Photography Life

PL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levels

  • Lens Reviews
  • Camera Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • Compare Cameras
  • Forum
    • Sign Up
    • Login
  • About
  • Search
Home → Reviews → Cameras and Lenses

Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G Review

An ultra-light, ultra-portable prime lens with excellent build quality - though it has many of the typical image quality compromises of "muffin" lenses

By Spencer Cox 3 Comments
Last Updated On January 24, 2024

«»

The Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G is one of the smallest full-frame lenses available for Sony mirrorless cameras, weighing just 162 grams (0.36 pounds) and measuring a mere 4.5 cm (1.8 inches) long. Is this small form factor paired with good performance, or did Sony cut some corners to get the weight this low? In today’s review, I’ll answer all your questions about the Sony 24mm f/2.8 G!

Sony 24mm f2.8 Product Photo
The Sony 24mm f/2.8 G

I’m a bigger fan of pancake/muffin lenses in theory than I have been in practice. It seems that all of the ultra-portable lenses that I’ve reviewed so far have some significant image quality compromises, from the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 to the Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8. While some have been better than others, none of them have wowed me yet, so I didn’t know what to expect when I first got my hands on the Sony 24mm f/2.8 G.

Right out of the gate, something that hurts the Sony 24mm f/2.8’s situation is that it costs $600 new. This makes it one of the more expensive muffin lenses on the market, excluding Zeiss’s specialty glass. For example, Canon’s RF 28mm f/2.8 costs $300 by comparison, Nikon’s 28mm f/2.8 costs $300, and even Nikon’s 26mm f/2.8 (which I consider too expensive) costs $500.

The $600 price is still cheaper than something like Sony’s 24mm f/1.4 GM – a $1400, pro-level optic – if you want a 24mm prime, but I think something in the $400 range would have been more justifiable considering how other companies have priced their similar lenses.

Sony-24mm-f2.8-G-Review-Photo-00004
Sony a7R V + FE 24mm F2.8 G @ 24mm, ISO 100, 0.8 seconds, f/16.0

Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G Specifications

  • Mount Type: Sony E Mount
  • Focal Length: 24mm prime
  • Angle of View (Full Frame): 84°
  • Maximum Aperture: f/2.8
  • Minimum Aperture: f/22
  • Aperture Blades: 7, rounded
  • Filter Size: 49mm
  • Lens Elements: 8
  • Lens Groups: 7
  • Special Elements: 3 aspherical, 1 ED glass
  • Anti-Reflection Coatings: Nano AR II
  • Fluorine Coated Front Element: Yes
  • Image Stabilization: No
  • Internal Focusing: Yes
  • Control Rings: Focus ring
  • Function Button: Yes
  • Internal Focusing: Yes
  • Focus Motor: Dual linear motors
  • Minimum Focus Distance: 18 cm (7.2 inches)
  • Maximum Magnification: 0.13× (1:7.7)
  • Mount Material: Metal
  • Weather/Dust Sealing: Yes
  • Dimensions (Length × Diameter): 45 × 68 mm (1.8 × 2.7 inches)
  • Weight: 162 g (0.36 pounds)
  • MSRP: $600 (check current price)

Even though the Sony 24mm f/2.8 is a compact lens and not part of Sony’s GM series, don’t start to think that it’s a low-end optic. The specs above tell the story of a surprisingly advanced lens, with three aspherical elements, a fluorine-coated front element, relatively advanced controls, and a metal lens mount. All of this is fitting for the fairly high price (for a compact lens) of $600.

Sony-24mm-f2.8-G-Review-Photo-00015
Sony a7R IIIA + FE 24mm F2.8 G @ 24mm, ISO 100, 1/80, f/8.0

Build Quality

I was pleasantly surprised by the build quality of the Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. It has a metal mount, weather sealing, and a fully internal-focusing design. The lens ships with a lens hood, too. Maybe all of that sounds basic to you, but the Sony 24mm f/2.8 G is actually the only wide-angle muffin lens from Nikon, Canon, or Sony where all of those things are true.

The lens has a plastic exterior and no moving parts, and I used it in bad weather with no concerns whatsoever. From rainstorms to dust, sand, snow, and sub-zero temperatures, the Sony 24mm f/2.8 G performed perfectly. It even has a fluorine-coated front element to help repel dust and water.

Sony 24mm f2.8 Front Element and Lens Hood

Considering that one of the main selling points of ultra-portable lenses is that you can bring them anywhere, I believe that weather sealing, fluorine coating, and internal focusing are more important on such lenses, not less – making some of Canon and Nikon’s decisions to neglect these features all the more puzzling.

Now let’s cover the handling features of the Sony 24mm f/2.8 G.

Handling

The Sony 24mm f/2.8 G handles better than expected for such a slim prime lens. Not only is there an AF-MF switch, but there’s also a custom function button, a manual aperture ring, and a click/de-click switch for the aperture ring. Of course, there’s also a manual focus ring as well.

Sony 24mm f2.8 AF-MF Switch and Function Button
AF-MF switch and function button
Sony 24mm f2.8 Aperture Ring and Click Switch
Aperture ring and click on/off switch

Compare that to lenses like the Nikon Z 26mm or 28mm f/2.8, which have no controls on the lens apart from the manual focus ring. Even Canon’s 28mm f/2.8 only has one switch (to control the function of the focusing ring). In that sense, the Sony 24mm f/2.8 is well ahead of the competition.

Note that the Sony 24mm f/2.8 G does not have image stabilization built into the lens, so you’ll need to rely on the in-body image stabilization (IBIS) system of the camera itself. This is not going to be an issue for most Sony full-frame users, but it does harm the versatility of the FE 24mm f/2.8 G if you’re using an older/APS-C camera that doesn’t have IBIS.

Sony 24mm f2.8 G Lens Review Sample Landscape Photo
Sony a7R V + FE 24mm F2.8 G @ 24mm, ISO 100, 1/100, f/11.0

The next page of this review covers the optical characteristics of the Sony 24mm f/2.8, including focusing performance and sharpness tests in the lab. So, click the menu below to go to “Optical Features”:

Table of Contents

  • Overview and Build Quality
  • Optical Features
  • Sharpness Comparisons
  • Verdict
  • Reader Comments
«»
Looking for even more exclusive content?

On Photography Life, you already get world-class articles with no advertising every day for free. As a Member, you'll get even more:

Silver ($5/mo)
  • Exclusive articles
  • Monthly Q&A chat
  • Early lens test results
  • "Creative Landscape Photography" eBook
Gold ($12/mo)
  • All that, PLUS:
  • Online workshops
  • Monthly photo critiques
  • Vote on our next lens reviews
 
Click Here to Join Today
 

Related Articles

  • Sony-55mm-f1.8-Lens
    Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens Review
  • Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM
    Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Announcement
  • Sony FE 20mm f1.8 G Product Photo
    Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G Review
  • Sony-16-35mm-f2.8-GM-Product-Photo
    Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Review
  • Sony Lens Abbreviations
    Sony Lens Abbreviations
  • Sony-24mm-f1.4-GM
    Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM Review
Disclosures, Terms and Conditions and Support Options
Filed Under: Cameras and Lenses Tagged With: Lens Reviews, Sony, Sony Lens, Sony Mirrorless, Sony Reviews

About Spencer Cox

I'm Spencer Cox, a landscape photographer based in Colorado. I started writing for Photography Life a decade ago, and now I run the website in collaboration with Nasim. I've used nearly every digital camera system under the sun, but for my personal work, I love the slow-paced nature of large format film. You can see more at my personal website and my not-exactly-active Instagram page.

Learn

  • Beginner Photography
  • Landscape Photography
  • Wildlife Photography
  • Portraiture
  • Post-Processing
  • Advanced Tutorials
Photography Life on Patreon

Reviews

  • Camera Reviews
  • Lens Reviews
  • Other Gear Reviews
  • Best Cameras and Lenses

Photography Tutorials

Photography Basics
Landscape Photography
Wildlife Photography
Macro Photography
Composition & Creativity
Black & White Photography
Night Sky Photography
Portrait Photography
Street Photography
Photography Videos

Unique Gift Ideas

Best Gifts for Photographers

Subscribe via Email

If you like our content, you can subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly email updates using the link below:

Subscribe to our newsletter

Site Menu

  • About Us
  • Beginner Photography
  • Lens Database
  • Lens Index
  • Photo Spots
  • Search
  • Forum

Reviews

  • Reviews Archive
  • Camera Reviews
  • Lens Reviews
  • Other Gear Reviews

More

  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Workshops
  • Support Us
  • Submit Content

Copyright © 2025 · Photography Life

You are going to send email to

Move Comment