With smartphones as the primary camera these days, one way to upgrade your photography while on the go is to bring a lightweight lens like the versatile Sony FE 24-50mm f2.8 lens G to fix to your camera.
For that bit of quality without the bulk, the Sony zoom lens certain looks promising. It measures just 9.2cm long (in compact form), which makes my camera bag feel spacious.
For sure, it takes up much less space with the Sony Alpha 7C Mark 2 camera body. At 440g, it is definitely easier on my shoulders when I’m carrying the camera around.
One of the lens’ time-saving features is its instant readiness for capturing fleeting moments. There’s no need to unlock it before taking a picture, eliminating the need for prepping the camera and allowing for quick, spontaneous shots.
Despite being shorter than a standard zoom lens that typically ranges from 24mm to 70mm, the Sony FE 24-50 mm f2.8 lens G offers a maximum telephoto reach of 50mm. That’s sufficient for a wide range of travel and event photography.
The constant f2.8 aperture means I do not need to adjust my exposure settings as the camera zooms in and out. With its clear markings, the aperture ring makes it faster to change my aperture when shooting in aperture-priority mode rather than scrolling through settings using either the front or back scroll wheel.
Videographers and vloggers will also appreciate that the aperture ring can be “de-clicked”, meaning the aperture can be changed without creating small vibrations on the camera. This allows for a smooth transition from a scene with a blurred background to an image that is sharp throughout the frame.
During a recent trip to Taipei for the Computex show, the lens’ versatility shone through as it effectively captured a diverse range of subjects I was focusing on. From close focus to getting details of food to landscape photography, this Sony lens worked well.
One key factor determining a lens’ quality is “focus breathing”. This refers to the lens’ magnification and field of view when focus is adjusted. The Sony FE 24-50 mm f2.8 lens G excels in this aspect, maintaining the image perspective as the focus shifts from foreground to background.
This lens works really well with the Sony autofocusing system. For example, it keeps up with a very active child during a photo session. The camera and the lens can lock on the face and eyes easily, making capturing that “decisive Moment” of photography that much easier.
My only gripe with this Sony lens is that it starts out in the 50mm telephoto range, not the standard wide angle, as most lenses do. However, photographers who are used to shooting with 50mm prime will easily overcome this anomaly.
Notably, the S$1,639 lens is more affordable than Sony’s own S$3,699 70-200mm f2.8 G lens. While the lens does not reach the 70mm focal length, it is still versatile enough for most people, making this one of the go-to lenses for your holidays.
