Sony FE 24-240mm F/3.5-6.3 OSS SEL24240

This full-frame Sony E zoom covers 24–240mm. It suits travel and family photography when you want wide scenes and distant details without changing lenses. The range lets you reframe from a fixed position. Check how much of a subject fits from the space you have available.

Sony introduced the lens in 2015. The maximum aperture narrows as you zoom, so the long end admits less light at its widest setting. Optical stabilisation helps with camera shake, but a moving subject still needs enough shutter speed. Consider the likely light before a trip.

The lens weighs 1 lb 11.5 oz (780 g) and measures 4.67 in (118.5 mm) long and 3.17 in (80.5 mm) across. Account for that weight when packing equipment for a long walk. A screw-in filter attached directly must match the 72mm front thread. Keep the front capped during transport.

At 24mm, the lens gives a wide view on full frame for streets, interiors and landscapes. At 240mm, it makes distant subjects larger in the frame. Actual framing depends on subject size and distance. Zooming changes the view from one position; moving the camera also changes perspective.

The intermediate settings help with people and details within a larger scene. Turn the zoom ring by hand to choose the framing. A fixed position may be useful in a busy street or crowded venue. Check the frame edges as you zoom so distracting objects stay outside the picture.

The maximum aperture starts at f/3.5 and narrows to f/6.3 by 240mm. In bright daylight that costs little. At dawn, indoors or under forest shade, the long end will push you toward higher ISO settings.

Closest focus is 1.6 ft (50 cm) at 24mm, measured from the sensor. The limit is farther away at 240mm. Maximum magnification is 0.27x at the long end. These limits can help with food, flowers and other travel details, but the shortest focus distance does not apply throughout the zoom.

Optical SteadyShot reduces blur from camera shake. This is useful at the long end, where small movements show more clearly. With a still subject, it can help when using a slower shutter speed. It cannot freeze a moving person or animal, so choose exposure settings for the subject too.

The lens carries dust and moisture sealing. That suits travel through changeable weather, from coastal paths to dusty streets. There is no zoom lock, so you cannot fix the barrel at its shortest setting when carrying the camera between shots.

The design has five aspherical elements and one ED glass element. Aspherical surfaces help correct spherical aberration and distortion, which can curve straight building edges. ED glass helps reduce chromatic aberration, the coloured fringes that can appear along high-contrast edges such as branches against bright sky.

Focusing is internal, so the barrel keeps a constant length while you focus.