Fred Miranda wrote:
I sold my Batis 25 lens for the 24/1.4 GM a while ago and never regretted it. Both lenses are excellent though.
I sort of went the opposite way of Fred; sold my GM...and the Batis, but kept the Loxia 25. The GM was better than the Batis in any way in which I wanted to compare them, but fast 25's aren't something I deploy often, or that I am good at using. My use for that focal range is almost exclusively landscape, and in that capacity the Loxia excels, besting any rival.
That said, the GM is very close, and it adds AF, almost two stops in speed, and very nice bokeh. Now that used prices have the GM changing hands for a lot less than when it first came out, the GM is a very nice 'do it all' option.
The Batis is also an excellent lens. Fast, sharp, nice colours. I'm also one of the few who likes the Batis build...though I prefer having an aperture ring. The only thing holding the Batis back is some bokeh fringing and a bit of messiness in specular highlights, but it's definitely on par with others in the class, it's just that the GM is the best, full stop. And I guess that's where the Batis suffers a bit; it's a crowded field now. For a fast AF 24, the GM is the best, with the best bokeh. For an f2 lens, the Sigma i series has, IMO, nicer build and handling and similar performance. For stopped down landscapes, the Loxia has basically no peer.
This is my second time within the last 7-8 months reading this full thread in an attempt to decide if to buy or not the 24mm GM lens.
My first 24mm was the Samy, but it didn't get much use, then I switched to Loxia and I liked and used it quite a lot. But I sold it in order to finance my Leica M adventure (which ended-up in disaster), hence when coming back to Sony I re-purchased the Samy (as the cheapest 24mm alternative, also know as "best bang for the money" - fast, small, lightweight, etc.). But I find it uninspiring. I do not use it much, if at all. Thought to sell it and get the Loxia again, then I got to this thread again and fell for the GM.
Do you guys fell like you need to "love" a lens in order to use it? I seem to. My most used lens now is the VC 40/1.2 SE. Really love it, so it's a pleasure for me to use it.
Thanks @Dave Sanders for his conclusion on GM-Batis-Loxia 24mm lenses!
The Loxia is a lovely lens with great 3D character. If I had the cash and could justify keeping both, it would be nice to have that and the GM. I have and really enjoy the GM, and it too is capable of nice 3D rendering in good light.
Grenache wrote:
I also enjoy being able to use the extra wide aperture (still pretty sharp across the frame wide open). That versatility really makes it fun to use.
Thanks Jim. This very fact gets me inclined more towards the GM now. Have just ordered the Batis 2.8/135 lens and I was thinking to pair it, at the wide end, with another Zeiss lens. But this GM won me (only from reading about it) over the Batis or the Loxia lenses.
What gets me a bit worried is the fact that I like shooting contre-jour/backlit/into the sun quite a lot, so not quite sure if Loxia would behave much better in such demanding condition.
On the other hand, on some other thread, I could hear people asking for the Mark II of this lens, as the current version is "dated".
catacore wrote:
Thanks Jim. This very fact gets me inclined more towards the GM now. Have just ordered the Batis 2.8/135 lens and I was thinking to pair it, at the wide end, with another Zeiss lens. But this GM won me (only from reading about it) over the Batis or the Loxia lenses.
What gets me a bit worried is the fact that I like shooting contre-jour/backlit/into the sun quite a lot, so not quite sure if Loxia would behave much better in such demanding condition.
On the other hand, on some other thread, I could hear people asking for the Mark II of this lens, as the current version is "dated". ...Show more →
Dated?!?
Mark II
They are nuts or never shot the lens. It focuses lightning fast, is more than usable corner to corner wide open, and is so well corrected, even I can shoot portraits with a 24mm lens !!!). Add to the list that it is light weight and relatively unobtrusive…what is there to complain about?!?
I bought the Sony 24GM used about three months ago. Today, in a quiet living room, I noticed that the autofocus makes a very high-frequency noise when the lens is tilted downward toward the floor; when I tilt it further, the noise stops. It sounds similar to coil whine from graphics cards and is clearly audible behind the camera. However, it is not audible in videos. Otherwise, the lens works perfectly.
Has anyone else experienced this high-frequency noise?
I had to take the 24GM and test if it makes noise when autofocusing. I have never any attention to noise when photographing. But I noticed that the af motor can be coaxed to make a noise when deliberately focusing from close distance to infinity, or vice versa. And yes, 35GM and 50GM are quieter.
However, I am not sure what I could wish from 24GMII. The current version is a classic having a small amount of the much debated character in rendering compared to almost too perfect 35GM and 50GM. 24GM is also smallest of the bunch giving it some extra charm.
This discussion is a good reminder. In stead of covering this focal length with a zoom, I must take the prime out much more often!
