Sony FE 20-70mm 4.0 G

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.