Sony has announced a new addition to its lens range, the DT55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 SAM.

The new lens is said to be optimised for all Alpha-mount cameras with APS-C sensors, such as the latest SLT A37 and SLT A57. This combination provides an effective focal length of around 82-450mm, given the size of the sensor.

It features a Smooth Autofocus Motor (SAM) said to be offer quiet and fluid focus, which Sony points out is particularly suited when using the AF tracking feature on its SLT models.

Other features of note include a single Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass element, said to better control chromatic aberration, and a seven-bladed diaphragm which promises circular bokeh.

Sony has said the new lens should be available from mid-September, at a price of £310. It is expected to feature at this year’s Photokina trade show in Cologne which coincides with the lens’s release date.

For more information visit www.sony.co.uk