Sony FE 24 70mm F 2 8 GM II Review | 54 Data compared

The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II is a highly revamped and revitalized standard zoom lens that is 20% lighter (695g) and 18% smaller than its predecessor, making it the world's smallest and lightest 24-70mm f/2.8 trinity zoom. It features a completely redesigned optical path with five aspherical elements (including two XA elements), two ED elements, two Super ED elements, and Nano AR Coating II to minimize ghosting and flare. Its high-end performance is driven by a new floating autofocus system utilizing four XD linear stepping motors, which improves AF tracking while zooming by twofold and supports up to 30fps stills and 4K 120p movie capture. Handling is greatly refined through an adjustable torque zoom ring, two customizable focus hold buttons, and an aperture control ring that features a click on/off switch for seamless de-clicked movie operation. In testing, the primary pros of the lens are its stellar image quality, refined handling, and advanced features. It delivers exceptional sharpness across the entire zoom range, showing a massive improvement in mid-range and edge sharpness even when shot wide-open at f/2.8. It...

Despite these significant improvements, the lens still has a few notable cons. Most prominently, it lacks built-in optical stabilisation, meaning users must rely on camera bodies with in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) or a gimbal to steady their shots. While the background rendering is generally smooth, it cannot match the ultimate bokeh quality of a top-end prime lens; the bokeh blobs can warp into sliced shapes at the maximum aperture and occasionally display faint concentric or internal patterns. Finally, with a premium price tag of around $2300, it represents a substantial financial investment compared to much more affordable third-party alternatives from brands like Sigma and Tamron.

The Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM II (SEL2470GM2) is a highly refined standard zoom lens that drastically improves upon its predecessor by reducing weight by 191g, shortening the length by 16mm, and reducing overall volume by 18%. Built as the smallest and lightest 24-70mm F2.8 zoom on the Sony platform, it introduces premium handling features including a dedicated aperture ring with a declick switch, an Iris Lock, two customisable Focus Hold buttons, and an adjustable zoom ring tension switch. Driven by four XD Linear Motors, the autofocus system delivers near-instantaneous tracking speeds capable of handling 30FPS burst shooting on premium bodies like the Alpha 1. Optically, the complex formula of 20 elements in 15 groups provides outstandingly consistent sharpness, excellent contrast, and beautiful bokeh across the entire focal range. Despite being labeled as the "finest standard zoom" ever used by the reviewer, the lens has a few minor drawbacks. Its primary downside is a steep price tag of $2300 USD, positioning it strictly as a luxury or professional option over third-party alternatives like Sigma or Tamron. Optically, the lens suffers from...

The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II lens is lauded as a high-performing, lightweight, and compact general-purpose zoom featuring exceptional sharpness, contrast, and advanced quad-motor autofocus. Pros include a 22% weight reduction, improved close-focusing capabilities, and versatile video-centric controls, making it a top-tier choice for professionals. Conversely, the lens is very expensive, lacks built-in optical image stabilization (relying solely on camera IBIS), and displays vignetting and slight distortion at 70mm, according to the review.

The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II lens achieves an excellent DXOMARK score of 39 when tested on the 61 MP Sony A7R IV, placing it at the top of its focal range class ahead of its predecessor and the Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S. Key pros include an incredibly lightweight, compact 695g body that is 20% lighter than the original version, along with advanced video features like a de-clickable aperture collar and minimized focus breathing. Optically, it delivers exceptional sharpness with minimal variation across the zoom range, alongside improved astigmatic behavior, very low geometric distortion (0.8% barrel at 24mm), and highly controlled lateral chromatic aberration. The lens does present a minor con with a slightly higher transmission value of T3.2, which is a small concession likely made to achieve its downsized form factor. However, this transmission remains perfectly consistent across all focal lengths to prevent exposure shifts during zooming, which is a highly valued trait for filmmakers. Additionally, it shows some mild astigmatic behavior specifically over the mid-range 35-50mm focal lengths, though it remains well-controlled overall. Priced around...

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II is described as an elite, lightweight standard zoom offering "Excellent to Outstanding" sharpness, with particularly strong central performance and smooth bokeh at 24mm and 70mm. Key advantages include its compact 695g design, excellent flare resistance, and dust/moisture resistance. Conversely, the lens shows noticeable vignetting at wider apertures, along with visible,, though correctable, barrel distortion at 24mm and pincushion distortion at 70mm. Additionally, sharpness decreases noticeably at the minimum aperture of f/22.

The DPReview TV review highlights the Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM II as a significant upgrade, focusing on its reduced weight (695g), 16mm shorter barrel, and improved ergonomics. Key strengths include Four XD linear motors for fast, silent AF, alongside video-centric features like a de-clickable aperture ring, zoom torque adjustment, and suppressed focus breathing. DPReview · While optically excellent at f/2.8, the lens exhibits noticeable chromatic aberration in high-contrast scenes. Further, it features an extending barrel design rather than internal zooming and carries a high price point compared to third-party alternatives. Watch the full review on DPReview TV.

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II is an exceptionally lightweight and compact professional standard zoom lens, weighing just 695g (a 20% reduction from its predecessor) without sacrificing its sturdy, weather-sealed build quality. Optically, it performs at a prime-lens level at 24mm and 40mm, delivering outstanding center sharpness and very good outer image fields, while maintaining impressive resolution at 70mm despite a minor decline in the corners. It features ultra-fast, silent autofocus powered by four XD linear motors, smooth bokeh rendering with 11 rounded aperture blades, and useful physical controls like a clickless aperture ring, focus hold buttons, and a zoom smoothness switch. However, the lens does have a few distinct drawbacks, most notably its vulnerability to noticeable ghosting, halos, and flare in extreme, direct light situations. It does not include built-in optical image stabilization—relying instead on camera body stabilization—and shows heavy uncorrected RAW vignetting (2.4EV) at 24mm at f/2.8, along with standard barrel distortion (~2.5%) at the wide end. Additionally, slight bokeh fringing (axial chromatic aberrations) is visible in shallow depth-of-field scenes until stopped down to f/5.6. Finally, at...

The Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II is a vastly improved, professional full-frame lens that excels in portability and performance. Highly praised for its build, it stands as the world's lightest and smallest lens in its class, measuring 120mm long and weighing just 695g. The reviewer notes several prominent design upgrades, including four toggle switches, an improved lens hood with a sliding filter window, and a dedicated aperture ring with an "iris click" on/off option tailored for silent cinematography. Performance-wise, its four XD linear motors deliver autofocusing that is near-silent and blisteringly fast, while the upgraded 11-blade aperture and a significantly reduced minimum focus distance—focusing as close as 6cm from the front element at 24mm—provide excellent semi-macro capabilities and a smooth bokeh. At an RRP of $3,299, it offers exceptional value and sharpness wide open from edge to edge. Despite the high praise, the review highlights a few specific downsides. A notable handling flaw is a subtle "soft grumble point" (a lack of silky smoothness) when zooming between the 25mm and 35mm focal lengths while the zoom smoothness switch is set...

The Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II is a highly versatile, professional-grade zoom lens that significantly improves upon its predecessor in every design and performance metric. Optically, the lens delivers excellent center sharpness across the entire zoom range, with corners that hold up remarkably well when stopped down. Its standout features include a dramatically reduced minimum focus distance of just 21 cm—allowing for macro-like close-up photography—and a faster, near-silent autofocus tracking system that pairs seamlessly with Sony's eye-detection tracking. Additional design benefits include a much lighter and shorter physical body (weighing 695 grams vs the original's 886 grams), a new switch to control zoom tightness, an aperture ring with a clickless option for videographers, and twin custom buttons. It even proves capable of rendering sharp, edge-to-edge stars for occasional astrophotography and produces a clean, sharp sunstar. Despite its high-end performance, the review highlights a few practical drawbacks. The most notable con is its premium price tag, making it the most expensive lens option within its focal range. Additionally, moving from a standard utility zoom lens like the Sony 24-105mm G to...

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II standard zoom lens stands out as a highly versatile, bright, and sharp all-rounder that significantly improves upon its predecessor. Measuring 16mm shorter and shedding over 20% of its weight down to 695g, the redesigned chassis feels comfortable in hand and avoids making mirrorless camera setups front-heavy. Sony has packed the updated model with physical controls, adding an aperture ring directly onto the lens barrel and a new "smooth/tight" switch to adjust zoom ring tension. Optics perform brilliantly with zero barrel distortion across the entire 24-70mm range, vibrant and highly accurate colors, and an upgraded 11-blade diaphragm that renders beautiful, circular bokeh at wide apertures. Additionally, it reduces the minimum focusing distance to 0.21m and boosts tracking capabilities, delivering exceptionally precise autofocus when tracking subject eyes in good lighting. The review highlights several clear pros and cons to weigh before purchasing this premium piece of glass. On the positive side, its major strengths include a notably smaller and lighter body, exceptionally sharp images with true-to-life color accuracy, gorgeous bokeh, and impressive overall subject tracking....

The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II, as reviewed by DPReview, is a significantly updated standard zoom that is 18% lighter and 22% smaller than its predecessor, featuring extensive on-barrel controls like a de-clickable aperture ring and 11-bladed aperture. Performance improvements include four XD linear motors for enhanced autofocus speed, improved close-focus capabilities (0.21m at 24mm), and better suppression of ghosting and flare. While the lens offers improved balance, it still utilizes an extending barrel design rather than an internal zoom, which is noted as a drawback. Additionally, the review notes minimal focus breathing during video, but highlights its overall superior optical and mechanical performance compared to the original version.

in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside You sent: 1 tab and said: 2 paragraphs summary of this review in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II - Review 2022 - PCMag UK 2 paragraphs summary of this review in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside