It’s been a while since I’ve used a lens that felt like a must-have. That's because most lenses have simply been upgraded versions of past offerings. But this lens is different.
The first reason this lens is different is simply because it's the first of its kind—the very first 50-150mm f/2 lens to ever be offered. And while the Sony 50-150mm f/2 GM lens has no direct comparison, there are still many lenses that it can be compared to—specifically, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD lens. While the build quality and performance of these two lenses are different, and the Tamron technically offers a wider focal length, I want to explain why, for me, this is actually a bad thing. But first, let's dive into some of the details of the Sony 50-150mm f/2 GM lens.
I don't want to get far into the weeds with the technicalities of this lens, but for a quick flyby, this lens has everything you would expect from a modern, designed, and premium telephoto-style lens. There is an aperture ring with a click/declick switch, AF/MF switch, DMF switch, custom buttons, and an iris lock. The lens has fully internal zooming and focusing elements, as well as a removable foot for mounting to tripods/monopods. The only thing really missing in terms of design is the lack of optical stabilization, and you cannot use this lens with any type of teleconverter. But for me, the lack of optical stabilization and teleconverter support is irrelevant for the way I would ever use this lens.
Optically, this lens outperforms some high-end primes that fall within its zoom range. So it's very good in terms of sharpness, contrast, distortion, and flare control throughout the full range of the zoom. Add in that it’s a constant f/2 aperture, and this is an ideal lens for portraits, sports, and some wildlife—especially paired with its blazing-fast autofocus.
The only drawbacks I found in terms of the build and design is that the lens is daily large and heavy. When compared to something like the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II, this new lens is exactly the same length, but has a noticeably wider profile due to the f/2 aperture. In terms of weight, this lens is heavier than the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II but is lighter than the version one of the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM. But when it came to real-world use, this new lens was totally manageable, and I never felt like it was too heavy or cumbersome—even when I used it for a 12-hour wedding day.
From here, I want to explain why this lens is the ideal choice for me and the way I shoot—especially when compared to the Tamron 35-150mm. Because I have and do enjoy the Tamron 35-150. And seeing that I used to primarily be a 35mm and 85mm prime lens photographer, the 35-150mm seems like it would be an ideal choice for me over the 50-150mm. The issue for me, though, is that I tend to photograph the majority of a day at 35mm. So when using the Tamron 35-150mm, I ended up holding a much larger and heavier lens for the majority of the day when I didn't actually need to be doing so. In addition, because the Tamron 35-150mm is slower and not as optically proficient as something like my Sony Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA lens, I felt like I was making a sacrifice in both performance and my agility throughout the day.
And if you are wondering why something like the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II can't fit the mold—it absolutely can and has. In fact, it’s the lens I currently have on the shelf to perform this very role. But in use, there are times when I want something longer than 35mm but wider than 70mm. So, having the 50mm end be part of the zoom range is a very nice thing to have and saves me the need/want of carrying around yet another lens to fill the role of 50mm. I also find that 150mm gives me enough reach that I don't really miss having the ability to get to 200mm. So the 50-150mm range is just more ideal for me and my kit. From there, the extra stop of light-gathering ability is a big bonus—both for low-light needs as well as the ability to get that extra shallow depth of field, especially when at that 150mm range.
The last thing worth talking about is the price, because this is the biggest drawback for this lens and what I imagine will be the only thing that holds people back from adding this to their shopping cart. Coming in at $3,898 (currently), the price tag is a hard pill to swallow. But objectively, this lens could replace at least three high-end prime lenses (50mm, 85mm, 135mm) while still giving all the focal lengths between and up to 150mm. So if all three of those prime lenses are part of your kit, you could get by with just one lens to cover all those bases. But even then, you’d be left with something bigger and heavier. So although your overall bag would be lighter and less full, the kit in your hands would be bigger and heavier.
What I Like
-
Extremely good performance throughout the zoom range
-
Internal zoom and focusing
-
Constant f/2 aperture
What I Didn't Like
-
It’s a very thick lens (could even be hard to fit in some camera bags)
-
It’s very expensive (although justifiable)
Conclusion
I think the Sony 50-150mm f/2 GM lens is an ideal choice for me and the way I tackle a wedding day. Whether the lens is right for you is an entirely different question. But at the end of the day, I'm just excited that Sony has decided to push the limits of what's possible and offer us the ability to choose. It's also amazing to see that they were able to give such a new lens design such great performance throughout the entire zoom range, while still maintaining a constant f/2 aperture.
If you have your eye on this lens, what do you plan to photograph with it, and why do you think it would make a great fit inside your bag?
An f/2 lens isn't replacing "high-end" f/1.2 or f/1.4 50 and 85mm lenses. It's more comparable to budget level f/1.8 50 and 85mm. The cost and weight of those would be significantly less than this beast. Huge f/2 zooms just don't appeal to me.