Best Sony Standard Zoom lens? FE 24-50 f2.8 G vs FE 20-70 f4 G vs FE 24-70 f2.8 GMII

[@TheRealRichardWong]

What is the favourite everyday lens for your Sony?

[@fromia1]

It's the FE 20-70mm f4 for me.

[@DannyYoung-q8j]

A little different Rich, Sony 200-600 is my walk around lens mate.

[@ernesttiki283]

this new 24-50G looks good to me.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

@dannyyoung5072 wow! 200-600 for walk around! You must have strong arm and back Danny!

[@tonyhafaka3524]

FE 50 1.4

[@kevinramsey2967]

Thank you for giving the time and taking the trouble to unravel the differences and outline the pros and cons between these offerings from Sony. We are indeed spoilt for choice. Unless shooting portraits or single subjects on the move, I rarely shoot wider than F4. The 20-70mm is a perfect walkaround for me.

[@RandumbTech]

Wow - what a fantastic, complete review! This new 24-50 pairs soooo well with the new A7Cx bodies. And for those of us that hate switching lenses, it's the perfect solution to the 24/35/50 conundrum. I'll be picking up my copy later this week!

[@alexeipg]

The field of view comparison b/w the 20-70mm and this lens is so helpful! Wish more reviews would do this.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thanks glad you found that useful

[@Bayonet1809]

Having other lenses included for comparison in this review (as in your Laowa 10mm review) adds really helpful context to your reviews. The fact all three lenses are tested under the same rigorous conditions significantly improves my confidence in your findings. Personally I value the greater zoom ratio of the 20-70/4. If large apertures are required then primes are a better fit for that.

[@ernesttiki283]

yes agree. This kind of review and comparisons make it the most useful 24-50G review on youtube so far.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

@Bayonet1809 thank you so much! The biggest downside doing comparison reviews is that for every lens I add to the comparison, that will pretty much double the amount of time/work required. But really glad to hear you found it useful :)

[@Bayonet1809]

@@TheRealRichardWongI do understand that it is a lot more work for you, but I just wanted to say that I very much appreciate that extra effort.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thank you very much @@Bayonet1809 ! Really appreciate your support and commenting regularly on my videos. :)

[@AB_223]

What a video! Exactly what I was looking for. I own the 20-70 but boy is this lens tempting as a compact evening zoom. Thanks so much for the comparisons Richard!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

AB, glad it was helpful! Thanks for your support and commenting! :)

[@KwasnikPictures]

Awesome in depth video Richard!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thanks Piotr 👍

[@DigiDriftZone]

I was looking at the zooms for a long time and ended up with a Viltrox 16mm f1.8, Viltrox 20mm f/2.8 (this lives on my camera), Sony 35mm f/1.8 and Sony 50mm f/1.8. That f1.8 has so many use cases, it really stands out and each lens is smaller and lighter (except maybe the 16mm). A couple of lenses fit in my 3L sling so it’s no issue swapping and the quality improvement is vast vs f2.8, especially in low light.

[@tonyhafaka3524]

Very fair and unbiased review, finally a review of the 2450G I can trust. Looking forward to see more Sony reviews from you! btw the little Insta360 camera is not bad, a bit noisy but still watchable.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thank you Tony! Yes I will see if I can do more Sony reviews. I have a lot of similar requests from my viewers. Now I've finally upgraded my Sony body so I would love to do more! i'm quite happy with the videos from the little Go3. The picture quality is far from perfect, but its compact size really allows me to capture video footage I previously wasn't able to with any of my other bigger camera.

[@kennethsmith3103]

I'm interested in this lens. It's a great review! Really objective and balanced. Must be a lot of work thank you!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thanks for watching! Yes a lot of work but worth it if you guys found it useful

[@paullafleur6112]

Good review. Would it be fair to say that the 24-50 is actually two lenses in one on the A7CR? That is, a FF 24-50 F2.8 and also a 50-75 with APSC crop? Thereby making it arguably a 24-75?

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Yeah on a high resolution camera like a7cr , you can crop a lot and still get a lot of resolution left

[@mrmonday42]

You can say that about any sharp lens on an R body.

[@amandeepanand9972]

Then the 24-70 becomes a 24-105. So that benefit applies to all lenses. Doesn’t help me make a decision.

[@paullafleur6112]

@@amandeepanand9972 For travel photography maybe the 20-70 f4 is the best compromise to achieve range with compact size... I'm still undecided too

[@mrmonday42]

@@paullafleur6112 The 20-70mm f4 for versatility paired with the 35mm f1.4 for low light and bokeh would be a perfect travel kit

[@HoomanBhr]

For a Zoom lens I need more focal than aperture, so I pick 20-70 and a 50mm f1.8 as a combo

[@TheRealRichardWong]

yes fair ennough. Zoom + fast prime is always a good combo

[@williamlynd3052]

I have the 24-70GMii and (long story) ended up with the 20-70mm also. For traveling, the 20-70 is really a great lens and I always pick that one. I like that it's wider and it's lighter/smaller.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Totally agree!

[@HSNG10]

I have the Tamron 28-75F2.8 first gen. It's not wide enough for one lens solution. I enjoy the Sony 20-70F4 G lens for day travel and will be getting the Sony 24-50F2.8 G lens for one lens for day to night travel. It's amazingly small for a 2.8 zoom lens. Will pair it with the 85F1.8 and 20F1.8 G lens when I need longer or wider FLs.

[@megamastah]

There is also a Tamron 20-40 f/2.8.

[@ernesttiki283]

Great review as usual Richard! You should do more Sony gear reviews!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thanks. Yes now I upgraded my Sony body, definitely more to come!

[@bobsykes]

Thanks. This is a really helpful comparison for me, looking for a very compact lens for certain situations.

[@lewcehjitl3282]

I have the 24-70gm ii might go with the Sony 20-70mm f4 as a compliment 😊

[@TheRealRichardWong]

I would do the same myself if i already have the 24-70 GMII!

[@marchonore]

I have a bunch of GMaster and Sigma Art primes as well as the Sony 24-70GMII and the Tamron 35-150. I shoot mostly dance events where the light is extremely poor and the subjects are moving quickly. I recently purchased the A7C II as a travel/backup camera and I have been very unsure about what lens to buy for travel. I would have condered a crop sensor e-mount camera, but Sonys current APS-C cameras are all the same size as these full frame A7C cameras, so there is no longer a size difference. Although the Tamron zoom has a focal length that is very useful, it is so heavy that I never use it. I am condering lenses that are at least F2.8 and small. I considered this sony 24-50 but even though it is small-ish, it is hardly discrete, in the way that fixed lens rangefinders are. The other slightly more discrete options are the Sony pancake trio - 24 F2.8, 40 F2.5 and 50mm F2.5 G lenses. I don’t find the 24-70 heavy, but these are fairly bulky lenses and their size draws a lot of attention compared to shooting with something like an RX100.

[@hellolau]

These days, when everyone’s snapping pics with their phones, it doesn’t matter how small or big your lens is ; pulling out a real camera is gonna turn heads regardless. 😊

[@chrisgrieves1468]

Great video Richard! I've been contemplating this 24-50 as an alternative to 24 and 50 compact G primes for A7cii. The beauty as you point out, it gives you both of those and puts a 28 and a 35 on your camera as well., and no lens switching. The downside is the weight hanging out the front, those compact primes are really nice in the handling department. Can you comment on that?

[@TheRealRichardWong]

The prime is definitely smaller and lighter, but the 24-50 is not too bad, feels a lot better than the 24-70 GMII

[@stoikerty]

wow, what a great review!!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thanks for watching :)

[@ChristopherMartin-w9o]

Great comparison, thank you! Now own all three!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

@@ChristopherMartin-w9o wow lucky you

[@erg1450]

Richard, great review, I am trying to decide between these three lenses, really hard decision, your video is a lot of help, I am considering actually two options : 1) Buy the 24-70 GMII or 2) You can actually buy the 20-70 and 24-50 for the same price, I would use the 20-70 on good light condition and the 24-50 when limited , I would be using them with a A7RV or ACII ..........I am not. pro, so, not really sure if the IQ difference between the GM and the Gs in this case would make that much of a difference ........would this make sense if you are willing to fork $2,300 ?.......if option 2 is too crazy (I need to convince myself that it is) .....I am actually leaning towards the 20-70, I have the 24, 35 ns 50 1.4 GMs to complement this F4 ........any thoughts ?......just subscribed to your channel .....

[@TheRealRichardWong]

To be honest, the image quality difference when shooting in real world isn't that big a difference to me. So I would choose one that is most suitable to your shooting style instead. I would only pick one of the 24-50 or 20-70 because I feel they do overlap quite a bit, you will unlikely bring both lenses with you so pick one you feel works the best. Since you already have those f/1.4 primes, the 20-70 would be what I choose myself. Thanks for the sub

[@erg1450]

@@TheRealRichardWong Thank you for the feedback Richard, I am also leaning towards the 20-70, the older I get the harder is to carry big heavy lense

[@rphandler]

Wonderfully detailed and insightful comparison of all 3 lenses. For the record I use the 24-70 GM ii on an a7CR and have found I really do not need to walk or travel with all my other gear.

[@bobstevens5202]

I also have the 24-70gmii on a7c but I plan to sell it... It's too big for travel. What would you recommend? I plan to hike too but also see Europe.

[@rphandler]

@@bobstevens5202 Bob, I know just what you mean. First, if you're still using a full size body try to get an a7CR (got mine open box used). This saves 200g which I really notice. Reason I specify the CR, not the Cii, is that 61mp enables deeper cropping so that a lens limited to 70mm can be stretched further, saving weight again. Second, use the 4/20-70 G instead of the 24-70 GM ii. You'll never see the difference in image quality in tourist photos and landscapes while saving another 200+ g. If you're anticipating indoor photography during travel consider adding the 2.8/24 G, 173 g and about $500. These 2 lenses together weigh and cost less than does the 24-70 GM ii. I used to travel with just a fast 35, but my compositions were too limited. I like a 70mm which can be deeply cropped. With a lower resolution sensor I'd need a longer zoom (I have the nice Tamron 28-200).

[@bobstevens5202]

@@rphandler thank you for your reply! Yes I was considering the 20-70 but I wasn't sure if f4 was limiting enough considering I don't like to change lens much whilst travelling... But if I were to keep one for day and and one for night that might not be so bad. I was more worried for days, where I might not be able to switch lens due to being out the whole day and night. But what do you think about this? Also I was looking at the 24-50 2.8g as an alternative. What do you think about this, considering the majority of my shots are between 24-50?

[@rphandler]

@@bobstevens5202 For me 50 is restrictive in a zoom. When I think of 24-50 I compare it to what I enjoy with just a fast prime at around 35, with which I can capture 80% or so of what I wish while saving weight, bulk and getting a fast aperture. Most of the prints on our walls were taken in the 35-40mm range, various lenses and cameras. With my current gear, for my next trip I'll take my a7CR, the 24-70 GM ii, and my tiny 2.5/40 G for casual walk around use where I want less bulk. BTW, the a7CR with this tiny fast 40 replaced my Fuji x100vi.

[@bobstevens5202]

@@rphandler yeah, I agree with your statement. As long as I could take the majority of shots I'd be happy. I really would be happy to blow the money on the 24-70 but it's just a big boy. I'll consider your options though!!

[@SilatShooter]

As a 20-70 f4 owner this was a great comparison. Everything you said about the 20-70 I agree with. I also find that I do use the 20mm a lot and 70mm as well. Sure I wish it were an f2.8 zoom but then $$$$ and size. So I think I'm good and sticking with it. I'm curious how this new 24-50f2.8 G compares to Sony's tiny G primes, 24mm, 40mm, and 50mm, especially after you comment that you found most of your images shot at 24mm and 50mm and then some at 35mm. Seems Sony has a lot of redundancy in their line-up and wondering which lenses are they cannibalizing?

[@TheRealRichardWong]

I'm curious too! Let's see if someone else would do a comparison with the primes!

[@Ginaprochilo]

Great review! This helped me a lot!

[@Ginaprochilo]

I just purchased the 16-25 f 2.8 and I love it I’m looking for a counter part! I wasn’t sure if I should do the 24-50 f 2.8 or the 20-70 f4 but after this review I think that seems like the choice! Thank you!

[@WestVillage-vv3hg]

I love almost everything about the 24-50mm. The only thing I dislike is that it’s physically longer at 24mm.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

yes it really confused me quite a bit. But i think eventually you will get used to it. A lot of ultra wide angle lens does the same thing

[@ABP8214]

The 28-70 kit lens does the same thing. It gets longer at the wide end. This is no different.

[@mrmonday42]

I actually prefer it because I shoot at 50mm more than 24mm.

[@Aaphree]

Great video, this was just what I’ve been looking for. Just got a good deal on an A7CR and will be upgrading from a Nikon D5500. My main shooter on that is a Sigma 17-50 F2.8, so was looking for a similar-ish lens for the Sony (I know that it will be less “zoom” on a full frame but the extra resolution will allow cropping). I think I’m leaning towards the 24-50 just because I want the faster aperture over the 20-70, and coming from 24MP I think I’ll be perfectly fine cropping in for more “zoom.” I could even just use APS-C mode and that will still be slightly higher resolution than what I’m used to now. Eventually I’ll pick up more lenses but I am pretty much looking for the best “all-in-one” for my uses and that’s the 24-50

[@yjler6248]

Greetings. I am in a mixed feeling to choose the lense for my newly purchased Alpha 7c2. I am going to Finland to chase the auroras and which lense will u recommend, option of 24-50 F2.8G, 24 - 70 F2.8 GM2 or 20 - 70 F4 G ?

[@TheRealRichardWong]

for auroras, i would choose the faster lens so 24-70 2.8

[@andreacutaia]

Excellent review

[@johngreenwood9247]

Great review. My usual walkabout general purpose lens is the fe35mm f/1.8. As back up I usual carry as well either an fe20mm f/1.8, or if portraits are a possibility then an fe85mm f/1.8, instead. Over the past 12 months I've found I've used the 85mm less than the 20mm, so on reflection I'd probably choose the fe20-70mm f/4 and possibly sell the fe20mm f/1.8 & when needed keep the 85mm f/1.8 as back-up. In any case I suspect if I was travelling light with just one lens the fe35mm f/1.8 would still remain my favourite option. Thanks again for a very informative video. (PS. Your night time shots reaffirmed my belief that a more focussed, ie. longer focal length lens, with a wider maximum aperture is more useful in these situations - hence the retention of my fe85mm f/1.8, rather than the fe20mm f/1.8.)

[@TheRealRichardWong]

thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts John!

[@stevenwaldstein2249]

Bravo, a great lens comparison, thank you. I own both the new compact “C” A7CR and A7CII that I travel with and the A7RV and A1 I use for wildlife, BIF, and events up till now and already own the GM II zoom trinity. I’ve been looking at the new 24-50/2.8 G and had not bought the 20-70/4. So if I decide to buy a Sony compact zoom these are the two choices I’m considering. I also did find a mint used Sigma 28-70/2.8 which weighs only 470 grams which you might look at. Is about 2/3 the price and I’ve used it with my 20/1.8 G and its companion 16-28/2.8 DG DN Contemporary that weighs 450 grams. Lots of choices and you covered them in a great way. Take care.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thanks for watching Steven! And wow you have a lot of Sony bodies!

[@bobstevens5202]

I also am considering buying a a7c ii. Do you think the 24-70 gm ii is too heavy to use?

[@TheRealRichardWong]

@@bobstevens5202 it works OK for my a7cr with the official grip.

[@stevenwaldstein2249]

@@TheRealRichardWong For some the grip extension maybe key. I luckily found a used grip for a reduced price so I have the same grip on both my A7CII and A7CR.

[@fede_fpv]

Great review thank you!!!! for wedding videos and photos what would you recommend between the 24-50f2.8-20-70f4 and Tamron 28-75 f2.8???? 🙏🏻🥹I'm in crisis

[@TheRealRichardWong]

I would probably choose 20-70 but it's a hard decision and really depends on your shooting style

[@fede_fpv]

Thanks so much 😉

[@aleksanderkozak5204]

Hi, great comparison! Could you add results for 35mm focal length?

[@jaywbus]

sony options are amazing. depends on your pref. weight, size, quality, functions.

[@The33tommi]

Hy Richard! Many thanks for your thoughts. Do you think the 24-50 is suitable for Northern lights / a little bit Astro as well? Many thanks in advance for your insights.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

I haven't got chance to try that myself, but it's a very nice f/2.8 lens that is useable at f/2.8, so i don't see why not :)

[@The33tommi]

@@TheRealRichardWong many thanks for your fast answer. Highly appreciated!

[@sio2ch.168]

Depending on the light pollution at your location but 2.8 is a bit stretching it for astro. You're better off getting a very wide apperture (1.8 or 1.4) wide lens (say 14 or 20mm) for astro purposes

[@The33tommi]

@@sio2ch.168 many thanks for your input. Clear 1.4 is better but Astro is only from time to time and I want to take only 2 lenses with me (24-50 + 85 1.8).

[@The33tommi]

@@TheRealRichardWong did you see also that at the rear there is missing a cover plate. I can see some condenser inside the lens!? Did you see the same? What's about water resistance?

[@Bokeh_Grande]

Fantastic review!

[@Taunus_Sound]

Thanks for the good video. I plan to buy the ZV-E1 and this would be a perfect match talking about the size. Im thinking to buy either the 24-50mm or the 24mm f1.4 GM. Almost same size and weight and similiar market price. The question is if there is a huge difference in sharpeness at 24mm between these lenses? What do you think? BTW greetings from Germany :)

[@TheRealRichardWong]

I have not really tested the 24 f/1.4 GM, but from what I read/heard that is a great lens. And it is also 2 stops faster so quite a big difference to the 24-50. I think you really just have to decide if you want a zoom or prime.

[@PhotoTrekr]

I own the 24-70mm GM II. But, I thought I would buy either the 20-70 G or the 24-50 G for travel. Can't decide.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

It is a difficult decision. i don't see too big difference between 50 to 70mm range (can always crop a bit), but 20 vs 24 is quite important to me.

[@PhotoTrekr]

@@TheRealRichardWong I don't think there's a big difference between 50 and 70mm either. But, when I do zoom out to 70, I sometimes wish I had a bit more. I could go to 24-105 I had that lens at one time and liked it. But, I don't think I'd buy it again. There is a big difference between 20 and 24, though. 24 is wide, but 20 starts getting into ultrawide. Hard decision. But, it's a good problem to have.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Indeed good problem to have

[@Princeton_James]

I was in that same boat. I own the GMii and didn't realize there was a new 20-70 out. Bought it yesterday. I absolutely love it. Very sharp. I did have the 24-50 on preorder but I cancelled it. Still very tempting though. I plan on making my 20-70 my perfect travel lens.

[@TRtheLoanGuy]

​@PhotoTrekrif you use clear image zoom at the 70mm side, you will get to 105mm. If you go into apsc mode and then clear image zoom your at 156mm. I have done this and it works extremely well.

[@classic.cameras]

As a prime user 98% of the time, I would probably buy the 20-70mm f4 if I had to choose.

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Yes it makes sense if you already have a few primes, you would get something with wider focal length range as a complementary option

[@ly8370]

After a trip to NZ using 20-70mm f4, I sold it. Too heavy and f4 was not fast enough in evening/night time to prevent blurry pictures.

[@bobstevens5202]

​@@ly8370this is why you bring a fast prime if you buy f4

[@djqjoxda6801]

@@ly8370what did you buy after that…? I understood 488g zoomlense

[@Vermonstered]

​@@djqjoxda6801Likely a troll comment. There's less than 20 total system lenses that are lighter than the 20-70mm. They just need to run back to APS-c.

[@alvinbartolome1239]

what a great review. Jeez my lens line up are 24/.18, 35/1.4, 55/.18 & the 85/1.4, The 1.4's are for weddings and dual camera set up, the smaller prines are ny secondary lenses in which I use as an edc due to their size, but I often ramble with myself in whther should I get a zoom since I interchange the 24 and 50 a lot and at but my all time fave fl is the 35mm but mine is too big to carry as an edc. I use A7iv btw. If will get the either the 24-50 or the 20-70, this makes my 24/1.8 irrelivant. What do you think?

[@TheRealRichardWong]

1.8 and f/2.8 or f/4 is still quite a big difference if you want shallow DOF or under very low light. So I guess it really depends on if you need either of these

[@limagepicture9023]

💯 Thank you 👍

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thank you too!

[@86BBUB]

Excellent. !!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@yohannsphotographyvideogra9542]

24- 70mm f2.8 v2 tops it out of the two others but to top it all is the 70mm-200mm f2.8v2 is the mega king of sony for many reasons

[@donatas85]

With such an amazing sharpness, the FE 20-70 f4 is really a perfect everyday or travel lens. I used to own the old FE 24-70 f4 an my only complain was the inconsistent sharpness - at 50mm it was okay but all other ranges were only a few megapixels sharp.

[@vladimirkraus1438]

20-70 is excellent zoom range.

[@SPDTDL]

24-50 has questionable weather sealing (see Tonys review) it’s also weak in corners (so you need to stop down anyway) and lacks the XD motors. Also 50-70 is missing. 20-70 better, and gives you more bang for the buck. 24-70GMII best of both worlds and work those muscles! Let your wallet decide! 😅 I picked the 24-70GMII myself, because I couldn’t decide between the other two!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Fog up doesn't mean questionable weather sealing. Weather sealing only means preventing water or dust from going inside the lens, it's not air-tight. With high humidity + big temperature difference between the lens and ambient temperature, any lens could and would fog up.

[@SPDTDL]

@@TheRealRichardWong I’ve had front and back elements fog on my GM’s when travelling asia and going from air con to outside temps. I’ve NEVER had internal fogging which will result in water within the lens, and eventually mould. Was enough to put me off considering it….

[@DA-yd2ny]

None …. Beware GAS

[@JM_CruzLeal]

Genial 👋👋👋👋

[@iz5442]

Only buying 24-50 and 24-70. my fun & professional lens. i need nothing else, maybe add on a tele lens when i need it.

[@haedongseol7093]

2450g+70200gm2

[@megamastah]

20-70 G + 70-200 G2

[@lfc7805]

Good

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Thank you! 😊

[@libingzhang8629]

uptalk😂

[@jamesmlodynia8757]

😂 very good review, I have multiple camera bodies and I own a 24-70 f2.8 one is a Sigma for a Panasonic S5 and S5 MKII the other is a Pentax that I use on a K1MKII along with some APSC bodies. I also have a some what equivalent focal length on a Fujifilm XT5 and the Olympus 12-40 f2.8 that is used with a OMD EM1MK II AND MKIII Bodies. The two 24-70mm f2.8 are larger than the 20-70mm f4 and the Sony A7II is a smaller size than the Panasonic S5 and the Pentax K1 MKII so the fact that the Sony is a f4 is not a problem as I will be photographing landscapes and when the light is low I will use a tripod, I have a few small fast prime lenses for the Sony A7II but the 20-70mm is small enough to use as a daily walk around camera setup. Once again good video.