Sony - FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Standard Zoom Lens (SEL24105G)

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I purchased the 24-70/2.8 GM lens first. Its heavy. Very Heavy. There is no balance with the body, and it strains my wrist to hold it. I purchased the Peak Design Clutch and that made a world of difference on the positive side. When getting ready for a family site-seeing trip, I found the camera with attached lens would not fit in my 5L camera bag. the barrel and length of the lens was too big. I put the camera and lens in a backpack, and off we went. By the end of the day, my back was sore and my arms tired. It is that heavy (or rather, it is that unbalanced as it strained my wrist). I only took a few portait shots of my family, and I noticed that I was usually at F4 or smaller. To get to 2.8, I had to manually over-ride the program setting. The photos are amazing, but the camera was so heavy that I dred using it the following day. I used my iPhone instead. This is when I learned that there is a reason why Sony offers a 24-70/2.8 GM, and a 24-105/4. Its all about the trade-off between portability and shallow depth of field. I purchased the 24-105/4 for the purpose of being a site-seeing lens. It is much lighter, and much shorter, and a smaller diameter ... it travels a lot easier by using a smaller camera bag. The weight is much more balanced, and easier on my wrist providing a lot more comfort for all-day shooting. The extra reach from the telephoto is also nice for site-seeing as many items in museums are beyond reach of a 70mm lens, but I still want that 24mm for family group shots. With this learning, here is what I am doing. The 24-70/2.8 is my portrait lens, and it will be used when i am shooting closer subjects in a darker setting of low duration. The 24-105/4 is my travel and site seeing lens. Both have a purpose. But now that I said all of this, consider the following - I also have a 85/1.4 GM that can easily replace the 24-70/2.8 for potraits, and I have the 18-35/2.8 GM lens that can replace the 24-70/2.8 GM for wide angle nature photography. In some respects, the 24-70/2.8GM lens is no longer needed and can be sold. If I was starting from scratch, I would not have purchased the 24-70/2.8 GM. One last comment - I do have the 70-200/4 lens, and love it for its lighter weight and better balance than the 70-200/2.8 GM. I realize that I loose an f-stop, but I doubt I would use a lens that is too hard on my wrist. In summary, the GM lenses are the considered the best lenses. They come at a higher price, higher weight, and longer length that reduce their portability and usability. Before thinking that only the best lens will do for you, think about ergonomics and the strength of your wrist. You might find that the best lens is the one that best serves your personal needs.

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Dont listen to anyone playing down this lens with the exception of price! Im a pro and have had 30 years of lens sampling. This lens is SHARY wide open all the way up. Some barrel distortion at 24mm but easily corrected. Good colors and fantastic bokeh with 9 blades. IS works fantastic on the new A7R3 and the focus is very fast. Weight is a non issue and the size is very manageable considering the zoom range. Great for portraits as well. Heres a SOOC .jpeg

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Just flat out excellent across the board. Better than the shorter range 24-70/2.8, and almost half the price. I dont understand this insane lurching towards faster and faster, heavier and much more expensive glass when most of us who used to shoot Kodachrome 25 or 64 now start out the door at ISO 800-1,600 and dont think twice about it because the digital dystems are so clean and sharp. Small sharp, less expensive zooms are terrific by me. I dont need to be the my-lens-is-bigger-than-your-lens guy.

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Very sharp photos throughout the range, a great lens to have on the camera for a variety of situations, be it portrait, landscape, or whatever. Excellent for street photography where a fast lens isnt necessary. This lens has a nice quality feel to it. Paired with the A7iii and image stabilization, it enables some longer than normal shutter speeds while still handheld, as seen in the night time picture attached.

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Wow, this lens really delivers. Versatile zoom range, fast autofocus, great depth of field at F4, sharp enough for nearly every kind of photography. Im not a pixel counter nor a technician. But Ive shot enough photos in my life to know that this lens is outstanding.

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So, I swapped my SEL2470Z to this 25105G, mainly for better reach. I expected to have slight loss of absolute image quality, but I was completely proven wrong about that. This lens is as good if not even better than the Zeiss, likely due to the OSS. Now, I use it on my A7Riii body which also has nobody stabilization. Even in low light the shots turn out beautiful. Color rendering as well on this lens is magnificent. If I miss anything, it would be the size of the zeiss... but I do not miss that lens at all as this Sony G lens has completely blown it off the water. Frankly spoken, I am amazed this lens “only” costs the 1300 bucks to that matter.

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Good pictures with the Sony A7R III. Its not very heavy. I used to use a Canon 24-105mm before, the filter size is the same so I didnt need to buy new filters when I switched to Sony. I like it as a good walkabout lens.

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This is quite a step up from the 24-70 f4. It is sharp throughout the entire focal range and focus is fast. The weight of this lens is at the upper limit of what I want to carry all day and much better feeling in hand than the 24-70 f2.8 which feels unpleasantly heavy on a A9. It is easy to understand why this lens has been in short supply for so long.

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I purchased this as an all-purpose everyday lens and as a travel lens for my a7riii. Its an excellent lens, tack sharp and well constructed, Focus is quick and accurate and the inclusion of the focus-hold button is great. I really like the reach over the 24-70mm and the minimal barrel distortion is easily corrected in post. I do not find weight to be an issue, but that has never been a major factor in my lens choices, so others may feel differently. I also do not shoot video, so cannot comment on using this lens in that way. Overall, I have been very happy with the performance of this lens and would definitely recommend it!

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i bought this to eliminate my 28-70 kit, and compliment my 85mm 1.8. Once I put it on and took a photo, this lenses may not come off my camera. Colors are on point, fast focus, and sharp images. Here are a few samples. I would have used my 85mm 1.8 for some of these, but didnt need it. If I wanted a shallow depth I stayed between 85mm-105mm at F4. Feels good in the hand, natural to shoot with. I have attached a few of my samples.

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