Sony’s announcement of a new set of G-Lens Ultra Compact Primes includes the 24mm f/2.8 G. The wide angle lens delivers fast, precise and quiet AF in a compact and lightweight package. Ira Block, Caroline Jensen, Nate Luebbe, Phil Nguyen, Chris Orwig, Oveck Reyes and Autumn Schrock each tested the new set of lenses in a variety of scenarios. See some of their hands-on results from the 24mm f/2.8 G lens below and read their thoughts on its performance and how it applies to their work.
A group of photographers tested the new Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. See what they have to say about its performance and see their first images taken with the new lens.
“I was able to use the lens for about a week. I tried to shoot a variety of subjects...outdoor nature, baking sessions, landscapes, and aquarium images. This lens is such a great option for storytelling. The 24mm length is a lens that gets you close to the action and let’s you add environmental context to your main subject.” - Caroline Jensen
Photo by Caroline Jensen. Sony α7R IV. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/640-sec., f/2.8, ISO 125
“I use a 24mm for landscapes as well portraits where the scene is an important part of the narrative. With this 24mm f/2.8 G I actually shot mostly portraits. I fell in love with using this lens in a way to create location portraits that are filled with story. There’s something about this wider point of view that is perfect for capturing the scene from a distance and even up close without getting any unwanted distortion.” – Chris Orwig
Photo by Chris Orwig. Sony α7C. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/3200-sec., f/2.8, ISO 1250
“24mm is one of my favorite lengths. When photographing people I’m able to put them in the foreground and their environment in the background. It is also good for landscapes or cityscapes when you can use a foreground/background relationship with another object close to the lens in the composition. And of course if you are in a tight space, having that wide lens is a necessity.” – Ira Block
Photo by Ira Block. Sony α7C. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/400-sec., f/4.5, ISO 400
"For me, 24mm is perfect for those dramatic travel and adventure style photos. It’s the perfect blend of expansive and dramatic without being overly-exaggerated, and, especially for action photography, it’s great for drawing the eye toward the center of the frame." – Nate Luebbe
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Sony α1. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/4000-sec., f/3.2, ISO 100
"I find that 24mm is perfect for wider vistas and showcasing more of an environment. I used this 24mm f/2.8 G for landscapes and it’s a fantastic little lens! 24mm is a staple focal length and it performed very well! I can’t get over how lightweight and compact it is! It packs a punch quality-wise for how small and insignificant its size is." – Autumn Schrock
Photo by Autumn Schrock. Sony α7C. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/80-sec., f/18, ISO 100
"I love the 24mm focal length for various tasks – street photography, landscape and portraits. I thought the 24mm f/2.8 G lens was the perfect combination with the α7C. The size and weight of this lens definitely stand out as well as the overall performance." – Oveck Reyes
Photo by Oveck Reyes. Sony α7C. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/200-sec., f/2.8, ISO 125
"I like the 24mm focal length for wide shots without getting too much distortion. 24mm is usually as wide as I’ll ever need shooting landscapes or street. I loved this 24mm f/2.8 G. The size of the lens makes it a perfect travel companion – it barely weighs anything in my bag. It’s so compact and light and balances perfectly on a camera like my α7 III or α7C. The construction is also solid and feels great in the hand. I’m going to add this lens to my bag – it’s the perfect weight and size for a wide prime lens." – Phil Nguyen
Photo by Phil Nguyen. Sony α7C. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/800-sec., f/4.5, ISO 100
“When paired with the Sony α7C, This little 24mm G lens allows me to work in a nimble and quick way and achieve stunning results. There is something freeing about using such small, lightweight gear that helps to get the creative juices flowing. Considering how good the image quality from this 24mm G lens is, the size and weight is mind blowing. It’s a great walk around lens and great for professional shoots. In other words, it’s really versatile and I think that’s what I like most. I’m super excited about it. I love it! It’s definitely a lens that I will be using with my Sony α7C in the future. It’s a perfect match for a camera like that!” – Chris Orwig
Photo by Chris Orwig. Sony α7C. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/500-sec., f/10, ISO 100
“I was really surprised at the size, sharpness and ruggedness of the lens. I use G Master lenses primarily, and these are G level, so I was curious to see how much of a punch could be integrated into these tiny lenses. I was pleasantly surprised! This 24mm f/2.8 G is sharp across the frame with great color rendition.” - Caroline Jensen
Photo by Caroline Jensen. Sony α7R IV. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/640-sec., f/2.8, ISO 125
“When I am working with the α7C, this 24mm G will fit perfectly. Or if I am hiking and trying to keep my pack load light it will be ideal. And of course all three of these new G lenses will be terrific for creating people photos when I want to be a ‘fly on the wall.’” – Ira Block
Photo by Ira Block. Sony α7C. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/500-sec., f/8, ISO 125
"During the time I had the 24mm f/2.8 G lens, I literally shot everything I possibly could. We took it out to the Bonneville Salt Flats for a dramatic stormy evening, I took it skiing, and I took it on several hikes. I was absolutely blown away. Optically it had no issue at all resolving the 50MP sensor of my Alpha 1, and on my α7 III and my α7C it has incredible clarity and contrast. Several times I exported a photo without editing it because it just looked that good, even as a RAW." – Nate Luebbe
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Sony α1. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/250-sec., f/3.5, ISO 125
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Sony α1. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/250-sec., f/3.5, ISO 125
“The 24mm f/2.8 G’s diminutive size and solid construction is amazing! It’s a great choice for hiking or street photography. I wouldn’t worry about tucking this into my purse or backpack—it’s solid and super light! I’m particularly impressed by the 24mm f/2.8 G’s reliable sharpness. Without that, the tiny size is moot. It delivers on image quality in a tiny package. I’m definitely going to be adding the 24mm G lens to my bag. I’ve needed a 24mm for a while and the size and quality make it a no-brainer.” - Caroline Jensen
Photo by Caroline Jensen. Sony α7R IV. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/640-sec., f/2.8, ISO 400
“I was really surprised how small and light the 24mm f/2.8 G lens is. All these new G lenses are great for unobtrusive photos when photographing people, and they all work well with my α7C. I did most of my photos with all the lenses using the α7C. It seems like a perfect combination. It’s amazing that the lens has a function button. I typically put ‘eye autofocus’ on the lens button. I did not expect the lens to have so many options. I shot mostly at wide apertures and all three of these new G lenses are really sharp wide open. If the lens looks good at a wide aperture then you know it is a good piece of glass.” – Ira Block
Photo by Chris Orwig. Sony α7C. Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. 1/6400-sec., f/2.8, ISO 100
"How could I not be impressed by the 24mm G’s size?! The construction feels as solid as any lens I’ve ever used, but the lens is only 2-3 times bigger than the dang camera battery. My backpack looked comically empty when carrying these because I could fit all three of them into a single lens slot. I’m very excited to have such a capable lens in such a small package for my big backcountry objectives. There are times when weight really, really matters and this 24mm is the perfect solution." – Nate Luebbe