Sony 24-105 G vs 24-70 GM Comparison

[Horshack]

Here is my Sony 24-105 G vs 24-70 GM comparison. These tests are targeted for my primary use as a landscape photographer.

Sharpness Comparison

Landscape (Infinity) Focal Length and Aperture Sharpness Comparison

Full-Sized Images for Landscape test above (A7rII):

24-105:
24mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8
35mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8
50mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8
70mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8
105mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8

24-70:
24mm: f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8
35mm: f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8
50mm: f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8
70mm: f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8

FOV+Vignetting comparison @ 24mm

Sony 24-105 vs 24-70 FOV and Vignetting (Animated GIF)

Light transmission comparison

Tested @ 50mm f/4, the 24-105 G is 0.17EV brighter than the 24-70 GM

 

[alextardif]

So what have we learned based on your side-by-side shots... 24-105 is basically just as good at nearly every FL, and even better in some cases ( @70mm it's obvious) as the 24-70. So, 2.8 aside, is clearly a fantastic option given the versatility and practical application at a $1K price difference.

 

[Corelli]

Doesn't surprise me, but thanks for the considerable effort you put in!

I love this lens!

Cheers

 

[AlphaPhotography]

Thank you for this comparison. If you get a chance can you do a quick comparison at "portrait distance" with the 24-105mm at 105mm f4 and the 24-70mm at 70mm f2.8. I've been really interested to see which option is sharper here with more pleasing bokeh. A true portrait would be especially helpful. Thank you!

 

[kelly15]

This test confirms.

Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Lens Review

Is the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Lens right for you? Learn all you need to know in The-Digital-Picture.com's review!

www.the-digital-picture.com

 

[Another birder]

Man that is some massive vignetting at 24

 

[AlphaPhotography]

This test confirms.

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Sony-FE-24-105mm-f-4-G-OSS-Lens.aspx

I always forget about that sites comparison tool! Thank you.

Wow. It even appears to beat the 24-70mm at f4. The 24-105mm may be my next lens!

 

[samtheman2014]

Man that is some massive vignetting at 24

 

[Chez Wimpy]

Here is my Sony 24-105 G vs 24-70 GM comparison. These tests are targeted for my primary use as a landscape photographer.

Thanks a lot for that. Of interest is the bottom left corner in the 24mm comparison. While the 24-105 is slightly behind the 24-70 at the edges of the frame, that bottom left corner (and the right, but not quite to this extent) is much better than the 24-70 at f4 and f5.6... so, decentering, field curvature, ???
From your samples the 24-105 looks good enough for my landscape needs, but I will wait to see if the 28-75/2.8 is better at the overlapping range. Needless to say all of these blow away the 28-70 kit lens I had!

 

[C47]

Thank you for this comparison. It looks like the only reason to buy the 24-70 mm GM is the f2.8 aperture.

 

[kelly15]

What mostly impress me are the resolving power differencies at 70mm.

 

[Elcheapo]

Awesome comparison.

There does seem to be some subtle sharpness advantages of the GM, but nothing remarkable really. In fact the most remarkable thing is how close they are.

So is the 24-105 more like a 23 or 22-105? quite the impressive optical design all things considered.

 

[kelly15]

Awesome comparison.

There does seem to be some subtle sharpness advantages of the GM, but nothing remarkable really. In fact the most remarkable thing is how close they are.

So is the 24-105 more like a 23 or 22-105? quite the impressive optical design all things considered.

It is 22-23mm but it is also automatically corrected for vignetting, then il becomes 24mm with quite acceptable borders for what vignetting is concerned.

 

[terryreid]

Awesome comparison.

There does seem to be some subtle sharpness advantages of the GM, but nothing remarkable really. In fact the most remarkable thing is how close they are.

So is the 24-105 more like a 23 or 22-105? quite the impressive optical design all things considered.

It is 22-23mm but it is also automatically corrected for vignetting, then il becomes 24mm with quite acceptable borders for what vignetting is concerned.

The average sharpness score for all the GM's excluding the 24-70GM is 36.8 almost 37.

The 24-70GM is rated a dissapointing 28 so it is no surprise to me, the only lenses rated lower for sharpness are the older F4's, 70-300G and a couple other inexpensive lenses.

I've always felt the 24-70GM was more of a G lens than a GM. I get a lot of good images with it but it is not in the same class as the rest of the GM lineup.

Unless this focal length range has some inherent reasons why it is not on par with the rest I have to think that we will see a II series from Sony down the road. This is probably the most widely used zoom for most people and for Sony not to have a spectactular 24-70 GM II lens doesn't make sense or fit in their overall plan of setting the standard.

--
-Terry

 

[TLopez]

Maybe a bad copy, as mine is sharper then sel35f28z and or par with sel55f18z

 

[NumberOne]

Here is my Sony 24-105 G vs 24-70 GM comparison. These tests are targeted for my primary use as a landscape photographer.

Sharpness Comparison

Landscape (Infinity) Focal Length and Aperture Sharpness Comparison

Full-Sized Images for Landscape test above (A7rII):

24-105:
24mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8
35mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8
50mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8
70mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8
105mm: f/4 f/5.6 f/8

24-70:
24mm: f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8
35mm: f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8
50mm: f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8
70mm: f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8

FOV+Vignetting comparison @ 24mm

Sony 24-105 vs 24-70 FOV and Vignetting (Animated GIF)

Light transmission comparison

Tested @ 50mm f/4, the 24-105 G is 0.17EV brighter than the 24-70 GM

Thank you so much for the time, work and sharing - Much appreciated, really!

As many of us - owners - already stated, the SEL24105G is a gem, aka, a great zoom to own/have, unless you absolutely need F2.8...


All the best,
Pedro

 

[kelly15]

Acc. to tdpr the Sony 24-105 is sharper in some focal lenght than the Canon 24-70 2.8 II.

 

[NumberOne]

Man that is some massive vignetting at 24

...Of no problem if you use the lens as designed/conceived, either enabling the in-camera correction or the post processing profile...

--
-------------------
http://timoconnor.photography/

All the best,
Pedro

 

[AviPro]

Very nice comparison and lot of effort to put this together,.

To see the f2.8 advantages over f4 , some very low light portraits would help

Otherwise at narrow apertures and for a long distance wide landscapes, all lenses will be good!

 

[JohnNEX]

The average sharpness score for all the GM's excluding the 24-70GM is 36.8 almost 37.

The 24-70GM is rated a dissapointing 28 so it is no surprise to me, the only lenses rated lower for sharpness are the older F4's, 70-300G and a couple other inexpensive lenses.

I've always felt the 24-70GM was more of a G lens than a GM. I get a lot of good images with it but it is not in the same class as the rest of the GM lineup.

Unless this focal length range has some inherent reasons why it is not on par with the rest I have to think that we will see a II series from Sony down the road. This is probably the most widely used zoom for most people and for Sony not to have a spectactular 24-70 GM II lens doesn't make sense or fit in their overall plan of setting the standard.