Sony 28-70mm f/2 GM Lens Review

Introduction

Hey photography fans! Today we're taking an in-depth look at Sony's groundbreaking 28-70mm f/2 G Master lens. This is a lens that's generating a lot of buzz in the photography world, and for good reason. Let's dive into the specs, performance, and real-world usability of this exciting piece of glass.

Before we dive into the specs, let me share my perspective as a photographer. I am a prime lens fanatic. "No zoom" is my jam. Flat out, as wide as I can go to get that 3D pop of a subject whose eyes are razor sharp, and everything else falls away in to soft blur giving you the depth of life in a flat image and the feeling that you can reach your hands into the photograph… I'm always chasing that. The aperture ring is like a bokeh gas-pedal to me. Sometimes wide open, sometimes stopped down to a responsible level, but I'm always ready to "punch it!" Nothing does this like primes. Zoom lenses were always too much compromise for me.

But when on location…. Oh how I'd love a zoom for some things, especially when its cold, or wet, dark, or I'm wearing gloves… Lens changes can really slow me down when switching from wide to tight for family portraits. A bag full of primes is heavy. I have dropped lenses before. I have gotten dust into the camera during swaps that later I had to spend a LOT of time cloning out later in post. I have been wearing two cameras just to prevent some lens swaps and be more present for my clients, whose time is extremely precious.

So, why would you want a zoom over faster, sharper, brighter primes, especially if you shoot portraits and events? Well for one, your camera bag will be lighter and you'll have to change lenses less often. I am a prime lens shooter. I always have been. This was originally because zooms just looked worse to me. They compromised too much image quality, and with primes I just "zoomed with my feet" to fill the frame. The image quality delta is gone. I still zoom with my feet, but now can walk fewer feet to get the shot. I also can zoom with the lens and my feet at the same time to dramatically control the background. Get closer and wide to get a lot of the background, step back and zoom in to really compress that background and make your model pop. I also don't need to swap between my 35, 50, and 85 mm primes during outdoor shoots which makes me very happy (and keeps my sensor very clean). The benefits of this zoom are now a real match of a set of primes. This lens is superb.

Tech Specs

Let's look at the key specifications:

- Focal Range: 28-70mm

- Maximum Aperture: Constant f/2 throughout the zoom range

- Minimum Aperture: f/22

- Optical Construction: 20 elements in 14 groups

- Special Elements: 3 XA (extreme aspherical), 3 aspherical, 3 Super ED, and 1 ED elements

- Aperture Blades: 11-blade circular aperture for beautiful bokeh

- Minimum Focus Distance: 1.2 feet (0.38m) throughout zoom range

- Maximum Magnification: 0.23x at 70mm

- Filter Size: 86mm

- Dimensions: 93mm diameter, 140mm length

- Weight: 918g (32.4 ounces)

- Price: $2,899

What Makes It Special

This lens is truly groundbreaking for several reasons. First and foremost is that constant f/2 aperture throughout the zoom range. For photographers who regularly shoot in challenging lighting conditions or want that extra bit of subject isolation, this is a game-changer.

The Sony 28-70mm f/2 GM isn't the first lens of its kind - Canon released their RF 28-70mm f/2 back in 2018. However, Sony has pulled off something remarkable here. While maintaining the same optical performance, they've managed to reduce the weight significantly. The Sony lens weighs just 918g, which is over 500g lighter than Canon's version! That's an impressive engineering feat.

For working professionals, especially event and wedding photographers, this lens could potentially replace multiple prime lenses in their bag. You're essentially getting a 28mm f/2, 35mm f/2, 50mm f/2, and 70mm f/2 all in one package.

The autofocus system utilizes four XD linear motors for fast, accurate focusing that keeps up with continuous AF at 120fps for stills and 240fps for video. For videographers, the lens also offers excellent focus breathing control.

Image Quality

The optical performance of this lens is incredible. Edge-to-edge sharpness is excellent even wide open at f/2. At 28mm, there's some minor barrel distortion, which transitions to slight pincushion distortion at the longer focal lengths, but these are easily corrected in-camera or in post-processing. Not unusual for any zoom, but it's well corrected here even without using a lens profile correction.

Chromatic aberration is impressively well-controlled for a lens with such a wide aperture. The literature says it's the Nano AR Coating II that effectively minimizes flare and ghosting, making this lens reliable even in challenging backlighting situations. I do see some flare when the sun is straight into the lens, but it's not the worst. The hood gets rid of all but the worst of it.

The bokeh quality is simply gorgeous thanks to the 11-blade circular aperture. The "bokeh balls" aren't quite as fluffy as on some primes, but dang they still look good. Busy backgrounds just melt away. Background separation is superb at f/2, giving you that dreamy, professional look that's often associated with prime lenses. The bokeh looks like that of a faster prime, and I believe it's due to the faster focus falloff, giving it more of that "pop" than other zooms. It's not as pronounced as an f/1.4 prime (of course it wouldn't be) but the difference is very minimal. You won't notice the difference unless you're looking for it. You definitely won't feel it in your images, and your subjects certainly won't.

What I Love

The standout feature has to be that constant f/2 aperture. Having this much light-gathering capability and shallow depth of field in a standard zoom lens is a luxury that can't be overstated. The ability to shoot in low light without cranking up the ISO is invaluable for maintaining image quality.

I'm also impressed by how Sony managed to keep the size and weight manageable. At 918g, it's certainly not a lightweight lens, but it's comfortable enough to carry around all day. During testing, I used it for several hours of shooting and didn't find the weight to be an issue. There is a unique feature here, a zoom ring friction switch labeled "Smooth - Tight" and this is something I wish I had back in the day on some of my own zooms. It does two things for me: First it keeps the zoom end from extending due to gravity when hanging lens-down. The other thing is when shooting video, you can really nice controlled zooming in "tight", or switch it to "smooth" to get quick zooms.

Don't be put off by how big it looks. It's not heavy. I can shoot one-handed with it. It fills your hand.

Focus is F A S T fast. 4 linear motors make this lens focus so fast it's imperceptible. You start to take it for granted until you use an older lens or something and that will feel absolutely glacial in comparison.

The versatility of this lens can't be overstated. The focal range covers wide-angle to short telephoto, making it suitable for everything from environmental portraits to headshots, from street photography to event coverage.

What I Don't Love

Now, no lens is perfect, and the Sony 28-70mm f/2 GM does have a few drawbacks. The most obvious is the 86mm filter thread, which is quite large and means you'll need to invest in specialized filters, or at least large filters and rings, maybe even a matte box for you cinematographers…. that all end to be more expensive. And be advised that it's not just merely about the 86mm size - this lens uses a more coarse thread pitch than standard, which may cause compatibility issues with some filters. PolarPro says they had to make a special "coarse thread" 86mm threading because standard 86mm threads didn't quite mesh.

If you are a filter user, I would suggest checking out large filters and step-down rings or a magnetic filter system such as the PolarPro Helix system, that way you buy the large size filters, and whatever cheap Helix magnetic rings to make swapping easy. Although at the time of this recording, PolarPro is backordered on this size of adapter ring. Bummer! Their customer service rep told me that they will get more in stock soon. Time for a confession: I actually LOVE the large front elements. Something just looks so cool about that giant glass. I was always kind of jealous of Canon shooters for that look. So for me, its not really a drawback but a plus. But I get the practical downside of an odd thread size.

It doesn't have Optical Stabilization, but on modern Sony bodies, I haven't missed that at all, even at 70mm. The IBIS in Sony cameras is pretty amazing, and makes this thing stable. It's a "doesn't have" on the feature list, but it's really a "doesn't need" too.

The lens employs external focusing, which means the front element moves during focusing. While this movement is minimal, it's worth noting for those who prefer internal focusing systems that maintain the same physical length regardless of focus distance. The focus length change isn't so much that it dramatically throws off a gimbal balance. If you shoot in exceptionally dirty or dusty conditions, this might be a consideration as zooming could cause ingestion of dust, but Sony weather sealing has always been really good. I'm not worried about it personally.

The starting focal length of 28mm rather than 24mm might be a dealbreaker for some photographers who need that extra bit of width. Sony made this engineering compromise to keep the size and weight manageable, but if you regularly shoot ultra-wide, you might need to supplement this lens with something wider. The difference is very evident, but I have found that 28mm is mostly wide enough for general compositions and portraits, and if I need 24mm for anything wider or video, the 24mm GM prime is unbeatable. Or even a wide zoom such as the brilliant Sigma 14-24 f/2.8 or Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 GM. My kit of 4 primes can now be covered by two lenses.

And of course, there's the price. At $2,899, this is a significant investment. It's a pro lens. If you don't really need or want that fast aperture, you're absolutely good with the Sigma, Tamron or Sony 24-70mm f/2.8's, all of which get you a little more wide, a little less weight, a little less size, and a little less cost. You just lose a bit of light. However, for people who shoot primes, and that's a part of your look….when you consider that it could potentially replace multiple prime lenses in the same range, the value proposition becomes much more appealing.

Conclusion

As I talked about at the top of this, I always saw the value of the mid range zooms, and even owned a few. But I never actually used them they sat on the shelf, and I always ended up selling them. I just loved the look of primes, and that subject separation became a part of my aesthetic. I contemplated Canon and their fantastic (but heavy and also expensive) 28-70 f/2, but the Canon system I found always lacking something for how I work. This lens changes all of that for Sony shooters who photograph people.

The Sony 28-70mm f/2 GM is a remarkable achievement in lens design. It offers prime-like image quality and light-gathering capability in a zoom lens format, all while maintaining a size and weight that's practical for everyday professional use.

Is it worth the premium over Sony's excellent 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II? That depends on your specific needs. If you frequently shoot in low light, value that extra stop of light, or want the creative possibilities that come with an f/2 aperture, then yes, it's absolutely worth considering. 90% of folks will be just fine with the 24-70. And it makes beautiful photographs. If you re one of the 10% who needs that f/2 (and you know who you are) then the choice is much more clear. Do you shoot concerts or indoor events in low light? Then this lens will likely pay for itself.

For professional photographers looking to streamline their kit without compromising on image quality or creative options, this lens represents a compelling option. It's a significant investment, but one that delivers exceptional results.

Well that's it. My review of the Sony 28-70mm f/2 GM lens. If you have any questions, drop me a comment below or on Instagram or Threads Facebook. And if you found this review helpful, please hit that like button and consider subscribing for more photography content.

Until next time!!

Seth