The Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 ZA SSM is a hint of the things to come. Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 is a full format standard zoom lens that is more or less openly targeting Sony’s upcoming professional-grade 24mp FF DSLR but it does naturally work perfectly on the existing lineup of APS-C DSLRs where its field-of-view is equivalent to about 36-105mm in classic terms. Regarding its weight of nearly 1kg the Zeiss Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 ZA feels like a massive block of glass. However, this is not overly unusual – the Canon and Nikon counterparts are in the same weight- and size-league.
Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 compatible for sony a33
Upon closer inspection you of sony a33, it may be a bit surprised that the lens is not an all-metal construction. The inner tube as well as the sony a33 hood are made of metal indeed but Sony used plastics for parts of the outer body. Plastics may sound bad but it is a high-quality variant … although it does still not feel really right regarding the positioning of the lens. The handling of the focus ring is smoother. Typical for most Sony lenses both control rings have an inevitable tendency to collect dust in no time “thanks” to the fluted rubber design. Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 is compatible with Sony Alpha DSLRs and one of them is the sony a33. When use with Sony 24 -70mm F2.8, sony a33 EVF LCD is time-multiplexed — that is to say, it shows each color in sequence at every pixel location, rather than the separate, adjacent color dots of most electronic viewfinders. This makes it harder to distinguish individual pixels. Since the translucent mirror only reflects enough light to provide for the autofocus sensor, not an optical viewfinder as most pellicle designs permit, Sony has adopted full-time live view in the sony a33. In place of the optical viewfinder from a traditional SLR, the SLT cameras have an electronic viewfinder with 1,152,000 dot resolution. Click here for more sony a33 experience.
One of the interesting features of the Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 lens is the SSM – the SuperSonic AF Motor which is similar to Canon’s USM or Nikon’s SWM. The Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 SSM is not really a new thing for Sony/Minolta users – Minolta released the first SSM lenses several years ago – but so far Sony was quite shy to take advantage of it for whatever reason. The Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 SSM of the Zeiss is ultra-fast, near silent and very accurate. Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 did also incorporate a focus-lock button plus a dedicated AF/MF switch. Click here to get this amazing features of Sony 24 -70mm F2.8.
Here is a summary of Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 review from a satisfied customer:
The best general purpose lens available
The Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8 SSM Lens is an impressively high performing zoom lens. I regard it as one of the best general purpose lenses. The lens build and mechanical quality are top of the line. It focuses quietly and very fast thanks to the SSM (Super Sonic Wave Motor). Also the focus zoom ring is nicely sized and operate smoothly. The Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8 is very shapr for zoom lens. It is sharp in the center at f/2.8 at all focal lengths, and the excellent contrast and saturation are what strike me the most in real life applications. Now on the negatives. The biggest downside of 24-70mm F2.8 is it’s size and weight. This lens is not small or light enough for a walkaround lens(due to solid build heavy body), and I find holding this lens can be tiring for half day shooting. All in all, it is one the best Sony/Carl Zeiss all purpose lens made. The box contains a Carl Zeiss 24-70mm F2.8 SSM lens, front and rear lens cap, a metal petal lens hood, and a leather lens carrying case.
The Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 is a professional-grade bright zoom lens specifically designed for the Sony Alpha SLR series. Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 follows a compact, lightweight design and offers a wide-angle to medium telephoto range, which makes it ideal for a wide range of shooting applications. Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 Carl Zeiss’ optical design and anti-flare T* coatings used for this lens help to reduce flare and to increase contrast. When used with a digital SLR camera, the equivalent focal length for this lens is 36-105mm. Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 is a compact all-in-one lens, and is ideal for snapshots, portraits, interiors or outdoor scenery.
The Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 has the following features and specifications:
- For Alpha & Minolta Digital SLR Series
- Zoom Super Wide Angle
- SSM Super Sonic Motor
- Zoom range of 24-70mm for all-around versatility
- Brilliant large-aperture f2.8 design
- Carl Zeiss® T* coating to minimize lens flare
- Fast, silent auto-focus — SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor)
- Aspherical lens elements to reduce spherical distortion
Click here to get to watch a video about the amazing Sony 24 -70mm F2.8
The Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 has the following Pros and cons:
Pros:
- Good Feel, outstanding optical performance
- Quality construction, usable wide open
- Well balanced on a900
- The ability to shoot in lower light
- Quiet auto focus and great colour reproduction
cons:
- Stiff zoom ring
- Uncomfortable for fingertip rotation
- Non Versatile
Conclusion:
Overall, Sony 24 -70mm F2.8 operates through the ability of a piezoelectric device to reshape itself quickly when voltage is applied. Designed for fast, smooth, silent automatic focusing, this unique technology achieves high torque at low speed with rapid start/stop response. Floating motion between the third and fourth groups of lens elements helps compensate for any aberrations caused by the zooming action of the lens. To experience this amazing and most of Sony 24 -70mm F2.8, click here.
