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Archive 2024 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

bwcolor
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p.1 #1 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

Pre Covid I spent three weeks in France with an A9 and 24mm f/1.4GM. I was happy with the pairing. Since, I�ve sold most Sony gear. Now, I�m wanting to build a light weight Sony travel kit. Currently I own a new A7CR & 40mm G lens. The remaining old kit include Loxia 21,35 & 85mm.

I�m thinking of leaving the 35mm Loxia at home, but adding a 24/25mm. Looking at the MTF from both the 24mm G and the 25mm Loxia, it seems that the G bests Loxia centrally, but falls behind with regards to edge performance. How do I sort out which one to buy short of renting, or buying both?

Oct 06, 2024 at 03:55 PM

Steve Spencer
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p.1 #2 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

bwcolor wrote:
Pre Covid I spent three weeks in France with an A9 and 24mm f/1.4GM. I was happy with the pairing. Since, I�ve sold most Sony gear. Now, I�m wanting to build a light weight Sony travel kit. Currently I own a new A7CR & 40mm G lens. The remaining old kit include Loxia 21,35 & 85mm.

I�m thinking of leaving the 35mm Loxia at home, but adding a 24/25mm. Looking at the MTF from both the 24mm G and the 25mm Loxia, it seems that the G bests Loxia centrally, but falls behind with regards to edge performance. How do I...Show more →

You can't compare the MTFs between Sony and Zeiss lenses. Sony publishes the theoretical MTF that doesn't even control for diffraction. Zeiss publishes measured MTF (they like to publish these because they make one of the machines that tests MTF). The Zeiss will always look worse in such a comparison but it is comparing apples to oranges. I would not only look at the Sony 24 G, but both Sigma i-series 24mm lenses as well. The Loxia is the only one I have owned and it is a gem.

Oct 06, 2024 at 04:01 PM

tsdevine
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p.1 #3 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

Thought the i24/3.5 was supposedly a stronger performer than the G, but maybe I�m mistaken. Loxia is hard to beat IMHO.

Oct 06, 2024 at 04:03 PM

chez
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p.1 #4 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

I think you first should decide if you want AF or MF. Then decide how weight affects your decision.

My personal take is the majority of lenses these days are plenty sharp. I look at other characteristics of the lenses when making my choices.

Oct 06, 2024 at 05:09 PM

bwcolor
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p.1 #5 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

chez wrote:
I think you first should decide if you want AF or MF. Then decide how weight affects your decision.

My personal take is the majority of lenses these days are plenty sharp. I look at other characteristics of the lenses when making my choices.

Yes, you are right about deciding on focusing modality. For me, 35mm and wider, with modest maximum aperture can be either. I don�t have a preference. I think that your observation regarding sharpness is true here. At least centrally, the Sigma, Sony and Zeiss lenses are all sharp. That gets back to my original question as to how to decide. I guess that next up is going through Flickr. Usually, fewer Loxia images, but Loxia shooters seem to produce a high percentage of great images.

I know that one of the characteristics of the Loxia lenses (and other Zeiss lenses) that I appreciate is the high degree of micro contrast. I�m not sure how the 24mm Sigma and Sony lenses compare.

Oct 06, 2024 at 05:20 PM

mudlake
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p.1 #6 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

I like my small and light Sigma 24/3.5. I don�t think it is as good as the Loxia, but it�s very good.

One thought - have you considered the Sony 20/1.8G as an alternative to 24/25mm? It�s extremely sharp and has great rendering and is also fast. It�s exactly the same weight as the Loxia and only slightly bigger. With your 60mp camera you could have 20mm and also have plenty of room to crop to 24mm all the way to 35 if needed. It�s a terrific lens.

Oct 06, 2024 at 06:32 PM

bwcolor
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p.1 #7 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

mudlake wrote:
I like my small and light Sigma 24/3.5. I don�t think it is as good as the Loxia, but it�s very good.

One thought - have you considered the Sony 20/1.8G as an alternative to 24/25mm? It�s extremely sharp and has great rendering and is also fast. It�s exactly the same weight as the Loxia and only slightly bigger. With your 60mp camera you could have 20mm and also have plenty of room to crop to 24mm all the way to 35 if needed. It�s a terrific lens.

Great option, but have Loxia 21mm

Oct 06, 2024 at 06:42 PM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #8 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

Not sure anything can beat the Loxia 25 as I found it even better than there famed 21. But your also talking a manual focus lens and for me at 24/25 I would tend to want AF going forward bellow 24 im happy with manual focus lenses and that maybe just the way I shoot or prefer. Now that is not saying there 24mm 1.4 is not good as it is but still I think the Loxia is the best at 24/25. You could look at Sonys 16-25 and 24-50 as well as they are small but quite good

Edited on Oct 06, 2024 at 06:48 PM · View previous versions

Oct 06, 2024 at 06:45 PM

QuietOC
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p.1 #9 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

bwcolor wrote:
Pre Covid I spent three weeks in France with an A9 and 24mm f/1.4GM. I was happy with the pairing. Since, I�ve sold most Sony gear. Now, I�m wanting to build a light weight Sony travel kit. Currently I own a new A7CR & 40mm G lens. The remaining old kit include Loxia 21,35 & 85mm.

I�m thinking of leaving the 35mm Loxia at home, but adding a 24/25mm. Looking at the MTF from both the 24mm G and the 25mm Loxia, it seems that the G bests Loxia centrally, but falls behind with regards to edge performance. How do I...Show more →
The G has busy background out-of-focus if you care about that. It is the only AF lens among these with linear response MF.

I've had the Samyang 24mm F2.8, the 2.5/24G, Tamron 24mm F2.8, and Samyang 24mm F1.8. The later doesn't have any big weakness. The Tamron and Sony G have quite a bit of barrel distortion--the Sony having more than the Tamron. That affects the edge sharpness after correction. The copy of the Tamron I had wasn't well-centered, and sending it in under warranty didn't get it fixed. I am sure some copies are pretty good. The little Samyang F2.8 is soft wide-open on the edges, but has pretty nice rendering and very little breathing.

The little Sigmas may be the safest bets for alignment, but I haven't tried either of them.

Oct 06, 2024 at 06:46 PM

bwcolor
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p.1 #10 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

GMPhotography wrote:
Not sure anything can beat the Loxia 25 as I found it even better than there famed 21. But your also talking a manual focus lens and for me at 24/25 I would tend to want AF going forward bellow 24 im happy with manual focus lenses and that maybe just the way I shoot or prefer. Now that is not saying there 24mm 1.4 is not good as it is but still I think the Loxia is the best at 24/25. You could look at Sonys 16-25 and 24-50 as well as they are small but quite good

I�ve only had the relatively large Sony f/1.4GM and that was autofocus. I�m fine with manual focus at 21mm, as are you. I�ve used 21, 28, 50, 75 and 90mm with rangefinders for years, but the A7CR isn�t an A7Rv, so the EVF is a bit challenging, so not 100% sure that I would get along with manual focus at 25mm, but unlike you, I no longer shoot professionally, so missing a shot is an option. Thanks� greatly value your opinion..

Oct 06, 2024 at 07:26 PM

chez
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p.1 #11 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

My travel lens in the 24mm range is the Batis 25. You get that micro contrast and colours of the Zeiss lenses that you want. I find the sharpness across the lens to be very good. It�s compact enough and weighs not too much.

Oct 06, 2024 at 07:49 PM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #12 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

I don�t use the EVF on the A7CR but the LCD on manual and I�m doing quite well with it, so not bad at all

Oct 06, 2024 at 07:58 PM

bwcolor
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p.1 #13 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

GMPhotography wrote:
I don�t use the EVF on the A7CR but the LCD on manual and I�m doing quite well with it, so not bad at all

I�ve turned up the brightness of the LCD, but my photochromic glasses makes it tough using the LCD in the sun. I already have a separate pair of glasses for photography (bifocals vs my usual trifocals). Outside of Texas the sun is probably less bright

Oct 06, 2024 at 08:19 PM

akashyap
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p.1 #14 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

I sold my 24 GM thinking I would get over it, but I ended up repurchasing. In addition to great crop ability into my favorite focal lengths, the video with a fast 24 and AI AF is great for home videos. I have it on my A7Cii now, and it's a golden combo: both camera & lens pack so many features & such high quality into a small & light package.

Oct 06, 2024 at 11:29 PM

jaybr
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p.1 #15 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

QuietOC wrote:
I've had the Samyang 24mm F2.8, the 2.5/24G, Tamron 24mm F2.8, and Samyang 24mm F1.8. The later doesn't have any big weakness.

I managed to get a great copy of the Samyang FE 24mm f1.8, a very underrated lens:

I also have a great copy of the Voigtlander FE 21mm f3.5, I love the sun stars on that thing at f4 onwards 😁

I never sell my lenses anymore, it�s a real pain to find straight/aligned copies, so when you find them, hang onto them 😉

J

Oct 07, 2024 at 07:45 AM

Frederik0711
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p.1 #16 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

Personally, I think 21mm and 24mm are too close to bringing or even owning both.

If I were you, I would just pair the Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 and Sony 40mm f/2.5 G. You could also sell the 21mm, and get both a Voigtl�nder 15mm f/4.5 and 24mm. I don't know what you mostly photograph, but I often don't find 21mm enough for architecture and some landscape photography (like low angle scenes in forests).
My kit is not too far off; a7C R, Sigma 17mm f/4 DN and Sony 40mm f/2.5 G, which I pair with Laowa 9mm f/5.6 and Sigma 90mm f/2.8 DN at times.

As for a compact 24mm, I would either go Sigma 24mm f/3.5 or Sony 24mm f/2.8 G. The Sigma is actually a good bit heavier, but its build is also "pristine", and perhaps slightly sharper in the corners.
The Samyang AF 24mm f/1.8 is just as good, fast and cheap, but I prefer the haptics and compactness of the other lenses. If I did a lot of hand-held photography in low light or astro, I would go for this, though.

Oct 07, 2024 at 09:19 AM

RustyRus
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p.1 #17 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

Oct 07, 2024 at 09:29 AM

jaybr
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p.1 #18 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

Frederik0711 wrote:
Personally, I think 21mm and 24mm are too close to bringing or even owning both.

If I were you, I would just pair the Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 and Sony 40mm f/2.5 G. You could also sell the 21mm, and get both a Voigtl�nder 15mm f/4.5 and 24mm. I don't know what you mostly photograph, but I often don't find 21mm enough for architecture and some landscape photography (like low angle scenes in forests).
My kit is not too far off; a7C R, Sigma 17mm f/4 DN and Sony 40mm f/2.5 G, which I pair with Laowa 9mm f/5.6 and Sigma...Show more →

Lol, I also own the Voigtlander FE 15mm f4.5 as well.
I have 8mm (fisheye), 15mm, 21mm, 24mm, 35mm, 55mm, 75mm and 100mm prime lenses.
Also, the Tamron FE 17-28mm f2.8 and Tamron FE 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 zoom lenses (for travel use).
I draw the line there, I�m happy with this selection of lenses, I don�t need or want more.

J

Oct 07, 2024 at 09:51 AM

MARKFER
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p.1 #19 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

The Sigma 24mm 3.5 is a nice little lens, and I mean little lens. I am considering repurchasing. It is great as a walk around. I was always pleasantly happy with the output. My Loxia 25 is really special but the AF and walk around portability makes the little Sigma something that I miss.

Oct 07, 2024 at 10:03 AM

Frederik0711
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p.1 #20 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

jaybr wrote:
Lol, I also own the Voigtlander FE 15mm f4.5 as well.
I have 8mm (fisheye), 15mm, 21mm, 24mm, 35mm, 55mm, 75mm and 100mm prime lenses.
Also, the Tamron FE 17-28mm f2.8 and Tamron FE 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 zoom lenses (for travel use).
I draw the line there, I�m happy with this selection of lenses, I don�t need or want more.

J

Great selection, indeed.

I used to own a bunch of manual focus primes as well, but I either ended up never using half of them, or ended up with some big zooms. I do occasionally miss the haptics and rendering (sunstars and tonality) of several Voigtl�nder and Zeiss lenses, like the Voigtl�nder 15mm f/4.5, 21mm f/1.4, 35mm, 35 and 65mm f/2 APO, 75mm f/1.5 and 110mm f/2.5 APO, and all of the Loxia lenses. The Zeiss Contax lenses, and most Zeiss lenses in general, are lovely, too. I still have the Contax 100-300, but I'm probably selling it. I'm quite done with zooms and heavy lenses.

For now, I'll try with my 4 primes, but I might eventually get a super-zoom, perhaps one of Tamron's 28-200/300, though they are a bit big for the a7C R. The 28-300 seems a bit disappointing when reading and watching all the reviews and videos, but if I do go tele, I want a bit more than 200mm, and with a lens as the 28-300, I can usually just bring that and the 17mm.

Edited on Oct 07, 2024 at 10:12 AM · View previous versions

Oct 07, 2024 at 10:08 AM

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