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

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.