Lens Components

There’s not a lot going on with most Sony lenses in terms of controls because, in the modern electronic age, most of the functions previously found in lenses in the ancient film era, such as autofocus options, are taken care of by the camera itself. Nor do Sony lenses require an on/off switch for image stabilization, because SteadyShot is built into the sensor components. Not every lens has every feature or component, so I’ve illustrated two common types—a zoom and a fixed focal length (“prime”) lens that contain many of the basic components, in Figure 2.26.

Lens hood bayonet. This is used to mount the lens hood for lenses that don’t use screw-mount hoods (the majority).

Zoom ring. Turn this ring to change the zoom setting.