Sony’s mirrorless cameras had a big lead over their Canon and Nikon rivals – and its new zoom lens is a reminder that it still holds the edge of the two giants when it comes to glass.
Canon and Nikon have done well to strengthen the lens range of their RF and Z-mounted cameras, which first arrived in 2018. They now have 26 and 27 lenses available for their mirrorless cameras, though many of these lenses are sold out. Both companies also let you customize lenses made for their older DSLRs.
But Sony’s new FE 24-70mm f / 2.8G Master II and E-Mount series, of which it is a part, show that Canon and Nikon are still catching up. This new midrange zoom is yet another elegant addition to its ‘G Master’ series, which are its top-class pro lenses. And tellingly enough, this is a second generation follow-up to the original lens that Sony launched back in 2016.
Canon and Nikon have an unmatched legacy when it comes to DSLR lenses, but neither of them are yet in the process of making refined successors to their mirrorless full-frame lenses. FE 24-70 mm f / 2.8 G Master II is the smallest and lightest f / 2.8 G Master lens in its range. And with this launch, the range of E-mount lenses now stands at an impressive 67 lenses.
Of course, it’s not just a number game, and some of these lenses need to be updated. But we’ve been overwhelmed by the quality of Sony’s latest G Master lenses, from the Sony FE 70-200mm f / 2.8 GM OSS II to the Sony FE 50mm f / 1.2 GM, as we said, “sets a new benchmark for speed and optical quality “. And this new mid-range zoom, while no doubt also expensive at $ 2,300 / £ 2,099 (around AU $ 3,700), promises to follow in their footsteps.
If you missed the announcement, the FE 24-70 mm f / 2.8 G Master II weighs only 695 g – it is 22% smaller than its predecessor and significantly lighter than its Canon, Nikon and Sigma equivalents. The design also promises to serve up some delicious bokeh and be ideal for video recording, thanks to the inclusion of four XD Linear motors for fast, quiet autofocus and a convenient zoom ‘smoothness’ button to adjust the zoom ring torque.
Other bonuses include a ‘liquid focus’ mechanism that helps control common problems such as chromatic aberration and a fluoride coating to keep moisture at bay. We will wait to test the FE 24-70 mm f / 2.8 G Master II before reaching some definite conclusions, but on paper it turns out to be the best lens of its kind for photos and video.
The E-mount family it fits into is also still one step ahead of Canon and Nikon, despite some daring proclamations from these two heavyweights about their mirrorless lens plans.
Analysis: Canon and Nikon in Sony’s slipstream
Sony’s lens lead over Canon and Nikon is not so surprising when you consider that it launched its first mirrorless full-frame camera back in 2013 – a full five years ahead of its competitors. But Canon and Nikon have not helped themselves by being resistant to opening their RF and Z brackets to third-party manufacturers.
In its attempt to disrupt the camera world, Sony let people like Sigma, Tamron and Zeiss make autofocus-equipped lenses for its E-mount. This means that Sony camera owners now have a large selection of mirrorless lenses to choose from – and it’s a cake that Sony is happy to decorate with its own impressive creations such as the new FE 24-70 mm f / 2.8 G Master II.
This is why Canon and Nikon have recently made some bold proclamations about their mirrorless camera lens roadmaps. Canon recently stated that it plans to maintain the pace of releasing eight new RF lenses a year for the next four years, while Nikon a few weeks ago promised in a plan that it would make 22 more Z-mount lenses in 2025.
These are bold statements which, despite an inevitable pandemic-related downturn, should see both camera giants begin to catch up with Sony in terms of sheer numbers. Especially if they start opening their mounts to third-party manufacturers that Fujifilm has recently.
But so far, lenses like the FE 24-70mm f / 2.8 G Master II show that Sony does not intend to let its lead slip – and the quality of these lenses should fit well with the cameras it had planned for 2022, just like the rumored Sony A7R V.