The Sony FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6 was recently announced alongside the Sony A7C as the world’s smallest and lightest full-frame zoom lens. It is the first Sony FE lens to feature a retracting design, meaning it extends only when you need to use it. The body of the lens is mostly made with polycarbonate (or plastic), which you would have expected from an entry level lens, but it is constructed to be dust and moisture resistant. The lens is only 45mm tall when it is fully retracted and only weighs in at 167 grams.
I only had very limited time with a review unit of the FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6, but in the time being, it fully surprised me in how good of a lens it is. The lens is currently only available as a kit lens paired with the Sony A7C (in Hong Kong), but I am extremely excited for it to be released by its own, here’s why.
While it is mostly being advertised as a budget everyday lens for all types of photographers and videographers due to its compactness, but do not let its size put up a mind trick on you, this lens is a performer. I am not a scientist nor do I work in a lab, I do not have any data to back this up, but from my previous experiences with some other lenses, I can assure you this lens is, at the very least, sharper than the SEL1635Z; SEL2470Z; SEL28F20. It is definitely not edge to edge sharp shooting wide open, but it is still fairly impressive. Bokeh is decent at most, but no real surprises here at f/4-5.6 with only 7 circular aperture blades. Autofocus was another thing that impressed me, a linear motor can be found inside the lens, it is fast, responsive, and quiet for both photos and videos. Manual focusing with the tiny focus ring is terrible, just stick with auto-focus.
I received quite a number of DMs when I posted Instagram stories of the lens being tested, mostly being judgemental about its usability and performance. The most requested questions I got were who the lens is for and is it worth it. I don’t think there should be a limit in how a lens can be used, the possibility is endless. As an example, even though I rarely use budget lenses for my professional work, but if I had to include the lens in my kit, it can easily be used to shoot any of my interviews. I do not need f/1.4 or f/2.8 when shooting interviews as I want my subject to be in fully focused, the lost in light shooting at f/4-5.6 can be easily accommodated with controlled lightings. There are surely a few compromises for a lens this compact, but I do think the pros out weighs the cons. The lens is only worth it if you understand how you can fully utilise it, and if you do, it is worth it without a doubt.
Special thanks to @ernestkht & @sonyhongkong (Instagram) for providing the Sony FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6 for review purposes.