Sony - FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Full-Frame Telephoto Zoom Lens for E-Mount Cameras - Black

I owned the Sony 18-200mm lens. I wanted a lens with a bit more range and the ability to use the lens on either a full-frame or crop-sensor Sony camera. The 24-240mm can do just that. The tradeoff is the lens is heavier, a bit bigger and cannot get as wide as the 18-200mm. As with most lenses with a very wide ranges (24-240mm), there is a bit more softness than Prime lenses or those with lesser range. But, overall, this lens is very sharp. It works great with anything under 150mm. In fact, I find those photos very sharp. I only find a slight bit of softness when the lens is used in the most zoomed range (220-240mm) and even that is not a problem. It's easy to zoom and feels sturdy. I use this lens with the Sony 6300 (a crop-sensor camera). This means that my camera uses mostly the center of the lens elements. This is usually the sharpest part of a lens. This seems to be very true of this lens. I find very few times I am unhappy with the clarity of a photo. It should also be noted that some people mention they have had trouble with soft images in at the maximum focal range. This would be its softest area. But remember, on a crop-sensor camera like the Sony 6000, 6300 or 6500, this lens will act like a 360mm lens. It is important to have the shutter speed around 1/400 of a second if you are not using a tripod or using the len's internal stabilization. Even with stabilization, dropping below 1/160 of a second may be unwise--especially for objects far in the distance. If you follow good photographic techniques, you will probably find this a very good quality lens that offer incredible range in a single package. The only complaint would be the lack of a wider angle when using it on a crop-sensor camera (it acts like 36mm on a full-frame camera). For wider shots, you would need to carry another lens. If you are tired of changing lenses and want a single lens that can work with most situations, this is a good choice.

Like any good consumer, you must know what you want and why. When purchasing a Lens these factors for "point of use" are key, plus value/cost. I enjoyed this lens greatly. I'll attach a low Res version of a photo I shot with this lens at a sunset. (I've shot varying subjects, I do like this set of shots with this lens) I zoomed in and out to find my focus and desired framing. I shot this from land. On my Sony A7 R II. No tripod. Just leaning on a railing for stabilization. This is the natural image, not enhanced Etc... I hope this is helpful. It has a great wide range, good focus & quality. However for me, my interests aim for a lower F & sharper images that come from higher quality glass. So this gets 4 stars. This is a good value lens, just not the top of the line, but better than most. I need a 5 star lens, which will come at an even higher "5 star" type price, but I'm prepared to make that jump, even though I may lose range to about 200. This 24-240 has great range. Honestly I'm the type of person who likes simplicity in one amazing package. So I'd love a 16-300mm Sony G Lens if they could make it. It's sadly doesn't exist. LOL. Therefore my summation is that I just want this range in a more expensive package, most likely Sony G Master lens... If not Zeis... This one is definitely nice for the price. However I need sharper shots & lower F capability for low light or night shooting. Sony is expensive. This isn't a cheap lens and became my "go to". So I certainly like it and chose it over many other options. It's just great to have that 24-240 range even though it's big & slightly heavy. There's not much choice in the Sony line for a all-in-one type lens for "running and gunning". Unfortunately, I just need higher quality for the type of work I will be shooting. So what I want is over twice the price! LOL budget is everything... This does the job nicely. I just need uncompromising excellence, so in my case I'm upgrading and holding out for a G Master Lens 20-200 and getting my pockets ready. Since that will be more than double the price just for the one lens, but you get what you pay for.

This is a very nice lens for what it is designed for: a single lens that covers 2/3 of the Holy Trio (16-24, 24-70, 70-200). I've taken some side-by-sides with my professional-level sony 70-200 2.8. I couldn't tell the difference. Now, granted at 200mm this was at 6.3 (more pronounce bokeh on the 2.8 (below). I accidentally left it on my A9 for some indoor volleyball and it was indeed much slower (had to crank the ISO). It's not highly rated by the professionals (no super zoom is), but I found it a really versatile lens.

All around great versatility image quality isn't as sharp as primes of course but still lots of very usable images. A big con is the weight nearly at 2 pounds it can be quite heavy but comparing it to how many focal lengths this covers its kinda the same as bringing maybe 3 primes. In the end if your looking for an all in one zoom lens, this might be the one your looking for.

The good - The price was right for an open box item. This lens has an impressive focal range. A nice all in one solution to fit most situations. The barrel extends but doesn't rotate the front element, which is a great design for use with a cpl filter. The bad - This lens has mediocre image quality beyond 100mm or so. I will say, 24-70 seems just as sharp as other lenses in this range. It's a heavy lens, and not very well balanced on the small a7ii. This forced me to utilize a camera strap. All in all, it's a decent lens for most situations, when used in the shorter focal ranges. Side note, Best Buy has a 15% restocking fee, even on items that were sold as open box. Makes me wonder how many times the same lens was bought, used, returned, then sold again. I was hesitant to keep this lens, but it wasn't feasible to forfeit 15% if I returned it.