Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G Review

The best part about the Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G is that you can take it anywhere without it weighing you down. The second best part is that it’s impressively well-made, with internal focusing, a metal lens mount, weather sealing, and pretty extensive controls.

Small lenses like this one almost always come with some image quality compromises, and the Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G is no exception. Although it does well in terms of chromatic aberration and flare, it has extreme distortion and fairly high levels of vignetting that will need to be corrected in post-production (a process not without consequences).

As for sharpness, it is no better or worse than a typical pancake/muffin lens. The center is strong throughout the aperture range, and the midframes (the APS-C corners) are decent, but the corners on full-frame are on the soft side. They’re not terrible but aren’t as crisp as I’m used to seeing in a $600 prime lens.

Here’s how I’d sum up the pros and cons.

Pros:

• Very small, light, and portable
• Excellent build quality with weather sealing, a metal lens mount, and no external moving parts
• Surprisingly good handling features for such a small lens, including a function button and a clickable/de-clickable aperture ring
• Minimal chromatic aberration
• Good flare and sunstar performance
• Strong central sharpness at all apertures

Cons:

• Very high distortion that requires extensive corrections
• High vignetting that doesn’t go away even at narrow apertures
• Relatively weak corner sharpness
• Higher price than most wide-angle muffin lenses (though this is likely due to the better build quality)

I think that the use case for this lens is extremely clear. Get it if you prioritize portability and build quality most of all. Travel photographers especially should give it very strong consideration.

Meanwhile, I would look into other options if your priorities are budget (where there are plenty of third-party options for less than $600) or maximizing image quality (where the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM is the clear pick, or the Sony 20mm f/1.8 G if you’re happy with a wider focal length).

Personally, as a landscape photographer, I would be willing to add this lens to my bag as my go-to wide-angle for long hikes. I certainly enjoyed using it for such hikes during my testing. However, I would not want it to be my only 24mm lens considering how important this focal length is to me. Either a top zoom like the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8, or a high-end prime like the Sony 24mm f/1.4, would definitely end up in my bag as well.

I hope that you found this review of the Sony 24mm f/2.8 G to be helpful in making your decision! If you want to purchase the lens, you can thank Photography Life for all the work that went into this review by using the links below:

• Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G at B&H – Current Price and Sales
• Used/international: Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G on eBay

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