Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM lens review with samples (Full-frame & APS-C)

[@Bofrostfinger]

I own this lens since it was released. If it would break down, I probably would by it again immediately. It is not outstanding in any regard, but it´s it flawlessness in a lot of situations. I used it in Lapland at -30 deg. C. No problems at all. Its sharp enough to shoot stars at F1.4 without thinking about coma and I would never hesitate to shoot it at F1.4 for portraits or night scenes. I don´t possess a zoom lens. This is my standard lens instead. Thanks for the good review.

[@ChubbIsCooking]

I recently got this lens and a Sony A7C and I’m blown away by how good the images look from this glass. In my mind, it’s worth the price (especially if you get it discounted!)

[@JesusChristSaves.]

Thanks, I have the A7C, gonna get this

[@PhobiaSoft]

This lens has lived on my camera ever since it was released. I keep looking for a competitor for it, but nothing else comes close. To save a bit of money, you could go for the Sony 20mm f1.8 G instead, which in practical use I found to have indistinguishable brightness to the f1.4 of the 24mm, but that wider angle is going to give you dramatically more of a fish-eye look and hit the size of bokeh pretty hard. So for me, the 24mm is still king.

[@Bayonet1809]

Wider angle lenses like this don't give fish-eye effects, for that you need a fish-eye lens. What you are probably referring to is the rectilinear perspective distortion produced by being to close to your subject.

[@PhobiaSoft]

@@Bayonet1809 Okay sure, but if you're using a wider lens, you will always have to be physically closer to compose the same shot.

[@cameraprepper7938]

I agree, I have a 20mm and I only use it maybe 2 to 5 times a year !

[@DavidStella]

I rented this lens a couple of years ago for photos and video, and always wanted to buy it. I finally pulled the trigger on it and my copy’s arriving next week. 😁

[@Donbros]

I like that you review almost all lens for sony. Also it is nice when you update your opinions (really liked comparison video between standart zoom lens, which updated how lens stack up on 2021)

[@DennisBaltzer-vm6pm]

Must have for video/KZbin/wedding/general photography

[@Koda.1312]

Oh good, you were finally able to test this lens

[@alchemist_x79]

Haven't watched it yet, but just came here to say I've been waiting for this one, even though I already have it.

[@theuned]

What do you think about it?

[@alchemist_x79]

​@@theuned One of my absolute favorite lenses, been shooting with it since 2019. Bought it instead of the 16-35GM which I was originally going to purchase. Along with the 135mm GM and the 100-400mm GM, never leaves my camera bag and goes everywhere with me. I rarely need wider. Sharp and fast, and gives me great results on the RIII and RIV.

[@theuned]

@@alchemist_x79 Thanks for replying. I was curious. I’ve been thinking about this for over a year and wanted to hear from CF. I just can’t seem to find any real flaws in this. I have the GM 16-35 and the GM 70-200 and other lenses, but wanted to have a single lens I could take with me and feel good so I’m wavering between the 24GM or 35GM specifically for the 1.4 aperture.

[@jukeboxjohnnie]

@@theuned You should notice an improvement in any of the GM primes over zooms, theyre so good, I started selling my zooms off to fund more of them

[@SunnySoCal]

i almost shed a tear i been waiting on you to review a few GM lenses especially this one because i’ll soon be investing my $1500 let me finish watching the video

[@razbiton173]

Thank you! Ive been asking you to review that lens for months now, much appreciated!!!

[@adrianp7475]

how much do they paid you for that map

[@greyspaniard]

Just when I was thinking how this GM would work on APS-C, Frost delivers

[@MrMartinek99]

A touch big and heavy, but usable on apsc IMHO. The price to use as apsc lens is a "little" on the higher side though...

[@geohoundTube]

Thank you Chris! Would love to see Sony 1.4, Samyang 1.8, Viltrox 1.8 and Sigma 1.4 comparison (and maybe Zeiss 25 f2?).

[@cameraprepper7938]

The Sigma 1.4 are not as good as the Sony 1.4 and the Sigma look like a oil bunker and weighs several tonnes ! The Zeiss Batis are not as good as the Sony, so to sum up, The Sony 24mm 1.4 GM are the very best 24mm you can get !

[@cameraprepper7938]

I have the Sony 24mm 1.4 GM and I can very highly recommend it !

[@geohoundTube]

@@cameraprepper7938 Did you use Samyang, Viltrox and Sigma 24?

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@geohoundTube No, but I have watched hundreds of reviews ! And I have seen them compared several times in reviews. What camera do you have ?

[@geohoundTube]

@@cameraprepper7938 I would like to see these hundreds of reviews that compare these 4 lenses. Plus, if you didn't use at least 2 or 3 of these your opinion is invalid. Sorry.

[@teddyb4168]

JaZz was made for your voice and these videos. I honestly would go to a club and listen to live JaZz and hear you speaking about lenses over a mic in a dimly lit jazz club. Sounds as good or better than any of the great jazz singers with this music.

[@worldrallyblu]

planning on selling mine, gonna be sad to see it go, as it’s the first expensive lens i’ve fully paid for on my own, but it’s hard to justify owning it when I just use it in super35 mode anyways

[@Oztubee]

Does this have more chromatic aberration? There is not much difference at the F2.8 from the new compact 24 g

[@LZXun]

Nice, i'd love to see Christopher review the "hideously expensive" Sony Zeiss 24mm 1.8 for apsc, i missed the funny references in your reviews

[@smnprz6652]

I like to know how far are you from that test image. I would like to make this kinda test on my camera and lens. Do you disponibilize that image?

[@cameraprepper7938]

Not far enough test image I think, that is very often a problem with reviews, but you can be sure that you will not find another 24mm as good as the Sony !

[@smnprz6652]

@@cameraprepper7938 what do you mean? i did my test on a A4 piece of paper, (different lens and camera) so in order to fill the frame at 15 mm i would have to be like 15 to 20 cm from the paper. Should this be done in like a giant piece of paper or something?

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@smnprz6652 No Lens performs equal at different distances, so you need to test the Lens(es) at the distance(es) you are going to use the Lens(es) the most. Some reviewers do test Lenses at different distances in real life outdoor because it is for most users impossible to have a lot of space indoor. Fx a brick wall are a very good test for a Lens.

[@Tzadeck]

Do the 35mm 1.4 next! Really am lost about whether that lens is really worth all that money.

[@StandardYoutuberExcellent]

I have it and I came from the Samyang 35 1.4 I can see an appreciable difference. The focus breathing if you're into video might be a consideration.

[@cameraprepper7938]

I have this excellent Sony 24mm 1.4 GM together with the Sony Zeiss Sonnar 55mm 1.8 and the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM for my Sony A7RIV, excellent set of Lenses for an excellent Camera ! Very highly recommended !

[@yukonchris]

Hi Christopher, thanks for another great video. I do have a question though. As someone who bought into the Canon RF system with an EOS R about a year after its initial release, I confess to being a little disappointed with the high prices of lenses, bodies, well, pretty much everything from Canon, as well as a noticeable lack of more affordable third-party optics for the system. As someone who has reviewed so many lenses for a number of different systems, I can't help but wonder if you have a preference for one full-frame mirrorless system over another, especially with reference to value. That is, which system do you feel provides the best value for the dollar, or pound, without compromising on versatility and quality? Thanks again.

[@christopherfrost]

For video work, I use my Canon EOS R5...in large part because I have a soft spot for shooting on Canon cameras because I have done for over 10 years...but for anyone who doesn't want to spend £4000 on a camera then the Sony system is miles better value for money and will give just as good results really

[@yukonchris]

@@christopherfrost Interesting. That is more or less the same conclusion I've come to just by looking around, and watching the marketplace. I would be much happier with my Canon purchase if I felt that Canon was a bit more supportive of their consumer base. Take for instance, firmware updates. The EOS R wasn't a cheap camera when I bought it, and I would imagine that it could be supported with better time lapse options, and the sort of animal tracking facilities that are built into the R5, for example, but I'm probably living in a fairy land if I think they might actually incorporate those in a new update. Given the high cost of bodies, let alone lenses, one wants to invest in a product that will be supported with more than just one or two firmware updates over time. I wonder if Sony has a better track record of feature improvements on older models? The question I face now, is whether I'd be better served building my Canon system with the glass I need (very expensive), or switching (also an expensive option)? I can't imagine ever being able to rationalize a $5,000 (CDN) body purchase. Anyway, those are questions I will have to answer for myself, but your input is much appreciated anyway.

[@apwip]

@@christopherfrost If vast majority of my lens reviews are e mount I would have got an A1 or at least A7R4. Video quality is not that critical especially if its for youtube, so the R5 is a lot of money if there are not that many RF lens reviews.

[@arthurgphotography]

Waiting for your review of the Sony 14 1.8!

[@rafai1281]

It is a great lens. I was very impressed with it until I got the new 14 f1.8 and 50 f1.2- a duo that blew me away completely. At the moment, I am delighted with my prime line, hope that Sony will produce a standard zoom lens on a similar level.

[@tigerone4807]

Do you prefer 14mm f1.8 rather than 24mm 1.4 from your experience ?

[@rafai1281]

@@tigerone4807 It is hard to compare such different focal lengths. For me, 24mm is a very good general use lens. My photography is not wild enough to use 14mm instead of 24. Still, I bought it in a heartbeat just after the test at the local store. It is so well corrected, with flawless af and crazy sharpness (tested on a7r4). I try to use it as often as possible, and it pays off - I have some crazy dynamic compositions, but in the end, it is 14mm - it is not easy to use and has the characteristics of the 14mm. 24 1.4? You cannot go wrong with it ;)

[@zakariyeawnur2558]

Can you please do the Zeiss Loxia 35 mm for the Sony E mount please?

[@cameraprepper7938]

The Loxia 35mm are not that good. Take a close look at either Sony 35mm 1.4 GM or Voigtländer 35mm 2.0 APO-Lanthar. Compare here i2.wp.com/sonyalpha.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Capture-decran-2021-06-17-a-16.01.11.png?ssl=1

[@cameraprepper7938]

The Sony are the best 35mm and the Voigtländer the second best right now. I will choose the Voigtländer because it is more compact and I like manual focusing.

[@zakariyeawnur2558]

@@cameraprepper7938 Thank you

[@nesclinic8938]

Great review Could you please review Sony 14mm F1.8 Gm Thank you

[@jukeboxjohnnie]

Buy it from Hong Kong then from somewhere like Einfinity, its only £930. Another great review thanks

[@marktalley2550]

Now for the Fuji 16mm 1.4!

[@adrianfaulkner1353]

The samyang 24mm f1.8 comes exceptionally close to the 24mm GM but for a fraction of the price also a fraction of the size and weight as well, easily the best lens samyang have ever made in my opinion 📷👍🔥

[@bioliv1]

not cloce focusing

[@MrMartinek99]

@@bioliv1 Samyang have batter close focus distance than GM - 19cm vs 24cm.

[@bioliv1]

@@MrMartinek99 You're right! That's amazing!!!!

[@Stefan1968ful]

It does not. Not even close. I sold this Samyang garbage and bought the Sony 24mm 1.4 GM, this lens is from a different world. Plus, it gives also full performance on an A1, the Samyang garbage just cripples the A1.

[@adrianfaulkner1353]

@@Stefan1968ful sorry I disagree, i still have the sample images I have taken with 24mm GM and the samyang is pretty close in terms of image quality, go watch Dustin abbotts review and he pretty much says the same thing which is why I got the lens to test it out but that's just my opinion

[@Adventure_Together]

Great review as per usual, Chris! This is a fantastic lens, but I'm a fan of the Sony 20mm f/1.8.

[@AliMohammed-or8it]

what is best zoom lens for sharpness and details ?

[@detectivejonesw]

Nikon z 70-200

[@Bayonet1809]

Nikon AF-S 120-300/2.8E. You should probably specify your desired focal range.

[@godsinbox]

specify a focal length. I'll guess 12-24, F4 if on a supertight budget, or F2.8 if not There are reviews that say the 16-35 f2.8 is actually still good in real world tests.

[@Bayonet1809]

This lens seems to show a lot of moire in high frequency details in your tests, have you changed your testing or is it actually the lens?

[@christopherfrost]

Moire is a camera issue, not a lens issue. It means that the lens is so sharp that it's triggering the camera's moire issues :-)

[@Bayonet1809]

@@christopherfrost I know that, but I have not see it present to such a degree in any of your tests of other sharp lenses. Even compared to your recent reviews of the Tamron 24mm f/2.8, Sigma 24mm f/3.5, and Samyang AF 24mm f/1.8, this Sony shows noticeably more moire in the image centre. I suppose it is just far sharper than those lenses then. Even compared to lenses of different focal lengths (not a fair comparison I know), this Sony 24/1.4 has more moire. Just seemed quite remarkable that this could be the sharpest lens you have tested in the image centre.

[@brandonlu7947]

where is ur 50mm GM review?

[@brandonlu7947]

we are looking forward to comparison among rf z & fe 50mm 1.2😂

[@michaelsmith697]

This lens is like a different world on my Sony A7iii! Worth the $£€¥

[@mrdmahesh]

There's color fringing at 1.4 on FF. It looks that it is sharpest at 2 on both FF and APS-C cameras. Excellent review as usual!!

[@marc.s.moisan]

Great Video! Though I was wondering, in terms of image quality, how close is the Samyang 24mm 1.8 ?

[@bioliv1]

Close, but not close focusing. If you want dramatic macro wide angle shots, like flowers in a meadow with focus on a flower close to the lens, the GM is better. If you shoot traditional landscape vistas on f8, go for the Samyang.

[@nex3movie]

This is a one-sided but clear review.

[@bozmundarts2614]

Someday i'll get this if seriously no worth it aps-c 35mm equivalent lens comes out in the future, it genuinely amazes me how none seems to bug sony to make one

[@Dave_Andre]

Would love to hear your thoughts on the new fuji 10-24 f4 wr from my fav lens reviewer 😉

[@joebledea]

would be nice to have a whats in my camera bag video, thank you for all your reviews

[@socratesvela8285]

I just got back from my disney trip and my a7rii with the rokinon 24f2.8 just screamed "don't steal me, I'm junk". If I had this 24 gM, it would just scream, "steal me". So, I really like how the samyang and rokinon pack decent glass without advertising to the world how expensive the body is. The 24f2.8 rokinon at f4 is exceptional and worth getting it to play around with for daytime shots.

[@mpgnz73]

"Highly Recommended" - Wow, I was really surprised by that verdict. After seeing that it's not fully sharp even in centre until stopped down to f2 and even more on the edges I would have said this was overpriced at $1,300. Most modern lenses tend to be much sharper wide open and certainly more usable without stopping down so much. Surely there are better 24mm lenses...

[@Tzadeck]

I think this is probably the best 24mm ever developed, tbh. It's sharp enough, and more importantly the images are super pleasing compared to other 24mms. There's a reason a lot of people love this lens. I don't even like the focal length but I've considered buying it, haha.

[@mralexlex]

All lenses are sharp enough, from my experience, in last 3 decades. Sharpness isn't everything to think about lenses. And I've seen far shaper copies of 24GM...

[@Lifebydesignvlogs]

I just brought this today

[@tbrown2892]

Nice review but I’m not convinced about this lens. It’s not bad, but nothing amazing.

[@mralexlex]

I wonder, what's wrong with 24gm?

[@godsinbox]

you are very clever sir. when this 24GM first came out, it got glowing reviews from YT community, I bought one and was underwhelmed. it wasn't as sharp as the cherry picked reviews made it out to be. lost a couple of hundred on the resale.

[@zacualpeno100]

I don't see why anyone would buy this for APS-C.

[@rusinsr]

Maybe a streamer who really needs a shallow depth of field 35mm equivalent lens? XD I agree!

[@PhobiaSoft]

@@rusinsr True, but you gotta convert the f stop to APSC terms as well. So yes it behaves as a 35mm on APSC but it also behaves as an f2.1 on that smaller sensor. In that sense something like the Sigma 35 f1.4 is a better choice for APSC most likely.

[@PadPoet]

Some people have Full Frame and APS-C Sony camera bodies.

[@gamerat30]

@@PhobiaSoft Aperture value never change .. only field of view..

[@PhobiaSoft]

@@gamerat30 It does if it was made for a different format, yes.

[@raphaelcoelho1557]

Try the 20mm G f/1.8 much more cheap

[@momchilyordanov8190]

After watching the same test on this channel, I think the Samyang 24/1.8 had the same sharpness. Actually, maybe even better in the corners wide open...

[@KevinZJR]

Good lens, but too heavy.

[@avinashrai11141]

Although performance of this lens is great but I was expecting much better as other youtube review suggests. It has some major flaw like strong breathing, poor lateral chromatic aberration and lens flaring. Only thing is better than average is sharpness which is also not quite perfect.

[@jeroenvdw]

Well the breathing in this video was on F11, that's quite normal for any lens.

[@avinashrai11141]

@@jeroenvdw Not any lens.

[@jeroenvdw]

@@avinashrai11141 Most

[@avinashrai11141]

@@jeroenvdw Most Sony lenses.

[@avinashrai11141]

@@jeroenvdw Most Sony lenses.

[@seifsalman]

The sigma 24mm f3.5 is as sharp as lens can get at 3.5 , and very small too , yet cost less than half of this ones price

[@xpynuker]

Lol

[@mralexlex]

Can Sigma do f2.0 or wider?

[@xpynuker]

@@mralexlex can't do wider than 3.5

[@PadPoet]

For an F3.5 lens it better cost less, lol.

[@PaprykowyMonarcha]

So, now lets test the Fuji 16mm f/1.4 and check whos better! :) Thank you Ahris for a useful review. (as always)

[@aliendroneservices6621]

f/2.0 equivalent

[@skynesher]

@@djstuc Alien is right , you gain one stop cleaner images at higher iso. F2 on FF is like 1.4 on Aps-c.

[@rusinsr]

@@djstuc But he's objectively right :D And subjectively, depth of field and/or amount of light matters a lot, regardless of focal length!

[@skynesher]

@@djstuc it is very basic physics.. What you are saying is that f1.4 and f2.0 is same for wide focal length …

[@skynesher]

@@djstuc On FF with 1 stop slower lens you get same exposure by using one stop higher iso and since FF has 1 stop cleaner iso you are getting same IQ. It is as simple as that. You can think of it this way, since FF is getting overall twice as light (twice as area) then there is one stop in favour of FF (cleaner images at higher iso).

[@JeanV1986]

Hey Christopher, don't forget your first love, the Lord, certainly in the (end) times we're in. God bless :)

[@TreParker2016]

Bad review, losing your objectivity over cost isn't good for review. It just oozes out every other word. I agree to expensive but not if you want it bad enough.

[@mrcojocaru]

Idk what this guy was smoking but the review is extremely positive. Makes me wish I could have this lens, but I already have the samyang and I'm happy with it