Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS Image quality

[liveware]

Hi all,

I shoot stills and video. I'd like to by the Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS Lens to go with an A7rII, but I can find no info regarding the image quality of this lens for still images. Can anyone offer advice on whether this lens can resolve to match the capabilities of the A7rII 42MP sensor?

[padam]

A few comparisons against the primes are here: link

 

There is a short review on luminous landscape as well (but no samples)

 

In short, no, it is not as sharp as the primes (especially at the edges, because most people will use there on S35 cameras like the FS7)

But at some focal lengths it holds up well when stepped down to f/8

[joema]

Hi all,

I shoot stills and video. I'd like to by the Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS Lens to go with an A7rII, but I can find no info regarding the image quality of this lens for still images. Can anyone offer advice on whether this lens can resolve to match the capabilities of the A7rII 42MP sensor?

 

I have shot a lot of video material and some stills with the 28-135 f/4 and A7RII, and also use my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS II via Metabones IV adapter on the same camera. Optically the 28-135 is not as good as the Canon but it is still very good. It has other video-centric features such as smooth power zoom, can switch in/out of manual focus without removing your hands from the focus ring, and clickless aperture. Another huge advantage for video is a variable ND filter can fit under the lens hood, and the Sony lens hood removes and reattaches faster and easier than the Canon. The 28-135 is significantly lighter than the Canon.

 

The "manual" focus is focus-by-wire, so there is some lag and you can't do a "pop zoom". However in most cases with video you don't need this. For event photography, you sometimes need to snap the zoom in/out and grab an emerging shot. You can't do that as quickly with focus-by-wire.

 

With Super 35 mode, this provides an equivalent to 200mm, so that enables one lens to span 28-200mm. In video this is a true gain at constant resolution; with stills you lose resolution due to cropping but it's sometimes useful.

 

Overall I am happy with the lens. My needs are primarily documentary video, and it transforms the A7RII to a usable large-sensor camcorder.

 

Here are video frame grabs from the 5D Mark III with 70-200 at f/4 vs the A7RII with 28-135 at f/4. I realize this is not a perfect comparison since one is 1080p and the other is 4K but it's all I have readily available of the same subject.

 

5D3, 70-200: https://joema.smugmug.com/Photography/A7RIIvs5D34kvs1080p/n-KPc3rZ/i-fnRHQtP/A

 

A7RII, 28-135: https://joema.smugmug.com/Photography/A7RIIvs5D34kvs1080p/n-KPc3rZ/i-RnZzpn4/A

[Reinhold_1]

To liveware: Do you know this site?

 

http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/Sony-FE-PZ-28-135mm-F4-OSS_lens772.html

[liveware]

Thanks to Padam, Joema, and Reinhold_1 for your helpful input, but I still have a question:

From a photographer's, rather than a videographer's, perspective, How does the still image quality (RAW or jpeg) compare with, say, the IQ from a zoom such as the SEL70200 G lens at equivalent focal length? In short, does the 28-135 zoom take a good photo? Perhaps it's a no-brainer and I should just assume that the IQ will be typical of Sony G lens quality.

[Reinhold_1]

To liveware:

 

If you buy a lens is at the very beginning, the question of what you want to do with it.

For video recording, the FE 28-135 G is definitely an excellent choice. I will never buy it myself because I do not take videos.

My opinion is, you are better served with the FE 70-200 G for stills only. Add another zoom, p.e. the FE 24-70 ZA and you are

well equipped. Add a second body and you will not have to change lens.


 

[joema]

For video recording, the FE 28-135 G is definitely an excellent choice. I will never buy it myself because I do not take videos.

My opinion is, you are better served with the FE 70-200 G for stills only. Add another zoom, p.e. the FE 24-70 ZA and you are

well equipped. Add a second body and you will not have to change lens.

 

I basically agree with this. For up to about 70/30 video/stills mix, the 28-135 is good. As you veer into a higher % of stills, there are better choices. It is unfortunate there's not a Sony equivalent to the Canon 24-105 f/4 or Nikon 24-120 f/4, which are good single-lens solutions for a range of applications. The 28-135 is not really a substitute for those in a predominantly stills application. There is a reason event photographers use the 24-70 and 70-200, whether Nikon, Canon or Sony.

[studiov1]

is an excellent lens for video and you can take very good stills  if you can effort the weight  also a very very good internal stabiliser. 

[studiov1]

I have shot a lot of video material and some stills with the 28-135 f/4 and A7RII, and also use my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS II via Metabones IV adapter on the same camera. Optically the 28-135 is not as good as the Canon but it is still very good. It has other video-centric features such as smooth power zoom, can switch in/out of manual focus without removing your hands from the focus ring, and clickless aperture. Another huge advantage for video is a variable ND filter can fit under the lens hood, and the Sony lens hood removes and reattaches faster and easier than the Canon. The 28-135 is significantly lighter than the Canon.

 

The "manual" focus is focus-by-wire, so there is some lag and you can't do a "pop zoom". However in most cases with video you don't need this. For event photography, you sometimes need to snap the zoom in/out and grab an emerging shot. You can't do that as quickly with focus-by-wire.

 

With Super 35 mode, this provides an equivalent to 200mm, so that enables one lens to span 28-200mm. In video this is a true gain at constant resolution; with stills you lose resolution due to cropping but it's sometimes useful.

 

Overall I am happy with the lens. My needs are primarily documentary video, and it transforms the A7RII to a usable large-sensor camcorder.

 

Here are video frame grabs from the 5D Mark III with 70-200 at f/4 vs the A7RII with 28-135 at f/4. I realize this is not a perfect comparison since one is 1080p and the other is 4K but it's all I have readily available of the same subject.

 

5D3, 70-200: https://joema.smugmug.com/Photography/A7RIIvs5D34kvs1080p/n-KPc3rZ/i-fnRHQtP/A

 

A7RII, 28-135: https://joema.smugmug.com/Photography/A7RIIvs5D34kvs1080p/n-KPc3rZ/i-RnZzpn4/A

 

can you tell me where can i find variable nd filter for my 28-135 ? 

thanks