Please, Real world full resolution pictures with the 20-70 f/4.0 G lens

Ab S · Oct 22, 2025

The coming weeks I most likely will start with the A7Rv but currently not yet sure which standard zoom lens to start with.

I have read the review on Opticallimits.com https://opticallimits.com/sony/sony-fe-20-70mm-f-4-g/.

Also downloaded the ARW sample pictures https://www.dpreview.com/sample-galleries/0949421438/sony-20-70mm-f4-g-sample-gallery/4524614628 from the DPR site and processed them with DxO PL9e/FP7.

I must say I am quite impressed. However, all these sample picture have been shot with a lot of light available.

My requests to you:

Do you have real world typical examples of shots with the 20-70 paired with an A7Rv (or iv) in full resolution? Even better if you could transmit the ARW files (via DropBox or similar)?
Are there folks who have experience with both the 20-70 f/4.0 G and the 24-70 f/2.8 GMii?

Thanks so much in advance!

ahaslett · Oct 22, 2025

I seem to have used up my DPR upload allowance but there is a PM with jpegs and RAWs from my 20-70mm G taken with an A7CR handheld. I tend to use the Tamron twins on my A7Riv on a tripod.

Anyway, one sample downsized by iOS

In case you are wondering, I shoot and expose RAW-only and process in C1.

Reviews don't mention that the lens has field curvature but it is obvious from brick wall or angled testing.

It's not a problem, as long as you know about it. Might explain the weaker corners on chart testing. The lens also has veiling glare around edges - look at the window in the bedroom shot.

That's pretty common in UWA lenses if you look for it. I knew about it from examining review sample images.

Andrew

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

Mike Evangelist · Oct 22, 2025

Ab S said:
The coming weeks I most likely will start with the A7Rv but currently not yet sure which standard zoom lens to start with.

I have read the review on Opticallimits.com https://opticallimits.com/sony/sony-fe-20-70mm-f-4-g/

The 20-70mm is an outstanding lens. I recently switched to Nikon and it's the one lens I really miss on that system.

Here's a few shots.

View attachment 5cbe803700d3481db38b5a6c0b92f867.jpg

View attachment c2177f8e8cbe4a1ba13b1193510029fe.jpg

View attachment 94473515f7184444b22fa25971d933de.jpg

Matt2134 · Oct 23, 2025

I have just sold the 20-70 in favour if the 24-70 GMii

The 20-70 is (in my subjective view) a decent rather than outstanding lens. It is a very useful zoom range I find, and as long as you are happy with a heavily corrected lens - which the majority seem to be these days - it is very versatile. I mostly upgraded for the extra stop rather than because of any optical deficiency in real world use which are largely negligible for anything other than the most demanding of circumstances.

The post above details the curvature and distortion issues pretty well, but I have a couple of shots here in corrected and uncorrected versions for each lens that may be of interest. These are bland unexciting shots but hopefully useful with and without auto Lightroom profiles

The 20-70 shots are with an A7Cr, the GMii shots with an A9iii

20-70 corrected

View attachment 72b86cad51e04d3ba16e73749ba9e81e.jpg

2070 Uncorrected

View attachment 4e46d6d8a840437da44b80761f7a4d22.jpg

And here with the GMii Uncorrected

and with auto corrections

Matt2134 · Oct 23, 2025

I just realised they are at opposite ends of the zoom range, these on the GMii at 24mm may be more comparable

uncorrected

View attachment db2e18c3aca143b2957565b28d37d2d6.jpg

Corrected

View attachment 1875d4d5c53a4adf8b7167ac20469b9e.jpg

Craig Gillette · Oct 23, 2025

Mision San Juan Capistrano, in Southern California. The interiors are in the Serra Chapel, the oldest extant building in California, dating to 1782. The exteriors are a combination of original and restorations, with major restorations about 1910. So handmade adobe brick and local materials - not the ideal setting for judging distortion.

Ab S · Oct 24, 2025

ahaslett said:
I seem to have used up my DPR upload allowance but there is a PM with jpegs and RAWs from my 20-70mm G taken with an A7CR handheld. I tend to use the Tamron twins on my A7Riv on a tripod.

Anyway, one sample downsized by iOS

In case you are wondering, I shoot and expose RAW-only and process in C1.

Reviews don't mention that the lens has field curvature but it is obvious from brick wall or angled testing.

It's not a problem, as long as you know about it. Might explain the weaker corners on chart testing. The lens also has veiling glare around edges - look at the window in the bedroom shot.

That's pretty common in UWA lenses if you look for it. I knew about it from examining review sample images.

Andrew

Thanks so much! I processed your ARW files with DxO PL9 like I am used to (I still also have C1.16), very helpful!

I think (from all the reviews) that in real world (even at 100%) the difference (sharpness and contrast) between the 20-70 f/4.0 G and 24-70 f/2.8 GMii in the overlapping focal length and aperture range is not really big, given the images you posted, although, I have not seen images from bot lenses side by side.

Here are two of your images processed with PL9 (reduced JPG size)

View attachment 9daabb9a420f4dfa8781d5cbbaefa6da.jpg
Processed with PL9

View attachment 51f9594d90c740b79d3ee6406632ed5b.jpg
Processed with PL9

--
Ab

Ab S · Oct 24, 2025

Thanks for the example images! May I ask why you switched to Nikon?

Ab S · Oct 24, 2025

Thanks for the example images! I cannot say that I see a clear the sharpness/contrast difference between the two lenses from your examples (yes deformation, even if corrected, could be an issue at 20 mm). But your images are quite noisy imho, which makes it hard for a pixel-peep comparison.

Mike Evangelist · Oct 24, 2025

Ab S said:
Thanks for the example images! May I ask why you switched to Nikon?

I wanted to have a high-speed body with pre-capture. The Sonys with that feature are too expensive for me (over $6,000), where a used Nikon Z8 can be had for under $3000.

Ab S · Oct 24, 2025

Thanks so much, nice examples! Mild border unsharpness can be noticed but it is not much. Also some deformation (?) can be noticed in the borders of the frame at 20 mm, but that could also be just the wide angle..

Ab S · Oct 24, 2025

Mike Evangelist said:
Ab S said:

Thanks for the example images! May I ask why you switched to Nikon?

Click to expand...

I wanted to have a high-speed body with pre-capture. The Sonys with that feature are too expensive for me (over $6,000), where a used Nikon Z8 can be had for under $3000.

High speed is a legitimate argument against the A7Rv and the current Z8 has also something as 45 MP while the current A7iv about 33 MP (A7v expected next year).

Craig Gillette · Oct 24, 2025

I think I'd expect some "stretching" to the edges at 20mm. This is a no tripods area for the most part so there may have been some "tilting" going on and a bit of rush avoiding other visitors in the frames so they may not be perfectly vertical, etc. All would be Lightroom but the interiors could be DxO, too. Don't recall which I chose from.

NowHearThis · Oct 24, 2025

Here's two from a previous post.

taken with A7RiVa - Same resolution and the RV.

MVDH · Oct 24, 2025

I use FE 20-70 on my A7R3 so cannot answer your question wth real life samles on 61 MP sensor but for me the 20-70 is a very strong performing lens.

Here some landscape samples from myself and other forum members:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4742671

Ab S · Oct 24, 2025

Thanks, impressive pictures!

dcstep · Oct 24, 2025

View attachment 2c60adf275754f3dae549e9cb7d1a0b7.jpg

View attachment 48bf09b1e957496eac63e837a88d75d9.jpg

-Love this lens. It's in my bag with the FE 14mm f/1.8 GM, FE 70-200mm f/4 OSS Macro II, the 600mm GM and the 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters. Never feel like I'm lacking the right tools.
Dave

Ab S · Oct 24, 2025

Thanks, impressive series of pictures!

Sharpness of the lens looks very good, also at the border of the frame; only at the edges there is clearly softness, but it is minor.

In the old days I had my Nikkormat with what is now called Prime lenses (e.g. 35 mm f/2.0 and 105 mm f/2.5), but I also had a Contax T2 with a Zeiss Sonnar 35 mm f/2.8. And, although not sharper than the Nikkor lenses, the rendering was unparalleled!

That is why I still plan to compare the 20-70 G with the 24-70 GMii side by side at my camera store. Still waiting until they have the A7Rv and both lenses a moment free from the rental service.

(Renting for one day will cost me all together more than 150€, which I think is just to much if you plan to purchase the combi A7Rv with one of the lenses)

Ab S · Oct 24, 2025

Thanks!

Please, Real world full resolution pictures with the 20-70 f/4.0 G lens

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