Sony recently launched their new 50-150mm f/2.0 G-Master lens and I was really impressed with the image quality I have seen so far from other photographers. This motivated me to look into my own Sony zoom lens, the 24-70mm f/2.8 G-Master. This was the first lens I bought when I got my Sony a7R III back in 2020 and the lens itself was released 9 years ago.
Since I have yet to write a full review on this camera lens, I figured now would be a good time to discuss my thoughts on the 24-70mm lens that I have been using for years and hopefully provide insight for anyone thinking about purchasing their first zoom lens, and if this is a lens you might want to buy in 2025.
All photos in this blog post were taken with the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G-Master lens so you can see examples of the image quality in different scenarios.
Camera LENS Build
The Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G-Master lens is a sturdy lens weighing 1.9 lbs (886 g) with a minimum length of 5.4 in. and maximum length of 6.6 in. at extension. It has a minimum focus distance of 1.2 ft. (38cm) and has a filter size of 82mm (which I take full advantage of when using an ND filter for video).
To me, the biggest drawback of this lens is the weight and size. If you are a travel photographer or someone who carries all of your gear to a location, this amount of weight can definitely start to feel like a burden when holding a camera for too long. I use this lens a lot paired with my Sony a7S III and film footage handheld. With the release of recent lenses, there are much more compact options that you can find for your camera.
Comparatively, the updated Sony G-Master II lens weighs 1.5kg (695 g), stands at a minimum length of 3.5 in., and a maximum length of 6 inches. It currently comes at a price point of $2300, which is $600 more expensive than the $1700 G-Master I Lens.
I’ll discuss more on the price point later, but between these two lenses, I would actually stick with the original G-Master lens over upgrading.
Camera Lens Image Quality
As I mentioned, I have had the Sony lens and a7R III camera body for over four years and I am still impressed with the image quality of this lens. Despite putting it through heavy rain, snow, and sand, it still delivers high-quality photos that I would expect from a prime lens. While it’s probably expected that a native Sony G-Master lens would have amazing image quality, I think it’s worth emphasizing that buying a great lens with sharp image quality is an investment if you’re looking for gear to last you for years, especially if you end up using that lens in a lot of rough weather conditions.
Of course you’ll likely find that newer lenses help produce photos that are sharper and of higher quality. But depending on where and if you want to share the final images, it’s important to consider image compression that can occur on different social platforms. If you’re posting your content to a website, you might compress your image to get a lower file size so the website will run faster.
While I do consider image quality to be one of the most important factors in a lens, if you have to zoom in 200% into Lightroom to see if there’s a difference between the quality of two photos taken with a different lenses (or if you just can’t tell the difference between the photos), then I think there are other factors that might be worth considering when deciding on a camera lens to buy. (I think the only exception to this would be if you’re printing a photo.)
I haven’t experimented with the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G-Master II lens or the recent 50-150 f/2 G-Master lens, but I can only assume that they are sharper and stronger in quality than the lens I have been using for years. But that doesn’t take away from how sharp the original G-Master lens is and that I’m more than happy with the image quality that I get out of it.
THE 24-70 WIDE ANGLE Focal Length
The type of photography you do might influence your opinion on this subject, but I prefer a wider focal length like 24-70mm over something more close up like a 70-200mm lens (which I also own). As someone who does street photography, travel photography, and lifestyle portraits, I feel like I can get the most out of a range of focal lengths on the wider side.
Because you are shooting at a wider focal length compared to something like a 135mm lens, you don’t have to bump up the shutter speed incredibly high to get sharp photos when photographing a moving subject. Since I do a lot of night photography and I usually work with natural light, being able to get as much natural light in my sensor is incredibly important.
There are other lenses like the Sony 28-70mm f/2 G-Master lens that has a similar focal length and even wider aperture, but comes at a more expensive cost. You’ll also find non-native lenses like Sigma and Tamron with similar focal lengths and aperture, but come at a less expensive price point.
Price Point
I think one of the biggest reasons why I’m usually not rushing to buy the most recent lens is because I always want to consider whether it's worth upgrading a lens that I think already delivers great image quality for another more expensive lens.
As of writing this post, you can find the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G-Master lens for $1700. Overall, I do think it’s a pretty fair price given how long the lens has been out and the quality you’ll get from the raw images out of camera, even from an older camera body like the Sony a7R III.
However, you can find more lenses with that same focal length and aperture at a less expensive price point (the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II ART lens goes for about $1200).
FINAL WORDS
The original Sony G-Master lens doesn’t fall short when it comes to image quality in 2025 and the photos definitely speak for themselves. You can still get great quality photos from older lenses like this G-Master I lens. It’s still an integral part of my camera equipment, but I have mainly used it for video more than photo recently since I have been more consistently using prime lenses for my photography. However, it is a good backup lens for genres like street photography when you want to capture a moment in time quickly with different focal lengths and don’t have the time to change lenses.
If I didn't have this lens in 2025 and was looking for a zoom lens, I would look into the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art lens. The Sigma lens is lighter and smaller compared to the original G-Master lens, and comes with a lower price. My experience with Sigma lenses is that they deliver quality that comes close to a native lens.
Ultimately, I always try to find examples online and check the specifications before fully committing to a lens. Camera gear can be incredibly expensive and so I would always prioritize a lens that I think would last me for years versus buying a lens that I know I’d be happy with for a year, but eventually replace it for something else. I’m happy that I have had this lens for so many years and have learned a lot about photography from this lens. I plan to keep it as part of my gear for as long as I can.
Thank you for reading and tell me your thoughts on this lens, or the most recent Sony 50-150mm lens that has been released. Until next time.
