Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II REVIEW: best standard zoom? 

I test the FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II to find out if it’s the best standard zoom for Sony cameras! Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II at B&H: bhpho.to/3xXxqqS / WEX UK: tidd.ly/3KmyEyr Buy Gordon a coffee: www.paypal.me/cameralabs Gordon's In Camera book: amzn.to/2n61PfI / Amazon uk: amzn.to/2mBqRVZ Cameralabs merchandise: redbubble.com/people/cameralabs/shop Gordon’s retro gear channel: ru-vid.com Check eBay to find vintage gear: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=1&pub=5574908462&toolid=10001&campid=5338329149&customid=&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg Lost photos? I recover mine with: www.dpbolvw.net/click-100568658-13808570?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stellarinfo.com%2Fphoto-recovery-software.php Equipment used for producing my videos Sony A6400: amzn.to/3hul53c Sony e 24mm f1.8: amzn.to/2TqWNzk Rode NT USB mic: amzn.to/3AdHcUp Rode Wireless Go II mic: amzn.to/3xkCvGo Rode Lavalier Go mic: amzn.to/3ygzzKY Godox UL150 light: amzn.to/2VpVbXE Godox QR-P70 softbox: amzn.to/3yQfGdF MacBook Pro 14in (16GB / 1TB): bhpho.to/3HiafJL 00:00 - Introduction and alternatives 01:21 - Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II design and controls 04:20 - Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II autofocus for stills and video 06:05 - Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II focus breathing 07:24 - Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II quality sharpness 09:53 - Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II portrait quality 10:34 - Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II bokeh quality 12:04 - Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II samples and verdict Music: www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Oh maaaann, I can't wait to test this one out, and I really appreciated your sample pics at the end - the bokeh looks outstanding.

Outstanding video! Love that you use real landscape subject to test the center and corner quality. Greatly appreciated!

Great review as always Gordon.

Great review - looks like a great all around lens.

Great review Gordon! Being a prime person I struggle with standard zooms and I am already very happy with my Sigma 24-70mm. As for what’s next, I think that Sony will release a 16-35mm GM II as the current one is not the strongest of their lineup, and it’s a such a popular focal range. That particular lens will sell like hotcakes to RU-vidrs, video and photo people alike.

Another FANTASTIC review!! Definitely considering this for shorter “mini” portrait sessions so that I only need a one cam set up. Then back to 2cam/2prime for higher end, longer portraits 🤓🤔😇 85mm GMii next would be 🌟🌟🌟💯👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽📷🥹

If Sony can deliver this sort of weight saving and quality upgrade to a 70-200 f/4 OSS, that would be a real cracker, and I would buy in an instant.

Amazing!!! Thank you for this wonderful review!!!

An answer to my 24-70mm GM prayer, the weight reduction, sharpness across the frame and overall build quality is just incredible. Big Kudos 👏 to Sony! This will be the perfect companion to my Sony 70-200mm f2.8 GM II.

Hey Gordon, great review as always!!! I would like to see some kind of alternative route - continuation of the 16-35 2.8 GM... something like 35-150mm 2.8 GM, which would go on a second body with the 16-35 for event shooting.

Keep the good reviews rolling!

Great review as always Gordon, I keep thinking one day I will bump into when you are reviewing gear, as I do a bit of street photography in Brighton ever couple of weeks :-)

Excellent review. Never bought the original which was way too big, front heavy and a bit of a mis-match for the original A7 series body sizes. Also had iffy optical quality with sample variation. This lens seems to have righted all the little wrongs of the Gen.1 lens. Another great lens. I think I came to Sony system a little too early (from 2014) as I have invested in several lenses (both Sony & Tamron!) already and am now updating them all gradually!

Thank you as always for your fine reviews. Have really been looking forward to see how Sony would do here. I made the jump to the FE 70-200/2.8 GM II and will do the same here. Next I guess will Sony do a FE 85/1.2 GM as many assume or will they possibly give us a 105mm f/1.4 which I personally would love to see.

Great review Gordon. I reckon they’ll be giving the mk2 treatment to the 85 and 16-35 2.8 soon. On to eBay with my mk1!

Thanks Gordon. Great review

This lens is so sharp that I traded my tamron 35-150. It’s like 24/35/50mm prime in one zoom. It’s sharper then 35 F1.8.

Nice! Good work!

I love your reviews and the way you flow thru the bullet points...my only wish is that you would compare the new products against the previous reviews that you have done. Ex Sony 24-70mm vs Leila Sl 24-70 or vs Sigma 24-70 so we could visualize the differences in one single video. regards barry

I don’t know what lens Sony will do version 2 next, but I will certainly be getting this new 24-70 GM2 to replace my 24-105 F4.

Very comprehensive review, and quite good pace, so easy to watch and understand, thanks. So Mk. II vs the original -> is it worth to upgrade, or would you say its just a couple % improvement of image quality (tbh. i would be more interested at f5.6 and higher) ?

I'm hoping the FE 70-200mm f4 will be updated soon... I'm currently using a Canon 70-200mm f/4 non IS with the mc-11 - works pretty well. But would love some weight savings and an upgrade in optics for sure! Thanks for another great video!

感谢您如此细致的评测，这让我更加有想购入它的想法，用来替换目前使用的一代镜头

This is the only one of many reviews of this new lens that I want to watch first ;-)

Great video, thank you! 😁👍

Really enjoyed this review. I'm selling my 90mm macro, 28mm f2, and 24-70 f4 ZA to fund this along with selling some other toys. If paying top dollar will get me a top of the line no-compromise lens in a league of its own, I will gladly pony up.

Another excellent review 😃👍📸 I’m getting more & more swayed towards getting on the SoNy platform. I now wish SoNy would make a 100-500 zoom similar to CaNoN, a 24-105 f/2.8 IS and a 105mm f/1.4 or better prime lens. That would be FanTaSticK ! ! 📸💥

Wish to see GM Macro lens around 100mm or more somday =) Thanks for review!

only halfway through and know this is the first lens I should buy when canging systems later this year. Anyone got anything to say about that haha

Looks like an incredible lens, but it's hard for me to justify it owning just an a7iii. I do have the 16-35 2.8 GM but that is sort of a 'specialty lens' I use for wide shots, & astro. My 'carry around' lens is the 24-105 F4 G, and my sports, action, wildlife is the 100-400 GM with a 1.4X telconverter. Rounding out my 'amateur kit' is a 85mm F1.8 Zeiss Batis for portraits, and other 'creative shots'. I'd love to have this lens . . . but i think at my current level of photography and finances, it just doesn't make sense. Some times you just have to know when you've reached your limit. Or at least until you've advanced enough, and can afford it.

The new new 16-35 f4 PZ is reportedly sharper than the 16-35 GM. That seems like an obvious candidate for a Mk II treatment. FYI, I prefer the 24-105 focal range. It is so versatile. If I had a vote, I’d opt for a GM version of that, and wouldn’t f2.8 be fun.

We need new 24-70mm f4!

I would love to see a line of Tilt/Shift lenses. A 16 or 17mm TS would be a dream and if anyone could make an autofocus tilt shift it would probably be Sony. Barring a wide angle T/S a 16mm f1.8 GM with filter rings would be great since the 14mm can't use screw on filters and the 20mm isn't quite wide enough. As for other lenses I agree that the 85 1.4 and 90 macro needing a redesign although the 90mm macro is still very very good. Instead of the 90 mm redesign however I would prefer to see a new macro lens maybe a 180mm or 200mm like the old Nikon 200mm f4 macro. Also maybe a nice wide angle zoom fisheye like the Canon or Nikon ones. Finally I would love to see a true full frame pancake like the new Nikon 26mm f2.8. There are also several missing primes on the tele end like the 200 f2 (Maybe this could be the new macro as well?), 300 f2.8, 300 f4, and 400 f5.6. Although I'm less interested in these since my 200-600 is good enough. Other than that I feel like Sony now has a pretty comprehensive lens line up.

How dose the 24-70 11 compare to the 35 mm gm

They should upgrade sony 35mm f1.8 to have aperture ring, being even smaller and g badge treatment

The Mark I version is definitely false economy at this point. I'd love to know how this lens compares to the Leica 24-90, particularly at close distances. That's where the Sigma falls apart, IIRC.

Nice review. No doubt the 85,, f1.4 GM is going to get an update, but it will probably be an 85mm f1.2 first, simply because of competition. And since Sony did a new 16-35 f4 G recently, then I guess a 24-70 f4 G might happen soon as well.

the 16-35 f2.8GM is now one of the oldest and could do with an upgrade. Mine is ok but by no means the sharpest lens I own. I would have preferred this lens to be the same size and weight as the mark one but be a F2 lens

Personaly i'm waiting this lens for long time and after turning from yt channel's this is make idea what work this lens. This test is much better of Dpreview, tony and chelsea and other influencer photographer (presonaly i hate this groups). I'll look this channel frequently. Good Work Gordon. ;)

How is the distortion of this lens? No one doing the test.

Thanks Gordon headed to your review first and have now preordered. Could really have done with this in the theatre last week as the old lens is large and heavy. I’d really like an update on the 90mm macro, the clutch manual/autofocus is a night mare and getting it to focus is well let’s say very frustrating. There are so many 50mm lens in Sony fit would pass on that. ..Just need an A9Iii please 😀

Another impressive lens from Sony - how do they do it!?! You know the lens I was waiting for…50mm f1.4 please :-)

Could this be a one lens solution for some people?

Awesome review as always Gordon. What many people dont know is that more than 35 years ago Minolta was already making A M A Z I N G 24-80mm AF Zooms with optical quality rivaling today's. Surely slower both in aperture and AF speeds, none the less, amazing stuff. Sony has Minolta's DNA allover and buying them, absorbing their technology and bringing along their technicians was one of Sony's best business decisions of all of its history. Sony's imaging department today would be nothing without Minolta. From AF, to Live view, Mirrorless, Its all thanks to Minolta.. they had it all then, just no idea how to sell it. Sony knows how to sell.

a photograph of a rusty piece of iron always indicates that this is a test of a new lens :)

I think the 50mm Macro needs an update. Maybe Sony could create a very good 60mm macro.

This is the same price as the Leica 24-70mm 2.8 SL lens!!! I know which Im happier with. They really have improved the long end though, wonder if it could cope with an a7rv 100mp sensor?

5:42 this right here is exactly why I don't shoot 24 or 30fps

50mm F1.4 would be great

I’ll just wait till they make a 24-70 f2.0 GM

They really need better options for the f4 zooms. The existing ones are just pitiful for a first party manufacturer and at that price.

Good enough that I bought one.

Not a lens I will buy - I'm a Fuji guy - but as usual a stand-up review by a stand-up photo guy.😎

Its a nice lens. its a shame that the three big companies are charging such high prices for the glass. $2300 is really pricey for a 2470. ifs Sigma can make one with pretty much equal image quality for $1100. then Sony should be able to put out theres for $1500. and still make money. but Sony, Canon and Nikon are making it so only rich people or people who make good money with photography can buy there top glass. at least Sony has allot of 3rd party manufacturers making glass for them. but it pisses me off when the Sony is lighter than the 3rd party options. the Sony 85 will be next for an upgrade. its probably already built. and it will be an f1.2. I wish Tamron would make a small and light 24/70 to go along with there 28/75.

Was this shot on the a1? Lol

Best compared to what? Based on other reviews, both Nikon's and Canon's versions are optically superior, while Sony systems have to correct shading, chromatic aberration and distortion in-body. This is because Sony prioritizes lightness and small size.