Last updated on 2026-04-21
A review and sample photos of the SONY CARL ZEISS VARIO TESSAR 24-70mm F4 OSS standard zoom lens used with the SONY α7 (ILCE-7).
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Table of contents
Gallery
The sample photos were taken using a Sony α7 (ILCE-7).
Review
1．Overview
The Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 24-70mm F4 OSS is a standard autofocus zoom lens with a constant F4 aperture and optical image stabilization. It was released by Sony in January 2014 for 35mm full-frame sensors.
It was designed for the world’s first 35mm full-frame sensor mirrorless cameras, the “α7” and “α7R,” released a month later. α mirrorless cameras lacked in-body image stabilization at the time, so the lens incorporates an “OSS (Optical Steady Shot)” mechanism.
The lens barrel features a zoom ring at the base and a focus ring at the front. A dedicated, petal-shaped, bayonet-mount lens hood (ALC-SH130) is included, and the filter diameter is 67 mm.
Further details are summarized in “Specifications, Considerations, etc.”
2．Usability
The Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 24-70mm F4 OSS is a Sony E-mount lens, meaning the aperture is adjusted on the camera. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.4 m across the entire focal length range. At the telephoto end of 70 mm, you can get close to your subject.
Changing the focal length alters the lens length; the wide-angle end is shortest, and the telephoto end is longest. The lens employs internal focusing, so the length remains constant at the focus position.
At the widest aperture of f/4, the lens delivers smooth, sharp images with good resolution. Photos of the cat and plum blossoms were taken at f/4 at 70 mm and 50 mm; the bokeh in the foreground and background is smooth and well rendered. At the wide-angle end of 24 mm, shot at F8, there is no noticeable vignetting or distortion, making it suitable for landscape photography.
When used with the E-mount mirrorless camera Sony α7 (ILCE-7), there were no complaints about autofocus speed or accuracy. Furthermore, even at close range, the autofocus can focus precisely and without hesitation if the subject is clearly defined.
First-generation Sony α series full-frame mirrorless cameras with a 35mm sensor have in-body image stabilization, so the lens’s OSS (Optical SteadyShot) is rarely used. However, slightly older APS-C size sensor mirrorless cameras lack in-body image stabilization, making this lens particularly useful.
3．Summary
In summary, the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 24-70mm f/4 OSS is a standard zoom lens designed for compact mirrorless cameras. Its lightweight design and ease of handling are achieved by limiting the maximum aperture to F4.
Although F4 is one stop darker than a constant F2.8 lens, F4 is often used stopped down during the day. Therefore, the F4 aperture is only a disadvantage in handheld night photography or in low-light conditions. Therefore, this issue is rarely a problem during shooting with mirrorless cameras that can commonly use high ISO sensitivities.
Specifications, considerations, etc.
Camera manufacturers generally consider a constant f/4 aperture to be the budget option and a constant f/2.8 aperture to be the expensive, high-end option when positioning standard zoom lenses. Sony’s E-mount standard lenses follow a similar pattern, but because Sony sells lenses under its own brand and the Carl Zeiss brand, it can attach the Carl Zeiss label to lenses that would typically be considered budget options.
The decrease in the number of interchangeable lenses bearing the Carl Zeiss brand from Sony in recent years is likely due to Carl Zeiss releasing its own E-mount lenses. However, Sony has expanded its zoom lens lineup, offering the following lenses as standard zooms: Starting at a wide-angle end of 20mm with a maximum aperture of f/2 and covering a range from high- to low-end, Sony offers a unique and comprehensive lineup.
- FE 24-50mm F2.8 G
- FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
- FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
- FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
- FE 28-60mm F4-5.6
- FE 28-70mm F2 GM
- FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II
- FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
- FE PZ 28-135mm F4 G OSS
| Items | CARL ZEISS VARIO TESSAR 24-70mm F4 OSS | FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II |
| Focal length(mm) | 24-70 | 24-70 |
| APS-C conversion | 36-105 | 36-105 |
| Maximum aperture | 4 | 2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | 22 | 22 |
| Aperture blades | 7 | 11 |
| Lens configuration | 12 elements in 10 groups | 20 elements in 15 groups |
| Minimum focusing distance (m) | 0.4 | 0.21(W)-0.3(T) |
| Lens length (mm) | 94.5 | 120 |
| Maximum lens diameter (mm) | 73 | 88 |
| Filter diameter (mm) | 67 | 82 |
| Weight (g) | 426 | 695 |
| hood | ALC-SH130 | ALC-SH168 |
| Model number | SEL2470Z | SEL2470GM2 |
| release date | 2014.1.25 | 2022.6.10 |
| Suggested retail price (yen/excluding tax) | 124,000 | 290,000 (SONY STORE) |
Reference links
- Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS・SONY Official page
- SIGMA 24-70 zoom・SIGMA Official page
- SONY Standard Zoom lens・SONY Official page
寄付のお願い・Request for donations
Affiliate links
- SONY LA-EA*・Ads by Amazon
- SONY LA-EA5・Ads by Amazon
- SONY α900(A900)・Ads by Amazon
- SONY α900(A900)・Ads by Rakuten
- FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II・Ads by Amazon
- CARL ZEISS VARIO TESSAR 24-70mm F4 OSS・Ads by Amazon
Update history
- 2026.1.3
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