Sony has revealed a new premium standard zoom, with an f/2 maximum aperture throughout its focal-length range. The Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM is designed for photographers shooting such things as weddings and live events, who want to use a larger aperture than f/2.8 but not give up the flexibility of a zoom. As part of the G Master range, the firm is promising top-quality optics that rival GM primes for sharpness. It’s likely to rank highly on the list of best Sony lenses.
Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM at a glance:
- $2699 / £3200
- Sony E-mount (full-frame)
- 86mm filter thread
- 38cm minimum focus
- 92.9mm x 139.8mm length; 918g
Sony says that restricting the wide end to 28mm has helped keep the lens size manageable. It measures 93mm in diameter, 140mm in length, and weighs 918g, while accepting 86mm filters. This makes it strikingly more portable than the Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L USM; most obviously, it’s only about two-thirds of the weight.
Sony has employed a complex optical formula with 20 elements in 14 groups. This includes 3 Super ED, 1 ED, 3 Aspherical, and 3 XA (eXtreme Aspherical) elements which together aim to suppress aberrations and give sharp images with no colour fringing, along with attractive bokeh. Sony’s Nano AR II coating is on board to suppress flare and ghosting.
Four XD linear motors are used for autofocus, and required to move the large, heavy focus groups. Even so, the lens is designed to keep up with continuous autofocus while shooting stills or video at 120 frames per second. Linear response MF is available for manual focusing.
The lens employs an internal focus design, including a floating focus system for high close-up performance. The minimum focus distance is 38cm over the entire zoom range, which delivers a maximum magnification of 0.23x. Focus breathing is suppressed optically, and the lens is also compatible with in-camera breathing suppression.
Physically, the lens includes all the controls we’d expect on Sony’s GM line. The zoom ring has a two-setting smoothness control, and the aperture ring can be switched between clicked and clickless operation. There’s a pair of focus hold buttons, an AF/MF switch, and an Iris Lock control. The barrel boasts dust/ and water-resistant construction, and there’s a fluorine coating on the front element to repel grease and water.
The Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM has a scheduled December 2024 on-sale date, with an expected price of £3200. This is pretty much the same as the Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM.
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Full specifications
| Price | £3200 |
| Filter Diameter | 86mm |
| Lens Elements | 20 (3 Super ED, 1 ED, 3 ASPH, 3x XA) |
| Groups | 14 |
| Diaphragm blades | 11, curved |
| Aperture | f/2 – f/22 |
| Minimum focus | 0.38m (full range) (0.23x) |
| Length | 139.8mm |
| Diameter | 92.9mm |
| Weight | 918g |
| Lens Mount | Sony FE |
| Included accessories | Caps, hood |
