Sony 24-105mm SAL-24105 Lens Review
Sony 24-105mm f3.5-4.5 SAL-24105
A full frame bargain?
August 2008, Carl Garrard
(Tested on Sony Alpha A700/200)
Sony 24-105mm f3.5-4.5 - Introduction and Overview
(All test image samples are located in the gallery on the last page)
Sony SAL-24105 24-105mm f/3.5-4.5 Aspherical Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera
Sony's 24-105mm f3.5-4.5 is a carry over from the highly popular Minolta 24-105 RS 'D' (D stands for distance encoding via an 8 pin connector). Distance encoding basically means the camera and lens communicate with each other in multi-segment metering mode so the camera knows what focal length the lens is at during the time of exposure, and as a result helps to more correctly analyze that data for a final exposure calculation. This data is even more important when using a compatible flash unit so all three can work together to gather correct exposure information, and generally speaking you get a more accurate flash reading at any given focal length as a result.
The lens physically features internal focusing via an Auto-Clutch design which decouples the focus ring so it does not rotate during auto focusing and, the lens does not change length at all as a result. The front element also stays put during zooming, so this keeps the experience of using position specific filters (such as polarizers) stress free and your settings in tact. 7 semi-circular type aperture blades help to render smoother out of focus effects (or Bokeh) by creating a more circular aperture at any given f-stop.
| This lens is very compact for its range (even smaller than the popular Sony 18-250), and when it was originally designed by Minolta it was the very first "super zoom" with a 5x zoom range on the market, an impressive feat. Even today it offers a very compelling zoom range in both APS-C and Full Frame coverage considering its older (but updated) design. Despite what the features data on Sonystyle say, do note that this does lens does cover more than an APS-C sensor area (I have tested it on full frame coverage). The original design has not changed in this manner and will work on a full frame digital sensor and Maxxum film cameras. |  |
The lens comes with front and rear caps, and a better than average lens hood that feels very durable and snaps on a bit better than some of the other Sony lenses I have tested, even some of the more expensive ones.
Soon Alpha users will have a full frame camera available to them for purchase, so I wanted to find a more affordable lens to review in the lineup I felt would stand a good chance as a better than average kit lens optically, and would also be able to be fully compatible with the latest and greatest flash unit announced, the HVL-58AM.
So this lens fits that bill nicely, and still falls under the sometimes painful $500.00 dollar and above barrier. On a full frame sensor you get a true 24 mm wide angle (16mm APS), and a very decent 105mm telephoto. On APS-C this translates into a still very decent 36mm wide angle to an even more decent 157.5mm telephoto. With a max aperture of f3.5 @ 24mm and f4.5 @105mm, this lens will still qualify as a decent indoor lens giving you a full stop average gain from the typical max f5.6 found on most zooms (this includes the 18-70 kit lens).
So to me it is no wonder this lens was chosen by Sony to keep in the lens line-up as a carry over. On paper, it seems to offer a versatile overall package, either with APS or FF. So how does this lens perform and feel overall? Read on..
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FF ok, but how about that moving sensor?
You mentioned that the SonyStyle site doesn't say this lens is suitable for a full-frame sensor, but that you tried in on a FF camera and found the coverage adequate.
Is it possible that the coverage is JUST adequate and when attached to the upcoming FF Sony DSLR it will vignette when the sensor shifts via the Super Steady Shot.
I've heard the sensor in my KM 7D has up to a full centimeter of available shift, so I'm wondering if the moving sensor in a FF Sony will have as much or maybe more movement and thus require lenses with exceptional focal plane coverage.
Your thoughts?
I doubt it
FF coverage is ff coverage.
I'm sure Sony worked out the issue with SSS on FF, otherwise they would sink their own ship.
Thats another rumor from while back that really has no legs today. But it was a good observation/concern initially.
Carl
FF coverage
You're assuming that Sony has surely worked out the issues, but you're not willing to state that this lens is not suitable for a FF DSLR, even though Sony seems to be stating that by saying this lens is designed specifically for APS sensor cameras.
I'm not trying to second-guess your opinion, but you can't say this lens is suitable for the "flagship" when we can't test it on a similar-model camera body. It might be fine for a fixed focal plane film camera, but things change when that digital sensor starts moving around.
Maybe they found that this lens (which already is dark in the corners by your own tests) has a chance at slight vignetting if the sensor were to shift to its maximum limit on a pre-release A900, so they don't want people to buy it for that camera knowing the possibility exists.
This is a fairly inexpensive lens developed a long time before the sensor-shift technology was introduced, so it's not unreasonable to think that this particular lens model might not have the focal plane coverage of a newer, better lens, even if the newer lens wasn't designed for SSS. Better lenses just have better coverage in an effort to reduce the amount of corner darkening, even on a film body.
Good points however
If this were true, most of Sony's carry over FF lenses would then be obsolete as well, as many of them are very much an older design, and some even older than this model.
Plus the verbage on Sony's site for this lens is a bit ambigous, unspecific, and older.
"Smaller and lighter, it’s the only 5X zoom lens designed specifically for the APS-size CCD imager used in the Sony® ± (alpha) DSLR-A100 camera."
I think what they are refering too is the digital coatings on the lens elements at the time the A100 was introduced. This wasn't changed after the PR of the FF sensor.
Normally an APS specific lens will show vignetting in the ff viewfinders, tunnelling etc. I'll provide test shots with the FF digital sensor when we are able to do so.
Carl
Enjoyed the review, seems
Enjoyed the review, seems fair and balanced.
It is a FF lens, it was sold under the minolta badge for some time, so I fail to see how it won't cover FF digital.
With regards the corner darkening and fall off etc, you cannot use film as a benchmark for that on digital, very few FF film lenses show strong vignetting, even wide open. I know, because I have shot a few wide open! The only film camera that ever did was a compact one, and the lens is a lot closer to the emulsion than on an SLR.
I would wait for the A900 to be out, to see how these FF lenses perform, only way to do it IMO of course ;-)
Pretty good lens IMO, and worth checking out.
I will probably miss my window
with this lens and my review period, and not be able to get it on the FF Alpha Flagship. I will see if Sony will let me keep it long enough to test it on the new body or, if I can simply just get the lens back and do an addendum to the review later on.
Carl
Sony 24-105 f3.5-4.5 (Discontinued?)
I noticed that at www.dyxum.com the Sony 24-105 f3.5-4.5 lens is being discontinued. Is this so? Carl, can you check on this?
Regards,
Niko
Not the Sony model
In stock at Sony as far as I can tell.
I know the Minolta version is discontinued though.
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11033516
Yes, discontinued...
Yes, the 24-105 is discontinued...
http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/dslr/products/lens/index.html
In that Sony Japan site, about week ago it was marked as discontinued, but now they do not even list it. Totally gone!
Strange move. What will
Strange move. What will replace it?
No problem with sony doing an update, however all I heard was a SSM G type lens, which would likely mean a somewhat higher price. Have to say though, it never made sense to buy the sony version, an ebay Minolta one was a lot cheaper. Lenses in this range are important, as they are the affordable ones
FF Coverage
This less is supposed to be discontinued, but I was just able to purchase the last one in stock at the Sony Style retail store in New York City. It is in fact designed for a full frame sensor, as the Operating Instructions that came with the lens note that this lens equates to a 35-157.5 mm focal length on an APS-C size sensor.
I just got the lens today, so I haven't had the chance to fully test it, but I see no noticeable vignetting in my shorts so far.
For those who can find this lens, it's a great deal (I paid about $400 for it). Right now, I think the only options in this range are Zeiss and G-Series lenses, which are pretty expensive.
It is in fact designed for a
It is in fact designed for a full frame sensor, as the Operating Instructions that came with the lens note that this lens equates to a 35-157.5 mm focal length on an APS-C size sensor.
That means nothing as APS-C lenses use the 35mm equivalent zoom range. So the APS-C only Sony SAL1870 will have a 27-105mm equivalent focal length on an APS-C sized sensor.
But when lenses are designed
But when lenses are designed specifically for APS-C sizes sensors, aren't their problems with vignetting, distortion, etc when placed on a camera with a FF sensor?