Every photographer needs a good lens for their various requirement. A zoom lens, particularly as versatile as the 24-70mm, is quite a necessity for many photography kits. If you’re looking to upgrade from a wide-angle to a standard focal range, here are a few options that may be of help. These lenses have been put through their paces, and they continued to shine despite the challenges.
Panasonic 24-70mm f2.8 LUMIX Pro
The Panasonic lens features 18 elements in 16 groups, including 3 aspherical and 4 extra-low-dispersion elements. It also has 11 an 11-round-bladed aperture, a maximum magnification of 0.25x, a 5.5-inch length, and an 82mm filter thread. Some of the things it excels at include superb sharpness, stunning bokeh, and great weather sealing. The autofocus is fast, and this is a very reliable lens for photojournalists.
Sony 24-70mm f2.8 G Master II
The Sony 24-70mm is the second-generation lens in the GM series. It features 20 elements in 15 groups, including 2 XA, 2 ED, 2 Super ED, and 1 aspheric ED element. The lens weighs 695g, has a close focusing distance of 0.21m at 24 mm and 0.30m at 70mm. The lens is weather-resistant, has Nano coatings, and feels great on small cameras. It also offers sharpness, fast autofocus, great bokeh, and minimal distortion. In fact, you get the most clinically sharp and clean photographs from this lens.
Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art
The Sigma 24-70mm is ideal for those who prefer not to invest in an expensive lens. It features an 11-round-bladed diaphragm, a 0.34x maximum magnification, and a 0.6 feet minimum focusing distance. The lens is incredibly sharp, works exceptionally well with L-mount cameras, and has a fast focusing mechanism. The lens is also affordable, and you get nice image quality as well. As we said in our review, “The Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art is in this beautiful place between being pretty standard and pretty saturated in regard to colors. It’s beneficial as a photographer. I like it, and when combined with the right sensor, it will mean your colors are just that much better.”
Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 L IS USM
The Canon 24-70mm features 21 elements in 15 groups, 9 aperture blades, and a close focusing distance of 21cm. The lens features 5-stop optical stabilization, a 0.3x magnification ratio, and weighs 900g. The optics features fast focusing abilities, sharp image quality, and is built really well. It is also well-balanced, features great image stabilization, and is incredibly lightweight. As we said in our review, “The bokeh is sweet enough for most uses. Portrait photographers will surely appreciate it, and photojournalists will be more than happy with it. The bokeh is creamy at the longer end but hazier at the shorter end.”
Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 S
The Nikon 24-70mm features 17 elements in 15 groups, a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.22x, and a 9-bladed diaphragm. It has an 82mm filter thread, 1.25 ft close focusing distance, and 805g weight. Some of the things the lens excels at include robust weather sealing, great build, and outstanding image quality. As we said in our review, “The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70 f2.8 S’s hefty price is further justified by the lens’ ability to produce vibrant yet color-accurate images, the consistent sharpness throughout its focal range, and its ability to minimize chromatic aberrations and distortions.”
