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 p.3 #16 · Sony 24-105 still a (really) good choice in 2025 (soon 2026)? | |
StoneCrop wrote:
I think someone hit the nail on the head with the minivan comparison. It’s not the fastest, but it’s very versatile and gets the job done.
I feel the 24-105 has a great set of compromises. It’s not too big, not too slow, not too limited in range. Don’t have the best rendering or sharpness or biggest range or the brightest aperture, but it doesn’t fall too far behind in anything. You know the range you want to shoot an and this matches it, while none of the other options quite do. It’s a much smaller investment so it leaves you with money in your pocket should you decide you want something else down the road, and you can resell it without losing too much. If you end up doing any video, the OSS is a big help, and it doesn’t hurt for photo either. 105mm hovers some nice compression for portraits and at f/4 gets you a similar level of background separation that you would get from the 70/2.8. You know you don’t want wider than 24, so no need to get the 20-70. You’re on 33mpx so you won’t notice the kinds of difference in detail that someone with a 60mpx sensor would see, so no need to go for the bleeding edge of sharpness in newer lenses. It’s compatible with the full set of features that Sony reserves for their better glass with the A7V / newer bodies- full frame rate, active stabilization, focus breathing compensation, etc (not sure if you shoot action or any video or if those features are useful to you, but if so, that’s an advantage over options from Tamron and sigma…). And it’s significantly smaller and lighter than the 24-70/2.8, 28-70/2, 28-105/2.8 and 35-150 options. Makes a difference when carrying it all day. And if something bad happens to it while you’re traveling, you’re out much less money than with the other options. If you have other primes than you already have things likely better than a 2.8 zoom for when you know you need them, so what you’re looking for here is convenience. And that is what the 24-105g excels in - convenience and the right set of compromises.
I say get it and get to know it. But maybe check them all out on the store so you can feel their weight and balance, and try their image quality and handling for yourself. The stores I’ve been to don’t mind showing a few lenses, they generally have one of each that are display models. And check the one you end up getting for centering/image quality so that you can exchange it if needed.
One thing I’d say in favor of the newer lenses, and the Sigma 24-70/2.8 ii, is they have the aperture ring and other new controls on the lens. I’d that’s important to you, then factor it into your considerations....Show more →
Thanks again to everyone who contributed. Very insightful and helpful answers!
@StoneCrop: Thank you too! Great post. It pretty much sums up and structures what's been going through my mind (albeit somewhat disorganized) these past few days.
I think a lot of what you wrote reflects my own convictions, even if I haven't quite accepted them for myself yet  .
There are only three things left that speak against the 24-105 for me (the 20-70mm is also partly affected by this).
1. I'm also one of those people who enjoys going out with a 2.8 zoom more. This is definitely irrational, but it matters to me whether I'm excited about my lens and its capabilities from the outset. Sounds silly, but it's true. One shouldn't be inspired by the hardware, otherwise one really is a materialist Do this is the most irrational reason. 
2. More pragmatically: How does F4 perform in low light? I can simulate that with my 35-150 Tamron and stop down. I'm used to automatically always shooting wide open in low light, in churches, pubs, and on night streets.
3. What StoneCrop wrote is all very well summarized. Only one statement was incorrect, and that's the one that's been on my mind the most. The 24-70 2.8 GM (II) isn't actually bigger/heavier than the 24-105 F4. In principle, they're both the same size and weight. That's my biggest dilemma.
I'd like to try them all out on my camera at a local dealer soon to get a better feel for the size and weight. There has to be a good balance.
P.S. The 20-70mm is out because I'm not a wide-angle photographer. My pictures always end up meaningless. They say that when you shoot wide-angle, you have to pay attention to the foreground. I still need to learn that.
Edited on Dec 29, 2025 at 04:08 PM · View previous versions
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