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Sony FE 12-24mm F/4 G Ultra-Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Review

The Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G zoom lens has an ultra-wide perspective that adds a lot of drama and packs a lot of scene into the frame, but it manages to do it without the distracting parts that you often get at such extreme focal lengths.

Sony FE 12-24mm G f/4 Zoom Lens

Categories: Lenses, Reviews
Tags: Sony, Sony 12-24mm Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
Last updated about 3 months ago // Originally published about 1 year ago

I make no secret that I like wide-angle lenses. Recently I’ve been out shooting with the Sony FE 12-24mm F/4 G on the new Sony a7R IV body. It has an ultra-wide perspective that adds a lot of drama and packs a lot of scene into the frame, but it manages to do it without the distracting parts that you often get at such extreme focal lengths.

Sony FE 12-24mm G f/4 Zoom Lens

Mounted on a Sony a7R IV body.

The 12-24mm is an unusually wide lens. The 12mm end is comfortably down into full-frame fisheye territory. But where a fisheye will give you that distinctive and dramatic distorted look, Sony have drawn on some pretty impressive optical techniques to make this lens remarkably free of the usual types of flaws you’d expect of something this wide. Lines stay straight, not bowed and distorted. The lens is sharp at the edges and corners. And there’s very little in the way of chromatic aberration (purple fringing). On top of that, it’s a relatively compact lens, has a consistent maximum aperture of ƒ/4 throughout the zoom range, and is ruggedized against moisture and dust.

Sony FE 12-24mm G f/4 Zoom Lens

The narrower ring furthest from the camera body is the manual focus ring. The larger ring next to it controls the zoom. There’s no aperture ring–that’s handled electronically with the camera’s controls.

The maximum aperture of ƒ/4 isn’t notably fast, but on stellar low-light bodies like Sony’s full-frame Alpha series, that’s much less of an issue than it might be otherwise. It has a minimum aperture of ƒ/22. The 17 elements are arranged in 13 groups. The 7 rounded diaphragm blades keep the bokeh nice and round. You can use the switch on the side to move between autofocus and manual focus.

I’ve found the focus to be quick and smooth and very quiet. It’s an internal focus and zoom element, so the lens barrel doesn’t move. You do have to be a bit careful about scratching the front element, since it does bulge out, but the built-in lens hood provides some protection even though it’s not very big.

Sony FE 12-24mm G f/4 Zoom Lens

Sony FE 12-24mm G f/4 Zoom Lens

The aufofocus/manual focus switch. The round button above it is a focus lock button.

Sample Images Taken with the Sony FE 12-24mm F/4 G Lens on a Sony a7R IV Camera

Here’s a small selection of sample images I’ve shot with this lens. I’ve posted a much larger collection separately.

Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Sample Image

Photo taken with a Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G wide-angle zoom Lens on a Sony a7R IV zoomed to 12 mm and with an aperture of ƒ / 5.6. Despite the dramatic angles created by the ultra-wide-angle perspective, the lines of the columns are still very straight.

Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Sample Image

Photo taken with a Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G wide-angle zoom Lens on a Sony a7R IV zoomed to 12 mm and with an aperture of ƒ / 4.0. This is a scene I often test cameras and lenses with. It’s a good test of multiple things: sharpness, low-light performance, distortion, and chromatic aberration.

Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Sample Image

Photo taken with a Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G wide-angle zoom Lens on a Sony a7R IV zoomed to 12 mm and with an aperture of ƒ / 7.1.

Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Sample Image

Photo taken with a Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G wide-angle zoom Lens on a Sony a7R IV zoomed to 12 mm and with an aperture of ƒ / 4.0. Lots of detailed in this shot, including at the corners, making it a good test of sharpness throughout the frame.

Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Sample Image

Photo taken with a Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G wide-angle zoom Lens on a Sony a7R IV zoomed to 12 mm and with an aperture of ƒ / 8.0.

Zoom Range of the Sony FE 12-24mm F/4 G Lens

Here are some practical examples of the zoom range, from 12mm to 24mm.


[caption id="attachment_31042" align="aligncenter" width="678"]Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Zoom Range Example Zoomed to 12mm.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_31043" align="aligncenter" width="678"]Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Zoom Range Example Zoomed to 24mm.[/caption]


[caption id="attachment_31045" align="aligncenter" width="678"]Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Zoom Range Example Zoomed to 12mm.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_31044" align="aligncenter" width="678"]Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Zoom Range Example Zoomed to 24mm.[/caption]


[caption id="attachment_31004" align="aligncenter" width="678"]Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Sample Image Photo taken with a Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G wide-angle zoom Lens on a Sony a7R IV zoomed to 12 mm and with an aperture of ƒ / 7.1.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_31005" align="aligncenter" width="678"]Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Sample Image Photo taken with a Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G wide-angle zoom Lens on a Sony a7R IV zoomed to 24 mm and with an aperture of ƒ / 7.1.[/caption]

Things Worth Knowing

  • You can’t add screw-on filters to this lens. The lens shade is fixed in place, and the front element bulges out. So there’s not much need to look for the lens diameter (that’s why it’s not marked). If you do want to add filters, you’ll need to go in the direction of a filter holder, and you can find some dedicated holders for this lens.
  • There’s no in-lens stabilization. But this isn’t much of a problem if you use it on Sony’s Alpha cameras, which have their own built-in sensor stabilization.
  • It comes with a dedicated lens cap. Try not to lose it–I’ve not managed to find a direct replacement for it. If you do lose it, one of the stretchy silicon lens caps would be a good place to start. The rear lens cap is easier. It’s the standard Sony ALC-R1 EM rear lens cap used on E-mount lenses.
  • It weighs 1.2 pounds (565 grams) and measures 3.43 across and 4.62 inches long ( 87 x 117.4 mm).
  • It doesn’t have stabilization built into the lens, but several Sony bodies have stabilization built into the sensor mechanism inside the camera.

Wrap Up

This is a very impressive lens. Its ultra-wide perspective adds a lot of drama and packs a lot of scene into the frame, but it manages to do it without the distracting parts that you often get at such extreme focal lengths.

Sony FE 12-24mm G f/4 Zoom Lens

Where to Buy the Sony FE 12-24mm F/4 G Lens

Sony has set the MSRP at $1775.

You can find the Sony FE 12-24mm G lens at B&H Photo and Amazon.

B&H also has a version that includes an accessory kit that makes for good value—you can find it here.

Sony - FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (SEL1224G),Black
Sony - FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (SEL1224G),Black
  • G Lens design for corner-to-corner high resolution
  • Maximum magnification ratio (x) :0.14.Premium Optics; 4 aspherical, 1 Super ED, 3 ED glass elements
Check Price at Amazon

Images and product information from Amazon PA-API were last updated on 2021-04-17 at 22:19. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on January 18, 2021

Categories: Lenses, Reviews
Tags: Sony, Sony 12-24mm Wide-Angle Zoom Lens

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New Firmware for the Ricoh GR III. Ricoh has release firmware v1.31 for the GR III. Release notes are: “Corrected — When shooting with the multiple exposure, in rare cases the live view may not display correctly. Improved stability for general performance.” You can download it here.

New Canon 1D X Mark III Pro DSLR Announced. Canon has announced their new flagship model of pro DSLR, the 1D X Mark III. They’re sticking with a 20.1MP CMOS sensor, but it’s a new and improved version and boasts an incredible native ISO range of ISO 100 to ISO 102400 and an extended range that goes up to a jaw-dropping ISO 819200. With revamped autofocus, a new image processor, and all sorts of other bells and whistles, it’s no wonder that Canon is billing it as “The Ultimate EOS.”

New Manfrotto Pro Rugged Memory Cards. Manfrotto, an Italian probably best known for their tripods and studio accessories, has launched a new Pro Rugged range of high-end SD, microSD, and CompactFlash cards. While they don’t have a huge selection of sizes and speeds, the cards are aiming for very fast cards that can put up with rugged demands. For instance, they claim that their V90 rated SD cards can withstand three times the force (20kg / 45 lbs) of a regular SD card. I’ve ordered some to run through my speed tests.

New Sony Alpha a7 firmware released. A firmware update for the Sony a7R IV now lets you control external Sony flashes from the camera’s own menu system. Up to 15 flashes in five groups can be controlled via the camera. It also applies to the a7R III and a7 III.

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