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Sony 24-70 F2.8 GM Tests

dmward

Member
Back from walking the 24-70 F2.8 GM.
Happily we're cat people so I only had to be concerned with making images. :D

When I got back Mac, one of our two siamese, was patiently waiting.



That really is dandruff on his fur. I like the transition from focus plane to out of focus.

f5.6, 1/60, ISO100, 70mm
 

dmward

Member
One thing that's always a challenge is getting well defined clouds in a blue sky.

This is a version shot at 24mm. There is another one shot at 70mm in the Random Images gallery I linked to in an earlier post.

F2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100. Manual focus on the horizon line.

 
Ran a quick comparison between the 25mm Batis and 24-70mm GM.

My conclusion - the GM is killer sharp, even wide open. In fact in the center, it's noticeably better than the Batis until you get to ƒ5.6.

I'm amazed.

Here's the scene and a couple 100% crops.

The-scene.jpg

Center-crops.jpg

Upper-right-crop.jpg
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Back from walking the 24-70 F2.8 GM.
Happily we're cat people so I only had to be concerned with making images. :D

When I got back Mac, one of our two siamese, was patiently waiting.



That really is dandruff on his fur. I like the transition from focus plane to out of focus.

f5.6, 1/60, ISO100, 70mm

Yup that's the beauty of this lens. Never would have thought we would see it in a zoom. Mines a keeper
 

Pradeep

Member
Mike this is great news. I always thought the Batis 25 was the best lens for the A7R2, but if the zoom can match it, I can then just keep that one. If it is as good as the 55 1.8 too, then the only reason to keep the latter would be for really shallow DOF.

Interesting times for sure:D
 

dmward

Member
There have been several comments on various fora about how the Sony 24-70 GM compares to the Canon Mk II.
I had the MkII as well as the first Canon version. I also have the Sony F4 so I went back through my Lightroom catalogs for the last few years and collected some sample images and put them into galleries HERE.

As I was doing the collecting I realized that all 4 of the lenses perform. The Canon MK II I owned was an outstanding lens. My early impression of the Sony GM is that its an outstanding lens as well. My Zony F4 is sitting here on my desk trying to convince me on to put it up for sale. :) Its delivers nice images, its small but I can't justify keeping it just because its small.
 

Pradeep

Member
There have been several comments on various fora about how the Sony 24-70 GM compares to the Canon Mk II.
I had the MkII as well as the first Canon version. I also have the Sony F4 so I went back through my Lightroom catalogs for the last few years and collected some sample images and put them into galleries HERE.

As I was doing the collecting I realized that all 4 of the lenses perform. The Canon MK II I owned was an outstanding lens. My early impression of the Sony GM is that its an outstanding lens as well. My Zony F4 is sitting here on my desk trying to convince me on to put it up for sale. :) Its delivers nice images, its small but I can't justify keeping it just because its small.
I have the Canon MkII and the Sony f4, the latter is definitely soft, at least my copy is. The Canon is great but I am trying to stick with the Sony for anything less than 100mm. If the new zoom can fit the bill, it would eliminate the need for my Batis 25, my 35 2.8 and my 55 1.8 with a single lens. Usually with zooms the longer end is always softer, hence would still keep my Batis 85.

I will be getting mine in a few weeks from now as I am traveling. Will see how it works out.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Okay continuing on with my Big Bronco wall test which we all agree is boring as heck but a vital test to check corners and center sharpness on lenses which I do this test on every lens I buy which means in another words< Im constantly doing this test. But thats a another story all together. Here i am just going to work on the Sony 24-70 GM 2.8 alone and than if we want to compare to some other lenses we can do that. But let me be honest right out of the gate. This lens is kicking butt and taking numbers. Im a little bit shocked as the results are very strong for a zoom across all the focal lengths. Sure maybe a few weak areas in focal length but it is not by much and 24mm might be the strongest and will smoke a lot of primes. I know will it beat a Batis 25. LOL Its pretty scary how good 24mm is and it flows uphill with 29mm, 35 and 50. Lets look at the images and see what you all think.

First lets show the distortion at 24mm which is pretty strong but checking 29mm images there is very very little so I would suggest at 24mm you have your lens profiles on.





Okay that is the scene and here are the upper left crops . On the 24mm i did put in the right crop as there has been some discussion about upper right softness. Comparing the left and right at 2.8 it looks dead even on this copy at least. Yahoo I have a good copy and let me remind everyone this is pixel peeping to the max. these are 100 percent crops 1200x1200












I could not be more impressed with the 24mm setting its even good wide open in the corners

STOP STOP STOP
I should not say this but Im going to anyway. My opinion take it for what it is worth. I have NOT seen any 24mm lens in this system of lenses pick any one you want but nothing I have seen is this good in the corners at 24mm. I love the Batis 25mm but the corners from memory are not this good starting at 2.8. If that answer the Batis 25mm question so be it and Im not a zoom guy and I love the Batis 25 so this runs polar opposite of my preferences but we also need to consider the center crops which I will post after this. Moving on









29mm getting really good at 5.6










35mm is pretty darn strong here . 5.6 looks really good and this is my most frustrating focal length in the primes. Now a lens that will beat this at 2.8 in the corners is the Tamron 35mm SP 1.8 that lens is very flat field and very sharp but with that its also a clinical lens. But also a very nice landscape lens to have when you need like 2.8 to shoot in the wind for speed. Sony FE 35 1.4, VC 35mm 1.7, Sigma 35mm F 1.4 its more like starting to get decent at 5.6 and F8 as the optimum. They have more filed curvature. The Sony 35mm 2.8 I just had a bad copy so my comments would not be valid on it










This one is tough I love love the Loxia 50mm F2 and the question does this zoom equal or beat it. It actually may beat it here but I think if you need a prime when you don't want to take this along the Loxia 50mm is the number one pick in my mind to have and if your like me and have this huge gap between 21 and 85 primes than either a great 35mm or the Loxia 50mm makes the most sense . Lots of options here on which way you want to look as well do you want the same rendering as the zoom which everyone that has the zoom today is saying the same thing it just renders amazingly well. Tough call here


At 70mm I had a little tough time focusing as I was pushed back all the way to my car and i was having this magnify issue going off without me touching the lens so be careful here as my center crops will show 2.8 there is a big difference when I hit F4 which I feel I was slightly off given my casual shots even handheld 70mm at 2.8 on center where really sharp. So be careful on this one but it is very minor.










Now you will notice some CA going on here at the 70mm mark. Looks to go away completely at F8 and given maybe my focus error this could be better at F5.6 so be careful again on this one. For me past 50 Im grabbing the 85 1.4 no question. But thats me.

Coming up center tests
 
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Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Yes the end is near , sorry I know looking at walls is boring as watching paint dry but we need to see what is going on before dropping 2200 on a lens. This is not exactly budget minded. LOL
And I am a lens whore as we all know that.

Lets look at the center. I used the wall again but than I did use a side wall i like doing as well. Im going to post side by side and I only did 2.8 and F4 and my feeling is if it takes it to 5.6 on center i really don't want that lens. Always wide or one stop down on center for me.


Test wall for reference













































Again I ran into focus issues at 70mm as i have this quirk in my camera that i am going to figure out today but Im clearly out on the red wall. I know this lens does better and I will show a sample of 70mm wide open that is extremely sharp. I feel bad I missed this but hope everyone understands










Here is a wide open handheld 70mm 2.8 shot so I know its not the lens






One word IMPRESSIVE
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I decided to run one more test. I can't sleep knowing I'm picking up the GM 85 in 4 hours and seriously how impressed I have been with the zoom. So given i tested all these lenses fairly recently I decided what would be best to represent them. I decided the corner at 5.6 since that is most likely where one would start with landscape , urban and commercial work. Now on center all these lenses will perform as we have seen those wall tests before and there all good wide open or a stop down. But honestly I spent a lot of money, returns and buying and selling to find my thrill at 35mm. So for me at least this is important

The Loxia 21mm was shot the same time as the Sigma 24-35 zoom so it has the same framing at the 24mm setting or damn close





Sony zoom






sony zoom










sony zoom








 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Here is the rub in all this . 95 percent of the folks looking at your images A could care less about your corners B never even notice them C who the hell posts 100 percent crops of images other than us crazy people.

So does it matter, To us yes to the world probably not so don't get to hung up on this and spend thousands to get a sharp corner. Maybe better said keep it in perspective to what you are doing. Myself Im more concerned about rendering and look of file than being about to read a sign a mile away in the corners. Back to bed

Im officially done on this lens. I swear I am.
 

ShooterSteve

New member
Guy, for those of us shooting people or fashion or editorial, I agree the corners aren't as important. Those of us, (like me), who shoot architecture and landscapes in my work, do require lenses that are sharp to the corners. I have quite a few 60" wide prints that have soft edges from inferior 'top brand' lenses before the manufactures woke up a few years ago. Your testing is invaluable to me and I am very grateful you take the time to provide the images for us to evaluate. :thumbup:
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
Guy,

Firstly thanks for all those examples - incredibly useful! But can I ask you a favour for when you next get a chance?

My copy of the lens seems to have a notable asymmetry at 35mm (right side) and 70mm (left side) and I am pretty sure it would be considered out of tolerance. But Lloyd C is finding in his testing of his copy that he is also getting asymmetry though it looks rather less bad than mine and seems to have a different look and behaviour. I noticed mine before he published his test results but it was interesting to see what he found.

I have a gallery of shots of a far landscape and a near building at all major focal lengths and apertures
here (full sized hi quality jpegs exported form Lightroom with lens corrections on) and if you had a moment to look especially the 35mm and 70mm shots at F2.8 thru F5.6 and tell me if you see anything similar on similar scenes, I would be extremely grateful. I want to be dead certain that mine's a genuine lemon before I bother my dealer with a return.

Thanks!
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Tim I have no asymmetry issues at all at all focal lengths and first thing I checked having gone through 4 FE 35 1.4 lenses it's really something I have been watching . Honestly after hearing his latest tirade over the 85 as well he is just out fishing again. Both lenses have no issues at all except my 85 has the lens AF motor issue and I'm exchanging that but I have shot numerous tests and images and these are stellar lenses. Not to say a lens can't be out but there are only two folks I know returning the zoom. So sure anything is possible. Maybe exchange yours and try another. You know as well as any one if you have a bad copy. It's a lens worth having so might want to consider a exchange. I'll take the high road on Mr Chambers and not say another word. I have shot these two lenses like nobody's business and I'm not finding any fault in either.
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
Tim I have no asymmetry issues at all at all focal lengths and first thing I checked having gone through 4 FE 35 1.4 lenses it's really something I have been watching . Honestly after hearing his latest tirade over the 85 as well he is just out fishing again. Both lenses have no issues at all except my 85 has the lens AF motor issue and I'm exchanging that but I have shot numerous tests and images and these are stellar lenses. Not to say a lens can't be out but there are only two folks I know returning the zoom. So sure anything is possible. Maybe exchange yours and try another. You know as well as any one if you have a bad copy. It's a lens worth having so might want to consider a exchange. I'll take the high road on Mr Chambers and not say another word. I have shot these two lenses like nobody's business and I'm not finding any fault in either.
Thanks Guy. Sounds like, the fact that you know two (not sure if that includes me or not) people returning their copies and that yours is perfect does make me feel that I just got unlucky. I will return and repeat and see what I get. But if you look at, for example, this file I think you'll probably agree that this is a bad copy of a good lens rather than a representative copy of a lens which has had to make major design compromises....
 
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