Sony FE 20-70mm 4.0 G

The Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G is one of the more exciting lenses released in recent years. It may be a new contender if we revisit the age-old question of which single lens to take on a remote island. However, this doesn't mean that it is a perfect lens. It relies heavily on digital auto-correction to do the job, but there's nothing wrong with this per se. However, Sony may have overdone - or, to be precise - underdone it a little when it comes to image distortions. In RAW images, the barrel distortions are nothing short of excessive at 20mm. Distortion correction is lossy, so auto-correction takes a toll on resolution. However, even so, the quality remains almost surprisingly high. The broader center quality is very good to excellent, and the outer image field is still good. As usual, the results are best in the broader middle zoom range. There's a tiny drop at 70mm, but the results are still sharp. Auto-correction is doing a nice job of reducing the vignetting. Lateral CAs are also quite low. If we had to point to a single major weakness that is image-affecting from an end-user perspective, it's the bokeh. However, you shouldn't expect a great bokeh from an f/4 standard zoom lens anyway, but this doesn't change the fact that the lens is worse than most in this respect. Returning to more positive aspects - as far as we can tell from sample images, the lens is pretty resistant to flare effects. And it can also produce pretty nice sun stars in night scenes. The build quality of the FE 20-70mm f/4 G aligns with what you can expect from a modern G-class lens. It feels solid, and the used plastics are of high quality. The weather sealing may not have an IP rating, but it's certainly reassuring. The zoom and focus control rings operate smoothly. Videographers will certainly appreciate the focus breathing compensation support (in certain Sony cameras) as well as the clickless aperture option. The AF motor is both very quick and noiseless. Overall, the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G is a winner unless you are into shallow depth-of-field photography. Especially outdoor enthusiasts will like the combination of image quality, compact size and low weight ... and, of course, the 20mm setting, which is its standout feature.

The FE 20-70mm f4G is a compelling general-purpose lens for Sony owners who value extra-wide coverage. It takes the classic 24-70 range of models like the previous Zeiss f4, but widens it at the short-end making it not just ideal for capturing larger views, but also more suitable for the needs of video creators. Vloggers in particular will appreciate being able to apply Active stabilisation and still end up with a wide view even after the crop. The optical quality is decent with the aperture wide-open, sharp across the frame at the wide-end and only a tad soft in the corners at 70mm, but improved at f5.6. The minimum focusing allows useful close-ups at 70mm, albeit less so at the wide-end, the focusing is fast and quiet, and while there’s some breathing at 20mm, it can be corrected by the latest bodies without reducing the field of view. With so many options, you have to carefully think about which range, aperture and price best suits your needs. Consider Sony’s own 24-105 f4 G, 20 f1.8 prime and Tamron’s 20-40 f2.8 to name just three. If you’re after the flexibility of a general-purpose zoom though, the 20-70 f4 G becomes a key contender, and as a fan of wider-angles I’d now choose it over the 24-105 as a walkaround lens for a full-frame Sony mirrorless.

Highly Recommended – An incredibly versatile standard zoom lens stretching from ultra-wide to short telephoto.