Sony 24 70 f2 8 review
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Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II - Review / Test Report Lens Reviews - Sony Alpha (Full Format) Article Index Introduction Analysis Sample Images & Verdict Page 1 of 3 Review by Klaus Schroiff, published June 2022 IntroductionWhile Sony has been the undisputed leader in terms of the number of professional-grade mirrorless system lenses for many years, they are at least facing competition regarding the quality of individual lenses. Some of their 1st generation pro glass has been getting a bit long in the tooth. And one of these lenses was the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM - not a bad lens by any standard but it has its weak spots. And thus Sony reacted with the new Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II. As you may notice, the name specs didn't change but there are some substantial changes under the hood compared to its predecessor. The aspect that didn't change much is, of course, the pricing at around $2300/2400EUR but then nobody expects a GM ("Grand Master") lens to be truly affordable. The most obvious difference is the size and weight of the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II. Compared to the mark I as well as most non-E-mount competitors, it is a very small and lightweight lens. Coming in at just 695g, it is 20% lighter. In fact, this is comparable to the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS which is one stop slower. The weight reduction didn't have any negative impacts on the build quality. While Sony may have replaced some metal parts with compound materials (aka plastics), the body feels very sturdy and there's no wobbling even when extending the lens to its 70mm setting. The lens hosts a number of small goodies like focus stop buttons, a dedicated aperture ring with a clickless option ("Iris lock/unlock") and a switch for controlling the stiffness of the zoom mechanism. Being a professional-grade lens, it is, of course, sealed against dust and moisture. A fluorine coating on the front element also helps in this respect. A petal-shaped hood with a filter window is also part of the package. The lens features no less than 4 XD linear motors (Extreme Dynamic) for focusing. The result is a blazingly fast and noiseless AF. Smooth manual focusing works "by-wire" thus you are driving the AF motors when turning the focus ring. Some may regret that the lens doesn't offer a dedicated image stabilizer but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Lenses with IS tend to have a worse centering quality and fast standard zoom lenses are complex beings to start with. Namely, the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II has no less than 20 elements so it's probably a good idea to be a little conservative here. Below is a comparison between the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 II (left) and its predecessor. Specifications Optical construction22 elements in 16 groups, with 5x aspherical, 2x ED, 2x Super ED, 2xXA elements Number of aperture blades11 (rounded) min. focus distance0.21m(W)-0.3m(T) (max magnification 1:3) Dimensions87.8x119.9mm Weight695g Filter sizeφ82mm Hoodpetal-shaped, bayonet mount, supplied Other featuresfocus stop buttons, Nano AR II coating, clickless mode, zoom smoothness switch, dust- and moisture-resistant, fluorine coating I think the 24-70mm focal range is probably one of the most versatile ranges for travel. The 24mm is wide enough to capture most landscape shots, and the 70mm is far enough to get you stunning portraits with creamy bokeh. So, when I decided to upgrade from an APS-C camera to a full-frame camera, the Sony a7C, one of the first lenses I sought out was the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens. It is one of the first pro-grade G Master lenses Sony has produced for its new high-resolution cameras, such as the Sony a7R series, etc. That was way back in 2016, though since then, other lens manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron have released similar lenses with newer technology and at a cheaper price point. And that begs the question, is the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens still the best all-around lens to get for your Sony cameras? Is it still worth buying in 2021? Well, let's find out! Below, you will find a complete traveler's review of the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens based on my personal experience traveling with it. Without further ado, let's begin with things you should look out for in an all-around travel lens. No time to read? Don't worry. You can save this page to Pinterest and come back later. Save for Later Quick Summary of Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM LensIf you are short on time, here is a quick summary of the pros and cons of using the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens as your all-around travel lens, and a link to check the recent price of the lens below: Pros
Cons
What to Look For In An All-Around Travel Lens?Versatile Range: A good all-around travel lens should have a focal range that covers the majority of the focal lengths you find yourself using the most. The lens has to be able to go from wide to portrait with a twist of your wrist without having to switch to another lens. From my experience, I have found that an all-around travel lens with a focal length of 24-28mm on its widest end and around 70-75mm on its furthest end should be good enough for most travel subjects. This focal range will allow you to shoot both landscapes and portraits all in one, while also allowing you to frame your shots better for videos. At the end of the day, the whole point of an all-around lens is to allow you to capture spontaneous moments while you travel and reduce the number of times you switch lenses when you are out in the field. An all-around travel lens should be mounted on your camera 80% of the time, and if you find yourself rarely ever using it when you travel, then it is not a good all-around lens. Compactness: One of the most important factors for a travel lens is its size and weight, especially for an all-around travel lens where you will probably have it mounted on your camera most of the time and carry it around your neck when you are out and about. Basically, the lighter the lens is, the better it is as you will find yourself more likely to use it when you travel. And trust me, you will feel it around your neck at the end of the day if your all-around lens is too heavy for you. That said, with such a versatile range, and when combined with a fast aperture like F2.8, it can be physically impossible to manufacture an all-around lens that is as light and compact as prime lenses. It is all about striking the perfect balance between what you need and what you want in an all-around lens, given that it is physically possible, so make sure to keep that in mind. Fast Aperture: Since an all-around travel lens is a lens that you will likely use the most, having a fast aperture lens will allow you to shoot in more kinds of situations and enable you to produce sharp images even in low light. Having a fixed aperture of F2.8, rather than a variable aperture, is also extremely useful, especially when shooting videos. The fixed focal length will allow you to capture videos at all focal lengths without introducing the undesirable light shift effect in your video due to the aperture shifting when zooming in and out. That said, having a fixed and fast aperture for an all-around travel lens will also make it heavier and bulkier. So, if you want your lens to perform well in low-light, you are likely going to need to sacrifice compactness for versatility. Image Quality: And of course, you would want a lens that can produce sharp images, especially for an all-around lens that you will likely be shooting with the most. In a perfect world, a good all-around lens should be able to produce sharp images edge-to-edge at all focal lengths, wide open at F2.8. However, in reality, if the lens is to be flexible and compact enough to be a good all-around lens, the image quality is often the first to suffer. Again, it is all about striking a balance between these 4 important factors when it comes to picking up an all-around travel lens. Find what you want and what you need from an all-around travel lens, and then compromise between the two until you find the perfect lens for your travel. What I Love Most About the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM LensI love the focal range of the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens, especially for videos. I found that 28mm is often not wide enough for me when traveling, so having a 24mm at its widest focal length makes this lens much more appealing than the alternatives, the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2 and the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 lenses. The ability to go from 24mm to 70mm with a twist of the wrist is extremely useful for capturing spontaneous travel moments that often come and go very fast. It is also very versatile for all kinds of video shots, from a wide opening shot to a more intimate close-up shot, all in one lens. The Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens definitely has the most versatile focal range out of all its competitors, and if you are a hybrid shooter like myself who often shoots both photos and videos at the same time, you are going to love the versatility this lens gives you. Fast AutofocusDue to it being a native lens by Sony, it is a no-brainer that the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens has a faster and more precise autofocus system than all of its third-party competitors like the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 and the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 lenses. That doesn't mean that Sigma and Tamron's autofocus system are terrible and unusable for travel. It is just that the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 lens is a tiny bit better, and when it comes to travel, a slightly better autofocus system definitely goes a long way in helping you capture those spontaneous travel moments that other lenses might not be able to keep up with. In fact, having fast and reliable autofocus is one of the main reasons why we pay more for Sony lenses, and if you are looking for the most reliable all-around travel lens that rarely ever misfocus, I guarantee that the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens won't disappoint you. Great in low lightI used to use an F4 lens as an all-around travel lens, and back in the day, I always wondered why my photos always came out grainy and blurry when I shot at night or indoors. Now, with the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens, I no longer have that problem as the lens performs extremely well in low light, especially compared to other F4 lenses. As a travel photographer, you may think that having an F4 lens is more than enough for you, which is probably true if you like taking photos of landscapes on a clear day. However, that leaves very little room for anything else. Having an F2.8 lens will truly shine when you are using it indoors, such as taking photos of all the beautiful murals inside European churches, or when the lighting conditions are not on your side, such as in a cave or when it is overcast outside. With such a fast aperture, the lens should be able to let in enough light, allowing your camera to maintain a low ISO level, keeping your photos noise-free and maintaining their sharpness in poor lighting conditions. Combine this with a camera like the Sony a7III and the Sony a7C, and you have one hell of a low-light machine. The Drawbacks of the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM LensNow comes the part where you will have to sacrifice to have the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens. I'm not gonna lie, I thought the lens was okay when I first held it, but I didn't realize just how bulky and heavy the lens actually is until I spent 2 weeks traveling with it. My god, this lens is bulky and heavy AF, and no, AF doesn't stand for autofocus in this case. The Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens weighs over 880 g (1.95 lb), the heaviest lens out of all my lenses, and that includes my Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens, and it is almost as long. With a good camera strap (I am using the Langly Tactical Camera Strap), it can help with the weight a little, but the bulkiness is definitely something you will have to get used to. I hike a lot, and I always fear that someday I might accidentally swing the lens into a rock while I am hiking. It hasn't happened yet, and let's hope it stays that way for now. There is no doubt that the image quality produced with this lens is top-notch, but is it worth the heaviness and bulkiness that comes with it? Are you willing to carry an 880 g lens around your neck all day long when you travel? Do you prefer having a lightweight lens that can produce good enough image quality, or do you want the very best lens money can buy, no matter its weight? That is something you will have to decide when you are thinking of buying an all-around travel lens. Very ExpensiveThe Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens is also very expensive, and it took me a long while to justify paying for it. The retail price of this lens is almost 2,000 USD, which is way too high for a 5+ year-old lens, and you won't find a used one in mint condition for lower than 1,300 USD in secondhand markets, which is where I got my copy. It is a great lens, but it is not a lens everyone can afford. For those who are looking for a cheaper alternative, I would recommend going for the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 or the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 lenses instead, which are newer, lighter, and cheaper than this GM lens. Not the Sharpest LensI was also surprised to find that the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens is not as sharp as it should be, especially for a lens of this price. The center is very sharp at most focal lengths, but the lens falls apart in the corners at the extreme focal lengths (24mm and 70mm) when shooting wide open at F2.8. Don't get me wrong, the image quality is still pretty impressive, and it should have no trouble handling high-resolution cameras like the Sony a7RIV. However, for such a high price, I expected more, especially when you compare it with the newer and sharper Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens. Clearly, this is not the case of Sony being unable to create a sharp lens as you can see from my review of the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GN lens. However, it is more because of how old the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens is and how much of an upgrade it needs in order to catch up with newer technologies. If you decide to buy the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens, do not expect it to be as sharp, lightweight, and compact as other Sony newer GM lenses. After all, you are buying a 5-year-old lens, and in technology, 5 years is more like 10 technology years. Sample Photos From the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM LensA photo is worth a thousand words, so here are some of my favorite shots I took with the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens attached to my Sony a7C. A sample photo shot using the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens of heart-shaped stilts in Thailand shot at 39mm, F2.8. A sample photo shot using the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens of a market in Thailand shot at 65mm, F2.8. Bokeh test: A sample photo shot using the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens of Kanom Krok street food in Thailand in a market, shot at 24mm, F2.8. Bokeh test: A sample photo shot using the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens of Kanom Krok street food in Thailand in a market, shot at 24mm, F2.8. A sample photo shot using the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens of a bag in front of a wetland in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, Thailand, shot at 51mm F2.8. The Verdict: It's A Great Lens With A Lot Of Baggage AttachedAll in all, the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens is definitely the best all-around lens money can buy right now for your Sony cameras, but is it the best bang for your buck? I would say no. There are other alternatives out there that are newer, lighter, cheaper, and sharper than the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens. The Tamron 28-75 F2.8 lens is the cheapest of them all at only 750 USD retail, while the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 is the lightest of them all and only costs around 899 USD. Personally, if I were looking to buy an all-around lens, I would go with the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 lens instead. It has a more travel-friendly size, weighing only around 470 g (16.6 oz), and it costs 1,000 USD less than the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens. With the spare money I have left, I can add another $400 USD and use it to buy a used Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens instead, so that I have another great, sharp lens to cover the wide-angle focal lengths that the Sigma lens is missing. At the end of the day, if you don't mind the price and the weight, there is no better lens than the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens. However, if you want something more affordable without sacrificing too much, I recommend you look at the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 and the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 lenses instead. To check the latest price of the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens, click on the link below: Check Price Further Reading for ResourcesLooking for more articles to help you with your travel, whether it be camera gear or clothing? Here is a collection of articles you might like: |
