Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II review

Building on a successful formula, the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II is revamped and revitalized

5 Star Rating
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
(Image: © Matthew Richards)

Digital Camera World Verdict

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the original edition of Sony’s G Master trinity standard zoom, but the second incarnation is even better in every way. It packs a host of new features, improved handling characteristics and a completely redesigned optical path into a smaller, more lightweight build. It’s more comprehensively weather-sealed as well. The GM II is undeniably pricey, but you get what you pay for and more besides.

Pros

  • +

    Stellar image quality

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    High-end features

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    Refined handling

Cons

  • -

    Pricey to buy

  • -

    No optical stabilization

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Building on the success of the original Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM, the second edition aims to deliver improved image quality and all-round performance, enhanced handling and more robust build quality, in a package that’s 20 per cent lighter and 18 per cent smaller. Indeed, Sony points out that it’s the world’s smallest and lightest 24-70mm f/2.8 trinity zoom, making it a perfect match for compact Alpha mirrorless system bodies.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.