The minute I heard that Sony was releasing a professional-grade 24-70mm lens, I was intrigued.

For oh so many reasons, this is the perfect lens for general photography, but the biggest reason is that it fills a gaping hole in my lens line-up.

Which is currently like this...

• Sony 10-18mm f/4 Zoom (with OSS).
• <<< Sony 24-70mm f/2.8. >>>
• Sony 70-200mm f/4 Zoom (with OSS).
• Sony 35mm f/2.8 Prime.
• Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro Prime (with OSS).

See? It's a perfect fit! And the lens sounds too good to be true...

• Stunning sharpness.
• Quick focusing system.
• Consistent f/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range.
• Sealed to resist dust and moisture.

Of course, it actually is too good to be true when you consider the following...

• It is huge. Rendering the whole purpose of owning a compact mirrorless camera moot.
• It is heavy. Seriously heavy at 2-lbs.
• There is no Optical SteadyShot (OSS) in-lens.
• It is unfathomably expensive at $2,200.

And yet...

This is the lens I need. Once it's on my camera, I can use it for 90% of my photography. For quick trips, it could very well be the only lens I take with me.

Of course, needing something and being about to afford it are two very different things. So I ended up selling some gear (including my amazing Sony A7s camera) to get it.

Totally worth it.

Yes, the size and weight are a bit of a bummer. But you can't have a feature-set like this without trade-offs. A few quick test-shots have confirmed that it is definitely fast and exceedingly sharp (bordering on what you get from a prime lens)...

I'm sure I'll have more to say when I've had a chance to really put it through its paces. But, for now? Amazing, amazing glass.