p.18 #4 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
Briefly tried this out at the Sony store today. Love the build and form factor. Focus and aperture rings were buttery smooth. Really noticeably fast AF and sharpness were my biggest takeaways. That and very close MFD. Very portable! I always thought 24 was just not quite wide enough if your main lens is a 35 and now we have this which spaces very nicely with say a 35-45, 85 three lens type kit.
Over $1000 USD here though so I’ll have to sit on it until I can get back stateside. Crazy because they actually make it here!
p.18 #5 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Good comparison. The Loxia sunstar is so distracting for me compared to the Sony when both at f4.
I can already tell it's just a hair behind the Lox in sharpness at f/2.8. The coma is gone by f/2.8, but at f/1.8 it's there, though not too bad, but it is there. In my shot the coma is probably greatly exaggerated by the over-exposure of the point light sources.
This lens feels to me to be similar to my 85/1.8 Sony - very good at everything, but not outstanding at anything other than being very good at everything
I do like the light weight and compactness of this lens, so, if it passes my sharpness tests (to make sure it's not decentered, etc.) it will be my travel 20mm. The 21/3.5 CV will be the super compact light weight wide angle, while the Lox will be the highest quality wide angle.
p.18 #6 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
jhinkey wrote:
I can already tell it's just a hair behind the Lox in sharpness at f/2.8. The coma is gone by f/2.8, but at f/1.8 it's there, though not too bad, but it is there. In my shot the coma is probably greatly exaggerated by the over-exposure of the point light sources.
This lens feels to me to be similar to my 85/1.8 Sony - very good at everything, but not outstanding at anything other than being very good at everything
I do like the light weight and compactness of this lens, so, if it passes my sharpness tests (to make sure it's not decentered, etc.) it will be my travel 20mm. The 21/3.5 CV will be the super compact light weight wide angle, while the Lox will be the highest quality wide angle.
p.18 #8 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Mine comes tomorrow. If it has GM 24 colors, I’ll sell both my GM 24 and Tamron 17-28.
I’m in the same boat in terms of what I might dump. I love the 24 GM and have it used it a lot for both videos and stills and also got the Tamron 17-28 for some video work. I don’t expect it to be as good as the 24 GM but if it’s very close I’m happy to take the wider FOV with AF and the smaller and lighter package and dump the other two.
p.18 #9 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
jhinkey wrote:
I can already tell it's just a hair behind the Lox in sharpness at f/2.8. The coma is gone by f/2.8, but at f/1.8 it's there, though not too bad, but it is there. In my shot the coma is probably greatly exaggerated by the over-exposure of the point light sources.
This lens feels to me to be similar to my 85/1.8 Sony - very good at everything, but not outstanding at anything other than being very good at everything
I do like the light weight and compactness of this lens, so, if it passes my sharpness tests (to make sure it's not decentered, etc.) it will be my travel 20mm. The 21/3.5 CV will be the super compact light weight wide angle, while the Lox will be the highest quality wide angle.
p.18 #12 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
My one immediate criticism of the 20/1.8G is that the de-click switch is going to be very easy to accidentally engage (or disengage if you want it de-clicked). I see some gaffers tape in my future to cover this over. They should have made it a little less easy to change.
p.18 #15 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
In looking at the images from the 21mm Loxia and the 20mm Sony, you can better appreciate the difference that 1mm of focal length makes in this range. Roughly measured, I'm seeing about 10 percent more in a horizontal direction from the 20mm than from the 21mm.
p.18 #16 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
jrtriebe wrote:
In looking at the images from the 21mm Loxia and the 20mm Sony, you can better appreciate the difference that 1mm of focal length makes in this range. Roughly measured, I'm seeing about 10 percent more in a horizontal direction from the 20mm than from the 21mm.
Yes, flipping between images in camera really makes it jump out at you.
Seems like more than the 1mm difference in nominal focal length.
I simply swapped out lenses and didn't adjust the camera body at all.
It could be that one is 21.x mm and the other is 19.x mm exactly - we all know that the manufacturers round up/down in focal length. Plus there could be some auto distortion correction going on (I know there is for the Lox, ACR doesn't really know anything about the 20/1.8G yet).
p.18 #18 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
Some testing notes:
Shot on tripod, IBIS off, manual focus, 5 second delay, A7rII, RAW, same exposure, all lens' corrections turned off, no editing except balance of WB. Camera was at the exact same spot for all lenses, so the 20, 21 and 24 FL’s should be noted.
1) Infinte crops: Tamron @ 20 vs. G 20
Finding:
The G 20 is better at each comparable aperture across the entire frame. I like the G 20 1.8 to the Tamron's f8, all over the frame. This is impressive.
Finding:
GM 24 blows the others away wide open. At comparable apertures, I prefer the GM 24 > G 21 > G 20 > Tamron
3) Color and Fine Texture:
Contax G 21
Tamron @ 20
GM 24 @ 1.4
G20 @ 1.8
Finding:
The texture and color the GM 24 is easily differentiated from the G 20--look at the aliasing on the G20 and crispness. The closest to the GM 24 is the Contax G 21 with similar saturation and textural quality. Note the paper texture more on the Tamron and G 20 (sharp, no SA!)
4) Framing
G 20
Tamron 17-28 @ 20
Finding:
G 20 is wider, seems more like a 19mm. Any one else test this against a different zoom?
p.18 #19 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
G 20 seems wider
I'll test coma and update. I don't have much interests in further testing. My finding here confirm most of my first impressions. For how similar it is to the GM 24 in terms of specs, same manufacturer, build and date produced, the lenses are fairly distinct in terms of optics. The G20 resolution impressed against the Tamron, and I suspect would beat the GM 24 or get very close. Did not shoot head to head.
I tested flare and CA for the G20 but I’ll let someone else do the leg work and post crops. CA control is excellent. Flare slightly less so.
p.18 #20 · Back On Sale: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for only $798 ($100 off)
Astro:
Findings:
G20: Better across most of the frame than the GM24 with pinpoint stars and virtually no fringing. Very slight batwings in the lower edges of the frame on largest stars, needs to be viewed at large sizes on a7r2 files @ f1.8
GM 24: Fringes more, but zero bat wings into the extreme corners I can see even on A7r2.
Tamron: Still a great astro lens at 17 @ 2.8. Slightly more deterioration across the frame with stars, and similar fringing to the GM 24, more than the G20.
Overall:
I like the Tamron, and still a great astro lens and it offers a noticeably wider view at 17mm, though at f2.8, but with the worse correction.
I was prepared to be disappointed with the G20, and I am very picky with coma correction, but the G20 is fantastic. The GM has a very slight edge in the absolute corners with coma but worse fringing. I would not hesitate to use either even on a 42MP camera.
Conclusion: All three lenses are very usable, and each offer something a little different. The G 20 is not perfect, but very good coma performance with the G20 for astro, especially given the size/weight/price/speed/FOV.
