Sony 24mm f2.8 G on A7c?

[snegron]

Hello all! Has anyone here used the Sony 24mm f2.8 G on an A7c? How well does it perform (AF, corner sharpness,  weather resistance,  etc.)?

 

I currently have a Tamron 24mm f2.8 mounted on my A7c.  The Tamron is a sharp lens, focuses fairly well and seems to be sharp throughout the entire frame when stopped down to f4 ir f5.6.  My only reason for wanting to replace it is that is mostly plastic (doesn't feel like it's going to last very long), and it is bigger than I'd like. My concern is that if I'm traveling far from home and the Tamron decides to break, I'll be stuck without a wide angle lens. 

 

I currently have the following lenses:

 

- Tamron 24mm f2.8 

- Sony 40mm f2.5 G

- Sony 85mm f1.8 

- Sony 28-60 kit lens (I'm not a fan of this lens only because of the variable aperture starting at f5.6 at 60mm)

 

My main use will be for travel. I like the idea of a small, unobtrusive,  lightweight setup.  Not a fan of changing lenses, but  zoom would be too big/heavy/noticeable on my A7c.  

[tadwil]

If you want the lightest and smallest camera/lens package with great IQ, those trio of compact Sony G lenses and the A7C can't be beat.  That would be my choice too but I am not at all keen on small bodies or lenses.

As far as plastic body lenses go, Tamron 20, 24, and 35/2.8 lenses aren't the worst.  I have legacy lenses with worse feel to them than the Tamron primes but still work as well as they should.  I bought the Tamron primes mostly for the 2:1 macro, you can get some unique wide angle macro/landscape images that can't be done with regular wide angle lenses or longer macro lenses.

As for lenses quitting on you, that usually won't happen unless the user does something stupid like dropping the camera.  If the lens hits the pavement first, a plastic bodied lens would most likely get damaged badly beyond repair, absorbing the shock with the camera receiving very little damage.  On the other hand, a metal body lens would also most likely get damaged beyond repair but will pass on the shock of the impact to the camera, possibly causing extensive damage to the camera.  But you are not accident prone, are you? 🙂

[snegron]

Thanks Tadwil! I do like the close focusing capability of the Tamron 24mm! So far I have really no complaints about this lens' performance.  It is super sharp and the AF is pretty decent with the A7c. 

 

According to the specs on paper, the Tamron 24mm only has a gasket seal at the mount area. Not that I plan to go diving with this setup, but I never know what to expect weather-wise when I'm away from home. While I treat my equipment well, there are occasions when I might get caught under a brief rain shower, foggy conditions, areas with dusty wind, etc. I'd like the peace of mind knowing my equipment won't fail (years ago I had a dslr fail on me while taking pics at a wedding as the "fog machine" was turned on during a dance). 

 

I try not to be accident prone, but I did drop a camera once (Panasonic m4/3) on a concrete parking lot; only damage was to the lens hood! Also dropped a Nikon D1X on a monorail ride at Disney; I was shocked that the camera sufferef no damage (thing was built like brick though). I have learned to be more gentle...

[tadwil]

The product brochure shows these Tamron budget prime lenses have at least six weather seal points including the gasket on the lens mount.  I have had the Tamron 24/2.8 get lightly wet while taking some shots at the lookout point at a local watershed dam during the spring run-off season when the lookout point would be completely drenched and there was no problem with the lens afterwards.  I am not crazy about shooting in the rain because drops of water on the front element of the lens basically ruins the chance of getting any usable shots.

[snegron]

1 hour ago, tadwil said:

The product brochure shows these Tamron budget prime lenses have at least six weather seal points including the gasket on the lens mount.  I have had the Tamron 24/2.8 get lightly wet while taking some shots at the lookout point at a local watershed dam during the spring run-off season when the lookout point would be completely drenched and there was no problem with the lens afterwards.  I am not crazy about shooting in the rain because drops of water on the front element of the lens basically ruins the chance of getting any usable shots.

 It is a bit confusing because the product info provided by Tamron indicates the lens has weather seals, however several online reviews mention that it doesn't.  

 

The lens feels fragile to the touch. The outer barrel bends fairly easily compared to other lenses in that focal range. I'm guessing Tamron designed this lens to match their 20 and 35mm (same sizes, same filter diameter),  which might be convenient but makes this lens bigger than it has to be. 

 

Again, this lens is super sharp and performs very well. However,  (in my case) it is awkwardly sized making it not very compact for travel. It's lightweight enough to leave mounted on a camera all day,  but the problem occurs when you try to store in a small camera bag; it takes up too much real-estate!

[Orev]

I’d like to know too. I just got the A7C and wondered how this lens would work for Astro.