The just-announced Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II lens is the smallest and lightest lens in its class and features evolved image quality, unrivaled mobility and much more. A select group of creatives had a chance to try out the new lens prior to its launch. See their first shots taken with the lens below and read their reviews on how it performed for them. Photos by Chris Burkard, Matthew Hahnel, Renee Hahnel, Jermaine Horton, Kesha Lambert, Scott Robert Lim, Mike Meyers and Miguel Quiles. Order the new Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II HERE.
In advance of its official launch, a select group of creatives had a chance to use the new Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. Check out their first shots and reviews.
“I use the 24-70 for a broad range of scenarios. For practical reasons, it’s a great lens to use when you need versatility. I use this lens during the wedding day when I’m working in tight spaces with large groups of people. The 24-70mm is perfect for situations when there is limited space for movement. The lens is a wedding photographer's favorite because with this we are prepared for anything that happens, from a close up capture of a bride fastening her bracelet, to a wide perspective of all of the moments unfolding simultaneously in one space.” – Kesha Lambert
Photo by Kesha Lambert. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/160-sec., f/2.8, ISO 1000
“The fast f/2.8 maximum aperture is one of the MOST important things for me. Although I love some of the f/4 lenses, I feel like for professionals f/2.8 is the standard and something I truly require to hit the desired bokeh and falloff as well as the wide open aperture for low light shooting. For me, shooting in harsh conditions, I always need that extra bit of light capability. I shot a mid-range photo of a mountain biker on these golden sunlight hills that I love. The image speaks to me because of the sharpness through the whole range of glass and and the fact that from the foreground to the background has very impressive bokeh and no chromatic aberration. This is one of my favorite things to see in a lens.” – Chris Burkard
Photo by Chris Burkard. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/500-sec., f/4.5, ISO 100”
“What stands out to me about this lens is the overall package and how they play off of one another. For a lens to be small and fast is fine, but if it’s not sharp and the AF performance doesn’t keep up then it doesn’t matter. In this case, this lens really gives you the best blend of ergonomics, IQ, AF performance, bokeh and everything else!” – Miguel Quiles
"I’d say the f/2.8 aperture isn't just useful, it’s necessary for my work. The shallow depth of field you get at f/2.8 as opposed to something like f/4 makes a tremendous difference when you’re trying to separate your subject from the rest of the image. The final result is so much more polished at f/2.8 when it’s needed. And for some landscape shots or other shots where depth of field isn’t as important, having the extra few stops of light is never a bad thing." – Mike Meyers
Photo by Mike Meyers. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 8 sec., f/7.1, ISO 100
“During weddings or even portraits, the entire range from 24-70mm is crucial for me – especially with weddings. I love the flexibility to go from wide at 24mm to portrait at 70mm. As someone that uses two camera bodies, it's nice to only have to use one when you want to or need to.The main thing I wanted to know was if this lens was sharp enough to where I wouldn’t miss my primes. I was pleasantly surprised to see how tact sharp this lens was from weddings to portraits. The amount of detail and character it has makes it one of the most versatile lenses in my bag now. Oh and did I mention lightweight? WOW. I thought having the 70-200mm II lightweight was super impressive but making this light to match is truly sensational.” – Jermaine Horton
Photo by Jermaine Horton. Sony Alpha 9 II. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/200-sec., f/2.8, ISO 100
“In our opinion the 24-70mm range is the most flexible lens out there. We use this lens for pretty much everything including landscapes, action sports, and even portraits. The 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II is the perfect companion to leave on your camera and know you won't have to swap lenses too often. It can do just about anything.” – Matthew & Renee Hahnel
Photo by Matthew & Renee Hahnel. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II.
“What is great is the ability to shoot wide and then in a fraction of a second I can zoom in and get another shot with a completely different look. I loved taking it wide and then going in tight to tell better stories. I find myself constantly doing this. This is so easy to do with this lens. It's the perfect all around lens and if a photographer had to choose just one to use, it would be hard not to consider this lens!” – Scott Robert Lim
Photo by Scott Robert Lim. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/500-sec., f/2.8, ISO 125
“I loved so much about how this lens performed overall but it really shines for outdoor portraiture. The out of focus elements have that distinct, G-Master quality to them that I’ve really enjoyed showing off in my images. I think for anyone who enjoys using a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, this is going to be at the top of their list. The combination of having the lighter, smaller form factor paired with excellent image quality and autofocus performance easily makes this the best lens of this class that I’ve ever used in any system!” – Miguel Quiles
Photo by Miguel Quiles. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/200-sec., f/5.6, ISO 100
“I used the new lens to photograph a wedding and also for a styled editorial brand session. I captured a large group portrait at 24mm and f/2.8. The image was sharp from edge to edge and had that contrast that I love. This lens is a union between utility and performance and I could photograph a wedding from start to finish with this one lens.” – Kesha Lambert
Photo by Kesha Lambert. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/1000-sec., f/2.8, ISO 1000
“It's lighter, faster, easier to use and honestly something that I will absolutely be adding to my kit. The lens is noticeably lighter and overall fits into my bag better. I couldn't ask for something better than that honestly. That fact that the optics are better is just a bonus to me.” – Chris Burkard
Photo by Chris Burkard. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/160-sec., f/10, ISO 320
“I thought the lens performed up to the G Master standard. I love the fact it's so lightweight with the aperture ring and the smooth and tight feature. Having lighter equipment when shooting for 8-10 hours a day is a plus but the best is the fact that in low light this lens was superior and performed beyond expectation.” – Jermaine Horton
Photo by Jermaine Horton. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/1600-sec., f/2.8, ISO 100
“We really liked the photo of Renee hiking a trail in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona taken with this lens. This image captures a lot of what we love about this lens including the sharpness, accurate autofocus, smooth bokeh, and perfect range for photographs while out on the trail. As photographers who spend a lot of time hiking in remote areas with a ton of gear, our backs also really appreciate the lower weight. The smaller size also makes it easier to fit into a chest mounted pouch or camera cube.” – Matthew & Renee Hahnel
Photo by Matthew & Renee Hahnel. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II.
"I loved shooting with this lens. I’m shooting in the 24-70 range so often, having a significant upgrade in my go-to focal length was a big plus. The size and weight reduction might be what I noticed the most - it takes up a lot less room in my bag and it’s CRAZY light. Always a huge bonus when you’re walking around all day with a full kit. I’m also noticing a new level of clarity and sharpness in the images I took with the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II. I don’t know if there’s any particular shot I could point to that stands above the rest - they all looked really sharp. But I really seemed to notice it on a timelapse I took of the Sears Tower in the fog and some night shots. If you’re looking for a workhorse lens that probably belongs in any kit, this is it. Can’t recommend enough!" – Mike Meyers
Timelapse by Mike Meyers. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II.
"The fast f/2.8 maximum aperture is very useful! I love having the option to control my depth of field and manage exposure challenges in any situation, and this lens lets me do exactly that. This is a must-have for portrait shooters like myself and it will have a role in every portrait session I conduct moving forward. Sony keeps hitting home runs with their latest lens designs including this new GM II lens and I can’t wait to see what I can do with it this year." – Miguel Quiles
Photo by Miguel Quiles. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/400-sec., f/2.8, ISO 400
“24-70mm is the perfect all around range. I especially like it when I’m not sure what shooting situation I’m going to run into. I can go wide and I can zoom in with this lens and be prepared for almost every environment. When I want to go light and carry one lens when I’m on the streets, this is my 'go-to'. The small size is also very impressive to me. To get the same amazing quality and fast-focusing in a much smaller footprint is quite remarkable. The smaller size allows it to be quite useful when using a gimbal. It is so small, you can easily find room for it in your kit and its versatility will surely make it the first choice for many photographers.” – Scott Robert Lim
Photo by Scott Robert Lim. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/125-sec., f/2.8, ISO 3200
“The 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II builds on everything we love about the original 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master. It takes all of the great aspects and cranks them up a notch. We found the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II to have incredibly accurate autofocus paired with the Alpha 1's continuous autofocus, great bokeh, and really appreciated the decreased size from the original 24-70 GM. The original 24-70 GM has been the most-used lens we have owned in our 10 years of doing photography. Having a lens that builds on all of its strengths while also taking up less space is an automatic buy for us.” – Matthew & Renee Hahnel
"Sharpness, weight and speed to focus were the things I noticed the most—and having the two programmable buttons on the lens give you the option of customizability you normally don’t get on a lens. I’ve only seen one button in the past. Being able to customize your equipment so it works for you how you want it to work—in any situation—helps you get the shot you want. And at the end of the day, that’s all that matters." – Mike Meyers
Order the new Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II HERE.
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