Camera
DxO PureRaw review: Impressive noise and lens processing for any editing app
Introduction
For years now, DxO Labs’ Optics Pro and PhotoLab products have impressed photographers with their automatic lens corrections. And more recently their CPU-intensive PRIME / DeepPRIME noise reduction technology has also garnered plenty of praise, as we saw in our recent DxO PhotoLab 4 review.
Yet while DxO has earned more than a few plaudits and built a devoted following for its software, it has never gained quite the mass-market appeal of rival Adobe. With PureRaw, it aims to address this with a new approach.
DxO tells us that of the roughly 10 million photographers currently shooting in a Raw format, 90% use Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom or some combination of the two in their workflow. And of those who don’t, many more will already have moved to non-DxO third-party rivals like Capture One, Exposure and more.
DxO PureRaw brings the company’s famed denoising and lens corrections to photographers that don’t want to change Raw processors
Instead of trying to persuade them to learn another new and complex interface and venture into the unknown by switching to the fully-featured PhotoLab editing platform, PureRaw gives them the opportunity to bring DxO’s most popular capabilities right into their existing workflow with almost no fuss.
Now, you can have the benefit of DxO PhotoLab’s denoising, demosaicing and lens correction tools, but keep all the familiar apps, tools, shortcuts and more that you love in your current digital darkroom utility.
Key Takeaways:
- Get DxO’s much-praised noise reduction and lens corrections without ditching Photoshop, Lightroom or their rivals
- No new interface to learn; keep all the tools you love
- Extremely simple, straightforward design
- Choose from HQ, PRIME or DeepPRIME denoising
- Output as Linear DNG with noise/lens corrections
- A rather steep price may keep many would-be users away
Available immediately for both Windows and macOS, DxO PureRaw is ordinarily priced at $129 (€129 / £115). A launch discount available through May 31, 2021 will reduce this to $89.99 (€89.99 / £79.99).
How it works
DxO PureRaw is incredibly simple. Files can be dragged and dropped between DxO PureRaw and your imaging app, or for that matter your operating system’s file explorer. Alternatively, you can click a button within PureRaw’s interface to directly browse your directory structure for files to process.
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| PureRaw’s adjustments are limited solely to choosing which denoising algorithms to use, and whether to enable lens corrections or not. |
Processing your chosen files couldn’t get much easier. First, you choose your desired denoising engine for the entire batch of images: The faster HQ engine, the much more processor-intensive – but higher quality – PRIME engine or the AI-powered DeepPRIME engine. (For most images you’ll want either DeepPRIME or HQ, depending upon whether you favor image quality or performance, respectively).
Next you choose your output file type and storage location. By default, PureRaw will save your processed images as partially-processed Linear DNG Raw files in a DxO subfolder of their original location.
The streamlined process does mean you can’t tweak the level of noise reduction nor preview its results prior to processing
If you prefer, you can convert straight to JPEG rather than Raw before handing off to your third-party app, or set a custom location for the processed files to be stored. Lens and camera body profiles are downloaded automatically as needed, and individual profiles can be deactivated as preferred on a per-batch basis.
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| PureRaw can be used in a drag-and-drop fashion or export directly to third-party apps. Adobe’s are automatically detected, and the user can add other programs with the custom option. |
Once you click Process Photos, PureRaw will do its thing and then offer to show you side-by-side, before-and-after comparisons of your just-processed images. You can then drag them back to your chosen app, click the Export button to have them transferred for you – optionally along with a copy of the unprocessed, original Raws as well – or click another button to see the processed images in Explorer.
Obviously, this simplified and streamlined process means that you can’t tweak the level of noise reduction applied as you could in the full PhotoLab app. Nor can you preview its results prior to processing.
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| Once your images have been processed, PureRaw allows you to review the results in comparison to the uncorrected Raw. |
But PureRaw also adds very little extra fuss to your workflow, though there are the minor inconveniences of greater storage space requirements and the time spent processing, which we’ll come back to in a moment.
And given that you can output in Linear DNG Raw format, it also means that you retain all the main advantages of your original Raw file in your third-party app, such as better white-balance correction and the possibility of recovering lost highlight or shadow detail. You just get the added benefit of DxO’s lens and noise corrections with as little extra effort as possible.
Image quality
If you already own and use PhotoLab, incidentally, you can already do something very similar by exporting images to disk in DNG format using PhotoLab’s Denoise & Optical Correction option. But interestingly, I’ve found that PureRaw doesn’t always apply exactly the same adjustments as does DxO PhotoLab at its default settings, which suggests DxO may have tuned its algorithms a bit differently to account for the lack of manual overrides in PureRaw.
For the most part, the differences between PureRaw and PhotoLab’s renderings are slim to nonexistent. But just occasionally, the two apps can yield noticeably differing results.
Photo by Mike Tomkins
I’ve run dozens of images through PureRaw and PhotoLab at defaults, and found that while perhaps a quarter of my images seemed absolutely identical regardless of which program I used, around half those processed via PureRaw showed slightly stronger sharpening than in PhotoLab’s defaults.
I also spotted a few images where PureRaw used slightly stronger noise reduction or vignetting correction than PhotoLab, as well as a handful where PureRaw cropped in a little tighter.
Photo by Mike Tomkins
But really, the differences from PureRaw’s results were very slight in all cases, and very similar to what you can get from PhotoLab without any user intervention. And its results in terms of noise reduction were clearly leagues ahead of what I could’ve managed with Photoshop or Lightroom’s own tools and a similar level of effort.
Performance
Given its ease of use, I think the biggest concern for most users will be the added time taken to process images in PureRaw before starting work in your third-party app.
Results will obviously vary with your hardware, and all my times below were recorded using my 2018 Dell XPS 15 9570 laptop running Windows 10 version 20H2, PureRaw 1.0.10 and PhotoLab 4.2.1.
When considering the times below, it’s also important to remember the time you’d have expended if trying to make the same corrections in your existing app without PureRaw, of course.
Photo by Mike Tomkins
In HQ mode, PureRaw took around 13 seconds to process each image, versus about 11 seconds for PhotoLab 4. Switching to PRIME, I measured a time of 32 seconds per image in PureRaw, and 26 seconds for PhotoLab. Finally, DeepPRIME was a bit faster in both apps, at 27 seconds per image for PureRaw, and 24 seconds per image for PhotoLab.
I must admit, I was surprised to find PureRaw 1.0 a little slower than PhotoLab with identical images. Given the very streamlined interface and lack of user adjustability, I’d expected that it would perhaps edge PhotoLab’s times just a little. The difference is relatively small, though.
Conclusion
| What we like | What we don’t |
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DxO PureRaw presents an interesting proposition for diehard users of Photoshop, Lightroom and their many non-DxO rivals. In one simple, lightweight app, PureRaw now gives you access to arguably the best feature of PhotoLab: The PRIME / DeepPRIME denoising engine.
And it doesn’t require that you switch your digital darkroom software or make any big changes to your workflow at all. Nor do you even have to manually intervene, beyond choosing which denoising engine to use.
We do, however, have one reservation – the price. At $129 list, DxO PureRaw costs just as much as DxO PhotoLab 4 Essential edition.
DxO PureRaw’s pricetag is steep, but it offers big IQ improvements with no work at all
Sure, PhotoLab 4 Essential lacks the PRIME / DeepPRIME denoising algorithms, but it’s otherwise a pretty comprehensive digital darkroom app. In fact, PureRaw’s list price is only a third less than that of the full DxO PhotoLab 4 Elite.
That feels like a big ask for what’s clearly a much less capable and powerful application. But at the same time, PureRaw offers the chance to get really, really powerful denoising and decent lens corrections with barely a moment’s conscious effort.
And it does so without forcing you to learn a new app if you’re already satisfied with your existing one in most other respects. There is, essentially, no learning curve at all.
For frequent high-ISO shooters who can justify its high list price – or those who score the limited-time launch pricing available through May 2021 – DxO PureRaw will definitely offer you a very noticeable improvement in some of your images with almost zero work.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners
The 11th annual International Landscape Photographer of the Year competition has announced the winners of its 2024 awards, showcasing stunning imagery from around the world. Photographers competed in various categories, including the coveted Landscape Photographer of the Year, requiring a portfolio of at least four images, and Landscape Photograph of the Year, recognizing the power of a single captivating shot.
This year’s competition saw Canadian photographer Andrew Mielzynski, an amateur with a deep connection to the natural environment, claim the top prize for his portfolio of stark images with simple color palettes. Ryohei Irie from Japan captured the Landscape Photograph of the Year award with a mesmerizing image of fireflies illuminating a forest.
Beyond the overall winners, the competition presented awards in specific categories, including Black and White, Aerial, Snow and Ice, and Forest, along with at-large winners. In addition to the overall and category winners, we’ve included several of our favorite photos from the 202 photographs recognized this year. You can visit the competition’s website to see all the winning images or to download its 2024 eBook.
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 1st place
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Photographer: Andrew Mielzynski, Canada
Subject and location: Cono de Arita in the Salar de Arizaro, Atacama Desert in Argentina
Description: The Cono is a perfectly cone-shaped volcano at 3,690 meters above sea level. It’s very graphic due to the contrast between the dark, perfectly formed cone and the bed of white salt that is found at its base.
Copyright Andrew Mielzynski / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 1st place
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Photographer: Andrew Mielzynski, Canada
Subject and location: Winter Cottonwoods, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Description: During the pandemic, I went out for a walk at a local park during a fierce winter storm. I ran across this scene. It seemed very chaotic, with many layers of trees. I loved how the snow, driven by high winds, was embedded into the bark of the trunks. The snow on the bark created a textural contrast that adds detail and interest to the trees. I took a few frames, trying to simplify the scene in front of me and settled on this one, loving the tones, the depth, the order and the minimalism. Even in a chaotic scene, there seems to be a sense of balance that feels orderly and pleasing.
Copyright Andrew Mielzynski / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 1st place
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Photographer: Andrew Mielzynski, Canada
Subject and location: Found in a roadside ditch near Heathcote, Ontario, Canada
Description: After a melt, we had a flash freeze with extremely cold temperatures and a clear blue sky. I was driving by a ditch on the side of a road that had been filled with water and had to stop and look (as we photographers do, can’t pass a ditch without investigating). This is what I found. Great textures and patterns, tones and flow, with lovely graphic lines creating a dynamic, abstract designs. I love this type of work – it’s so much fun, yet challenging to find just the right composition.
Copyright Andrew Mielzynski / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 2nd place
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Photographer: Ignacio Palacios, Australia
Subject and location: Pumice Field, La Puna, Argentina
Copyright Ignacio Palacios / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 2nd place
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Photographer: Ignacio Palacios, Australia
Subject and location: Seven Colors Mountain, Siloli Desert, Bolivian Altiplano
Copyright Ignacio Palacios / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 2nd place
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Photographer: Ignacio Palacios, Australia
Subject and location: Arita Cone, La Puna, Argentina
Copyright Ignacio Palacios / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 3rd place
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Photographer: Gheorghe Popa, Romania
Subject and location: Early Autumn, Vânători Neamț Natural Park, Romania
Copyright Gheorghe Popa / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 3rd place
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Photographer: Gheorghe Popa, Romania
Subject and location: Poisoned Beauty, Geamăna, Apuseni Mountains, Romania
Copyright Gheorghe Popa / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photographer of the Year: 3rd place
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Photographer: Gheorghe Popa, Romania
Subject and location: Whispers of the Sunken Trees Cuejdel Lake, Romania
Copyright Gheorghe Popa / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photograph of the Year: 1st place
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Photographer: Ryohei Irie, Japan
Subject and location: Traces of Light, Ichinomata, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
Description: The Landscape Photograph of the Year Award went to Ryohei Irie of Japan. He likes the mysterious atmosphere created by the standing dead trees and firefly light. “I have been visiting this Subject and location for several years during the firefly season, and it is an interesting place because the intensity and length of the firefly light and the Subject and location where the fireflies fly vary greatly, depending on the year and time of day, resulting in completely different works, even when photographed in the same way.”
Copyright Ryohei Irie / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photograph of the Year: 2nd place
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Photographer: Justinus Sukotjo, Indonesia
Subject and location: Mother Care Framing, Walakiri Beach, Sumba Island, Indonesia
Copyright Justinus Sukotjo / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Landscape Photograph of the Year: 3rd place
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Photographer: Himadri Bhuyan, India
Subject and location: The Flow, Sohra, Meghalaya, India
Copyright Himadri Bhuyan / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
The Black and White Award
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Photographer: J. Fritz Rumpf, United States
Award: The Black and White Award 2024
Subject and location: White Tie Affair. Death Valley National Park, California, USA
Copyright J. Fritz Rumpf / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
The Aerial Award
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Photographer: Benjamin Barakat, Switzerland
Award: The Aerial Award 2024
Subject and location: The Final Dune, Namibia
Copyright Benjamin Barakat / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
The Snow and Ice Award
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Photographer: Jeroen van Nieuwenhove, Iceland
Award: The Snow and Ice Award 2024
Subject and location: Isþyrlu – Ice Swirl, Scoresbysund, Greenland
Copyright Jeroen van Nieuwenhove / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
The Forest Award
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Photographer: Shirley Wung, Taiwan
Award: The Forest Award 2024
Subject and location: Fireflies flying in the Misty Mountains, Wufeng Township, Hsinchu, Taiwan
Copyright Shirley Wung / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
The Exciting Sky Award
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Photographer: Federico Delucchi, Italy
Award: The Exciting Sky Award 2024
Subject and location: Aurora, meteor shower and other cool stuff, Rocca la Meja, Italy
Copyright Federico Delucchi / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Other top entries
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Photographer: Laura Bennet, United States
Subject and location: Sumba Island, Indonesia
Copyright Laura Bennet / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Other top entries
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Photographer: William Preite, Italy
Subject and location: Pale di San Martino, Falcade, Dolomites, Italy
Copyright William Preite / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Other top entries
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Photographer: Siegfried Makedanz, Germany
Subject and location: Sandfellsjökull Glacier Lagoon, Southern Iceland
Copyright Siegfried Makedanz / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Other top entries
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Photographer: Sabine Weise, Germany
Subject and location: Moonscape Overlook, Utah Badlands, USA
Copyright Sabine Weise / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Other top entries
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Photographer: Yuriy Vantowski, United States
Subject and location: Mount Bromo, East Java, Indonesia
Copyright Yuriy Vantowski / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Other top entries
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Photographer: Tanay Das, India
Subject and location: Kistwa, Himalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Copyright Tanay Das / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Other top entries
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Photographer: Rajesh Jyothiswaran, United States
Subject and location: Texas, United States
Copyright Rajesh Jyothiswaran / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year
| Images: Canon, Nikon |
It wasn’t long ago that many of our reviews of APS-C cameras had to come with a warning: no matter how good the body was, you were almost certainly going to be limited by lens selection. This was especially true with Nikon and Canon’s mirrorless cameras. Sony has followed its longstanding tradition of letting third parties build out a healthy selection of lenses, and the selection for Fujifilm’s APS-C-only X-mount is second to none, but Nikon’s Z mount and Canon’s RF mount appeared to be almost completely locked down. As a result, you could count the number of APS-C lens options available on your fingers.
But things are changing. Over the past year, we’ve seen several APS-C lenses announced and released for Canon and Nikon cameras, filling notable gaps in the first-party lens lineups. But while the situation is improving, it’s clear that the two companies are still in control.
This week, Sigma released four APS-C primes for Canon’s RF mount, making good on its promise to release six licensed lenses for the system – earlier this year, it released the 10-18mm F2.8 and 18-50mm F2.8. Meanwhile, Nikon has allowed Sigma to release select primes for Z-mount – a trio of F1.4 primes at 16, 30, and 56mm. It’s worth noting the company’s 23mm F1.4 is the only one of its APS-C primes that it hasn’t brought to Z-mount; it likely isn’t a coincidence that Nikon’s only first-party APS-C prime lens is a 24mm F1.7.
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Sigma’s APS-C prime lens lineup is quite good, and now most of them are available for almost any mirrorless APS-C camera.
Image: Sigma |
However, Nikon hasn’t stopped companies like Viltrox and Sirui from releasing a slew of Z-mount APS-C prime lenses, complete with autofocus. If you pick up a Nikon Zfc or Z50II, you can get anywhere from a 13mm F1.4 (20mm equiv.) to a 75mm F1.2 (113mm equiv.) to go with it, as well as most of the classic focal lengths in between.
Your choices are no longer limited to a few first-party options, manual-focus only lenses, or glass meant for full-frame bodies
This is an important change for APS-C shooters. Even going back to the DSLR days, it’s felt like many manufacturers have viewed the format as a stepping stone to full-frame rather than something enthusiasts and pros might consciously choose. Neither Canon nor Nikon have been particularly prolific when releasing new APS-C glass. But with the gates being slightly opened, you’re no longer limited to a few first-party options, manual-focus-only lenses from third parties, or heavier, more expensive full-frame lenses. Now, there’s at least some selection of third-party lenses with autofocus to choose from, alongside Canon and Nikon’s offerings.
This isn’t to say that you can now buy any APS-C camera you want and be assured that all the lenses you want will be available – you are still at the mercy of what Canon and Nikon wish to allow. While plenty of primes are available for Z-mount APS-C cameras, no fast zoom lenses are available; Nikon’s all start at F3.5 and end at F5.6 or F6.3.
In fact, there are currently no third-party APS-C zooms available for Nikon Z-mount at all, despite the fact that two have made the jump from E and X-mount to RF – it also goes without saying that there are many others more available on Fujifilm and Sony’s systems. That’s a bummer for anyone looking to step up from the kit lens or wanting to shoot sports or birds in anything but ideal lighting without having to shell out for and lug around a full-frame 70-200mm.
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Tamron has promised to bring its 11-20mm F2.8 APS-C lens to Canon RF mount this year as well – no word on Z-mount, despite Tamron bringing some of its full-frame lenses to Nikon.
Image: Tamron |
RF mount at least has the two constant F2.8 zooms thanks to Sigma, with one more on the way from Tamron, though those are all at the wide end. However, there are far fewer autofocus primes available for Canon, as manufacturers like Sirui and Viltrox aren’t producing them. That’s not surprising; a representative for the latter once said that Canon had told it to stop producing products for RF mount. The 85mm F1.4 lens that Samyang announced for the system in 2020 also disappeared from the market not long after.
In a perfect world, these problems wouldn’t exist. Canon and Nikon would make the lenses that their APS-C cameras needed to stand on their own feet as a real alternative to full-frame options, and there would be robust competition from third parties, which would be allowed to make whatever lenses they want.
None of that seems particularly likely. However, at least those who choose to shoot with a smaller sensor in a Canon or Nikon body have gotten a wider choice of lenses, even if they’re still bound by the companies’ rules.
At the end of the day, that’s better for everyone interested in APS-C, because it means that cameras like the EOS R7 and Z50II are competitive with the Sony a6700 and Fujifilm X-T5 in a way that they wouldn’t have been with an extremely limited lens selection. With any luck, this trend will continue, and the APS-C landscape will become more competitive – even if Canon and Nikon aren’t giving it their full attention.
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The FE 28-70mm F2.8 GM, attached to the newly-announced a1 II.
Photo: Mitchell Clark |
Sony has announced the FE 28-70mm F2 GM, a zoom lens that trades 4mm at the wide end for an aperture that’s a stop brighter than the one found on a classic 24-70mm F2.8. It’s the company’s first constant F2 zoom lens for its E-mount cameras.
The lens’s optical formula consists of 20 elements in 14 groups, with three aspherical lenses, three super ED elements, and one ED element. It uses an 11-blade aperture. The front element has an oil and water-resistant flourine coating, and the lens is moisture and dust resistant.
It’s far from a compact lens, though it’s not as monstrously large as you might expect – it weighs in at 918g (32 oz) and is around 140mm (5.5″) long. It has an 86mm filter thread.
Sony makes it obvious what lens it’s competing with; highlighting that it’s 36% lighter and 11% smaller in diameter than Canon’s RF 28-70mm F2 L lens while claiming better corner-to-corner sharpness. The company also says the lens’s four linear motors can focus even when shooting at 120fps, and emphasized that they’re quieter than the older ring-type ultrasonic style motor in the Canon F2. In fairness, that lens was one of the original RF-mount releases, announced in 2018.
“Sony makes it obvious which lens it’s competing with”
The quieter operation should help when shooting video. Other pluses for video: it has an internal focusing mechanism which should make it easier to use the lens on a gimbal, the ability to switch the aperture ring into clickless mode and supports the focus breathing compensation mode included on some Sony bodies. You can also set the manual focus ring to have a linear response, which should make focus pulls easier.
The lens has a variety of switches and buttons. There are two customizable focus hold buttons, an Iris lock switch, the aperture click switch and a zoom smoothness switch that lets you adjust between “smooth” and “tight” torque settings.
It’s not the fastest zoom lens available for E-mount: at the time of writing, that prize goes to Sigma’s 28-45mm F1.8, though that model has substantially less reach on the tele end and only a 1/3EV increase in light-gathering ability.
The FE 28-70mm F2 GM will be available in mid-December and has an MSRP of $2,899.
Sony Electronics Announces Its First Constant F2 Aperture Zoom Lens: The Full-Frame 28-70mm F2 G Master™
The Unique Combination of a Versatile Focal Range, Large F2 Aperture, and Compact Form Factor
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 19, 2024 – Sony Electronics Inc. introduces the 28-70mm F2 G Master, the first1 Sony zoom lens with a constant F2 aperture and 77th lens in the Sony E-Mount lineup. This full-frame lens offers a versatile focal range from 28mm to 70mm while delivering prime-like2 bokeh with its constant F2 aperture. Despite its wide aperture and zoom range, the 28-70mm F2 G Master remains compact, lightweight, and well-balanced, making it ideal for both photography and video applications. This combination of zoom range, large aperture, and compact design makes this an innovative and versatile lens for portrait, sports, wedding, event, and video professionals.
“Our goal with the 28-70mm F2 G Master was to create a high-performing zoom lens that could be a strong single lens alternative to multiple primes,” said Yang Cheng, Vice President of Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “We prioritized a lightweight design during the engineering process as we knew that was a critical factor for real-life, practical use. And in a manner that only Sony can do, we were able to deliver a small, standard F2 zoom lens that does not sacrifice image quality. We’re proud to add this to our G Master series and believe it is one of the most innovative lenses ever offered to professionals.”
Sharp Imagery and Beautiful Bokeh
The 28-70mm F2 G Master produces extremely sharp corner-to-corner results throughout the entire zoom range, even while shooting wide open at F2. The high-resolution output is made possible by the three XA (extreme aspherical) elements and three aspherical elements built within the lens that minimize aberrations. The lens also features a floating focusing system that helps maintain internal stability. This focusing mechanism enables an impressive minimum focusing distance of up to 14.8 inches (0.38m) throughout the entire zoom range.
Staying true to the G Master lens lineage, the lens’ aperture up to F2 produces extraordinary bokeh, ideal for creating images that showcase a shallow depth of field. The 28-70mm F2 amplifies the G Master bokeh standards through a newly designed 11-blade circular aperture unit. Chromatic aberrations, which cause color fringing within photos, are effectively minimized with three Super ED (extra-low dispersion) elements and one ED element built within the lens. Additionally, Sony’s Nano AR Coating II reduces flare and internal reflections, ensuring clear images, even when strong light sources are present in the frame.
Compact, Lightweight Design Without Compromising Quality
The 28-70mm F2 G Master is one of the most advanced mirrorless camera lenses manufactured with a total 20 different lens elements arranged within 14 internal groups. Despite the advanced optical design, the lens remains compact at 3.6 x 5.5 inches (92.9 x 139.8mm) and lightweight at approximately 32.3 ounces (918g). The combination of imaging performance and a compact form factor offers an innovative solution that meets the demands of industry professionals.
Precise Autofocus Tracking with Instant Response
Reliable and responsive autofocus is delivered through the lens’ four XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors powered by advanced control algorithms. This smooth performance system provides accurate and quick focus tracking, often essential in many professional use cases like weddings and sports. This lens is fully compatible with Sony’s Alpha 9 III‘s high-speed continuous shooting capabilities of up to 120 frames per second3 with AF/AE (autofocus/autoexposure) tracking, even while zooming.
Designed for High-Performance Video Shooting
Along with its F2 aperture, the zoom range of the 28-70mm G Master provides a versatile video option that can cover standard field-of-view shots and tighter compositions up to 70mm. This lens minimizes focus breathing through its build and compatibility with the Breathing Compensation feature on various Alpha bodies4. Its high autofocus performance ensures reliable focus even when recording in high frame rates up to 4K 120p / FHD 240p5. Additionally, the XD linear motors and newly developed aperture unit operates silently, preventing any lens noise from being captured during filming.
The lens is ideal for gimbal use with a minimal zoom extension of approximately .68 inches. The compact form factor and short external zoom helps maintain gimbal balance, even at varying focal lengths.
Operability and Reliability for Versatile Control
Key control features include Linear Response MF for intuitive manual focusing, adjustable zoom ring torque, and an aperture ring with a click ON/OFF switch. The lens also offers two customizable focus hold buttons, an iris lock switch, and an AF/MF switch. The 28-70mm F2 G Master has an 86mm filter diameter and a convenient window on the lens hood for variable filter adjustments.
For durability, all buttons and switches are sealed with silicone gaskets, and critical areas are designed to resist dust and moisture6. This ensures reliability, even while using in challenging outdoor environments. Additionally, a fluorine coating on the front element repels contaminants for easy cleaning.
Pricing and Availability
The 28-70mm F2 G Master will be available in December 2024 for approximately $2,899.99 USD and $3,999.99 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers throughout North America.
A product video on the new 28-70mm F2 G Master can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/7Y_O5YYQIl0
For detailed product information about the 28-70mm F2 G Master, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/imaging/lenses/full-frame-e-mount/p/sel2870gm
Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new 28-70mm F2 G Master and Sony’s other imaging products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to inform, educate, and inspire content creators.
Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM Specifications
| Principal specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lens type | Zoom lens |
| Max Format size | 35mm FF |
| Focal length | 28–70 mm |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Lens mount | Sony E, Sony FE |
| Aperture | |
| Maximum aperture | F2–20 |
| Minimum aperture | F2–20 |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 11 |
| Optics | |
| Elements | 20 |
| Groups | 14 |
| Special elements / coatings | 3 aspherical, 3 super ED, 1 ED |
| Focus | |
| Minimum focus | 0.38 m (14.96″) |
| Maximum magnification | 0.23× |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Motor type | Linear Motor |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Distance scale | No |
| DoF scale | No |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 918 g (2.02 lb) |
| Diameter | 93 mm (3.66″) |
| Length | 140 mm (5.51″) |
| Sealing | Yes |
| Colour | Black |
| Filter thread | 86 mm |
| Hood supplied | Yes |
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