 2.9, Marketed as 300mm f/2.8, 10 prescription elements / 8 groupsMINOLTA AF Reflex 500mm f/8— 500 mm f/8 fixed, f = 495.97 mm patent EFL, f/7.07 area-equivalent annular design apertureMINOLTA AF Zoom 35-70mm f/4— 6 components / 6 air-spaced groups, 7 modeled optical media including hybrid resin layer, 36.0-68.2 mm patent design rangeSIGMA 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM | Art— 9 elements / 8 groups, f = 30.785 mm design, F1.4 marketed / F1.46 designSIGMA 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM | Art— 13 elements / 11 groups, f = 35.16 mm design, F1.45 design / F1.4 marketedSIGMA 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | Art— 13 elements / 8 groups, f = 49.58 mm design, F1.4 nominal / F1.46 designSIGMA APO Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM— 16 elements / 11 groups, 105 mm marketed; 101.71 mm design, F2.8 marketed; F2.91 designSIGMA APO MACRO 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM— 19 elements / 13 groups, f = 149.99 mm design / 150 mm nominal, F2.92 design / F2.8 nominalSIGMA APO Macro 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM— 19 elements / 14 groups, 180 mm f/2.8 marketed; 174.60 mm f/2.92 design, 0.47 m MFD / 1:1 macroSONY 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G SSM II— 18 ELEMENTS / 12 GROUPS, PATENT 72.06-388.09mm, MARKETED 70-400mm f/4-5.6SONY DT 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM— 16 ELEMENTS / 13 GROUPS, PATENT f = 16.48-48.50 mm, F/2.89 DESIGN (f/2.8 MARKETED)SONY PLANAR T* 50mm f/1.4 ZA SSM— 8 ELEMENTS / 5 GROUPS, f = 51.5 mm, F/1.45SONY VARIO-SONNAR T* 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA SSM— 17 ELEMENTS / 13 GROUPS, 24-70mm, f/2.8SONY VARIO-SONNAR T* DT 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 ZA— 14 ELEMENTS / 10 GROUPS, MARKETED 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5, PATENT 16.4-78.0mm f/3.61-4.64TAMRON 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD— 19 ELEMENTS / 15 GROUPS, 28-300mm marketed; 28.776-291.262mm patent states, FNO 3.628 / 3.628 / 6.459 modeledTAMRON AF 28-200mm SUPER XR f/3.8-5.6 Aspherical [IF] MACRO— 28-200mm marketing / 29.07-193.0mm patent design, 15 PHYSICAL LENS PIECES / 14 GROUPS, 3 COMPOSITE ASPHERICAL LENSESTAMRON AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO— 28-300mm marketed / 28.9958-289.5284mm modeled, f/3.5-6.3 marketed / f/3.5000-6.5122 modeled wide-open, 13 groups / 15 physical lens piecesTAMRON SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD (A011)— 20 ELEMENTS / 13 GROUPS, PATENT ZOOM POINTS 152.1633-582.5200 mm, MODELED F/4.99415-6.54062TAMRON SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD— 17 physical elements / 12 groups (18 modeled media), 24.7-67.799 mm design / 24-70 mm marketed, F/2.9 design / f/2.8 marketedTAMRON SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD— 23 ELEMENTS / 17 GROUPS, 70-200mm f/2.8 (MARKETING), 71.800-194.500mm F/2.90 (PATENT DESIGN)TAMRON SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD— 17 ELEMENTS / 12 GROUPS, DESIGN 71.75–292.00mm, MODELED f/4.122–5.853TAMRON SP 90mm f/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD (F004)— 14 ELEMENTS / 11 GROUPS, f = 92.556 mm (COMPUTED), F/2.89 DESIGN / f/2.8 MARKETEDTAMRON SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD [IF] MACRO 1:1 (B01)— 14 ELEMENTS / 11 GROUPS, PATENT f = 176.9587 mm; DATA SCALED TO 180 mm, F/3.5 (PATENT FNO 3.536)TAMRON SP AF 200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD [IF]— 13 ELEMENTS / 10 GROUPS, 200-500mm f/5-6.3, 2 LD ELEMENTSTAMRON SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO— 16 ELEMENTS / 14 GROUPS, DESIGN f = 28.87-72.65 mm, DESIGN F/2.91TAMRON SP AF 60mm f/2 Di II LD [IF] MACRO 1:1 (G005)— 14 ELEMENTS / 10 GROUPS, 60mm f/2 (MARKETED), f = 61.500mm, FNO. = 2.06 (PATENT)TAMRON SP AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD [IF] MACRO— 18 ELEMENTS / 13 GROUPS, 70-200mm f/2.8 (MARKETING), 71.50-194.00mm F/2.88 (PATENT DESIGN)