Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens: Comprehensive Review

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is a versatile and high-performing zoom lens designed for Sony's full-frame mirrorless cameras. As part of Sony’s flagship G Master series, it combines exceptional optical quality with professional-grade build and handling. Covering a focal length range from wide-angle to short telephoto, the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is ideal for photographers and videographers seeking a do-it-all lens for landscapes, portraits, events, and more.

This review delves deeply into its features, image quality, and usability to determine if it lives up to the expectations of a premium professional-grade zoom lens.

Check current price here

Features / Specifications

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is packed with features that cater to both photography and videography professionals:

Focal Length Range: 24-70mm, offering excellent versatility for landscapes, portraits, street photography, and events.
Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/22, providing consistent light gathering and depth-of-field control across the zoom range.
Lens Elements: 18 elements in 13 groups, including 3 aspherical elements, 1 XA (extreme aspherical) element, and 2 ED (extra-low dispersion) elements to minimize chromatic aberrations and distortions.
Coating: Nano AR Coating for superior flare and ghosting resistance, maintaining high contrast even in challenging lighting conditions.
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.38m (1.25 feet), allowing for close-up shots with significant detail.
Magnification: 0.24x, useful for capturing small subjects or adding versatility to compositions.
Aperture Blades: 9-blade circular diaphragm for smooth and creamy bokeh.
Autofocus Motor: Direct Drive Super Sonic Wave Motor (DDSSM) for fast, silent, and accurate focusing.
Weather Sealing: Comprehensive dust- and moisture-resistant construction for professional use in various conditions.
Weight: 886 grams (31.3 oz), striking a balance between durability and portability.

Build Quality

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM demonstrates exceptional build quality, consistent with Sony’s G Master lineup.

Material Construction: The lens features a robust metal and high-quality polycarbonate build. The materials strike a balance between durability and weight, ensuring it withstands professional use in harsh environments.
Weather Resistance: Extensive weather sealing makes the lens resistant to dust, moisture, and light rain, enabling reliable performance in outdoor shoots or challenging conditions.
Control Layout: The zoom and focus rings are smooth and precise, with just the right amount of resistance. A customizable focus hold button and a dedicated zoom lock switch enhance usability.
Professional Design: The lens has a premium aesthetic with a clean design. The attention to detail reflects its professional-grade status.

Size, Weight, and Dimensions

While the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is not a compact lens, its size and weight are reasonable for a professional zoom lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture.

Dimensions: 87.6mm (3.45 inches) in diameter and 136mm (5.35 inches) in length. While slightly bulky, it balances well on Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, especially with a battery grip.
Weight: 886 grams (31.3 oz). Though heavier than some other 24-70mm options, it’s lighter than DSLR equivalents and manageable for handheld use.
Filter Thread: 82mm, which is standard for professional-grade lenses and compatible with a wide range of filters.

The lens’s size and weight are justified by its optical complexity and robust construction, making it a practical choice for professionals who need a dependable, all-purpose zoom.

Image Quality

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM delivers exceptional image quality across its zoom range. Its optical design ensures consistent performance, whether shooting at 24mm or 70mm, wide open at f/2.8 or stopped down.

Sharpness

Center Sharpness: At f/2.8, the lens delivers superb sharpness in the center across the entire zoom range. Details are crisp, and the resolution remains high even when shooting wide open. Stopping down to f/4 improves sharpness slightly, particularly in demanding landscape shots.
Edge Sharpness: Edge performance is impressive for a zoom lens. While edges are slightly softer at f/2.8, particularly at 24mm, they sharpen up noticeably by f/4. By f/5.6, sharpness across the frame is virtually uniform, making it suitable for architectural or product photography.
Consistency: The lens provides consistent sharpness and detail at all focal lengths and apertures, making it a reliable option for professionals who demand precision.

Color Reproduction and Contrast

Color Accuracy: The lens excels in rendering natural and vibrant colors, with rich tones and faithful reproduction of subtle nuances. This is especially beneficial for portraiture and event photography.
Contrast: Even in backlit conditions, the Nano AR Coating ensures excellent contrast, preserving shadow details and maintaining a sense of depth.

Bokeh

Background Blur: The 9-blade circular aperture produces smooth, creamy bokeh that enhances subject isolation. Out-of-focus areas appear soft and natural, with no harsh edges or distracting artifacts.
Wide Aperture Performance: At f/2.8, the lens creates a pleasant separation between the subject and the background, making it ideal for portraits and close-ups.

Optical Aberrations

Chromatic Aberration: Chromatic aberrations are minimal, even in high-contrast scenarios such as tree branches against bright skies. The ED and XA elements effectively minimize color fringing.
Distortion: Distortion is well-controlled. There’s mild barrel distortion at 24mm and slight pincushion distortion at 70mm, but both are negligible and easily corrected in-camera or in post-processing.
Flare and Ghosting: The Nano AR Coating reduces flare and ghosting, even when shooting directly into the sun. The lens maintains excellent contrast and clarity in challenging lighting situations.
Vignetting: Vignetting is noticeable at f/2.8, especially at 24mm, but it diminishes by f/4 and can be corrected in post-processing.

Autofocus

The Direct Drive Super Sonic Wave Motor (DDSSM) system ensures fast, accurate, and silent autofocus performance.

Speed: Autofocus is instantaneous, making it suitable for fast-moving subjects in events or wildlife.
Precision: The lens locks focus with precision, even in low-light conditions, ensuring sharp results.
Silent Operation: The near-silent motor is ideal for videographers who need seamless and noise-free focus transitions.

Performance in Photography and Videography

Photography

Versatility: The 24-70mm focal range covers a wide array of scenarios, from wide-angle landscapes to telephoto portraits. It’s ideal for photographers seeking one lens for travel, events, or studio work.
Low-Light Performance: The constant f/2.8 aperture enables reliable low-light performance, allowing photographers to shoot at faster shutter speeds without raising ISO levels excessively.
Detail Retention: The lens handles fine details exceptionally well, making it suitable for high-resolution cameras like the Sony A7R series.

Videography

Autofocus: Smooth and silent autofocus performance makes it a great choice for video work. Focus transitions are natural and reliable, which is essential for professional productions.
Bokeh: The soft and smooth bokeh enhances cinematic quality, especially for interviews and close-up shots.
Zoom Functionality: While the zoom mechanism is not parfocal, the lens’s focus retains accuracy during minor zoom adjustments, which is valuable for videographers.

Use Cases

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is an all-purpose lens suited for numerous professional and enthusiast applications:

Wedding and Event Photography: Perfect for capturing everything from group shots to intimate portraits.
Landscape Photography: Excellent for wide-angle scenes at 24mm, with superb sharpness and contrast.
Portrait Photography: At 70mm and f/2.8, the lens delivers outstanding subject isolation with beautiful bokeh.
Travel Photography: Its versatility makes it a practical option for covering a wide range of subjects without changing lenses.
Videography: Silent autofocus and high-quality optics make it suitable for professional video shoots.

Price

As a premium G Master lens, the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is priced in the higher range. While it may seem expensive for enthusiasts, the price reflects the professional-grade optics, robust build, and versatile performance it delivers.

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is a standout lens in the standard zoom category, offering superb image quality, reliable autofocus, and a durable build. It caters to professionals who require versatility without compromising on performance. While its size and price may deter some users, those who invest in this lens will find it to be a dependable and high-performing tool for a wide variety of applications.

Conclusion

Rating

Our overall rating: 9.0/10

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is an exceptional all-rounder, delivering consistent results for both photographers and videographers. Its premium performance and versatility make it a worthwhile investment for professionals.