Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
p.26 #1Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
No I meant still put the object in each corner, but it's not vital to rotate it if you don't want to. It might be worth corner focusing as well as centre focusing, although my 12-24 doesn't have bad field curvature. My 14mm GM is awful in the corners if I run this test with centre focusing, but it's okay ish with corner focusing (field curvature is often not uniform/symmetrical). So for corner focusing I'd stick the object in a corner, focus there, then keep that focus & put the object in the other corners.
May 16, 2022 at 07:13 AM
p.26 #3Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
chrisd999 wrote:
I'm looking to buy a "brand new in box" 12-24GM at a decent discount from a local seller later today. If it is as good as I hope, it will replace my Laowa 12mm, and 16-35GM. But after reading this thread I'm nervous as hell that I'll be stuck with a decentered or soft copy that I can't return.
As this is an in-person meet-up, the seller will give me 15 minutes max to inspect and test it on my A7RIV before buying it. I've seen Fred's decentering test, but given that I'll be in person with the seller, I'm not...Show more →
I'd be suspicious of any seller that puts a time limit on you...sounds like they might have something to hide. It takes hours of work to properly evaluate a new lens, especially a zoom lens, where four corner infinity tests are not enough to pick up all the wierd things that can go on with zooms: you need a range of 3D deep-DOF scenes for that.
I'm looking to buy a "brand new in box" 12-24GM at a decent discount from a local seller later today. If it is as good as I hope, it will replace my Laowa 12mm, and 16-35GM. But after reading this thread I'm nervous as hell that I'll be stuck with a decentered or soft copy that I can't return.
As this is an in-person meet-up, the seller will give me 15 minutes max to inspect and test it on my A7RIV before buying it. I've seen Fred's decentering test, but given that I'll be in person with the seller, I'm not...Show more →
I'd be suspicious of any seller that puts a time limit on you...sounds like they might have something to hide. It takes hours of work to properly evaluate a new lens, especially a zoom lens, where four corner infinity tests are not enough to pick up all the wierd things that can go on with zooms: you need a range of 3D deep-DOF scenes for that.
May 17, 2022 at 05:33 AM
p.26 #4Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
Apologies if this has been answered before:
I just picked up a used copy of the 12-24mm 2.8 GM from BH. When the lens is off the camera, if I flip it upside down then rightside up, there's an audible sort of click or movement noise. I usually only detect this noise on lenses with IS as there's a floating optic inside that moves around for IS when on, but sort of floats when off and wiggles around a bit. I don't think I've ever noticed such a noise with a non-IS optic like the 12-24mm before. It doesn't seem to exhibit this noise when mounted on the body (Sony A1) when powered on. I'm assuming maybe this is some focus group/linear focus motors in the middle of the lens floating back and forth when powered off. But, it's a somewhat disconcerting noise, so I wanted to check with forum members here and make sure that this is normal for this lens?
Thank you in advance,
-Ian
I just picked up a used copy of the 12-24mm 2.8 GM from BH. When the lens is off the camera, if I flip it upside down then rightside up, there's an audible sort of click or movement noise. I usually only detect this noise on lenses with IS as there's a floating optic inside that moves around for IS when on, but sort of floats when off and wiggles around a bit. I don't think I've ever noticed such a noise with a non-IS optic like the 12-24mm before. It doesn't seem to exhibit this noise when mounted on the body (Sony A1) when powered on. I'm assuming maybe this is some focus group/linear focus motors in the middle of the lens floating back and forth when powered off. But, it's a somewhat disconcerting noise, so I wanted to check with forum members here and make sure that this is normal for this lens?
Thank you in advance,
-Ian
Dec 16, 2022 at 07:31 PM
p.26 #5Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
That is normal behavior for many of the latest Sony lenses. I have the Sony 12-24 f/2.8 GM and it makes that sound when turning it upside down then right side up when not attached to the camera and powered on. It is common in a lot of the Sony lenses but seems to sound a bit more prominently on the wider lenses, I hear it almost as loud in my 14 GM and less so but somewhat in my 24 GM , 35 GM, and a bit more loudly with my 50 GM. Also slightly less loud on my 24-70 GM II and 70-200 GM II zooms. There are floating elements in the lenses that shift up and down when the lens is not attached to a camera and powered on.
Dec 16, 2022 at 08:20 PM
p.26 #6Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
Chuck Coyne wrote:
That is normal behavior for many of the latest Sony lenses. I have the Sony 12-24 f/2.8 GM and it makes that sound when turning it upside down then right side up when not attached to the camera and powered on. It is common in a lot of the Sony lenses but seems to sound a bit more prominently on the wider lenses, I hear it almost as loud in my 14 GM and less so but somewhat in my 24 GM , 35 GM, and a bit more loudly with my 50 GM. Also slightly less loud on...Show more →
Copy that, thank you Chuck. Helps give me some peace of mind.
That is normal behavior for many of the latest Sony lenses. I have the Sony 12-24 f/2.8 GM and it makes that sound when turning it upside down then right side up when not attached to the camera and powered on. It is common in a lot of the Sony lenses but seems to sound a bit more prominently on the wider lenses, I hear it almost as loud in my 14 GM and less so but somewhat in my 24 GM , 35 GM, and a bit more loudly with my 50 GM. Also slightly less loud on...Show more →
Copy that, thank you Chuck. Helps give me some peace of mind.
Dec 16, 2022 at 08:41 PM
p.26 #7Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
Chuck / Anyone,
One other question for you. I notice that on my A1, the 12-24mm's AF/MF switch on the lens itself does not seem to change from AF to MF on the A1. The focus hold button also doesn't seem to do anything. I have to actually switch the A1 from AF to MF on the selection ring on the body. I just tested with a Sigma 14-24 and my 24-105, neither of them have this issue. On those two lenses, if I flip the switch from AF to MF, it automatically goes to MF on the camera body, and the focus hold button on the 24-105mm works as well. Could this be a faulty lens? Any insight is welcome and appreciated.
Thank you!
-Ian
One other question for you. I notice that on my A1, the 12-24mm's AF/MF switch on the lens itself does not seem to change from AF to MF on the A1. The focus hold button also doesn't seem to do anything. I have to actually switch the A1 from AF to MF on the selection ring on the body. I just tested with a Sigma 14-24 and my 24-105, neither of them have this issue. On those two lenses, if I flip the switch from AF to MF, it automatically goes to MF on the camera body, and the focus hold button on the 24-105mm works as well. Could this be a faulty lens? Any insight is welcome and appreciated.
Thank you!
-Ian
Dec 17, 2022 at 08:05 PM
p.26 #8Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
iancresswell wrote:
Chuck / Anyone,
One other question for you. I notice that on my A1, the 12-24mm's AF/MF switch on the lens itself does not seem to change from AF to MF on the A1. The focus hold button also doesn't seem to do anything. I have to actually switch the A1 from AF to MF on the selection ring on the body. I just tested with a Sigma 14-24 and my 24-105, neither of them have this issue. On those two lenses, if I flip the switch from AF to MF, it automatically goes to MF on the camera body, and...Show more →
That does sound like a problem. My 12-24 GM will switch to Manual focus with the AF/MF switch on the lens barrel no matter what focus mode is selected on the camera's top mode dial. The Focus Hold button also works on the lens as well. Not sure if there is something wrong with the camera settings or the lens itself but it sounds like this could be your lens.
Chuck / Anyone,
One other question for you. I notice that on my A1, the 12-24mm's AF/MF switch on the lens itself does not seem to change from AF to MF on the A1. The focus hold button also doesn't seem to do anything. I have to actually switch the A1 from AF to MF on the selection ring on the body. I just tested with a Sigma 14-24 and my 24-105, neither of them have this issue. On those two lenses, if I flip the switch from AF to MF, it automatically goes to MF on the camera body, and...Show more →
That does sound like a problem. My 12-24 GM will switch to Manual focus with the AF/MF switch on the lens barrel no matter what focus mode is selected on the camera's top mode dial. The Focus Hold button also works on the lens as well. Not sure if there is something wrong with the camera settings or the lens itself but it sounds like this could be your lens.
Dec 18, 2022 at 07:08 AM
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p.26 #9Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
Chuck Coyne wrote:
iancresswell wrote
Chuck / Anyone,One other question for you. I notice that on my A1, the 12-24mm's AF/MF switch on the lens itself does not seem to change from AF to MF on the A1. The focus hold button also doesn't seem to do anything. I have to actually switch the A1 from AF to MF on the selection ring on the body. I just tested with a Sigma 14-24 and my 24-105, neither of them have this issue. On those two lenses, if I flip the switch from AF to MF, it automatically goes to MF on the camera body, and the focus hold button on the 24-105mm works as well. Could this be a faulty lens? Any insight is welcome and appreciated.
Thank you!
-Ian
Yeah, tried it on another body, same issue. Checked custom buttons, no dice. I guess back to BH it goes. Shame, it was a pretty well centered copied.
Dec 18, 2022 at 02:55 PM
p.26 #10Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
TimWildAstro wrote:
Between the Sigma and the Sony zooms, who is the star performance around 14-15mm?After some more nights out and a bit of pixel peeping, the Sigma 14-24 DG DN is better at 14mm for astro than the Sony is in the 12-14mm range (with my copies at least). Taken with an A7Riv and viewed at 50%, both look superb. Zoom to 100% and the Sony exhibits slight stretching on stars midframe if corner focused, and stretching in the corners if focused for midframe. With my Sigma at perfect focus, pretty much all stars are round corner to corner at 14mm (focus accuracy is absolutely critical though, but the Sigma is easier than the...Show more →
With the optimal copies I tested, the Sigma 14-24 does perform slightly better at 14mm wide open, so I don't blame you from preferring it for astro.
zuru wrote
A late reply to your post. I do a lot of astroscapes and getting sharp stars without aberrations is really tough at wide apertures. I tried the 16-35GM and it wasn't that good (it was also decentered after 24mm so I returned it).Between the Sigma and the Sony zooms, who is the star performance around 14-15mm?
With the optimal copies I tested, the Sigma 14-24 does perform slightly better at 14mm wide open, so I don't blame you from preferring it for astro.
May 17, 2023 at 02:19 PM
p.26 #11Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
Still pleased with the 12-24 GM, especially when I need 12mm. I do now have 2 of the 14mm GM though, decent at f1.8 and essentially perfect corner to corner at f2 at A7iv res, and f2.2-2.5 at A7Riv res.
May 18, 2023 at 04:55 AM
p.26 #12Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
I've got some serious confirmation bias going on 
but completely agree with this review by our own BastianK:
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/
It's such a great Real Estate lens among other uses.
but completely agree with this review by our own BastianK:https://phillipreeve.net/blog/
It's such a great Real Estate lens among other uses.
Jan 08, 2024 at 02:30 PM
p.26 #13Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
TimWildAstro wrote:
Interestingly the red colour ring issue is worse with the shading correction turned off with the 12-24GM. I've always used all corrections off for astro, with all lenses, but something is seemingly baked into the files with the 12-24GM regardless of corrections on vs off
This is an old post but I just came across it and checked the files. Are you sure it's not Adobe messing up your files? I couldn't recreate the rings in Rawtherapee (http://rawtherapee.com)
A lot of comparisons, reviews and fault finding online relies on Adobe not messing with the files or doing hidden stuff behind the scenes. Thing is that Adobe does. So much so that you can't really evaluate a lens or camera using it.
Interestingly the red colour ring issue is worse with the shading correction turned off with the 12-24GM. I've always used all corrections off for astro, with all lenses, but something is seemingly baked into the files with the 12-24GM regardless of corrections on vs off
This is an old post but I just came across it and checked the files. Are you sure it's not Adobe messing up your files? I couldn't recreate the rings in Rawtherapee (http://rawtherapee.com)
A lot of comparisons, reviews and fault finding online relies on Adobe not messing with the files or doing hidden stuff behind the scenes. Thing is that Adobe does. So much so that you can't really evaluate a lens or camera using it.
Jan 09, 2024 at 02:31 AM
p.26 #14Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
Nushi wrote:
This is an old post but I just came across it and checked the files. Are you sure it's not Adobe messing up your files? I couldn't recreate the rings in Rawtherapee (http://rawtherapee.com)
A lot of comparisons, reviews and fault finding online relies on Adobe not messing with the files or doing hidden stuff behind the scenes. Thing is that Adobe does. So much so that you can't really evaluate a lens or camera using it.
It's consistent across various raw processing programs unfortunately. Only certain bodies do it, and apparently covering contacts stops it (I'm not trying that personally) which implies it's irreversibly baked in electronically.
TimWildAstro wrote
Interestingly the red colour ring issue is worse with the shading correction turned off with the 12-24GM. I've always used all corrections off for astro, with all lenses, but something is seemingly baked into the files with the 12-24GM regardless of corrections on vs offA lot of comparisons, reviews and fault finding online relies on Adobe not messing with the files or doing hidden stuff behind the scenes. Thing is that Adobe does. So much so that you can't really evaluate a lens or camera using it.
It's consistent across various raw processing programs unfortunately. Only certain bodies do it, and apparently covering contacts stops it (I'm not trying that personally) which implies it's irreversibly baked in electronically.
Jan 12, 2024 at 04:03 PM
p.26 #15Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Review
I don't believe you'll find it on any body newer than the a1 (including the a1).
Jan 12, 2024 at 05:36 PM