Sony E-Mount Holy Trinity: The Three G Master F2.8 Zooms and a Lighter G Alternative
Every full-frame system has a “holy trinity”: a wide zoom, a standard zoom and a telephoto zoom, all at f/2.8, covering roughly 16mm to 200mm with no gaps. On Sony E-mount the trinity is three G Master lenses, and all three are second-generation designs. That makes Sony’s set the lightest pro trinity you can buy for any full-frame mirrorless system.
It isn’t cheap. At launch prices the three lenses add up to about $7,400. Before you spend that, it’s worth knowing what each one does and where a smaller lens does the job.
The three lenses are the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II, the FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II and the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II. Together they weigh about 2.3 kilograms.
The wide end: FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II
Sony announced the second 16-35mm GM in August 2023 at $2,299.99. It weighs 547 grams, which Sony says makes it the smallest and lightest full-frame f/2.8 wide zoom. The original was about 680 grams. On a compact body like the A7C II, that difference is the line between a lens that feels balanced and one that tips the camera forward.
It takes 82mm filters, the same size as the 24-70mm. Landscape shooters can share one set of ND and polarizing filters between the two.
The middle: FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
This is the lens most working photographers keep on the camera. Released in 2022 at $2,299.99, it weighs 695 grams, about 190 grams less than the first version, and it’s sharper. Autofocus uses four linear motors and keeps up with the A1 II and A9 III at full speed. We covered it in detail in the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II review.
The long end: FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Announced in October 2021 at about $2,800, the 70-200mm GM II weighs about 1,045 grams without its tripod foot. At launch it was the lightest 70-200mm f/2.8 on the market, and it focuses fast enough for sport. It works with Sony’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, so it doubles as a 140-280mm f/4 or a 400mm f/5.6 in a pinch. Full details are in the 70-200mm GM II review.
Do you need all three?
Most people don’t. Wedding and event photographers use all three every week. A landscape shooter can skip the 70-200mm. A travel shooter usually wants something lighter.
Sony has a quiet answer for that last group. The FE 16-25mm F2.8 G weighs 409 grams and costs about $1,199. The FE 24-50mm F2.8 G weighs about 439 grams and costs about $1,099. Both take 67mm filters, and together they cover 16mm to 50mm at f/2.8 for about half the money and weight of the two G Masters. Add the FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II for the long end and you have a “compact trinity” that fits in a small bag. Our FE 16-25mm F2.8 G review looks at how the small pair holds up.
If you’d rather have one lens than three, the FE 20-70mm F4 G covers most of the trinity’s range in 488 grams.
Which bodies make sense
The G Master trinity is wasted on nothing in Sony’s line, but it shines on high-resolution and fast bodies: the A7R V for landscapes, the A1 II for sport and weddings, and the A7 V for hybrid work. Budget-minded Sony shooters should also read our guide to the third-party trinity from Sigma and Tamron, which costs a fraction of this one.