[Lens Review] Sony 28-60mm f4-5.6 Full Frame

Table of Contents

• Build and Handling
• Performance
• Conclusion
• More Sample Photos

When I decided to bring my Sony full-frame camera along on an upcoming trip, I was faced with a huge question: What lens should I bring with me? I have always used the camera specifically for vintage lenses, and thus, I owned no Sony full-frame lenses hence I had no suitable travel lens for the occasion. My criterion is simple: I did not want an enormous lens hanging on my shoulder for a long period of hours during travel. After long contemplation, I settled on a new lens, the Sony 28-60mm f4-5.6.

I’ll be honest upfront the lens is not stellar. It’s okay for me. I wrote what I like and don’t about the lens briefly below and then we go down the details afterwards.

Pros:

• Compact-sized & lightweight
• Good image performance
• Inexpensive
• 28-60mm focal length is just right for travel

Cons:

• Awkward handling
• Terrible in low-light
• Sometimes autofocus is hit-and-miss

Build and Handling

There’s nothing much to write about the lens build. The Sony 28-60mm is designed with a small compact size in mind. It’s plastic and feels almost weightless (only 166g). It is small. That’s it. Honestly, being small is the best thing about this lens.

However, I’m not too fond of the filter thread’s size (40.5mm) since it’s so small it does not fit filters I already own.

Conversely, I have a lot to say about handling because I find the handling is rather clumsy. Because the designers wanted a tiny form factor, they opted for a collapsible front element. Not a strange thing given Nikon Z mount kit lens adopted a similar approach. However, you have to rotate the zoom ring to the 28mm mark until it’s in an extended state sticking out like a telephoto lens before it is usable. Otherwise, the autofocus is not turned on and you will get out-of-focus photos.

I understand the collapsible style is beneficial to keep the size small, but unfortunately, it also makes using the lens a hassle when you are pressed for time. I missed out on great moments several times because I forgot I still had the lens in its unresponsive collapsed state. It’s best to keep it extended if you’re aiming for continuous use.

Since there is no AF/MF switch on the lens, you have to use the camera to change to manual focus, though I don’t think you will be using manual focus with this lens anyway. The focus ring is not that precise.

Performance

Let me start with the good things first.

Sony 28-60mm is quite sharp. Not Sony G Master lenses level sharp but good enough for its price range. Vignetting in the corners is unavoidable but easily corrected.

Now on to the criticisms.

Firstly, this lens does a substandard job of controlling flares and ghosts against direct sunlight or bright light sources. Depending on the angle, a greenish flare might appear in your photos. It’s too bad no hood was included to help avoid the flares.

This lens is not for low-light situations. Given the small maximum aperture, it is almost useless for night photography unless you raise the ISO or slow down the shutter. And even if the lighting is bright enough, this lens has no special characteristics — the bokeh is rather bland.

Adding to this lens’ flaws is that it will occasionally miss the focus, especially for moving objects like animals. The best you can do is spray and pray and see if you nail the focus somewhere.

Conclusion

Final score: 6/10

Initially, I wanted to give 5/10 but I realized I might have been too harsh in criticizing Sony 28-60mm because I was judging the lens through my street photographer glasses. It’s not a lens for situations where getting ready fast makes the shot.

Instead, this lens is perfect for a travel companion. The reach of max 60mm focal length feels just right though if I may be greedy, a 105mm lens is the ideal long-end. If you ever have to lug around a camera the whole time, you know that the heavier it is the more you suffer at the end of the day. With this lens, your back will thank you. The caveat is that it’s practically useless at night without resorting to a slow shutter or long exposure, you probably want to have a separate low-light lens to offset that weakness.

For its price and size, it’s a decent lens, the one that will serve you well on your travel.

Sample Photos