Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM Review

As good as the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM is, how does it stand compared to some of the alternatives? Let’s take a look.

Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM vs Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G

As I said at the start of this review, I used the Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G for so many years back when I shot with DSLRs, and we’ve even tested it in our lab at Photography Life. So, I wanted to see how the Sony performed against it. I wasn’t expecting this to be a fair comparison, though, since the Nikon lens is an older design that has been around since 2010. Below, the Sony 24mm f/1.4 is shown first, and the Nikon is shown second:

Yeah, that looks about right – the Sony is way ahead here. The Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G was one of the sharpest wide angles available when it was released, but lens design has come a surprisingly long way in the last decade or so. Not to mention that Sony had more flexibility designing a mirrorless lens with a short flange distance compared to designing a 24mm f/1.4 for a DSLR.

Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM vs Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art

While we have yet to test the newer “DN” version of the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art in our lab, we did test the original Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art a few years ago and found it to be a good, but not perfect, performer. The Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM definitely outclasses it, as you can see below:

Regardless of aperture and where you look in the frame, the Sony lens is clearly ahead of the older Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art. I should mention again that Sigma has since released a second version of the 24mm f/1.4 Art specific to mirrorless cameras, and I look forward to testing it later. At $800, and with better image quality than the older version shown above, the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DN Art could make a compelling alternative for photographers on a budget.

Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM vs Sony 20mm f/1.8 G

Another popular wide angle, wide aperture prime lens for Sony E is the Sony 20mm f/1.8 G. This is an extremely sharp lens and high performer in its own right – take a look at my review of the Sony 20mm f/1.8 G, and you’ll see that it’s a stunning performer. Between these two lenses, which one is sharper?

Interestingly, the cheaper Sony 20mm f/1.8 G is actually sharper than the 24mm f/1.4 GM! The only place where the 24mm f/1.4 has a clear sharpness advantage is corner performance at f/2. Otherwise, the two lenses are either tied, or the FE 20mm f/1.8 G is ahead.

That said, both lenses are exceptionally sharp, and I wouldn’t base my purchase decision between them on sharpness. Instead, it’s a question of focal length and maximum aperture. The f/1.4 maximum aperture is a meaningful advantage of 2/3 stop compared to f/1.8, while some photographers will prefer 20mm and others the 24mm perspective. For my own photography, I personally would prefer the 24mm f/1.4 GM.

Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM vs Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM

Finally, for context, let’s see how the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM compares to a high-end zoom lens like the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM in sharpness.

While the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM is sharp for a zoom, it really doesn’t compare to a high-end prime lens like the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM. If you want corner-to-corner sharpness at 24mm, the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM is the top dog.

The next page of this review summarizes my recommendations and offers the pros and cons of the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM. Click the menu below to go to Verdict.