Sony FE 12-24mm f4G review

Intro

Sony's FE 12-24mm f4.0 G is an ultra-wide-cut angle telephoto lens for its E mount mirrorless cameras, and corrected for use on full-frame bodies. It delivers wide to ultra-wide coverage that's ideal for dramatic municipality and spontaneous landscapes and has the distinctive advantage of zooming-bent on 12mm which gives an 8 degree wider perspective over lenses that 'only' start at 14mm. It as wel exploits the short detector to lens mount distance of mirrorless to reach a smaller and lighter build than rivals for DSLRs.

The FE 12-24mm f4.0 G was announced in 2017 and is currently listed at 1550 EUR / 1670 USD / 1400 GBP. In 2020 Sony also introduced the Iron 12-24mm f2.8 G at roughly double the price and Sigma also now has its personal 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN Art at a price slenderly below the Iron 12-24mm f4.0 G. So thither'Ra now enough choices in native E-mount to pick an ultra-ample angle telephoto lens from.

Facts from the catalog

Let's equivalence the Sony FE 12-24mm f4.0 G ("Sony f4.0 G" for short) to the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN Art ("Sigma DN") and Sony FE 12-24mm f2.8 GM ("Sony f2.8 GM"). As was common I've rated the features with a [+] (or [++]), when it's better than average or even state of the art, a [0] if it's standard OR rightful average, and [-] if there's a disfavor.

Size (diameter x duration): All three lenses cause a inbuilt lens hood and Don River't change their duration when zooming – although the front element of the lenses moves. The Sony f4.0 G is a pretty compact 87 x 117mm (3.4 x 4.6in.). At 86 x 132mm the Sigma DN is longer only the Sony f2.8 GM at 97 x 137mm is biggest lens of the three. [+]

Weight: At 563g (19.9 oz.) the Sony f4.0 G is much lighter than the Sigma DN at 797g OR the Sony f2.8 Gram at 847g. This is certainly collectable to it having a less bright f4.0 focal ratio. [+]

Optics: The Sony FE 12-24mm f4.0 G has 17 elements in 13 groups including 4 special dispersion elements and 4 aspherical elements. This is similar to the other lenses in this comparing. To reduce reflections causation flare, glare and ghosting the Sony f4.0 G employs Nano-finishing. [+]

Closest center distance is 0.28m (0.91ft.) at 24mm focal distance with a magnification of 1:7.0 which is similar to the Sony f2.8 Gram. This results in a temporary distance of only 15cm. The Sigma DN achieve 1:5.1 at 23cm concenter distance. A magnification of 1:10 is achieved at approximately 0.35m focus outdistance with all trio lenses. [0]

Trickle-thread: No of the lenses in this comparison offer a filter-thread – their bulbous front elements prevent that. So you need to get any non-standard mounting system of rules and a new curing of filters. The Sigma DN and Sony f2.8 G at least allow the habit of gel filters in a rearward dribble holder. Keep in mind though that gels cannot cost rotated which precludes the use of polarizers. [-]

Image stabilization: All three lenses in this comparison deliver no optical image stabilization. But the Sony A7 television camera bodies provide inbuilt sensor-shift stabilization. [0]

Auto focal point: Yes with intrinsic AF drive. Manual-focus override is past simply turning the dedicated focus ring at the front of the Lens. It has a gently variable gearing covering the concentre range in 90 degrees when turned fast and about 200 degrees when soured slowly. This may not be ideal for smooth focus pull in videos but IT is easier than on the Sigma DN with much more variable geartrain. All three lenses also have an extra button which can be assigned many different functions e.g. AF-lock u. [+]

Crystalline lens profile: All corner lense come with a lens visibility for vignette-, CA- and distortion-compensation which can glucinium controlled from the camera. [+]

Covers full physical body/FF or little. Same with the past lenses. [+]

Price: The Sony f4.0 G currently goes for 1550 EUR (incl. 19% VAT) / 1670 USD / 1400 GBP, the Sigma DN is 1450 EUR / 1399 USD / 1299 GBP, the Sony f2.8 GM is at 3300 EUR / 3000 USD / 2900 GBP. [0]

Aperture gang: None of the lenses in this comparison has an aperture ring. [0]

The lens comes with a padded sac but nary straps. [+]

Sealing: yes, a rubber grommet at the lens-climb asset further special weather-sealing throughout the construction, just like the other two lenses. [+]

The mark in the "features-section" is 1[-]/3[0]/8[+]. The Sony FE 12-24mm f4.0 G is comparatively small and light for an ultra-opened zoom lens and offers a echt feature sic. It may non accept the glaring f2.8 focal ratio but IT starts at 12mm focal duration giving a visibly wider field-of-view than other lenses starting at 14mm. Another drawback compared to the alternatives Hera is that it doesn't provide for the habituate of set up gel filters: the only way to use filters is to get some non-standard climb scheme for front filters.

Two ultra-wide zoom lenses

Above: Sony FE 12-24mm f4.0 G (left), Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN Artistic production (right)

Alternatives

If you wishing to cover the range of focal lengths from 14mm to 24mm on that point are really only two alternatives to the Sony FE 12-24mm f4.0 G available in the native E-hop on:

Sony introduced the FE 12-24mm f2.8 GM in 2020 with a nonpareil stop brighter focal ratio. Then again the lens is bigger and 50% heavier than the Sony f4.0 G and comes at twice the damage.

Sigma offers the 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN Artistic production from 2020 at a slightly take down price than the Sony f4.0 G. It might 'only when' take off at 14mm focal length giving an 8 degree narrower eyeshot on the short close than the Sonys simply IT still delivers enormous coverage. The Sigma DN is as wel one stop brighter than the Sony f4.0 G but for that it is longer and 40% heavier too.

Other alternatives brood unlike focal lengths like the extremity focus Laowa 10-18mm f4.5-5.6 which is currently the only full frame zoom Lens starting at 10mm focal distance with a recti-linear forcing out. Or you use older DLSR designs via mount adaptor.

Here is the angle of perspective that the Sony Fe 12-24mm f4.0 G covers with its 2x whizz compared to the 1.7x coverage of the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 Decigram DN Art:

Above: Sony 12-24mm f4.0 G coverage on Sony A7R II (FF) consistence at 12mm (left) and 24mm (right)

Higher up: Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN Art coverage connected Sony A7R Cardinal (FF) body at 14mm (left) and 24mm (right)

Focus and zoom

Focus accuracy and repeatability is critical to systematically produce sharp shots. Repeatability (the truth of revolve around the corresponding subject after repeated focus-acquisition) of the Sony Atomic number 26 12-24mm f4.0 G at 24mm focal length is bully (measured 98.7% in Reikan FoCal) with no outliers o'er a series of 40 shots. There is also zero nidus variation whether the lens focuses from a finisher distance or from infinity. At 24mm central distance the electron lens focuses in around 0.5 sec from infinity to 0.35m (1:10 exaggeration), which is quicker than the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN Graphics which took 0.7 s.

The rapid growth ring turns through 55 degrees and has a 22mm thick rubber surface with a angelic clench. It needs less force than the Sigma. The sharpen ring at the front is 15mm wide and moves smoothly.

AF-operation of the Sony f4.0 G is quiet from the outside surgery if you record video with the assembled-in mike. Same with the Sigma.

As you pull focus, you'll scarcely notice any concentrate ventilation: When I adjusted the focus from eternity to 0.35m on the Sony f4.0 G I measured less than 2% gain in magnification at 24mm focal distance and less than 1% at 12mm. This is related to the Sigma.

The Sony Atomic number 26 12-24mm f4.0 G telephoto lens is parfocal: When I focused the lens at 24mm and zoomed back to 12mm focus girdle on the same blot. Same with the Sigma.

Next check out my quality results!

Check prices on the Sony FE 12-24mm f4 G at Virago, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively arrest yourself a transcript of my In Camera book or goody me to a coffee! Thanks!

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