Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM

Testers found it sharp in the centre from f/2.8 at every focal length, with good contrast and well-controlled chromatic aberration. Corners at 24mm and the long end at 70mm are the weaker areas wide open, and copy-to-copy variation was reported more often than with later GM lenses.

The usual criticisms are weight, front-heaviness on smaller A7 bodies and AF that is quick but a step behind current linear-motor designs for continuous tracking at high frame rates. Bokeh is generally smooth, though some reviewers found backgrounds busier than the price suggests, an area the GM II clearly improves.

Wedding and event shooters who used it for years describe it as reliable and well sealed, and many kept it for a long time because the image quality was never the weak link. Used prices now make it attractive to people stepping up from f/4 zooms.

Common complaints are the weight on a full day of shooting, some zoom creep as copies age, and decentred copies that needed service. Owners who moved to the GM II mostly cite the weight saving and faster AF rather than a big jump in sharpness.