Sony SEL24240 FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Zoom Lens for Mirrorless Cameras

I have had this lens for a few months now and have used it in a variety of situations. This review will be a breakdown of questions you need to ask yourself before purchasing this lens, as well as the pros and cons that I have found while using it. Brace yourself, it will be long but necessary if you don't want to waste hundreds of dollars. Questions: Do you have a full frame or crop sensor camera? What is your environment or the environment in which you will be shooting? What will be your subject? If you have a camera with the capability to use different lens', is this lens right for you? Will you be taking video as well? The answers to these questions will vary based upon you. However, things to keep in mind; If you have a Sony a5000-6500 series or an A7r II, the 18mm-200mm is a better choice because it is made for a crop sensor. You get wide shots and telephoto capabilities in one because the crop factor for this full frame lens increases its focal length by 1.5x, effectively making it a 36mm-360mm instead of a 24mm - 240mm. If you are looking for a longer focal length though, there are better solutions than this lens for about 70 dollars more at your local camera/electronics store (70-300mm G lens is my recommendation). This lens (24mm-240mm) works best in bright environments. If you will be taking photos in a arid environment, it prevents you from having to swap lens, which is a plus for saving your sensor from being exposed to dirt and debris. It does poorly in low light if you are trying to keep your ISO down or use a higher shutter speed. It hunts for focus in those situations as well. Works great in a city, does pretty well in backcountry. Backpackers or traveling photographers keep in mind that it is a heavy lens. This will cause sloping on a tripod, so you'll have to angle it higher to compensate for the tilt. Additionally for the cinematographers/videographers or anyone looking to shoot video, it can not be used on a gimbal effectively. Handheld video is also affected by adding too much camera shake when zooming in, even with OSS and in body camera image stabilization (IBIS). Those looking to use this lens to take close up shots or use it as a secondary macro lens, be aware that the Minimum Focal Distances (MFD) is 1.6 feet but increases to 3 feet at the end of the focal length. That means at 300mm you will need to be at least 3 feet away from your subject to get it to focus. Autofocus Time (AFT) and Manual Focus Time (MFT) are not very fast. Additionally, this lens has one of the lower resale values on the market because it is so frequently returned; since it covers a broad focal range, it does not capture the best of the best when it comes to portraits, landscapes, macros, etc. This is why the prime lens market still exists. A rough resell estimate has been between 50 - 70% off of its market value. So although it is a very well made and a great multipurpose lens, it does have a niche market and that applies to usage as well. Pros: - Large focal length coverage! - Quality build - Rigid zoom ring - Prevents censor exposure in windy, debris filled environments - Prevents continuous swapping of lens' - Takes a great quality image (great not excellent) - OSS - Dust and Moisture Resistant (Not debris resistant!) Cons: - Expensive - Heavy - Poor resale value - Not particularly good at one thing - Poor AFT/MFT - Poor MFD (as per other options within its price range) - Not weather sealed Lens Recommendations: For Sony ASP-C users; the 18mm-200mm is better at covering the focal lengths you'll need if this lens is for you. For Video; the 18mm - 105mm G lens. Internal focusing with power zoom for $600 USD. Maintains video integrity and balance on a gimbal. For Telephoto - Close-ups; Sony 70mm - 300mm F4 G lens. This can be picked up for $925 USD if you shop around, buy used, or price match. Much better AFT/MFT and reduced MFD at the end of the focal length. For Macro - Portait; Sony 90mm F2.8 Macro Lens. Quality, quality, quality. Superb close-ups and better portraits. For Ultrawide Landscape/Architecture/Interior; Rokinon 12mm F2. Sharp, manual, cheap, great build quality (FOR PHOTOS ONLY). For video ultra wide, Sony 12-24mm F4. Very expensive. Try to buy used. Best of the best. For kit lens replacement; Vario-Tessar T* 16mm-70mm F4. Great overall lens that is incredibly sharp and produces accurate color reproduction. Although has an external zoom, the zoom ring is very smooth for an easy transition. Tips: If you want to increase the focal length even further, you can do it digitally within your camera by using the 'Clear Image Zoom' function. This Maintains image integrity while providing a more up-close shot. You will lose the ability to shoot RAW by using it, however by using an S-LOG Picture Profile, with the Cont. Braket, HDR, or DRO Bracket modes, image quality reduction is at a minimum. Sony recommends that you use the 'Neutral Creative Style' for photos if you will be post-editing, however I have found the Picture Profile Setting (which is recommended for video), specifically PP7-PP9 to be more effective for post processing. If you have a Sony a6000 or lower, you will have to resort to using the 'Creative Style Neutral' as your camera does not have the Picture Profile Function. I hope this helped! Take care!

I wasn't expecting much when I bought this lens because it has a fairly mixed bag in terms of reviews on other sites. But honestly, after trying it for a few days, I don't understand the hate this lens has. Many photography YouTuber reviewers and users on some of the more technical photography gear websites talk about this lens like it's a bad kit lens. Far from it! After I upgraded to a full-frame camera, I realized that my budget was going to limit how many lenses I could own. One of the primes I bought was a thousand bucks. Another was six hundred bucks. If you want to get into the best zoom lenses, they approach three thousand dollars. If you take portraits for print marketing and blow the images up large enough to put on the side of a bus, I'm sure you'll find flaws with the sharpness of this lens. But when I tested it straight-up next to my 28mm and 55mm primes, I found it to be an excellent lens, almost as sharp as both, less expensive, and certainly a lot more versatile. This will be my "around-town" lens, my "run-and-gun" lens, and my "go-to" lens. By the way, if you're just looking for an insane value in a zoom lens, look no further. Not only is this a very powerful zoom lens, but I was shocked to see how stable it becomes on my Sony a7iii. As I'm zooming in, it's bouncing all over the place. But once you squeeze the shutter button, the OSS turns on and it's like the hand of God reaches down and grabs the barrel. Solid as a rock for usable pictures even at maximum zoom. I love it. One warning: This is a hefty lens, it's got some weight to it, and so be aware of that if you're going to lug it around on a long trip. But I think the versatility is worth the weight.

I tested this lens with an alpha 7Rm3. I found the fly by wire focus control was not a problem even if not manual-direct controlled. Yes, it can be used in manual focus. I prefer DMF so I can check the autofocus. The dial responds with barely any lag, but takes more turning than a mechanical focus ring. The image quality is decent for this range of zoom. I didn't expect it to resolve down to the 42 megapixel level. I also tried it with my infrared converted camera. And found that it worked with some of the deeper near infrared filters without having a hotspot. However it did have hotspots with filters that allowed some red light through. I think this is a valuable purchase for those who do travel, and those who want to find one lens that covers most of their needs. Personally I will use primes whenever I can bring a bag full of different lenses. But will take this one when I just want to go on a quick trip or want to take a light pack. I will keep this lens because I think it has value for me under many circumstances.

very heavy lens, i was thinking about the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens also, but glad i didn't get the GM lens - its even heavier than this one. very versatile. good for scenery, portrait or zoom. i'm not a pro user, just a dad wants to take good photos of kids. not very sharp you say, it's sharp enough for me, fast enough. i'm not doing any extreme sports, so not weather sealed is ok. low resale value? no problem, i'm planning to use this for a long time. i don't think i will need another lens. 3 sample images for portrait/zoom, in door and outdoor scenery. i didnot spend very much time taking these photos, just point and click.

Switching from all-Nikon shop to Sony mirrorless, and tired of manual focus with the Nikon F to Sony E adapter, I bought this lens as a travel lens. It is OK, not as sharp and more distortion at the edge. My biggest complaint is the slow focus and sometimes no focus. I was so used to Nikon lens performance and this lens is definitely not at the same level.