Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II

The Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II is a compact standard zoom for full frame Sony E-mount cameras. Sony announced it in December 2025 together with the Alpha 7 V and positions it as an all-around lens for everyday stills and video. It follows the original FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS, the kit zoom known from many Alpha bodies.

Optical design

The lens has 9 elements in 8 groups. According to Sony, one ED element and three aspherical elements suppress aberrations across the zoom range and avoid color bleeding. A 7 blade circular diaphragm is used for the out-of-focus areas. The maximum aperture is F3.5 at 28 mm and F5.6 at 70 mm, and the smallest aperture is listed as F22 to F36. Minimum focus distance is 30 cm at the wide end and 45 cm at the long end, with a maximum magnification of 0.19x.

Autofocus and handling

The main point of this update is speed and video support. Sony states that autofocus and exposure tracking keep up with the 120 fps continuous shooting of the Alpha 9 III, and that the lens can track and focus even while zooming. It supports the breathing compensation function of compatible camera bodies. Optical SteadyShot is built in, and the lens works with the body's Active Mode and with coordinated stabilization. Zooming is manual.

Build and size

At 293 g, 72.5 mm in diameter and 83 mm in length, the lens is practically identical in size to the first version, which Sony lists at 295 g and 72.5 x 83 mm. Sony points out that the length changes only minimally while zooming. The filter size is 55 mm, as before. Sony describes a dust and moisture resistant design, not guaranteed to be fully proof, and supplies a petal hood (ALC-SH132).

Where it fits

Compared with the first version, Sony's published figures for weight, size, filter thread and close focus distance (0.3 m at the wide end) are practically unchanged, so the update is about autofocus behavior and video support for newer bodies rather than a new size class. For a longer range, the FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS offers a constant F4 aperture at a much larger size, and the FE 20-70mm F4 G starts wider with a constant aperture. Those lenses are in a higher class, so the 28-70 II is the entry point of Sony's standard zoom range.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Small and light at 293 g
• Built-in optical stabilization
• AF tracking suited to 120 fps bodies, AF while zooming
• Close focus of 30 cm at the wide end, with 0.19x maximum magnification

Cons

• Variable aperture, F5.6 at 70 mm
• Starts at 28 mm, not wider
• 7 blade diaphragm, fewer blades than Sony's G Master lenses
• Size and weight are not smaller than on the first version

Verdict

The FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II is a sensible, light everyday zoom for Alpha shooters who value size and weight over speed. Compared with the first version it offers mainly updated autofocus behavior, so owners of the original have little reason to switch unless they use very fast bodies. Anyone who needs a bright aperture or a wider start should look at the F4 or F2.8 zooms.