Sony 20-70mm review by Lenstip, Amateur Photographer, ThePhoBlographer: “supreme quality”

Preorders:
Sony 20-70mm at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, FocusCamera, FotoKoch, Fotoerhardt, Calumet, WexUK.

Review by Lenstip:

I am very pleased by the fact that the progress of photographic optics hasn’t stopped. From time to time you see such unique lenses being launched as the Sony FE 20-70 mm f/4 G, tested here. My joy is not spoiled by the fact that they are very hard to assess because if you deal with a unique instrument you have no reference point and almost no rivals to compare it with.
Of course there is always something to say because you can compare the tested lens to models which are easier to construct, like 24-70 or 24-105 mm devices. The most important thing is that the Sony prevails in all these duels, proving its supreme quality.

Review by Amateur Photographer:

Leaving aside, for the moment, the price, it’s clear that the Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G is a fine optic that delivers sharp, detailed images even when paired up with Sony’s high-resolution full-frame bodies. It’s a lens I really enjoyed using, with its extended wideangle range and impressive close-up capability providing useful extra creative scope compared to a conventional 24-70mm zoom. That 20mm wide end might sound limiting compared to a 16-35mm ultra-wide, but most of the time, it’s plenty wide enough for me. I could certainly see this lens becoming a firm favourite of landscape shooters who’d prefer to carry minimal kit.

Review by ThePhoBlographer:

The Sony FE 20-70mm f4 G lens is a lightweight, compact, wide-angle zoom lens. The extended focal length equips creatives with extra versatility. It’s an excellent choice for cityscapes, landscapes, travel, portraits, photojournalism, and street photography. And content creators will appreciate the extra space for the notorious selfie angle.
The autofocus is fast and accurate, with very few misses. Manual focus is more efficient when capturing small details with ample background separation.
Images are sharp with lifelike hues, plenty of bokeh, and lovely contrast. They require minimal editing. Barrel distortion is most apparent at 20mm and can be corrected in post-production. Or embrace it and have some fun. 

Review by FotoKoch:

Mit dem neuen 20-70 mm f/4 G beweist Sony mal wieder, was sie in Sachen optische Qualität alles aus so ein bisschen Glas herausschleifen können. Der Brennweitenbereich deckt von Landschaft über Architektur bis hin zu Portrait so ziemlich alle Bereiche ab. Was uns aber am meisten überzeugt, ist die optische Qualität der Linse. Es ist rattenscharf, und ja, es ist so scharf, dass selbst alte G-Master-Objektive nicht mehr mithalten können und dabei werden Verzerrung, chromatische Aberrationen und Vignettierung bei einem absoluten Minimum gehalten. Auch in Sachen Autofokus-Geschwindigkeit und Bedienbarkeit gibt es bei dem neuen 20-70 keine Abstriche, womit es nicht nur für Fotografen, sondern auch für Filmemacher ein perfektes Immer-Drauf ist.

Tokina’s new 300-600-900mm Reflex trio sales start on February 3

Tokina Japan announced that it will start shipping out their new APS-C Reflex trio on February 3. Press text:

Tokina SZ PRO series reflex lens worldwide sales date announcement
Kenko Tokina Co., Ltd. is proud to announce the sales release of the Tokina SZ PRO series reflex lenses.

Sales will commence on February 3, 2023.

The SZ 300mmPRO Reflex F7.1 MF CF, SZ 600mmPRO Reflex F8 MF CF and SZ 900mmPRO Reflex F11 MF CF are fully manual lenses, which adopt a catadioptric-type optical design. These lenses come in 300mm, 600mm and 900mm focal lengths, and are exclusively designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras. They incorporate integrated mounts for Sony E, Canon EF-M, and Fujifilm X.

Thanks to a catadioptric optical design these lenses are very light weight and super compact. These products allow you to enjoy the world of super tele photography, and is a perfect option for users who are looking for affordable super tele photo lens.

Highlighted Features

  • Ultralight and compact.
  • Better suppression of chromatic aberrations.
  • Low level flare and ghosting.
  • Integrated mount.
  • 270° focus rotation angle.
  • Perfect round-shaped donut bokeh.
  • 1:2.5 (0.4x) macro capabilities.
Product pages

In Europe the Sony 24-70mm has an outrageous price!

Preorders:
Sony 20-70mm at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, FotoKoch, Fotoerhardt, Calumet, WexUK.

The Sony 20-70mm is surely a great lens. In the USA the price is actually very ok, with $1099. But in Europe Sony really added a hefty price tag! At 1599 Euro it’s really overpriced as a standard f/4.0 zoom (although it is a special and good one).


Zeiss 24-70mm vs Sony 20-70mm, Tamron 28-75mm and 24-70mm GM by FotoKoch