There have been a lot of rumors about Sony lenses of late and not all that much in the form of cold, hard facts - but that doesn’t stop us from getting excited about what could be, especially as a Sony shooter.
Last week we shared the first leaked images of the Sony 24-50mm f/2.8 lens but personally, I think the news of a 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 G OSS is even more exciting! For what and how I shoot the range of the 24-50mm would be quite limiting and I don’t care enough about the size and weight of a standard zoom lens to compromise on zoom capabilities. However, the 24-200mm would offer an all-in-one solution for shooting needs thanks to its massive focal length range.
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We found out about the 24-200mm via Sony Alpha Rumors who shared a video by trusted YouTuber Andrea Pizzini. Like him, if this does come to fruition it would be high on my wish list - I would even consider trading in my beloved Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG to pay for it. There’s been so many occasions where I could’ve done with an extra 130mm of zoom but I can’t afford to invest in a 70-200mm lens and I need the wide end of my 28-70mm. This lens would solve all my problems.
The 24-200mm f/2.8 lens will replace the existing Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS lens and it is expected to be announced either at the same time as the 24-50mm (which we now anticipate will be sometime in January 2024) or shortly after. It might not have exactly the same zoom range but what it loses at the long end it makes up for in a brighter, faster aperture range.
Unlike the existing 24-240mm lens, thanks to the faster aperture the 24-200mm f/2.8-4.g G OSS lens will also appear to professional photographers as well as enthusiasts. One of its downfalls could however be its size and weight - f/2.8 lenses are notoriously much heavier and weight is a serious factor to consider for anyone who regularly hikes or travels with their kit. Tamron actually makes a very similar lens, the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-f/5.6 Di III RXD which weighs in at just 575g so if the Sony version is considerably heavier, this could put people off.
Christmas will be here before we know it and with the end of the year hurtling towards us, we expect it’ll be 2024 before we hear any official announcement from Sony. If all the rumors are true, 2024 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for the mirrorless camera brand and this is just the start of it.
