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Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G (SEL24F28G)
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Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G (SEL24F28G)
£853.85 £555.00
In stock
| Title | Range | Discount |
|---|---|---|
| Sale / Bulk discount | 1 - 2 | 35% |
| Sale / Bulk discount | 3 - 5 | 40% |
| Sale / Bulk discount | 6 - 99 | 45% |
Additional information
| Product code | ACE-58054 |
|---|---|
| Barcode | 4548736130586 |
| Brand | Sony |
| Colour | Standard |
| Model | Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G (SEL24F28G) |
Quint –
Using this lens with the a7RiiIve seen photos of what this lens can do. Read many reviews about quality. My only hesitation was dropping this much dough on a lens. Ive never invested in nonkit lens because photography was just a casual hobby. This is my first serious investment in a professionallevel lens and have no regrets The crispness The softness in bokeh The ability to shot in lower light scenarios New possibilities to explore which makes me want to shoot even more
Raheel –
Exceptional quality with this lens. I prefer prime lenses, but opted to go with this one to cover a majority of my needs from the get go. I would recommend this to anyone who can only buy one lens for their new full frame Alpha, unless that person only has one specific need for a lens, in which case i would say to stick to a prime. I am happy with my purchase. Happy to be a Gmaster owner
Don –
The day this lens arrived I took it to my grand daughters music event. The images I brought back of her and her classmates exceeded all expectations and my expectations were high. The challenging lighting was mixed 3 ways fluorescent, outdoor via windows, and incandescent. The AWB handled that well, autofocus did well and when I checked with manual focus I did not gain much more. Most of the shots were wide open at f2.8 and yielded a nice bokeh. I was also using the 1.4 teleconverter which worked better than expected with surprisingly little difference in lens focus speed and resolution performance with or without it. The zoom and focus controls were very smooth with just the right amount of resistance the toggle controls equally solid. The whole lens has the feel of a very high quality unit which it is. I am looking forward to many years of pleasant use just as I have experienced with predecessors of this stellar lens. This is definitely a keeper lens.
Sjaymes –
The price says it all. This lens really is a high quality lens that produces sharp images and great functionality for both manual and autofocus. If someone is looking into buying a semiallrounder lens then this is the one that should definitely be looked at. It is on the pricey side, but it will not disappoint for those who are willing to spend that much. I bought the Sony a7iii with the kit lens and bought this G Master lens as my first pro lens. As for right now it takes the shots I want and itll also help me grow on my photography skills.
Xusheng –
This lens is great for multiple purposes, such as portrait. It is super sharp and the build quality is amazing. The CPL adjustment window on the lens hood is really helpful for me. This lens is awesome for both photography and videography.
jack –
I had this lens for about 2 weeks. used on a trip to UNC for my sons college visiting. I have the Sony a7r2. I own Zeiss Batis 25mm and 85mm. Sony 55mm f1.8, 70200mm f4. These are ALL great lenses. I can not tell if there is much difference in quality between these. I am not a professional so I do not know the technical stuff. But I am very sensitive to quality. To give you an example, I bought the f4 2470mm and returned in a week. It is a total dogextreme distortion and the color is not nearly as good. Both f4, the 70200mm is MUCH better than the 2470mm f4. The only native thing about the GM is its weight. It is quite heaven for walk around for sure. But you can still do it. just hang it on your shoulder more. But the convenience and quality is no comparison. I got the 2 Batis thinking it is prime and light. It is true, but you have to change lens all the time. So I decided to have one 2470mm as a my prime lensit is just more convenient. Plus the quality is outstanding. Bates are also very nice as well. But the GM might be a hair better.
Steve –
Moved from Canon 5DIII to Sony over a year ago with no regrets though I have nothing bad to say about Canons product line. Shooting with A7III at present and extremely happy with the camera.Purchased this lens mainly for shooting event photography and occasional portraits. Currently shooting instadium promotions at D1 football games. Reach of the lens is perfect for my needs. Previously used the 100400mm on an A9 and it was longer than needed but produced beautiful results. shooting a huge jumbotron at night games is challenging for metering the camera. Backlit mode works pretty well, but thats more the camera than the lens.I like the fact that the barrel doesnt extend on this one vs. the 100400. Last game I had only a handful of missed shots focus out of around 600 taken.Shot a birthday party recently with 5 year old kids whizzing around inflatables inside a metal building. Light was low and I used face tracking to let the cameralens do the work. System performed pretty well considering the poor conditions for photography. Had to ditch 20 of the shots, but I cant imagine doing better in those conditions with anything else.The lens is expensive and heavy and well worth having. I will be shooting with it for years to come.
Salina –
This lens is incredibly sharp and autofocus is very quick. The is a very versatile lens and I use it for everything. Its great for wide shots at 24mm 2.8 such as astro photos and at 3570mm great for portraits. I mostly shoot portraits in college such as graduation photos and each shot is sharp and quick.
Kevin –
Ive always loved the 2470. You can use it for lifestyle, landscape, and pretty much anything. Its just a nice range that allows you to shoot multiple items. I bought it for that long term along with being able to shoot in cropped mode with my Sony a7r ii for some product photography. I believe it gives me 38112mm or so, so it gives me the extra zoom I need creating a 2in1 lens. Extra bang for my buck. Its a sharp lens, and again, extremely versatile.
charles –
This lens is superior to my old 2470MM F4 OSS in sharpness and color as it should be for the price point. Given the additional fstops and the image quality, the additional weight and size are not a surprise. I use my lens on a Sony a7rII and although the lens is bigger and heavier, I did not notice any real difference when carrying it on my shoulder while hiking or when shooting so the size and wieght increase are not a deal breaker. I also like the hood release button and the zoom lock switch which keeps the lens from telescoping when it is carried lens pointing downward admittedly, little things, but nice to have. The focussing and zoom rings work smoothly with no undue play they give a very slight amount of resistance which is, in my opinion, a desirable quality. Also, the build quality is very solid. From the results I have seen with the images taken with this new lens I am pleased to have switched from the F4 2470MM OSS and I would recommend it without reservation.
Jian –
This is best ever lens Ive used but please keep reading.It is widely or commonly believed in outside country such as China that this lens is being sold with good ones mixed in notsoperfect ones. Even you are being told by Sony you are alright.How to tell1. Shoot same content in same sizeinimage so that you can compare. In 70mm and other any length such as 50mm.2. Some lens are not as sharp in 70mm than other such as 50mm. You can tell it by shooting text in magazine for example.3. Yes wide open.4. Yes the problematic focus lens is 70mm. Means all other works great.All aspects of this lens is absolutely perfect.
Bob –
I got my lens today and put it through its paces across available fstop and focal length ranges. I am not experienced at testing lenses, but it looks fine to me. I conducted MTF Mapper analysis and the 2470 appears to come in about 10 15 lpmm better than my 90mm FE f2.8 which I have always considered to be an excellent lens. I can also see IQ improvement over the 90mm on an ISO chart. I guess this one is a keeper I have never done this thorough a job of testing, but 2300 wfilter made me pretty nervous about potential quality problems. I hope my results represent the quality level of future GM lenses. I can post some of the results if there is an interest. The lens is pretty large and heavy, but I dont find that problematic.
Ron –
I have been slowly switching over from Canon to Sony for 4 years and now I am completely Sony. The A9 was the final piece to replace my 1Dx. Once I had access to a full frame mirrorless that will give me the frame rate necessary for Wildlife and Sports, I could also move on to native lenses for the Sony FE system. My Sony FE 70200 focuses faster than any lens I have owned, its tack sharp and feels really good to use. I am holding on to my Canon 600mm F4 II and using it with the metabones adapter until Sony offers their own super long glass.
Carlos –
Im a Sony shooter and I love their products. The first few years I shot with only APSC Crop frame cameras. This year I graduated to the Full Frame A7S3 and I havent looked back. This is the second GMaster lens I purchased I have the 70200.I rented this lens last month for a party and I was blown away. Previously I was only using my Sigma 35mm 1.4 as a general all around purpose lens. I cannot lie Sigma has stepped their game up with their Sony lenses. As Im typing this the Sigma 2470 is in the process of being released and is on back order with many Camera shops. I was on the fence but then I realized that Sigma often have great images, their Auto Focus is not as reliable or quick as the Sonys.
John –
I got this lens a few weeks ago and have tested it a number of times. My decision to trade in the Canon 2470 2.8 IS USMII with the Sony converter was a good one. This lens is perhaps a bit sharper but the main improvement was better edge to edge sharpness across the frame at all fstps from 2.8 to 11. And of course not needing the converter resulted in faster and more accurate auto focus, a bit less weight and length and faster to change lens since no conversion is necessary. If youre thinking of upgrading in that focal length range or looking to buy new it the right choice if youre ok with spending that much. Its a great all purpose lens.
Anonymous –
Using this on my A7ii and wow… incredibly impressed I was skeptical to drop this much money on a lens that was roughly the same focal length range as the Kit lets I already owned, but wow does it make a difference. Incredibly well built and amazingly sharp makes for some great wide open landscape shots or portraits Ive actually been able to crop photos taken with this and folks have mistaken the images for being taken with a telephoto. It is very heavy, which somewhat defeats the purpose of switching to a mirrorless system, but Ive had no trouble mounting it on a small travel tripod, so I dont mind too much. Ive also got the 35mm Zeiss for the days that require being a little more mobile. Another minor, but appreciated feature is the focal length lock at 24mm this ensures you dont get that annoying lens creep while youre walking around, since the lens will surely be pointed straight down from the weight a problem I had on my Canon lenses. End of the day This is an amazing lens. If you have the ability to drop the money on it, you should feel very confident in your purchase.
James F. –
Out of the box you can feel that this lens is different. The weight reminds you of the quality components inside. I knew itd be good, but honestly, I was blown away by the image quality. Yeah, its big and heavy, which is even more dramatic on the compact A7 series, but I wouldnt sacrifice the IQ of this lens for something smaller and lighter. If youre looking for something compact, this isnt it. If youre looking for a professional lens with extremely high IQ, look no further.
xinzhong –
I just transfer from Canon to Sony. The 2470 2.8 GM lens is really sharp. And the autofocus ability is wonderful with my A7SIII camera. The weight is right on. Not too heavy or too light. Its very easy to be balanced on Ronins gamble. I really like the lens
Li –
This is truly a workhorse lens for Sony A7IIIA7R3. I use it for video recordings, as well as general portraiture phtoography work. The lens is sharp even wide open, offers reliable and super fast AF and eye tracking. AF is visually silent.If you make a living using you Sony cameras, you outta have this lens in your arsenal.A filter is almost necessary for this lens as the front lens element is dangerously close to the filter ring.The nitpicking would be that the lens hoods locking clip broke on first use, now the hood can not be securely attached to the lens. Also, the zoom ring is a bit too stiff to turn, I hope it does get lose after awhile. 82mm filter is also a bit more expensive than smaller size flters.
Melanie –
Coming from pretty much only using primes, am loving getting used to being able to zoom in and out. Please go readwatch more in depth and qualified reviews on YouTube or other photography resources to decide if you should purchase.
Bryans –
I LOVE this lens, I hope they update it though. Its been few years since this has come outIt did arrive late but thats not the lens fault lol its understandable during these times for items to arrive late. But other then that, i do recommend these lens. I had a 24GM but wanted the zoom. I have Sigma 2470 for mirrorless as well as this one. Both are AMAZING. Its still a debate whether or not to keep one or the other, pairing it with my A7R4
Mark –
I shoot video and chose this lens for my new Sony a7sii. The lens produced very sharp images. Well built but a little heavy, but Ill put up with heavy for quality. I was excited about the focus button on the lens, bit was disappointed that it doesnt do anything on the a7sii. No big deal, but it would have been nice. That said, I would buy it again and I am very pleased with the sharpness. I would give it 4.5 stars.
Alexander T. –
Optically, mechanically, etc. its an absolutely solid lens. All the hype is real this lens delivers in spades across the board and is on par or better with the rest of the marketleading standard zooms across any system. Any complaints are just trivial nitpicking from folks just like to argue for the sake of argument. That said… I returned mine because its simply too heavyimbalanced when mounted to the current line of Sonys EFE camera bodies I own A7Sii and A7Rii and the mount on those cameras is not sturdy enough for such a frontheavy lens Ive identified front panel flex and gap that appears between lens and camera bodies when not supported. In short, for me this was a lack of ergonomicsrobustness with the current bodies that was a deal breaker. Ifwhen the next line of FE bodies deliver tougher mount and more ergonomic larger body, Ive no doubt that I will buy this one again for travel and doitall zoom.
matthew.w –
This lens is a beast. It is not small, it is not light. It is not the mirrorless experience. But the quality as fantastic. I brought it with me on a Europe trip and loved it. I have zero complaints with the picture quality even on the edges, no vignetting, but it is heavy. Looking back, I probably should have gotten the F4. The F4 is light and versatile… but I love this lens. It is my goto. If you can handle the size, it is your daily shooter.
David –
I use this for video on a VG900. Mostly for weddings and with that, bridal prep. Its fine in low light for hotel rooms, houses etc, maybe popping gainISO a tad. Sharp. I typically shoot manual focus anyway out of habit, not sure about the autofocus complaint but Ive used it on 1st dancestoasts on my 2nd camera in auto on occasion saw it take time to focus. Great for run gun in churches can get most of the altar off to the corner from the first few pews. Can handle low light but usually by dance floor time I switch to a 1.4 but I have used this lens on low lit dance floor receptions and its definitely usable.
Geolevy –
For my photography the two characteristics most important for a lens are resolution and speedaccuracy of auto focus. My camera is the Sony A7RM2. The FE f2.8 GM 70200 mm lens arrived a week ago and I subjected it to resolution tests, and compared it with several other SONY lenses, including the outstanding FE G 90 mm Macro lens. All test photos were taken RAW and viewed in Lightroom without any further processing. Overall the lens proved to be extremely sharp, even wide open, across its range of focal lengths and across the frame. 2 Point type and even a 0.5 point width line located within 20 of the left and right edges of the target are resolved at f3.5f4 and still identifiable at f2.8. At both 70 mm and 200 mm the lens performs at its best near 100mm it is slightly less sharp. Center resolution is extraordinary from f4 and excellent at most focal lengths, even at f2.8. At the frame corners resolution is outstanding above f3.5 and still near excellent at f2.8 except aound 100 mm focal length where it is somewhat degraded below f4. As reported by others, my first photography with this lens shows that it is not ideal for fast focusing applications. It often takes too much time to focus even in moderately good light. Avoiding the FULL focus range speeds action considerably. Color and contrast are quite good, qualitatively and bokeh is IMO excellent. I plan to add to this review after more experience with this lens and especially after I receive the 2X teleconverter. Right now I rate the lens 4 stars.
Jamalf –
Great lens for landscape and group photos. Add a doubler and the 2.8 will still capture great photos. I have this lens, the 90 macro and the 70200 with doubler if needed.Heavy glass and good construction.
Alex –
Sony has really set the bar high with this lens. Not only is it fast but it is sharp across the entire frame at f2.8. It is also weather resistant and quick to focus. We have also used this lens to shoot video and it excels in this area as well.
John –
Oh boy This thing covers a lot of ground as a first lens Now Im thinking 70200 f2.8 is what I need. I want a 14mm for astro too This review is technical free because I am a complete noob but this lens on the a7r4 is letting me take lots of fun pictures As soon as I get the vaccine Im on the road to do some camping and lots and lots of pictures
YPW –
I bought this lens for A7 before my last trip. With F2.8, I was able to take great pictures of birds and views in the middle range, especially when the light was relatively dim. That is exactly what I am looking for. At the same time, this lens provides a great sharpness to the pictures. The drawbacks are the size and weight. It is not a togo lens. Also, 70200mm means that this lens might not be as convenient as a 2470 or 2870 in a close quarter shooting i.e. shooting in a hiking trail or on a street. It is relatively expensive as an Alpha lens. But it worths it.
darmata888 –
I bought this lens to pair it with my Sony a7R Mark II and I have to say it is a fantastic lens. I compared its sharpness with my Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 which is Sonys Full Frame sharpest lens and the results were surprisingly similar. The built quality, button placements, feeling of the zoom focus rings are amazing and the f2.8 continuous aperture is great. The autofocus is crazy fast with my a7R II and it is completely silent great for video. The only downsides of this lens are its price, its weight pretty heavy unbalanced with the very light small a7R II and its size huge compared to the a7 a6000 series of cameras. So when you buy into mirrorless to get light and small cameras, this lens cancels all those benefits. But if you are into the Sony Full Frame or APSC ecosystems and if you have the money to buy it, I would highly recommend this lens It is the perfect all around lens and is much much sharper than the Sony Zeiss 2470mm f4.
edwin.b –
Currently using this lens with my Sony a7iii and oh my goodness is this a beast of a lens Its so damn sharp Its definitely a little heavy and on the expensive side considering that sigma and tamron both have a cheaper equivalent. However I like sticking with native glass and this lens does not disappoint at all. Extremely versatile lens thats capable of shooting landscapecityscape portraits and any other kind of photography Its not the best lens for extremely low light situations but it can definitely get the job done since the new Sony camera bodies are all beasts in low light. The only complaint I have is theres no OSS with this lens which could be an issue for people planning to use this with the older Sony bodies. If you have a newer model that has built in ibis youre fine At the 2200 price mark I can say if you need the best possible auto focus and dont mind a heavier lens get this. You wont be disappointed at all. Sigma and tamron both make great lenses thatll do just fine if you cant shell out the 2200 for this lens, but if money isnt a factor, BUY THIS LENS
Leyla –
Professional wedding photographer here. I moved from Nikon to the Sony mirrorless system and needed to replace the gear I already had. This lens was combined with the 42mp Sony A7RIII and the A7III and had tack sharp photos. Have tried the f4 version of this lens and was disappointed. Very happy with this purchase.
Dwight –
I gladly swapped out my Canon gear for the new A9 body by Sony but glass made me nervous. I was used to tacksharp performance from my 70210 and wasnt sure if the offering from Sony would compare. It does and is a joy to use. Sharp as a pin, lighter and overall a hair smaller than its Canon counterpart, this lens zooms a bit smoother, and retains its corner to corner sharpness. I love the programmable button that lets me activate focus lock or Eye Autofocus depending on my shooting requirements. And the auto focus is instantaneous regardless of what mode you are in. This is my new goto lens.
Cheaperbills –
Love this lens. When I first started I carried multiple lenses. 12mm24mm, has a 35mm and then a 55. Wish I had started with this one though. Never need to swap it out and can get most my photos with just it on. Good range to carry at all times.
Robert –
I use this lens on my A7rII. I couldnt be happier. This lens is sharp and the colors are great. I see a marked reduction in noise and the noise grain is much finer than with the 2470 f4.0. It is heaver, but then isnt that to be expected in a lens with a lot more glass. This has quickly become my favorite lens, and I keep it mounted on my camera most of the time. If you purchase this lens, I dont think you will be disappointed.
Xerxes –
This review is mainly targeted towards VIDEOGRAPHERS. Just received the lens today. Wow, the images with 4k video on my A7sii are absolutely stunning I thought the Canon 2470ii 2.8 looked good on this camera but wow The the bokeh, edge to edge sharpness, even at f2.8, is definitely as advertised. The lens weighs about the same as the Canon 2470iiMetabones IV attached together. Now the problem in which I cannot give this lens 5 stars. I purchased this lens to use on my Freefly Movi M5 A7sii on AUTOFOCUS. Unfortunately, AUTOFOCUS seems to have a flickering problem within the bokeh. Autofocus IS NOT smooth on the A7sii. The camera seems to be searching for its target before it locks in focus. The result is a flickering mess if you want to shoot at f2.8. And I mean like, twitchy flicker. Not good. Autofocus is also VERY slow for video on the A7sii. See the attached test video. It takes about 7 seconds to autofocus on the tree Lastly, there is no focus distance marker. If you want to use manual focus and know the distance between you and your subject based on numerical values written on the lens, a skill set I take very seriously without having to look at my screen, theres no reference for that. I was really disappointed, especially since Autofocus is currently clunky. I didnt realize this until I received the lens today, which I thought was pretty standard among lenses. Guess I should have looked at more product photos. Hopefully a firmware update can fix the autofocus, but even then I dont think I can give this lens 5 stars because of the missing focus distance marker. Im going to be doing more tests with this lens to see if I can somehow make this autofocus work.
Ben –
Im mostly using this lens on my A7rII, and the resolution is great. Light years better than the Canon 2470 that I was using with metabones adapter. I tried that route first since I already had the Canon glass, but this native lens is so much better on the Sony bodies. Very little chromatic aberration and vignetting, which to me is more important that sharpness. Just look up the tests on dxomark to do a side by side. Im only sorry I waited so long to get it. P.S. Super fast focusing also on the A9.
TVGuy –
Have a highresolution Sony camera Need superior optics for your photography Do you want nice photographic rendering for your pictures without harsh contrast or soft cornersThis is a professional lens and it does its job. There arent any concessions that youll find with 3rd party lenses such as firmware, focusing or build issues.Sure, this is a premium lens at a premium price that some people cant afford or justify. Considering its a telephotozoom lens, its performance justifies the cost its a convenient alternative to working with a handful of prime lenses.Color accuracy, sharpness, ability to resolve a 61 megapixel sensor, quick focusing there are no pitfalls with this lens.The devil is in the details, and the details make this lens great.
John –
I love my Sony A7rii, but it often took a back place to my Canon or Nikon full frame gear when I wanted to be sure of the highest image quality. Generally speaking, Sonys lenses even their socalled Zeiss lenses were not as good as the professional grade Canon L or certain Nikkor lenses. Enter the Sony G Master FE 2470, which can easily compare with the best glass from Canon, Nikon, Zeiss, Voightlander, etc., but includes the added benefit of being used on the Sony A7Rii camera, with its outstanding EVF, focus magnification and focus peaking, etc. This amazing lens puts Sony on the map for serious photographers who want the best image quality from their higher MP sensors. Recommended
Dmitriy –
I tried a few options, including Metabones Canon lenses, Sony FE 2470 F4, and found this lens far superior to any other setup. For me FE 2470 F2.8 has two things I care about most quality of the image and build. Its the only lens of its kind. Works great with my new A7SII for photo and video. If you are looking for a good professional lens, look no further. The only downside is its size and weight, but I would say that it is completely worth it.
Justin –
I looked at both this lens and the Sigma and at the end of the day, while the quality was excellent on both lenses, the Sony 2470mm lens just reacted faster on autofocus. Depending on your priorities, this lens cannot be beat…no matter the price difference.
Billyboy –
Fast, sharp zoom lens. I used mainly prime lenses and was tired of constantly switching lenses on the go. This was on sale and I went for it. No regrets, wonderful lens.
David F. –
The FE 70200 f2.8 GM OSS Lens is excellent glass, as the other reviews suggested. My experience with this lens was, however, short lived, because I returned it after two weeks of shooting on my Sony A7R III. The Sony FE 70200 f2.8 GM OSS is great. AF is fast, Eye AF works great, OSS is excellent, and IQ is actually spectacular. I love the portraits I got using this lens. My belief is that one can get substantially better images with this lens on the A7R III or A9 than one could ever get from CanonNikon due to the incredible OSS in the lens working in tandem with the OSS in the camera with the sensor quality. This allows for shooting at base ISO more often. I got some great images at outrageously low shutter speeds unthinkable just a couple of years ago. The primary issue that I had with this lens is that it is a beast. It is too heavy This weight may not seem as noticeable on a DLSR, but on a mirrorless camera, the weight seems enhanced. For more than 15 years, I have always had a high quality 70200 lenses in my bag with at least one f2.8 and one f4. A few years ago, I moved away from the f2.8 lenses because of their weight, and because of enhancements in sensor quality and image stabilization. I always left the f2.8 at home in favor of the f4 lens. Significant advances in sensor quality and IS have made, for me, the need for wider apertures less important for double the cost and weight. I was disappointed to learn that Sonys only 70200 GM OSS lens was a f2.8. The f4 is not a GM lens. So I purchased the FE 70200 f2.8 GM OSS. It is of course great, but it is also a beast of a lens with the tiny A7R III hanging onto on end. I was quite put off by that, but resolved to give it a try. I took it to Charleston, SC for a weekend and walking around with it was depressing. I wished I had an alternative. The 70200 F2.8 GM OSS lens on the Sony A7R III just seemed like a mismatch to me. I do have the 2470 GM and feel very good about that combination. Recently, I purchased a copy of the Sony 70200 f4 G OSS and it feels much better in terms of size and weight but image quality is NOT the same. Unlike Canon and Nikon, the Sony f4 is not the same grade glass as the f2.8, which I dearly miss. So, right now, I am currently compromising on quality in exchange for the weight and form factor. I also complimented my lens kit with some Batis primes instead, including the 85 and 135, which I would not have done if Sony had a 70200 f4 GM. A second negative for me was focusing atnear infinity. For example, it took me 3 successive nights of shooting the full moon on a tripod with everything off that could create any vibration, with variations of shutter speed, aperture and ISO and with both AF and manual focusing to obtain results that barely matched I think the most recent results that I had from my Nikon 70200 f4 on my D810. I have a lot of experience photographing the moon with a 200mm. Incredibly small movements of the focusing ring on the 70200 F2.8 moved the focus too far. Focusbywire on this lens in manual focus mode at infinity was a real, real struggle, even with the MF assists. I did not experience the same issue at closer distances. Because of the generally outstanding quality of images I was able to get from this lens, I cant nick it a star because of my personal sensibilities. We have choices. There are plusses and minuses to each lens. I want this lens, but it makes me unhappy to carry around, and I take pictures to make me happy. If I had to make my living from photography, I would keep this lens and deal with it. But I dont, so I want this lens in an F4. SONY, PLEASE MAKE A 70200 F4 GM OSS LENS
pz3shz –
Worth every penny 2470 is such a kit bag essential for travel and run and gun shooting and the Sony G Master is delightful super sharp and well built with great image quality. Great purchase.
Josh –
Ok this lens is ridiculous. Seriously the price is high, but hey its a professional grade lens. Low light performance, high speed action, detail, bokeh, all around so far has been just stunning. Im in love with this. One downside is the weight, but hey good materials all the way around arent light. I could see where the F4 version is not only cheaper, but lighter, and if I could have both Id probably drag around the F4 for the lightness a bit more. But the 2.8 is so optically superior that you can add a 1.4x on it and get 300mm which gets you two lens for the price of 550 more converter rough cost.
viet1098 –
If you use a Sony mirrorless camera like me, you need this Len. Sonys alpha series cameras are amazing, but it was missing a great 2470mm Len to go with it. Im happy to say that this Len filled that void beautifully. Images are sharp and build quality is top of the line. Only draw back is its a bit heavy, but its not a deal breaker. Pick this up and youll be surprised how often you will use it.
Omar –
I switched from a Canon 5D Mark II to a Sony A7R and wanted to have the same lenses as my Canon. One of the lenses was a 70200 2.8 and Sonys version of this lens was and excellent replacement. I initially tried to use an adapter on the A7 with the Canon lens and found it lacking in ability to focus and experienced some blurring in the fine detail. I have gained more focusing features with the Sony lens and have not noticed significant differences with the Canon lens when mounted on my Canon camera. I would recommend this lens to other Sony shooters that are switching to Sony.
Adrian –
Recently purchased this lens via a BH used deal. It was rated as a 10 but I was a little concerned. Super fast shipping. To my suprise, this thing looked unused and brand new I got the opportunity to use the lens on my A7RIII… all I can say is wow im very impressed. im a part time photographer. I do mostly event photography on the side, this lens is going to take my work to the next level. Great quality pictures… super sharp… fast focus, lovely bokeh. its heavy… and very expensive. But worth it. When people ask me Why did you spend so much on a lens I reply… INVEST IN YOURSELF
Christopher –
Ive been a stubborn prime lens shooter since the beginning of my career. I went to Sony for the sole purpose of getting incredible AF, so I wanted a lens that could keep up, to help this experience. Its absolutely flawless, and it is now my doeverything lens. Its even become my food lens. Considering I rarely shoot bigger than f8 for food, no point in buying a prime, this focuses close and performs wonderfully at 5070mm. The one rare thing Ive never experienced before, is NO FOCUS BREATHING My Nikon 85mm ts breathed a LOT and spent a lot of time reframing. I didnt know such a lens was possible. With Sonys ridiculously good AF, Its made my job almost laughably easy at times.
Deema –
At a constant f2.8 you cant go wrong. The lens was much bigger than i expected but size for me was not a huge factor. Having a wide angle to portrait style lens in one package, it is the perfect all around lens. It produces very sharp and clean images and has a good amount of bokeh. I have it paired with a sony a7rii and the image quality with this lens is superb I love having the focus button on the lens set for eye af as it makes it quite handy to do portrait style images with out having to change settings or move your hand to find a custom bottom.
HUNG Q –
bh fast shipping is second to none. i placed my order yesterday around 11am and received it approximately 10am today but i wasnt home at the time to test it out until now. the result is astonishingits quite heavy in both aspects the weight and on my wallet giggle . however it delivered sharp images in a few attempts without reading the manual. it did very well in low light room with flash used. the photo below was shot with following setting f4.070mmflash used in ttl modeiso 320 exposure time 160s.
Anonymous –
I had the 24105mm F4 which in retrospect was just as good and had a greater focal length and had optical Steady Shot OSS. The 2470mm F2.8 does not and this can be useful for video. The quality of the GM lenses is indisputable, they are beautifully made and you pay a lot for the larger aperture. There are cheaper alternatives.
David –
This zoom is that it is so darn good that you will often be compelled to use it instead of your f2 primes.It feels a bit heavy when you first mount it especially if you just unmounted a tiny prime but that perception disappears very quickly with use.This and the 1635GM along with a fast prime is my trilogy for travel.I will generally shot 90 on any given trip with just this lens.IMO this lens is the foundation for FE mount.
Brian –
While I like what this lens can provide me withpretty sharp versatility at several focal lengths at 2.8. I personally dont love its weight. It just feels cumbersome. Lugging this around for weddings gets tiring. Ive had camera shake when I normally wouldnt have thought so. It just goes against the mirrorless ideal for me. Im selling mine likely. Primes are sharper lighter.
Alina –
I switched from canon gear to Sony. I was really impressed how beautiful colors and great quality this lens have. It definitely feels different from Canon. But I love how Sony improves and ahead of the game so I am not switching back.
Anonymous –
Not exactly as a prime as a lot of people are saying, but better than the worst primes, Of course. It is a great lens. the best 2470 f 2.8 I ever have. the point is, it is very sharp even in f 2.8. Some soft corners but nothing to worry about. It is not a perfect lens, but compared with a lot of 2470 this one is the best. Image quality is stunning as the canon, it have very fast autofocus on A7RII, it is very well build. Good job Sony it have a lot of barrel distortion shooting at 24mm 35mm but it can be corrected in post, the best thing here is the resolution or detail that this lens can deliver. It is amazing, even in the corners that sometimes can be some soft, the detail still there. Very happy with it. Good materials. A little heavy but it is understandable. A lens for many years I hope. Lets wait that the rubber rings last more than my 2470 zeiss, that ones are lose and ugly.
Anonymous –
I have an A7RII and this lens is a wonderful addition to the system. Autofocus is snappy and the zoom ring is smooth. The only downsides of the lens are that its rather largeheavy and expensive. Still Im glad I bought it and it allows me to get good photos in less than ideal situations that I couldnt have before. Ive already gotten many great photos with it of my children and their teams playing outdoor sports. While Ive mostly used it outdoors thus far, I look forward to using it in gymnasiums over the winter months.
norman –
Because it makes me cry myself to sleep at night. originally had the f4, and loved shooting with it. prior to shooting with the 70200 i hadnt yet decided what my preferred focal length was. even with the f4 i loved the 70200 range and compression. so why didnt i just keep the f4 and buy another lense with the money i would have saved like the sigma 1424 thats coming out soon…im not a smart man…actually… ill give the lens 5 stars…i give the lenses owner 2 stars.
tempest –
I bought this to go with my Sony Alpha a7III.Love this Lens. I hate having to change lenses all the time and it is a good lens that works for most situations without compromising the aperture.
hockeycoach50 –
I have been using the 2470mm f4 Sony Zeiss lens on my A7R II for nearly two years. I was reasonably pleased with the images I was getting, they were better than I got with my old 5D Mk III with a L series glass, so I was happy. I held off buying the GM version because I was concerned about the weight. What a mistake The image quality from this lens is so far superior, I wish I had pre ordered this lens when they first announced it. Not only is the image significantly sharper, the color rendition is beautiful. Yes, it is heavy, I had to switch from a Peak Design micro strap back to my old Sun Sniper sling, but it doesnt matter the improved image quality is well worth the weight.
Thomas –
I shoot mostly video documentary and live concert footage, and this lens is the sweet spot in terms of focal length. Since its 2.8, extremely sharp and beautiful, and zooms from very wide to portrait length, Ive found that it replaces the need for multiple fast primes and is always available without changing lenses. Fantastic build quality. Its not light, heavy enough that it seems as thought it should have a tripod connector on it, but it is my goto for 80 of my work. The best looking light Ive ever had from a zoom.
utcinema –
Im a Nikon user for a long time. First I got Blackmagic pocket HD and then Blackmagic production camera 4k. Both of them are great, but very weak in low light. I worked with Sony a7s on a shoot with my nikon lenses and liked low light performance. When a7sII 4K came out i got it. But the problem was with my nikon lenses. A lot of them for croped sensor size. I was looking for something in range 2470 with f2.8. Solution with an adapter I didnt like. Almost none of them works with autofocus in video mode. I considered Sony 28135mm f4, but it is too dark. So sony 2470 is pretty expensive, but it works fine with autofocus in video mode. It is really heavy. And it completely silent which is great for video.
Hangs4Fun –
PROsThis lens is simply a workhorse, from wide angle landscape to portrait, this has become the lens I always have with my a7Rii. I havent noticed any vignette or issues at the edges from 24 to 70mm wide open. The bokeh is impressive and almost perfectly round in all situations quality glass and 11 blades, when wide open, this really makes your subject pop. I use the zoom lock all the time and love the focus lock button. The focus is fast, though it has a minimal noise at times not enough to show up on video, but it is there. I suspect when I get the a7R Mark III the focus will be faster. This lens seems built for many body upgrades down the road, and I feel like I have invested wisely. EVERY shot out of this lens impresses It connects very solidly to both my a7R Mark II and a6500.CONsIts pricey at 2,200.Its a tad on the heavy side, though understandably.Lens hood is plastic, though it seems durableLens comes with a nice carry bag, I wish they had 2470GM embroidered on the outside, because when you have 4 G Master lenses all in the same carry bags, I end up opening a few to find the one Im looking for btw, this is a GOOD problem to have, just making the comment in case Sony is listening They dont make a 2x teleconverter for this lens like they do for the 70200 GM. So, to complete your trinity, consider 1635GM and 70200GMThis lens didnt get as high of a review from dxomark.com as I would have expected, but from my usage of it so far, Im very impressed with this lens. Though arguably it does really good compared to other 2470 lenses in its class, it just cant compete with clarity ratings from some of the higher end prime lenses. Do not let this keep you from considering this lens. At 2,200 I would highly recommend renting it for a day or two first and seeing if it works for you on your camera and if it is worth the high price tag or not.
Team Thor Expeditions –
I have a Sony A7M2 which is a very unforgiving camera. The imaging chip has clearly outstretched existing lenses. Having used the camera on existing lenses from Sony I was unsatisfied with the performance, particularly when compared with manual focus lenses like the Zeiss 250 and the Voightlander 1.135 with adapter. I preordered this lens at the earliest opportunity and to cross check my decision, I also ordered a Canon 2470 f2.8 L and a Metabones IV adapter for a fullscale bakeoff. When the full set of equipment was present, I compared the Sony GM against the Canon L lens at 24,35,50 and 70mm using f2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16. The results were somewhat surprising first, I was quite pleased with the Metabones adapter it worked as advertised and yes it did focus hunt in a few cases. The adapter provided AF capability for the Canon lens on the Sony body which to me was nothing short of astounding. The AF was usually fast and the quality of the focus was excellent. However, when I compared the test images to one another on a fixed landscape scene, I found that the Sony was sharper ALMOST ACROSS THE BOARD with the exception being wide open. For my shooting style, the Sony lens was the better solution. Detailed inspection of the test images revealed that the two manufacturers had used slightly different criteria for optimizing their designs. The only circumstances where the Canon lens was as good as the Sony was fully wideopen in the other cases the Sony was assharp or sharper across the whole field. Make no mistake, this is not a petite lens but rather a large chunk of meat and you should be prepared for that. My field tests have exceeded my high expectations in terms of IQ, so other than the mass of the lens, I am a happy camper.
Dave –
I shoot with a full complement of Canon DSLRs and lots of Canon L lenses. Recently, Ive been exploring Sonys offerings to see if they can fulfill the demanding needs of a fulltime professional shooter. The Sony FE 2470mm f2.8 GM Lens is outstanding. Its a big lens. Its bigger and weighs more than my EF Canon 2470mm f2.8 II L lens. But I think its every bit as sharp if not sharper than the Canon. It feels well built and is excellent on my A7r ii body. Ill admit Im a bit concerned by how close the front element is with very little to protect it. I use a good quality 82mm UV filter as protection. For shots that really matter Ill take that off.
Anonymous –
I wanted to love this lens. I tried it twice, and it was too heavy to use as regularly as Id intended. While the images were sharp and detailed, the bokeh really lacked in beauty and warmth. Had the bokeh and light from my first images lived up to my hopes, Id probably put the effort into the physical workout this lens demands but without them, it does not seem worth the bother. Ill trade it in for a the Zeiss 55m prime and and a slightly longer macro lens. I already own the Zeiss 2470 f4.0, and while it lacks some warmth and brightness Id like, I prefere it to the f2.8 heavyweight.
Bassem –
I came from the Canon side of the fence. I switched entirely to SONY from 7D and this lens is right up there with Canon L lenses. Image quality is pristine with a6000. Its only 200mm and only F4 but its significantly smaller and lighter than Canon 100400 and cheaper than 200mm F2.8, its perfect travel lens. Two a6000 bodies, E PZ 18105mm F4 G OSS and this lens fit in a small carryon personal bag along with a laptop and all accessories. I used to haul 7D with 100400 and another lens in a backpack. Now I can carry two a6000 with lenses attached over my shoulder and it seems less bulky.The lens quality is very high with one silly exception the sliders are too easy to slide. If you have the lens dangling from you shoulder its enough to move the sliders randomly. It gets slightly annoying after a while and seems like a glaring design omission. I had to get into a habit of checking the sliders pretty much every time I raise the camera up or discover that AF was toggled to MF andor IS was turned off. Thats where one star gets deducted.The zoom and focus rings are silky smooth. Image stabilization works well, no problems with shooting flying birds or airplanes at 200mm. Unlike my old Canon 100400L, this lens zoom is fully internal, the lens doesnt expand when zoomed and there is no lens creep, yayI am not a pixel peeper. Im just a hobbyist who wants to strike a balance between cost, portability and image quality while hiking for hours. As far as I am concerned this lens produces stunning images with my a6000 that are better than what my 7D with 100400L could do, sans the extra 200mm, but also sans the bulk. Combined with the fast a6000 focus this lens is a blast to use.The attached images are unedited, just exported from Lightroom with default settings.
Donnie –
I was previously a Canon shooter before I switched over to Sony. I had the Canon 2470 2.8 ii and used it a lot for my general photography and wedding needs. I was hesitant about switching over to Sony until I used this lens with my Sony A9. I have no regrets now about switching over. This lens just does what its suppose to do. Short and simple. You will love this lens on your camera.
codymonser –
This lens is quite simply stunning. Yes it weighs a ton, yes you will have to sell a kidney to buy it, but the results are nothing less than stellar. The lens is exceptionally sharp wide open and produces 3D stills and better than studio video. I use this on a A7RII and an A6500 36mm to 105mm equiv. focal length. The AF on both camera bodies is lightning quick in the vast majority of lighting. Bokeh is quite pleasing obviously faster primes will outperform for shallower DOF. Build quality is exceptional. The lens features a custom button defaults to AF lock and an AFMF toggle never use it.
BourbsPoppa –
If you buy this you probably already know what youre getting. Its very heavy, as expected. Coupled with my A7riii Ill probably look for a new carrying option other than a basic neck strap. It locks in place at 24mm. The autofocus and focus lock are amazing. Just buy it.
Daniel –
This is my everyday lens. Its incredibly sharp and produces a beautiful image. The bokeh is very pleasing to the eye and makes me favor this over my Sony Zeiss 35mm 1.4. Im hoping that Sony makes a G Master 35mm 1.4 soon so that I could add it to my 70200 GM, 85 GM and 2470 GM. If youre debating on getting this lens over the f4 version, dont hesitate. Its worth EVERY penny.
Andy –
I bought this very expensive lens to use with my a6300. The quality of the images it produces is excellent, it is very sharp, but I find it extremely slow to acquire focus and it hunts a lot in low light. I shoot live dance performances for a living so I shoot in varying low and contrasty tungsten theater lighting conditions, and I am used to my Professional Nikon Cameras and lenses which lock on the instant I half depress the button. This Sony CameraLens combination means I lose a lot of shots. The other weird thing is that if I DO acquire focus and take a shot, the next time I half depress the button again it hunts again and has to reacquire focus even if nothing has changed. Im not sure if its the lens or the tiny battery in the camera, but it isnt working for me.
Geolevy –
I wrote a review George where I said that the resolution of this lens was outstanding, even wide open. There is some softening off center at f2.8 and f3.5, especially at 200mm. I also indicated in my first review that the lens did not focus fast. I will amend that the lens focuses fast in good or moderately good light. OSS is extremely good about 80 of photos at 200 mm taken with shutter around 120 sec are quite sharp and some are sharp at 110second. I have tested this lens again on a Sony A7R M2 with its dedicated Sony 2.0 TC and the results are great at focal lengths to beyond 300mm. The combination performs pretty well at 400mm but for sharpest results I would keep it or below 175 mm x2 350 mm. These tests were performed on a 11×17 inch target with the camera on a good tripod and using remote shutter. Below or around 300 mm above f4 the results are tack sharp pretty much across the frame. The combination does not lose too much at f3.5 except at the higher focal lengths. Use of the TC at long focal lengths does lower contrast significantly but the matched TC certainly can produce super photographs.
Phillip –
What is a pro without a 2470 This is a great lens and produces great results as one would expect for 2k. Not a fan of the lens extending when it zooms but most 2470s seem to do that. I would much prefer a slightly larger and heavier lens that was more durable and did not pump in and out when it zooms. Regardless, it produces great images and is super quick to focus too
Richard –
Fully converted to Sony and could not be happier. The lenses in the G Master line are on par with the best glasswork made. And even dampening it down with nets and filters still retains a magic to it
Mark –
Naturally this heavy, expensive lens produces great images sharp, contrasty and worthy of the highestresolution cameras, including my a7r iv.Unfortunately the AF is hobbled because of a missing feature Unlike most of Sonys fullframe lenses, this one DOES NOT OPEN to maximum aperture for focusing, even in AFS none do in AFC. While you can achieve the speed of wideaperture focusing in dark situations by turning OFF Live View, then youre sacrificing the main advantage of mirrorless systems
Jsr63 –
The lens might be a bit pricey for the hobby shooter, but its an excellent lens for any shooter whether for video or stills. The lens is solidly built. Photos are sharp and autofocus, if applied is fast with any of the A7 series cameras or A9 series. Cmpared with the Tamron or Sigma, which are both excellent lenses, Id still prefer this.
Michael D. –
This lens is beautifully sharp and worked wonderfully on my A7rII. Nice bokeh at 70mm, and autofocus that was good for an A7 lens. Definitely a bigger lens, but manageable. However, when I had this attached to my A7 over the course of a 4 hour wedding and towards and the end of the 3rd hour, the connection kept becoming lost between the lens and the camera, resulting in an inability to auto or manually focus, and a loss of metadata in the RAW files I took at that time. Its unclear if this was secondary to humidity, a weaker mount that couldnt handle the lenses weight, or some form of overheating, but this is potentially a serious issue for event photographers. Turning on and off the camera or removing the battery made it work again briefly. I havent had this happen on the A7rII but im not sure if this is a potential for this issue there as well.
Nick –
This with the A7 III is the fasted focus setup that I have ever used. It really does make shooting an entire different experience. I get 97 right on with eye focus. I would miss so many with the other camera being that it missed just by a little. GRRIf you are looking at the price and waiting to lower. Do it I waited for a long time and just lost the value of my red ring lenses. This is the future. I am sorry I waited for so long.I highly recommend this beauty to anyone who is looking to move to the BETTER system.
Jeffrey –
This lens is better then I am a photographer, its very sharp and works phenomenal with my A7RIII. Not going to beat around the bush this thing is a tank though. Only reason Im giving it 4 stars is because the first lens didnt work at all.
Anonymous –
The Sony G Master 2470mm attached to an Sony A7r2 is an absolute pleasure to use. It is perhaps the fastest manual focusing lens I have ever used and it is addictive in this mode. Yes, I said manual focusing. I am a critical focus freak. I want to see in the viewfinder that surface texture come alive, and this combo allows just that. Perhaps it is the silky smooth focus that makes that difference. My one caveat is with the camera. Sony Could you please offer a split screen option when in manual focus so that we may never lose the framing of our image. One more thing This lens wide open is spectacular.
Photographer –
This lens is a pretty much all around usage lens. Highly recommended. Is a little pricy but well worth it. You wont regret buying it. This lens is for serious photographers who are interested on acquiring quality images.
Josephlippert –
The Sony FE 2470 f2.8 GM lens is a really useful lens. I use it primarily for flowers and insects .It provides high resolution shots combined with my Sony Alpha 7 iii camera.I dont do a lot of portrait work but this lens should also do well in this application.
Jack –
I purchased this lens for use on a Sony A7RII to supplement my Phase One system. I find that it acquits itself very well and I am not hesitant to use it in place of the Phase system when needed. Images are sharp with excellent contrast through out the focal length range. Operation is smooth and solid. Bear in mind that this is a solidly built lens and is, therefore on the heavy side though much lighter than my Phase One camera. I recommend this lens.
Eric –
Have owned a few 70200mm and equivalent lenses also including the Sony 70200mm f4. All great lenses, but this one is better than the ones I have owned.Quick to focus.Accurate focus.Very, very sharp.Out of focus areas are very pleasing to my eyes.Great colors.Well built.Great ergonomics.Hesitated for a long while due to price, but now that I have it I do not regret the spend at all.My favorite lens.
808Hiphotog –
I bought this lens fir my Sony A7riii. I am switching over from Nikon because I like the Sony camera better. Since I used the Nikon 2470 the most on my D810 I decided this would be the lens to get first. So far it is a great lens. It is a little heavy but the picture quality makes carrying the extra weight worth it. I have not had any problems with this lens. It just takes great pictures.
Jeffrey –
This is quickly becoming my goto lens when Im mixing up focal lengths or walking around. Used it for portraits at BHs Depth of Field conference, and I cant complain about the results. Its sharp, fast, doesnt miss focus and I love the image quality. Zero complaints
Andrew –
Creamy bokeh, fast and steady. This is a great addition to my full set of Sony lenses. It is lighter and faster than my 100600 which is another great lens. I am still not sure if I will bring it on my hiking trail. But the picture quality is really top notched.I was trying to upload picture but the site gives me error. Well just believe my words.
Eric –
Pros Sharp wide open, aberrations are minimal, all of the buttons are switches you would expect of a pro lenss.Cons Very expensive, large, heavyBottom line If you must have the best, you wont be disappointed with this lines but competing brands for this system cost far less money for similar performance.
Gregory –
Recently received my copy of the GM 2470 f2.8 by Sony for their full frame lineup of A7 series cameras. Currently have only shot a few hundred frames with this lens, but it feels good in the hands and is built quite solidly. IQ is on par with expectations and marketing hype, colors are good, and sharpness is satisfactory. At the current price point of 2K, I expect great things from this lens, as well as longevity. I don think its quite as tack sharp as some of the Sony zeiss primes, but I didnt expect it to be, but its f2.8 speed is what has been lacking from Sonys line of full frame glass for a while now. I expect to put this lens through extensive shooting in the next few months, and am hoping for high quality, and reliable performance.
Ferdinand09 –
Love this lens Upgrade from the 1650mm kit lens. I like primes better but this covers all the useful ranges specially for events. It a must have.
Zachariah –
If you know the G Master Lenses then there is nothing more to say. Absolute top of the line, absolutely beautiful quality and sharpness. A bit heavy, but that is to be expected. Best purchase I have ever made for my wedding photography.
Bradford –
Ive had Sigma and Sony prime lenses for years, and nothing compares to the quality of this lens. I chose it over the Sigma 2470 after over a year of comparison the AF, build quality, smoothness of the zoom and focus rings, and weight are what sold it for me. I personally prefer the heavier weight of this lens as Im able to get steadier shots and have a setup that looks and feels more professional. The color out of this lens has a more natural look than others in my subjective opinion and given Sonys warranty program, it was worth the money. Id recommend this to anyone with a Sony body shooting photo or video. You should go to BH and try it yourself to know if it works for you and your setup.FYI, I have the a7iii and this paired with it is phenomenal for photo and video work. I have been filming and photographing for 5 years professionally.
Anonymous –
The lens is high quality no doubt. But it didnt take long for me to realize this thing is way too heavy and big. The price tag is too steep to not be satisfied with how heavy and large it is. I might have kept the lens if all the movement was internal but its not so the front end sticks out a bit when selecting desired mm. So I opted with what i feel was a better buy. I returned this lens and got the 90mm f2.8 Macro G lens and an Autel drone w a 4k camera on it and still got some money back There is no question prime lenses are superior. The 90mm G lens is DxOMarks 2 all time sharpest lens EVER. So keep in my bag the Zeiss Batis 25mm f2, and 90mm f2.8 Macro G. Also just acquired the Zeiss 55mm f1.8. I guess Id much rather swap the 25mm and 90mm as needed then try and shoot with this beast of a lens.
Anonymous –
Lets get the bad stuff out of the way first. This is a heavy lens. Its quite the beast. Loaded on an A7ii with Sonys Vertical Grip its a rather beefy set up. But compared to the bigger brother SLT Carl Zeiss Amount lens, its comparable maybe a few grams lighter. And its that CZ lens that bares comparison. The lens is just as sharp, has about as much pop and is every bit as good as CZ without having to attach Sonys proprietary LEA3 or LEA4 adapters, which unfortunately have their issues. Focus is quick and clean. There is no hunting issues that Ive notice while shooting stills. Ive pushed this lens hard along with the cameras steady shot and have been able to get sharp pictures two stops below the optimal shutter speed. The range of the zoom is very good and for most shots its retired my Zeiss 1635. Having that extra f stop is nice, for hand held shots but not all that necessary when a tripod is used. I have found the Bokeh exceptional, but this is a matter of taste. Your milage may vary. It is very smooth with very little of the nervousness you may find in other lenses. As I have only the CZ Amount for comparison I can say that the Bokeh is comparable, which is great praise if you have used that lens. As a walkabout lens it is excellent once you get over the weight. Many times I have decided not to pull out a different lens because the GM could handle the shot with aplomb. Often, I have just left the camera backpack in the car and just gone with this lens and the A7ii body. Its a much easier set up than hauling around the extra lenses and added weight. The only caveat I have is that like any zoom you do have to sacrifice low light ability. There are times the relatively slow 2.8 aperture gets in the way. Sometimes you really do have to reach for that speedy prime. Overall, I would rate this a What are you waiting for lens. If a tax return is in your future I would definitely recommend using it to buy this lens.
Dave –
This lens is great open wide at 24 mm And even more versatile at 70 mm. Paired with my Sony a7iii and the clear image zoom option I find myself never having to change lenses while traveling or while using it for work The only con I can think of for this lens is the weight, but the picture quality makes up for this immediately
wowbango –
This is the be all end all of lenses. This will be on my A7III 90 of the time. Its extremely sharp, build quality is top notch and its the perfect zoom length for most situations. Yes it is pricier than the CanonNikon equivalents, but it does not disappoint. The lowlight performance is fantastic, and works incredibly well with Sonys EYEAF. Only wish I had purchased it sooner EVERY Sony Shooter should have this in their kit.
rroctieygu2nb –
Though its a bit heavy as this is an f2.8 ergo it its made of a lot of glass. But forget that.. the lens build quality and the astonishingly crispy sharp image you get from it are the best you can get for a zoom lens in a full frame body. You wont ever be disappointed with the investment.
Sarah –
I was a little leery to purchase this lens. I prefer the sharpness of primes to zoom lenses. Im really pleasantly surprised with how sharp this lens is though, its much better than I was anticipating. Great workhorse of a lens.
Brian –
Ive only been using this lens for about a month now and it has been exceptionally sharp and renders the images very nicely. Albeit, its not a fair comparison as the lens I was using prior was the Samyang 35mm f2.8. Ive also been using it to shoot video for which I use a Sonya6300 w either Sigma 30 or 16 f1.4 or Sony 1670 f4 and anecdotally, it outperforms in terms of sharpness and lowlight. Its unfortunate that it is so bulky, but I primarily shoot indoors and will occasionally take this lens for wedding shoots also indoors.
Leon –
Its expensive. Its heavy. It doesnt have stabilization. But its sharp. Its a standard zoom. Its a fast zoom. And its well built. The image quality it delivers is unrivaled. A very versatile lens in an event photography space.
Nick –
Super crisp shots. Perfect for a wide variety of shots. Use for my photo business, and I have been nothing more than impressed. Awesome lens
Gordon –
Ive used this lens for a few weeks with both my A7RII and A6300. Im happy with it and it pretty well lives up to the hype. A bit pricy but it is really the best solution for alpha kit. I have used it with the 1.4X multiplier which takes it out to over 400mm for super 35mm video. Not much loss of sharpness even with the 1.4X. I have the Nikon 70200 F2.8 and I cant say I can see that the GM is any better. But the Nikon is a very good lens. I got the GM because it works better on the Alpha platform than the Nikon with an adaptor does. Ive used the GM for both still and video and it works as advertised.
Ritu –
This is a very versatile lens. While expensive, for beginners this may be the only lens that may be needed. This is great for landscape photography as well as portrait photography can y this is a very versatile lens. While expensive, for beginners this may be the only lens that may be needed. This is great for landscape photography as well as portrait photography. Definitely worth the investment.
Vaqas –
I am writing in this review not in comparison with any other 70200mm available in the market. I am just sharing experience after few weeks of use shooting random subjects. I am getting some good quality images for the range it offers. Sharpness is impressive and I am able to capture details as I exec t to on a full fame sensor. Auto focus gets it most of the time. Color rendering is also nice. I am attaching some sample pics here The built is very strong. This is a solid product and also heavy which should not be of any surprise a lens if this specs. I and using it with a7r II and the systems feels good and stable in hands. Zoom and focus rings works great. Removable tripod bracket is great. I like it keeping it one for my tastes. Overall I am happy so far with this product. I would like to use it more before giving a more concrete opinion. I know this is like comparing apple to oranges but I must say that the way I was blown away by 24 70 f2.8 GM, I am still waiting got that moment with this GM I am keeping it four stars now.
Rebekah –
I was initially excited to receive this lens. I shoot weddings, and it was fast sharp like the Canon version 70200 is ii. However, just after 3 weeks of shooting, it broke. No power at all a tiny little noise. I looked on a FB forum saw that two other people had the exact same problem. Thankfully, I the return to BH went great and I did replace it with another one, Im just more nervous way less excited about this lens now. If I didnt need the extra stop, id go for the f4. Also, it has plastic on the body, which is ridiculous for such an expensive lens. I am loving Sony overall, but I have some skepticism when it comes to the build quality of their products.
Gtx4 –
A 24 to 70mm f2.8 is a classic and must have zoom lens. A powerful 7RII full frame camera requires quality glass to record sharp details. This lens was the matching combo for my Sony camera. I am satisfied using it and at times this zoom lens is all I need to cover an outdoors adventure. I would suggest using PhaseOne software to fine tune your images. This software is supplied when you buy a Sony camera. The lens weight is just like any other f2.8 lenses out there. Happy pictures everyone
Sulaiman –
Man oh man, where do I even start. Never have I ever dreamed of owning a lens this expensive in my age and without a job as well. Ive always heard it was amazing, always knew this is THE zoom lens to own, but for 2200, it was always out of my budget. In fact, the Sony Lenses that I want are all out of my budget to the point where I thought to sell my A7RIII and go back to Canon.Luckily, I dont have to anymore at least not for a while. I found this lens for about 1300 and in good condition and I would be insane to pass it.This lens is extremely useful and creamy bokeh wide open for a 2.8 that is and has good subject isolation across the entire zoom range although it goes a bit soft while zoomed but still amazing nonetheless. The autofocus is responsive and good, even in low light as well, the autofocus is good for video as well, tried several videos to confirm my suspicion.Why the 4 Stars For that price, they couldve at least included OSS otherwise, why overcharge compared to your competitorsMoral of this review If you have the funds and need a dependable highend zoom, by all means, grab this and never, ever look back. Even though my wallet hates me, It may thank me soon enough.
Mckayla –
I got this lens with an a7C and have yet to take a picture that looks bad. Has about as wide of an aperture as youll find on a zoom lens, which makes it really good for bokeh and low light. A little on the heavy side, but not unreasonable and you get used to it pretty quickly. If you use it with a tripod though, dont use a cheap one.
sethsn –
I already own the 2470 f4 Zeiss lens from Sony so this was an upgrade. Both lenses are sharp but the 2.8 is so much more than that far more detailed, much better microcontrast, faster focusing and nicer bokeh. To be fair the f2.8 is heavier so you lose some of the weight advantage for which mirrorless cameras are famous however the step up in quality particularly when coupled with an A7RII is well worth the weight gain. This lens, and its 70200 counterpart, really put Sony out in front of C and N when it comes to mainstay glass. Combined with all the benefits of the mirrorless system and you are on to a winner.
Anonymous –
This lens is amazingly fast and sharp, and Ive experienced no CA, no distortion, no vignetting. Images from this lens are simply beautiful. On a Sony camera Ive used it on the A7Rii and FS7 the auto functions are remarkable. I mostly usually use manual focus, iris, etc, but there are times when auto functions come in handy. The fly by wire manual focus which I was very worried about is surprisingly good, allowing adjustments in small increments. A manual iris ring would have been great, but you cant have everything. Note that the lens feels pretty heavy, almost ridiculously so on the A7Rii for ergonomics you really need to use a battery grip or put the camera on a small rig with this lens, but the construction is solid. This lens is an investment that should pay off for many years.
Jerry –
Ive been in photography for over 50 years, starting with processing blackandwhite film for my high school yearbook.I know theres a temptation to think that all lenses are the same, and even if theyre different is it really worth the extra money.I found over the years that a good lens is really the key to great photography. Why pay thousands of dollars for a camera, and then try to save on lens, when every photo or video starts with the light that goes through the lens. This lens does not disappoint. The speed and quality of the glass is absolutely outstanding and I believe for most people the zoom range is all that theyll ever need.The way I look at it, in the days of film, we had to pay for processing and prints, now we can spend it on a great lens. Im incredibly happy with the results of this lens, Ive used for low light situations for both video and stills and I find the zoom range to be ideal for 90 of my photography. I highly recommend.
GDawg –
This is my goto lens for most of my photography needs. It is well built and feels great in use. The image quality is fantastic. It is big and heavy which is to be expected for this lens. I would have given it five stars but the price is too high relative to other competitive options out there.
Paul –
The 70200 GM is one big and heavy lens. That being said, in comparison with other GM lenses, not so much. The images are really sharp and the focus capture and tracking is very smooth. This is actually a complicated lens and is probably the only one that I have actually read the directions to understand what the body controls are for. This is an expensive lens and not for penny pinchers, but the quality of the pictures is really worth the price.
Angel –
Should be everyones first lens if buying full frame Sony. Crisp and perfect. Its z tad on the heavier side, but this is a walking around and shooting marvel. Definitely go native glass on this one
Albert –
ProsThe best 2470mm f2.8 for Sony Emount82mm filter thread. Your old filters workWeather sealingConsExpensiveFor better or worse, this is essentially the only 2470mm f2.8 choice for Sony Emount. All others require adapters or dont have the image quality to match check Lens Rentals for detailed data. As you might have seen on my other reviews, I love the camera but have mixed feelings on the lenses. If this lens was under 2000, it would be fantastic. The weight is on the heavy side but I wouldnt call it a con because if youre looking at this, you know what youre getting into. Its a good workhorse lens but you may be better served by one of Sonys less expensive midlength primes.
Anonymous –
I am not a wedding photographer or professional photo person. I just love to take pictures. This is the lens for wedding photographers, I was told. I got this lens after spending so much for reading, watching an researching about this lens. Especially, after reading Brian Smiths site, If you can only afford one lens this would be my choice Also, Jason Lanier said similar thing, even though he only uses 85mm GM. Yes, its heavier than other ZA lenses also bulkier than other lenses that I used to have. Also, I paired it with a7ii. So, bit unfair combo to begin with. But, so far so good. Despite its wowweight at the beginning, yet after a week, I already got used to it.. Also, I watched many youtubers like Jason Vong, I got the peak design strap sling and began to wearing with it. The picture quality is amazing.. Now, I get lots of compliments from others because of this lens, not because of my skill. I like it and highly recommend to anyone.
Rey H –
I miss my SAL2470mm F2.8 and when A7R came out awhile back I jumped into buying a LAE4 adapter, the whole setup the adapter is quite heavy but I did not mind. The only issue was the bokeh, it was sharp but distortion and corner quality is not so desirable. So I sold it and used primes…Until this lens came out, I was so excited to preorder it and it was the best decision I made, I sold all my primes and now, I have an all around the best lens on all focal length, less dust on the sensor since it will mostly stay. The corner sharpness on these lens is phenomenal on my test.. This is the best 2470mm on the market right now..
mgraham4fx –
I sold most of my Canon gear and purchased this lens to go with my new Sony a7rIII. I felt the lens would be sharp, but it exceeded my expectations. Im not doing any scientific tests, but I am a pixel peeper and I have not noticed any chromatic aberration, much like my Canon 35mm f1.4L I absolutely love this 2470mm f2.8 GM. I plan to purchase another GMaster to add to my lenses. Great lens, expensive, but a great lens.
Eduardo –
Breathtaking. I have only my own copy but it is breathtaking. Not as heavy as I expected. Feels great with or without the battery grip on the fullframe mirrorless body. Very pleased with the multiple focus holds. Using an a7rii, results suggest the effort of wielding multiple bodies andor repeated sensorsoiling lens changes with a bag full of primes 7090105135180200 at least six 2.8 primes in one lens with superb buttery bokeh throughout. Surely some will find something to quibble about no one thing can ever please everyone at any price but so far I have found nothing. I waited three months for my copy. Now I understand why. Zero regrets at this point. No it is not overpriced. Get one, take your shots and discover this gem for yourself. More reading about this lens cannot truly convey what it may or may not be able to do for your photography. Most of the highly technical overlong websourced product reviews can be pompous fifthgrade science projects at best, some more so than others. It seems like just yesterday that everyone was endlessly fretting about the availability of lenses for the Sony mirrorless ILCs. Thats really is ancient history now. My Sony family 351.4, 851.4, 24702.8, and this one the one that pushed me all the way to actually writing something. Im sure it will also be amazing on the quick cropsensor bodies as well looking forward to that. Images Get this lens and make your own. Cheers
Antonios P. –
Will keep this as short as possible. I agree with all the positive things already mentioned great construction, bright, sharp, fast AF, etc. It is a great lens overall. Minus 1 star because the first copy i received had a zoom ring that very tight around 70mm and much looser after 135mm all the way to 200mm. That just did not feel right. I have that copy to 3 more photog friends wo saying anything and they all noticed it too. The focus ring felt a bit loose for my taste but at least it was consistent from near to far focus. The second copy i received was better but again the focus ring seems much looser than the zoom ring its ok, it work great, so whatever. I just think that Sony did a GREAT job with these new GM lens 2470 70200 f2.8 and i have them both and highly recommend both of them the 2470 feels better for the record and i did not have to try a second copy for that one. I have also preordered the 100400 GM and very happy to see Sony stepping up their lensgame but when it comes to construction consistency i dont they are up to the Canon Nikon just yet. As far as reliability and weathersealing, this remains to be seen. So far so good. Keep it up Sony and thanks for finally offering a 100400 for wildlife
Lisa –
Another former Canon user here. I have had Canons for the longest time way back to the AE1. I received a Sony A7RII for Christmas and I was using a metabones to attach my Canon EF 2470mm f2.8L II. The pictures were fantastic, but I couldnt use all of the features of the A7Rii with my Canon lens. I read as many reviews as I could find on this Sony lens and it pretty much came down to a tie between the two lenses. I bit the bullet and purchased this lens and I have to tell you it was definitely worth it. The photos are AMAZING I am a total Sony convert now. This lens can do it all. I was really nervous making this jump, but I am so pleased with this lens its a perfect choice and I couldnt be happier with all this lens can do I use this camera for photos of people interacting at a weekly winter farmers market as well as foodproduct photos and posed pictures at the market. I also use it for hiking photos, animal photos and family vacations.
Tom –
When I first made the move to my Sony A7Rii from Canon, I did not buy the 2470 f4 VarioTessar because of the mixed reviews it was receiving. Instead I purchased the Sony 24240 which, overall, I am very happy with. But when Sony came out with the 2470 f2.8 GM lens I decided to bite the bullet on the huge price tag. What a disappointment the lens turned out to be. I dont care about charts and graphs or shooting lens test cards. What I care about is how real images look when brought into Lightroom, and when I did a number of side by side comparisons of identical shots taken at the same focal lengths with the 2470 GM and the 24240, the IQ on the latter went head to head with the GM lens at all focal lengths between 24mm and 50mm. As you get closer to 70mm the GM lens was a tiny bit sharper, but it was indistinguishable until you zoomed in to 100. Maybe I got lucky and have an exceptionally good copy of the 24240, but at this price I was not willing to keep the GM lens for no significant improvement in image quality.
Phillip –
Solid lens. Very high quality build and feel. Amazingly sharp and quick to focus. This is also the closest focusing 70200 2.8 out there Fantastic image quality and contrast. Image stabilization is a huge plus and works extremely well. Only downside is that this lens has a plastic filter thread and is made in Thailand as opposed to Japan. Granted, I would absolutely buy again.
Abhay –
This is probably the best glass I have ever had I am a hobby photographer and do largely landscapes and travel photographs used Canon Gear and moved to Sony this spring 2017. While there is a learning curve the whole system is a completely different experience far superior to Canon. On to the lens used Batis 18mm and 2470 and candidly speaking this is a versatile all around fantastic lens. Pros Accurate and fast AF on Sony A7Rii At 24 mm and 2.8 aperture this glass is sharp as a tack Overall all sharpness drops at beyond aperture 16 but only at the corners incidentally the auto lens correction in LR CC is great Bokeh at 2.8 is beyond fantastic AF Eye Focus is outstanding feature in A7Rii and this lens though I had to find the setting not documented well Used AF Eye Focus with Focus button on the lens and this makes life so much easy Cons Upgrade to latest Firmware both camera and lens and being on MAC this can be a hassle use Safari to manage the camera usb Heavy lens so not necessarily a street walkers delight Expensive but well worth the money I have added three pictures one is Mt Rainier with Fog Evaporating and this was shot at f5.6 check out the edge to edge sharpness and color rendition LR CC and PS used for light touch ups color correction and cropping second is flowers with bokeh light use of PS and LR CC for color and cropping
Alan –
I do like this lens. No nonsense operation.Compared to my canon EF glass it seems at least as good maybe better but I havnt done a true side by side comparison. Also I havnt tried third party lenses as of yet. I wanted to make sure the auto focus worked perfectly which it seems to.
Ahmet Serdar Eker –
Well. I used Canon, Leica and Sony. This lens is good for me because I started going with Sony from now on. Because its faster. Lighter and more convenient to take picture. Therefore, I bought this lens. Canon 2.8 2470 is slightly sharper than this guy but you really dont see that much of it. Over all, the lens is much faster than any other in the market. More cool lol. Solid. If you ask yourself which one should I go with canon or Sony I would say go with the one what you need. But if you want to be cool go with Sony
John –
I really like this lens so far. I started building a Sony system as a travel kit with the a6300 body. There is a learning curve with the smaller body as Ive had Nikons for 30 years, the menu and control layout are different but as with any unfamiliar equipment practice makes perfect. I wish the a6300 had more resolution, thats my only real criticism but 24MP is good enough for most travel pix. This lens really make a difference when compared to the kit lens however. Clarity is greatly improved and distortion reduced. I havent had it long enough for exhaustive testing but anything above f4 appears very sharp and it has a nice zoom range. The only drawback is that it is a large heavy lens and somewhat unwieldy on the a6300 body you end up primarily holding the lens rather than the body and it looks odd but oh well… it does save a couple of pounds off the D800 with an equivalent zoom and if you want to do street photography you can always revert to the kit lens. There is also not quite enough field of view for some wide angle applications but the a6300 has the APSC sensor so adding a 12mm Ronikon lens to your bag for landscape and architectural is a good choice. This also fits the body better and makes the camera small and light again. That said overall I really like this lens.
Geisel21 –
Wow. Just wow. I original had a Sony A33 and upgraded to the Sony a7rII and purchased the lens The GMaster is the way to go. I can shoot portraits of my kids plus shoot soccer games 7v7 and 9v9 all the way across the field with perfect clarity
Kevin –
This lens is absolutely amazing. Ive always wanted one, and now that I finally have I havent put it down yet. Highly recommended for anything from portraits to sports.
Robert –
Great lens for shoots where you need some reach and a sharp image. It isnt as cool as a vintage prime, but what is Works great with the Sony A7R II. It is heavier than the camera, but that is to be expected. If I want a lighter lens, then I will just put on the new 35mm Sony lens, which weighs nothing. The auto focus does struggle in low light, but figure I can always go manual if I need to.
Luis –
This is an awesome lens which has become my everyday piece of glass. It is crisp and sharp corner to corner, perfect color rendition, no perceptible chromatic aberration. I have used it for landscape, street, architecture photography and even some portraits. Works awesomely in low light conditions, even autofocus works like a charm in those situations as well. This lens opened the door for me to get G Master lenses and I bought an 85mm 1.4 GM which performs beautifully too.Downs Costly, but… worth every penny.
anthony c. –
I was turned off by the size of this lens… at first i felt like i may as well carry my D810 with 24105. So i looked at it. I tried it. I walked away. Having shot strictly with the sony 35mm i began to feel like i missed being a bit more wide and also having something to get a bit closer. So i came back to this lens and I fell in love. Once you get over the size shock you will realize that you have one of the highest quality lens made. the clarity and sharpness are amazing. finally something for the unforgiving a7rii sensor.
James –
Yes, I am selling off all of my Canon gear, 5D Mk II and L series lenses, for the Sony A7RII and Sonys new GM lenses. Why Because the landscape shots I am seeing from the A7RII are way sharper then I have ever seen with Canon products. I do believe that this camera takes the best highest resolution, widest dynamic range of any other full frame camera available. So I am sticking with it and building my equipment around it and my Really Right Stuff tripod and other gear. But there are two things that do drive me crazy about this camera, two things I really loath about it. 1 Nobody tells you when you are reading about how great the A7RII is, that because it is mirrorless you will spend ten times more time than you normally spend with a DSLR, cleaning your files. Because when you have a camera with a mirror it protects the sensor from much of the junk that would coat the sensor when you are out there in the wind and dirt blowing. But in the A7RII and other mirrorless cameras the sensor is exposed to the elements and boy does it collect dirt when you change lenses. Is Adobe or someone busy creating software that plugs in to Lightroom and Photoshop that automatically finds and eliminates the spotting in files Why not 2 The other thing I just hate about the A7RII I use the EVF almost exclusively, and I shoot in Manual. Shooting the A7RII on Manual, the exposure settings strip at the bottom of the EVF that gives you 5 and 5 e vs is live for only or 2 stops. I want the entire strip live all the time and I dont care if it uses more battery power. I want to see the arrowhead indicator moving all the way along the strip and see it moving towards minus or plus. And at both ends of exposure settings strip, next to the 5 and just above the minus sign, and next to the 5 and just above the plus sign, is are arrowhead indicators. Both of these are constantly flashing. Only one should flash on the end that is over or under so we know without guessing.
Monte –
At just over a year old, with very little use the lens failed. The A7rii indicated that the lens was improperly installed or incompatible. The cost to repair… 700. A lens in this price range should be more reliable and there should be no reason for such a high cost to repair any electronic issue with the lens. Zero stars is not offered as an option so one star it is.
Anonymous –
The FE 2470mm f2.8 GMaster lens is just amazing Its tack sharp and justifies its heavy price. I just received my today April 1st THANK YOU BH and could wait to try it out. It has amazing bokeh for a zoom. The images look amazing sharp shot on my a7rii. It gives me great versatility and will be a great travel lens. The image quality IQ is really fantastic. The AF is fast and accurate. Also, at f2.8, the lens delivers some amazingly smooth bokeh. Will this lens give you better bokeh than some primes…no, but its really close. Ive tested it against my 55mm f1.8 Zeiss at f2.8 and its almost a tie. However, its much sharper than the 55mm and the chromatic aberration is almost nonexisistant. With a lens at this price, I expected great IQ, great build quality, and overall great performance. You wont be disappointed. The one thing thats surprising is just its size. Its huge Ive included some photos next to my 55mm and it made me laugh out loud. The lens feels good in the hands and there wont be problem shooting with it, but itll probably feel really heavy after a few hours. Also, if you use filters itll cost you. An 82mm filter thread is big and expensive. If youre looking for a nice small lens for your mirrorless that will make your travel gear lighter, this is not the lens for you. However, if youre your looking for pro quality images and willing to give up on weight and size, this is an amazing lens that will deliver. I think most people who are looking for a fast lens with pro level performance, versatile zoom range, and a quality build will love this lens. If you want a smaller lens that keeps your mirrorless gear light, youll have give up on some of these attributes. Last thing that was a surprise, Sony included an awesome lens bag in the box
Ben –
I received this lens a few days ago and, in the couple hours that Ive used it, its exceeded my expectations. Build quality feels very solid and after some preliminary tests Im satisfied that the copy I received is sharp corner to corner from 24 to 70. Autofocus is very fast make sure you have the latest firmware and I am very pleasantly surprised by the feel and responsiveness of the manual focusing. This lens is big and, personally, I think it feels much better with the added vertical grip. This is no problem for my purposes events but it may be for some. I had imagined that it would only be slightly different from the Distagon 35 1.4, which I feel is very comfortable without the added grip, but the extra length and weight really tip the balance. Ive actually left my ProMediaGear handle on while Ive been using it which is seriously overkill but it feels even more balanced with it on. And, so, I just spent most of this review talking about a possible negative but thats really because its the only one Ive come across so far. The look of the images, the sharpness, the bokeh and the feelhandling are all excellent. There are many more indepth reviews of this lens popping up everywhere online right now but I just wanted to do this quick one because I know that people are waiting to see if the quality control will hold up and if Sony will produce a consistently great product. I got mine and its good. Its really good. Heres a quick snap straight out of the camera jpg.
Carlosc –
Best lens for almost all occasions. Ive used this lens for almost everything both video and photo. Its the perfect formal distance for almost all my shoots.
Channel70 –
For a workhorse lens for when my video business requires high quality stills. I was looking at the Sigma and Tameron as well. I was able to borrow the Sony for several days. I also got to briefly handle the other, but only for less than a few minutes hardly a test of any kind. The Sony produced absolutely terrific images, especially when viewed on large monitors. Under some time pressure, I had to make a decision and went with the Sony. Others rave about the Sigma and Tameron, but neither had the satisfying heft not weight I cant put it into words of the Sony. Also, I preferred the feel of the Sonys focus and zoom rings over the two competitors. Yes, the Sony, comparatively speaking, is really heavy and really expensive, but, oh the images that come from it
jesmithiv –
Highly recommend. This is the first Sony lens Ive ever owned on the first Sony camera Ive ever owned a7iii. Im coming from Nikon DX gear, so I made a massive leap in a lot of ways. But paired with the amazing AF and sensor technology in modern Sony mirrorless cameras, this lens gives me detail I never thought Id see in my own photos. The performance indoors is especially amazing. Constant F2.8 in this lens combined with the a7iiis sensor allow me to shoot faster than 1100 for kids moving around at ISOs under 400 in normal indoor light without a flash. Amazing detail, color, and tack sharp. Ive never been able to take pictures like this with my older Nikon gear, even with prime lenses.
Delugg –
This is one of the best lenses Ive used on any camera. The bokeh is just the way I like it, and very controllable, but more importantly, I love the depth of color and image sharpness. Ive owned Canon, Nikon, Pentax and other Sony cameras. When I decided to switch to the A7R2, this lens was one of two I knew I needed the other is still backordered. And I am completely happy. This 2470 does everything I need it to, splendidly. Im attaching a quick test shot I took.
Patrick –
I LOVE this lens. I have owned both the EF70200mm f2.8L II as well as the VR2 version of the 70200mm f2.8 in Nikon. The new GMaster has raised the bar as far as Im concerned, especially when shooting portraits with the EYE AF mode. Its difficult to get an eye out of focus even wide open and working in close to my subjects. The integral tripod foot is similar to Nikons and is a superior to the Canon in removal with its quick release. The lens is SHARP Tons of contrast and really nice neutral color rendition will allow me to use this for both stills as well as video projects. Sony knocked this one out of the park…
A. Johnson –
This is a fantastic lens for portraiture, Wildlife, sports and even landscape in some instances. My tests have shown it to be sharp as a tack, and the sharpest Sony telephoto I own. I dont however possess Nikon or Canon 70200mm, and havent yet tested it with the available Sony teleconverters. PROS Sharp, bright, doesnt extend when zooming and maintains f2.8 minimum throughout its zoom range. Prodigious everythinglens.CONS Heavy If youre taking this to a game or on a wildlife shoot, bring your tripod or monopod.
Don –
Solid lens and performs exactly like howd like from a GM. However, the weight is a significant downside. Canon updated their version to make it way lighter for the RF so maybe that is something Sony may do but I highly doubt that. Awesome product nonetheless and if you have the finances, you will be very happy with the output and performance. The autofocus is loud though and you can very evidently feel the lens while its hunting. Keep all these in mind and for what reason you would need a lens like this.
Vanessa –
I had been wanting to purchase this lens for a while. I am a portrait photographer and normally use a 2470 which is very versatile. However, this 70200 has saved my life when photographing surprise proposals or simply trying to achieve a different look with more compression. This is a very high quality lens good for weddings, events, proposals, wild life, and basically any situation where you need to stand from the distance to get the shot. The only negative thing about it and any telephoto is how heavy it is in comparison to other lenses which makes it a little harder when youre working for hours. However, I love the little handle underneath. BH has also been my preferred store to buy camera equipment and Ive never had any issues with my orders
Egill Bjarki –
This thing is sharp It is not quite as crisp as good prime lenses, but for a zoom lens, its quite remarkable. Previously I have hadused ZeissSony 2470mm f4 and the new GM blows it out of the water in every aspect. Compared to the DSLR options, to my eye, this GM and the Canon 2470mm f2.8 II L are very close, perhaps the Sony GM has a slight edge. That Canon lens is what I missed most from that system, I found the Nikon equivalent not quite as good. Very important step for Sony, a sharp and reliable 2470mm f2.8 lens is the back bone to a system for most professionals. It would be great if I had the chance to use a prime lens in all situations for the absolutely best results, but thats not the case. I expect to use this lens quite allot on my A7RII moving forward. From what I see from this 2470mm GM and what I read about the 85mm GM, I plan to add the prime sibling to the kit as well. Excited about to read how the announced 70200mm GM comes out compared to the other GMs. Fast autofocus, large body but the lens does not feel as heavy as I expected. From what I can see in my copy, strong performance at 24mm wide open, with a slight drop of sharpness at 35mm, picking up again and delivering good results towards the end 5070mm. Stopped down, especially at f5.6, this lens has very uniform sharpness across the frame at all focal lengths.
Andrea –
Sharp, versitile. I just love the flexibility a zoom gives me, and this stacks up. Super fast autofocus for video too. Ive been using it for a few weeks and its absolutely my goto, just like I intended it to be. I dont even mind that its the heaviest lens I own
Kura –
The best lens to ever have. Literally its an all around lens. Its always been my to go lens wherever I go. I have it for half a year and its the best decision I have ever made. I know its pricey but its all worth it. Good combo with my a7 iii
jayaredahl –
Ive only been using it for a week or two as an amateur photographer, but image quality is superb. Its a little heavy when working on a gimbal, but it can still be done. Cant wait to continue learning about all this versatile lens can do.
Smeyer92 –
This is my go to lens. I shout boudoir and portraits for work but I also bring this lens for landscapes, nature and astrophotography. I cant say enough good things about it. Yes its more expensive than the Sigma, but it has better weather sealing and the signs I originally bought had issues with focusing just a bad copy. Buy this lens
evostreamz2 –
Very pleased with this module length lens. So sharp and gets that extra bit of reach that the wider lens cant. Also love the weight and size for the hand held in a pinch
Mark –
This lens is massive and with the A7Rii it is a heavy package. A back pack, not a shoulder strap proposition. Since I have had this lens I have found that 40 of my photos are at 24mm. At this focal length, building perspective is severely distorted. By 35mm it is almost, but not entirely gone. The purchasable perspective control app improves the distortion, but does not compleatly eliminate it. Its slow to use and missed shots are commonplace when using it. Manual focus is great at infinity, but is difficult at other distances. Looking at the photos I have taken only a few were below f4, making the extra weight unnecessary in most cases.
Oleg –
Must have universal lens will work nicely for landscape, portrait and other usual scenarios which cover 80 of photo use cases. Additional reach at 70mm pretty good to capture any details from the distance. Lens very sharp and fast, real power horse Build quality is outstanding, it will probably survive more than 1 camera in your life. Highly recommended Sony lens for your kit.
Jerad –
I have been waiting for this lens for years and it has not disappointed. It is an excellent lens for photo and video shooting. Upon receiving the lens, the next day I had a wedding to film. I used the lens almost the entire day and it was a fantastic performer. I did notice that it did not catch my intended focal point as consistently as other lenses in continuous focus mode but that could be due to having Image Stabilization turned on to level 2. Photos are extremely sharp from edge to edge. The lens feels great in the hand. I love the removable tripod bracket. Being that the only lens to compare to is the 70200 f4.0, this lens is a fantastic upgrade. I highly recommend this lens to all Sony Pros. I have video reviews of this lens up on Youtube on my Ditch Auto channel.
martin –
This is just as most of the reviews describe. Used it first in extreme contrast outdoor settings. Amazingly sharp.My only minor thought is that its images are more businesslike than Fuji or Canon lenses. They are almost too perfect for some shots.This depends heavily on settings in the camera.I also shoot Zeiss Loxia lenses on same Sony bodies, and the Loxias have a very slightly more artistic feel to the images.But this 2470 GM is one of the most useful lenses I have for the wide range of outdoor and indoor work I do. Lots of weather, changing light, etc. The GM has highest percentage of good shots of all my Sony lenses.Absolutely great lens.
Anonymous –
Im a professional photographer who has worked in the industry for over 40 years. I used this lens for a magazine story last week and got exceptional results. I do a lot of foreign work in extreme conditions and Ive found the lens to be considerably more robust than previous Sony Zeiss offerings. Specifically the design which is more like my Canon Glass which has rubberized focusing and zoom rings which are more robust. My Sony Zeiss thin metal threads started showing wear and tear very quickly unlike this new design. The sharpness of the image and color rendition were of course superb. Regarding cost and weight which some people have or will complain about I dont see either as an issue. I get paid to do photography and the first thing I do is put some of that money back into gear this will pay for itself quickly. Im used to larger lenses which are even heavier than this and I found no problem using this in the field for an entire day.
Edward –
I have used this lens for a little over a week, putting it through the usual paces. I am extremely pleased with its performance, and feel it is a perfect complement for My A7Rii. The sharpness is superb, from corner to corner, even at f2.8, at every focal length. What little 2 linear distortion it has is easily removed by the cameras firmware. The lens is nearly parfocal when zooming, and there is no noticeable focus breathing, which will make it ideal for video too. Focusbywire is very well implemented, nearly as tractible as a true manual focus lens. This lens will be on the camera when I take it out and put it away a real winner.
BenI –
Got this as a second lens for my Sony A7R III. It clearly isnt a cheap lens by any means but once I had my hands on it in store you can feel and see the quality of it. I had pretty much decided on the Sony 24105 f4 but wanted to try out this and ended up deciding to get this and havent regretted it.Prosextremely sharpfast lens and good for low light situationshigh qualityConsexpensiveheavy and longer than many similar zoom lens
Deborah11 –
Excellent quality It has quickly become my favorite lens to use. Love it
Steven –
A HUGE step up from any standard grade zoom lens, and better image quality than many prime lenses. Way better image quality than the FE 2470 f4 zeiss lens. GREAT for PRO and enthusiast event photography where prime lenses are not a viable option, and a reasonable option for some studio work. Paired with the A7Rii, the combo is lighter and less bulky than comparable setups from other brands. PROs Image quality detail, color, bokeh. Great for photos pro grade, very good for video. Construction quality. Fantastic resolution when paired with A7Rii. Focus control switch for automanual. Customizable control button can be used for eyeautofocus supported in newer cameras. CONs Bigger and heavier than most other FE lenses but comparable to other brand 2470f2.8 pro lenses. Expensive. No optical image stabilization, so less than ideal for older cameras wo stabilization in the body.
Victor –
I shoot alot of live events and photography on the Sony a7sii and the Sony a7iii.This lens is beast it handles all my needs and is super sharp. F2.8 is more than enough for low light especially with the high ISO capabilities on the Sony cameras and at 50mm portraits look great. I love this lens and love the extra custom button. I use it for holding focus while taking photosvideos so I dont have to constantly adjust my Focus point. Amazing lens for videography and photography. Ive also used it on short film sets, it does the job. Of coarse Cine Lenses are better but this lens is so versatile, I can use it on any shoot.
KEVIN –
If you can afford to get this lens, then this could be the only lens you will need You truly get what you paid for with this lens. Pair this lens with the top of the line Sony full frame camera A7RIIIA9, you will have the ultimate camera that can do almost everything in photography. ProExcellent image qualityVery versatileConExpensiveHeavy
Dave –
So the build quality on this lens is good. It is sharp and feels good. The one unfortunate thing that made me give it only 3 stars is it the poor construction design. Unlike a true professional lens, this lens has the end of the lens that protrudes out as you zoom similar to a cheap kit lens. This is most unfortunate that you spend this much money and Sony cant take the time to do a decent construction design. Hoping they will get their act together by the time they release the next version of this lens. Based on this and given the cost I cannot recommend this lens.
Jorge S. –
This is a really magnificent lens. Its extremely sharp. Perfectly built and beautiful to the eye. It may be a little heavy but that doesnt bother me at all. Ive used it mainly for portraits so far. It produces pretty nice bokeh and performs flawless in every moment. Here are a few shots made with the lens and the A7ii
Intelligent Photography –
So far in my shooting, this lens has felt like an extension of my shooting, acting as an effective tool to carry out the data acquisition demanded of it. Ive found it to be sharp with excellent microcontrast, especially for the number of corrective elements in the build. Focus via DDSSM is superbly quick and accurate, and Sony has tuned the focusbywire in a Batisesque manner, with focus shift determined not just by change in ring position, but also rotation speed and acceleration. Its quiet enough that I need to put my ear to it to be sure Ive heard it, though I can feel the momentum change inhand. The balance of the lens with my a7R II falls comfortably between the two rings throughout the zoom range. Colour rendition is neutral and pops, and the aperture remains circular and smooth throughout. Outofplane CA is wellcontrolled almost purely radial for easy correction in post, and modest field distortion is present but not unappealing. For criticism, Ive four small points from worst to least 1 theres a small firmware issue present with the most recent build, wherein with PreAF enabled, the lens makes periodic hunting shifts in focus, even if the composition hasnt changed once per 3s. This is solved by turning PreAF off 2 the mounting index leaves about 0.5mm of rotational freedom when locked into place. While not actually a problem photographically, it can give off a slight squeaking sound if torqued, and demonstrates a lessthandesirable attention to detail in QC 3 the focus ring floats on the end of the main barrel, and can bottom out on its bearing if moderate offaxis forces are applied, giving it a rough, gritty feel if not handled somewhat gently. Its entirely functional, and I dont doubt itll be rugged in the field, but it mightnt maintain its smooth profile in the long run 4 the lens hood has a lock and release, but no slot for filter rotation Odd priorities, as thisd make a lovely naturelandscape semimacro lens
Sharma76 –
This lens is unbelievably sharp at all focal lengths and at 2.8f, the bokeh is just gorgeous The build quality is solid and that side button on the barrel is very handy for eye AF. I recently switched from Canon to all Sony system and this was my first lens. And will be my only lens for a while. Its that goodTheres no denying that its an expensive lens and its quite heavy but the final image quality totally negates both of those points for me. If you want razor sharp images and can justify the price, I would highly recommend this lens.
Wood –
Versatile focal lengths and speed. Perfect for paid work and casual outings where capturing the moment is everything. Excellent image quality without noticeable compromise. Kind of heavy and feels offbalance even on the bulkier A7R3, but thats something easy to get used to.
JaztheSag –
I have the 2470 F4 lens which I feel is an average lens thar doesnt produce the clarity and sharpness I get from the 1635 F4, which has been my primary lens for my Sony A7R II. When the GM 2470 came out, I hesitated because of the price, but the reviews were so stellar that I decided to make the investment. The reviews didnt prepare me for how INSANE this lens is I am BLOWN AWAY by how sharp and clear it is, my RAW images look like JPEGS There is so much DETAIL and CLARITY that I feel like Im looking directly at the scene, and not at a photo My postprocessing is MINIMAL now, everything is stunning, there is no noise or grain…. I cant even describe it, you just have to see for yourself. You will not be disappointed with the GM lens. What a DREAM It is a bit bigger than the Zeiss lenses, but no bigger than standard CanonNikon lenses. Even if it was the size of a telephoto, Id wear a freaking wrist brace to hold it up, just to get the quality in this glass This is a MUST buy for those seeking reduced postprocessing time and unsurpassed clarity sell all your old gear if you have to, this lens is so worth it Im waiting for the GM 1635 next, then my life will be complete
Quico –
I love it This lens is perfect for travel or just a very convenient tool when you dont know which primary lens to use.it is sharp and clear at every range from 2470. I mainly use it wide open.
Semtecks –
Ive been a photographer for 4 years now and i needed an upgrade. So i bought the Sony A7RIII I used to use Canon. So i needed a premium Lens to go with the camera, thats when i found the 2470 Gmaster lens. This lens is sharp, it takes advantage of the 42MP inside the A7RIII, the focus is fast. Overall, I am happy with this lens. A 2470mm is so versatile, great for landscapes, indoor, and portraits.
Baichuan –
Pros 1. As far as I know, this lens doesnt suffer the copyvariation problems like the other two GM zooms 2470 GM especially and 1635 GM. At least my copy is super sharp across except for 200mm F2.8, which I will explain below. Sony really needs to maintain a consistent quality management, at least on their GM line. 2. If you are a bokeh queen, youll be very happy. Of course it wont get closer to 100 STF GM, but this is good enough. 3. Excellent build quality. Zoom ring and focus ring are really easy and comfortable to use. The lens itself doesnt feel abnormally heavy with A7RII but you do need strong arms to hold it for a wholeday shooting. 4. The colors this lens produces are REALLY REALLY pleasant to watch, which exceeds all of my expectations by a large margin. Compared to the 720L IS II from Canon, the bokeh and the outofcamera colors from the 720GM are much more pleasing. Cons 1. F2.8 at 200mm is kinda soft, I mean you could tell very easily even in small JPGs and it got instantly much sharper if you dial it down at F3.2 and it becomes as sharp as 70mm at F4. Personally this is a huge disappointment to me because I was planning to use the telephoto end more. 2. Yes it hunts in low light when mounted on A7RII. I mean it hunts a little even in some shady early afternoon. It doesnt matter to me much because I dont do sports. But if you do a lot of sports and you are not using A9, forgot about this lens. I also tried it on A6500 that has a better focus system, it is still not good enough to do serious sports photography. Conclusion If you are mostly doing landscape, studio portrait or any other mostly nonactive photography, go for it Its inconsistency sometimes will make you mad but it is well worth the price tag for its noncomparable image quality and excellent build quality. For sports photographers I will probably check the ability of A9 first before I can decide to buy this.
Garland –
I purchased this lens hoping to use it for video on the Sony PXWFS5 as well as secondary use on my A6300. While it produces an excellent image, I am somewhat disappointed in both circumstances. On the FS5, the absence of OSS within the lens makes it much less useful, especially for handheld work, which is primarily how I wanted to use it. Secondarily, because my A6300 has Steady Shot built in, I thought it would be well suited to that camera. But to my disappointment, Steady Shot in the A6300 is rendered inoperative when this lens is mounted. Steady Shot in the menu is greyed out, and if you try to select it anyway, it simply tells you Steady Shot does not work with this lens. As others have mentioned, the lens is big and weighs in at almost two pounds, and adding that much weight to the front of the FS5 does not work for me when shooting handheld. Focus is quick on the A6300. Focus on the FS5 is a little slower, but still acceptable. Others have said the Steady Shot within the A7 series cameras works with the lens. However, because its functionality is reduced on what appears to be all except the A7 series, I can only give it 4 stars. Yes, I would recommend this to a friend, but only if they realize it is big and are willing to work without OSS.
Anonymous –
It actually took month and a day, from my preorder with BH to receiving the lens. With the few dollars I had left, I set up a little informal lens test, taped dollar bills and stamps on a card to see just how the lens would perform it terms of sharpness, color, bokeh. And when panning on and off the card, how fast could the lens refocus back to the card fast enough for me. Used different f stops and distances during the test, camera set to aperture priority. In every case I am delighted to report the lens performed stunningly. Have also hiked around the woods grabbing shots, and again I am very pleased with the results. I know its not inexpensive lens but I am not regretting this purchase.
AverageTechGuy –
the title says it all,the glass in this camera produces phenomenal results.So much that I took two test photos, one without a UV filterand another with one on Hoya and the UV filter actuallydegraded some of its sharpness This is probably going downas one of my best lenses ever owning Keep in mind, thislens is pretty heavy for it size. I assume its due to it beingbuilt like a tank
Richard –
Traded my Nikon gear for sony gear about a year ago with some trepidation due to the lack of glass. With the new G Master trinity out now, I have not regretted the decision. Love this lens. Sturdyfell on concrete from 2 feet and somehow no obvious flaws. Bokeh is nice and soft. Fast autofocus. Hunts somewhat when close to subject. Equal to my Nikkor 702002.8
Nate –
Ok listen, we all realize the price tag on this lens is pretty high. Like, high enough that I had to eschew 6 months of avocado toast to save the cash. But with my first shutter click I knew I had made the right choice. The outstanding crispness of details, gorgeous contrast and spectacular dropoff into bokeh is unparalleled. Every picture comes out perfect, from subject isolation when shooting wide open, to the cornertocorner sharpness at any and all aperature.
JD123 –
Bought the G Master 2470 2.8 for my new Sony Alpha RIII. The results so far are fantastic. I currently have a Canon 1D IV with a similar lens. The G Master stacksup nicely, although I dont have significant time with it to do a valid comparison. As mentioned on many sites, the size of this lens somewhat negates the small size of the camera. Still, it is easier to lugaround than the big 1D Canons. If you have large hands, you may find that t he lens and your fingers are a tight fit between the lens and the camera body. The small size of the camera body and the weight of the lens may make you want to think about an extension for the camera body such as the Sony extended grip, or a Really Right Stuff. If you expect a large lens for this type of picture quality, you should love the lens.
Ralph –
I love my Sony A7RII and this lens is a great upgrade from the FE 70200 f4 G OSS lens. I like to shoot hand held and you can just do that with this lens. Be aware that this lens is significantly heavier to the point that I dont like to carry it for more than an hour or so. The big drawback with the Sony Emount ecosystem is a combination that is good for birding. I would like to have a lens that allows me to focus in on birds hiding between twigs in trees and also photograph geese flying through the sky, The reach of this lens at 200 mm is not enough to do either well. Manually focusing at the long end without a tripod is also problematic. Overall a good lens, but not sell suited for birding. Using teleconverters will give you more reach, but you lose sharpness and Autofocus is unreliable with moving subjects with the FE 2.0x Teleconverter.
MartinDrummer –
Purchased this lens hoping it would stop me from bringing three prime lenses for a short weekend trip, or a stroll around a new town, or doing casual photography.. Paired this bad boy with my A7iii and went to Chicago as well as New York City and I was blown away by the sharpness of this lens The ONLY two cons I can think of are, price and weight.. I still went with this lens over the Tamron and Sigma.. I just loved how this 2470 produced pictures at every focal length.. But even after carrying my A7iii 2470 GM all day around NYC the weight issue seemed to not bother me as much.. Rent it from a reputable place and give it a shot, you will love it
Anonymous –
I use this lens on a Sony A7Rii for social events, large group pictures, travel andlandscapes where image quality is more important than size. Ive had this lens for about a week and tried to put it through its paces. My observations follow. PROS The lens is exceptionally sharp at all focal lengths, including the extreme corners. In a practical sense, it is as good as the Batis and Loxia lenses in this regard. Auto focusing is fast and virtually silent, with little tendency to hunt even in dim light Manual focusing is almost as positive as with a manual e.g., Loxia lens, with none of the lag associated with earlier Sony lenses, and no noticeable acceleration effect. It is as good in this respect as Zeiss Batis lenses. There is little or no noticeable vignetting, although this may be due to firmware corrections vignetting is largely due to geometry, not some mysterious lens defect. Circles appear elliptical when viewed at an angle. The build quality is solid and the controls are smooth and welldamped. The lens is nearly parfocal little change in focus when zoomed in or out. There is no noticeable breathing when focusing. Linear distortion is very low across the focal length range. This too may be mitigated in firmware I havent tested it with corrections turned off. Then too, why turn them off in typical use. It focuses close enough to be used for larger objects like flowers. Bokeh is excellent for backgrounds, not quite as good for foreground objects. CONS It is large, heavy for the Sony and expensive. Yet it is lighter and cheaper than high quality prime lenses Batis and Loxis to cover the range. It balances well on the Sony. The objective extends about 114 at 70 mm. It is stiff enough to resist sagging, and there is a lock to hold it at 24 mm collapsed.
JKautz –
I have only used this lens on a couple of opportunities and have not had much, if anything, to complain about. I have used this on my A7rII and A6300 and have really like the performance on both setups. The focus is relatively fast and accurate, and I especially like the focus hold button which I have reassigned to the eye autofocus option. This focusing option is why I tend to use my Sony rig more and more versus my older Canon 6DTamron 2470 f2.8 setup. The lens is sharp and seems to be relatively good throughout the aperture range. While being stopped down to around f4 through f8 seem to be the sharpest, the ability to open the aperture to f2.8 is nice and produces pleasing background bokeh. This is a great allaround lens that I use the most out of all my other Emount options. The lens is big and heavy and sports an 82mm front thread to accommodate various filters. The balance is not too bad on the A7RII with a battery grip, but when mounted on the A6300 it tends to be a little off balance. This is not a show stopper, but does require a little adjustment to hand held photography. The main complaint that I have is the price point. This lens is one of the most expensive in the FE range of lens for the Emount system. However, with the lens wearing a GM badge, I guess the price is justified. It definitely performs better than the previous 2470 f4 FE lens, as that lens tended to be a little soft, especially wide open. The GM lenses can definitely stand on their own when compared to other professional quality glass from Nikon and Canon.
radioactivecat –
This is probably one of the best lenses I have ever owned. I am a serious travellandscape hobby photographer. This lens is accurate and fast on the Sony A7R3A73. The eye autofocus is an outstanding feature when using the Sony A7R3A73. The only real downside is that this lens can be considered heavy on the smaller mirrorless camera bodies not too much of a downside though. Not the ideal casual walkaround lens, however, if youre doing something serious, the quality is worth the weight. Its also very expensive but if you can save up the cash for it, its well worth the money.
John –
If the center needs to be sharp, youll stop down to f5.6. If the corners need to be sharp, youll stop down to f10. The problem with Sony cameras is that the viewfinder and autofocus get slower and less responsive at smaller apertures. Thats not quite true. Some lenses focus wideopen in AFS mode, although this isnt one of them. Its insane that Sony cameras have 15 pages of menus, and not a single useful option like focus wide open or shoot mechanical shutter above 1500 or display a normallyexposed image in the viewfinder even when Im shooting at 2 exposure to preserve highlights.This lens is heavier, more expensive, less sharp, and worseconstructed than the Canon 2470.There are undeniable advantages to mirrorless most importantly, the ability to achieve precise focus at wide apertures with offbrand prime lenses. But when youre shooting with this lens, youll find yourself asking why the heck did I buy Sony
Tarik –
This lens is absolutely fantastic. It has a weight and feel to it that screams quality, and is perfect for just about any situation from landscape to sports to portraiture. An absolute must if you are a photojournalist, I cant recommend this lens enough. If youre on the fence, just buy it. Trust me.
Dan –
Mounted on the a7rii wither a vertical grip the lens is not too large or heavy considering it is a f2.8. Hunts a bit in low light and Im sure that is more body than lens. IQ is very good on par with the Nikon version I had several years back. What shined for me was the IQ with the 2x converter. IMO noticibly better than the same Nikon combo or the Sony A mount 70 400 55.6 vii. Bokeh is not stellar IMO, but I may be spoiled with Zeiss and Leica Bokeh. Seems similar to the Sonyzeiss 55 1.8. Im keeping the lens as it fits my needs for indoor action and with the extender on a cropped sensor for large wildlife.
Jinga –
This lens is SUPREME. I absolutely love it. It is great for portraits and landscape. It is quite expensive but I use exclusively right now.
Albert –
ProsInternal focusing like most 70200 lenses ease of work in the fieldpublic placesOptical stabilizationNative lens means all Sony camera functions workf2.8ConsOverpricedImage quality is decent but not amazingFor quite a while this was the only option for a 70200mm f2.8 lens on Sony Emount. You could try the Canon or Nikon equivalents but had to risk the uncertainty of an adapter. Recently, Sigma came out with their 70200mm f2.8 lens. You still have to use the Sigma MC11 adapter, but I use that with other Sigma lenses and works fine. Considering the optical tests online I wouldnt recommend this as the first choice. Its not terrible but not fantastic, and the high price is hard to swallow. I got some good pictures out of it but finally sold it. The Sony f4 version or Sigma wadapter would probably be better picks.
DYNOBOB –
Have had it for 2 weeks now on an A7R2 and Im impressed be aware, the 7R2 is the only body right now with a firmware update that fully supports this lens. I would typically wait for a mint used one to show up on the market but have an 4wk motorcycle ride to AK coming up and it would make no sense to get it 6mo after that trip. FWIW, I also have a A7, A72, 1635Z, 2470Z. The A72470Z are likely going away soon. Pros Its as close to a bag of primes in one lens as you can get. Its a very good landscape and portrait lens. The f2.8 gives that extra bit of background defocus the f4 lacks. From 5070mm I wont need any thinner depth of field. On a 7R2 this could effectively be a 25150mm, maybe even 24200. I hope to pull some great crops of wildlife in AK. Part of the appeal for me in on and offroad motorcycle travel is not needing to change lenses and introduce contaminants. I really, really like the AFMF switch on the lens. Cons or as close as I can get A little heavy but not a deal breaker. I carried in hand for 23 hrs at a car show last week. Surprisingly it is not that much sharper than the 1635Z in the 28mm landscape test shot I do with all my stuff. For my use though the 2470 is way more useful. Only reason for 4stars is costvalue equation. Diminishing returns has prob started to set in vs. other options. If you want the best though, this is it.
BestD –
This is one of Sonys best lenses and based on reviews it is one of the best lenses on the market for an 85mm prime lens. This takes great portrait photos….super sharp, clear, and crisp. And a super fast lens.BUT I couldnt give it 5 stars because when I bought it the firmware was really buggy and it had a hard time autofocussing and was really loud. As in the AF motor is super loud and was just constantly searching for the subject. I spent an hour on the phone with Sony trying to troubleshoot it. They couldnt fix it and said I could send it in for repair. It was a brand new lens so I didnt want a repaired lens.I read online that other people had the same issue and they fixed it by updating the firmware. This did not help me so I went ahead and exchanged it for a new one. The new one did not have the same issues so now I am happy. And it takes fantastic pics.
Justin –
Probably the most iconic lens for pros. Great quality, good aperture, decent zoom, and that little button on the side you can customize to anything, a different way to backbutton autofocus, etc. Gonna be in my camera arsenal for a long time.
Nicholas –
I use this lens on the Sony a7r2. The 41MP chip in this camera is incredibly powerful. Previously I had purchased the Sony 2470 f4 variotessar T lens. The image quality was so poor I swapped it for another one thanks BH same story with the second one so I dumped it and got on the waiting list for the new f2.8. There is a very noticeable difference. This lens is sharp. It is sharp corner to corner at all focal lengths. This lens allows the a7r2 to work to its very considerable potential. In fact any lens of lesser quality is a waist of time and energy on the a7r2. Dont screw around with adaptors and other lenses. This lens was made to work on this camera and it does in all ways. On the down side it is heavy. The pretext of the lightweight mirrorless camera is shot with this almost 2 pounder added to the body. It is not only heavy but it moves the balance point of the lensbody to about a third of the way up the lens barrel. Hand held you cradle the lens and the body hangs off the back. On the tripod, attached to the body it is front heavy. A tripod collar would be nice but that would make the kit even heavier and more bulky. I would much prefer an f4 lens of this quality. To me the trade off in size, weight, expense and venerability of f2.8 isnt worth it. I dont shoot wide open. Im not enamored of soft backgrounds. Im looking for sharpness not softness. If the light gets low get on a tripod Im a landscape and architecture photographer. Am not doing fast action subjects like sports. The rating of weather proof isnt the same as waterproof so I havent taken it in the rain or in dusty conditions as I do with the Olympus OMD and their pro lenses. All that said, there are always going to be sacrifices but at the end of the day it is all about image quality. This lens delivers.
Allen –
Ive only recently shifted over to Sony and have only shot 1 event with the lens. That being said, its a fantastic lens. Its probably mental, but the pictures seem sharper than with my old D800 Nikkor 70200 VR II. Only complaint is that its a really heavy lens and ergonomically its not great even with the battery grip on the a9. Fatigue definitely kicked in during the later half of the day.
Stephg –
Really love these lens and how versatile they are. Super sharp and fast. The only downsize is that its a bit heavy but I expected it to be. Worth the money.
Saulj –
It is a great lens I was having difficulty choosing between this and the 24105mm f4 lens because of the extra range. But after testing both out I felt like in most situations I did not need that extra 35mm range as it felt like a minimal difference, and figured I can just crop the photo to zoom in more without losing much detail. Cant wait to use this lens for travel, though it is heavy I will probably only use this lens for travel.
chphotovideo –
Love this lens I originally had the Canon 2470 2.8 v2 using a metabones adapter on my sony a7rii. Great lens but it had some issues.I ended up in my local BestBuy a couple weeks after purchasing the canon and they had in stock this Sony 2470 gmaster. I tried it out in store and fell in love with it. Its smply amazing. About the same sizeweight as the canon with metabones maybe a touch smaller actually. This lens is super fast in both photo and video mode. Photography is crisp and clean, video has a lovely af movement too. Yes, its an expensive lens But by the time you get the canon with metabones adapter, youre evening out the price. This lens is made for the sony cameras, and rightfully so. Highly recommended.
Kombo –
You have to learn to use this lens with the specific Camera you own.But it is by no means a lens for kiddos. It is heavy, sturdy but maintains a smooth focusing system with a slim margine of error.I have decided to keep my copy as I feel I am lucky to have my copy. Hopefully there are no issues ahead.
OPRFHouse –
Having this lens for only a little over a week I just completed my first trip with the lens and the A7RM2 where I used this lens exclusively. I can comment on my first impressions but may need to come back to edit this review in the near future. My 4 star rating is a first impressions rating. When the FE 42470 Zeiss model came out I purchased that lens and was after a few uses very disappointed and I think a number of other reviews confirm the mediocrity of that lens. As a real estate professional as well as Real estate photographer it was very sad that I ended up using the that f4 lens for my lesser important or draft shots. I was very eager after reading the specs and design behind the G lenses to use the new f2.8. This lens is huge. Should I be faced with a Zombie apocalypse in my lifetime I hope I have this lens with me as my main weapon. It s heavy. I do use the A7RM2 Vertical Battery Grip for a number of my heavier lenses and the same is true for this lens. I know most photographers will use this lens on a specific location shoot. I just used it on a trip to Boston where I was carrying the camera. If you purchased the Sony A7 line for its small form factor this lens will absolutely negate that. You want the quality and the successful outcome of a lens like this it is going to have to be larger and heavier. Enough said about size. The lens really produces the smooth bokeh throughout the focal range that I am looking for. The detail of the shots coupled with the A7RM2 is amazing. I am attaching photos to the review but they were processed in LR.
Anonymous –
The 2470 mm lens is the perfect lens for me when I go out to shoot music videos because it has everything I need. The F2.8 is beautiful and really captures that nice bokeh when zoomed. Its a all in one lens. The best package one could ask for. I could talk about the build quality all day too. This lens just feels really professional. 1010
Kenneth –
My title says it all. I was a devoted Canon shooter for many years and enjoyed still do many of their Lseries pro lenses. Their 2470 F2.8L, and now the 2470 F2.8L II, is a superb mediumwide zoom lens. The current II version inched it even further towards perfection. When I began shooting the Sony A7 series I naturally bought their 2470 F4. Its a fine lens that will never embarrass you. But its not anywhere near the Canon 2470 F2.8Ls league. So, on occasion, I would use the Canon 2470 where I thought I needed extra speed or edge definition. But then came the Sony 2470mm F2.8 GM. Wow. Color, contrast, edge definition are simply breathtaking across the frame at ever focal length Ive inspected. When shooting with the A7RII there is simply nothing that can produce a better image frame. There are, however, two factors to consider before jumping for this lens. The first is its size and weight. It is nearly identical in dimensions to Canons 2470 F2.8L II. Its a bagfiller thats perhaps 20 larger and heavier than the F4. It almost seems as if the A7 is mounted on the lens, rather than the reverse. Second, the lens does have some barrel distortion at the wider focal lengths. This becomes moot, however, as its automatically corrected via the lenss builtin geometry profile when images are loaded into Adobe Lightroom or Capture One, with no apparent consequence to definition. Yes, this is an expensive lens. But its completely commensurate with the topline 2470 workhorse lenses offered by Canon and Nikon. You can make a very powerful argument that its the only lens most shooters really need. And frankly Ive not seen a prime that bests the frames I get from this lens. Wow. Bring on the other GM lenses, Sony