Sony expands its G-Master elite family with a constant F2.8 zoom glass. The Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM is the eleventh G-Master lens and offers a solution for those who seek the Full-Frame, flare-free, and sharp wide-angle look. Read more below.

The G-Master elite facility

Sony’s G-Master is an elite family that includes premium lenses. The G stands for “Gold” just like the L-series (from Canon) stands for “Luxury”. The G-Master (GM) lens line was introduced four years ago. Sony wanted to develop a dedicated ultra-high-resolution lens lineup optimized for its full-frame E-mount cameras. The GMs are characterized by XA (extreme aspherical) lens elements, precise and beautiful bokeh, sharpness, robust build, and of course, premium price. Till now, there are 11 GM lenses, including the brand new 12-24mm. Check the slide below which shows the Sony G-Master family.

12-24mm GM – “World’s Widest FF Zoom”

According to Sony, the newly announced FE 12-24mm F2.8 is “The world’s widest range of zoom at F2.8”. As stated by Neal Manowitz, deputy president of Imaging Products and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics.: “We are excited to introduce the new FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM as the 57th lens in Sony’s E-mount line-up…It is important for us to continue to push boundaries in the industry to develop the best tools for our customers”. 

We are excited to introduce the new FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM as the 57th lens in Sony’s E-mount line-up…It is important for us to continue to push boundaries in the industry to develop the best tools for our customers.

Neal Manowitz, deputy president of Imaging Products and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronic

Largest XA element ever made for an α lens

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM features three precise XA (extreme aspherical) elements including the largest XA element ever made for an α – Alpha brand lens. These XA elements, with an additional aspherical element, effectively suppress astigmatism, coma, and field curvature right out to the image edges. Furthermore, three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements plus two Super ED glass elements, powerfully control chromatic aberration and combine to deliver corner-to-corner clarity while minimizing color fringing.

Floating focus mechanism

The floating focus mechanism divides the lens’s focus group into two independently controllable groups, ensuring both outstanding close-up performance and maximum sharpness at any distance. The two independently controlled groups help realize a constant 11″ (28 cm) minimum focusing distance throughout the zoom range, and because it is an internal focus lens, its length remains constant, so its center of gravity varies very little and is always optimally balanced in the hand.

The “GM bokeh effect”

According to Sony, the signature bokeh effects of the FE 12-24mm F2.8 lens are achieved through the fine-tuning of the lens’s spherical aberration characteristics during both the design and manufacturing process. At the same time, the extremely high surface precision of the lens’s XA elements effectively suppresses spherical aberration and, in combination with a 9-blade circular aperture, further enhances its exquisite bokeh.

Minimized flaring effect

As explained by Sony, a brand-new Nano AR Coating II that can be evenly applied to large lens elements or highly curved element surfaces has been used for the first time on the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM. It suppresses internal reflections, minimizes flare and ghosting for clear, crisp imagery and despite the lens’s wide-angle of view, Nano AR Coating II maintains high clarity and contrast throughout the entire image, even in difficult light.

Constant F2.8 aperture

The constant F2.8 maximum aperture at all focal lengths ensures that exposure is stable when zooming. As a result, this means that shutter speed and ISO sensitivity can remain constant while shooting videos.

Robust and heavy

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 is a pretty heavy piece of glass (847 g) so take it into consideration when shooting with gimbals. Also, it is dust and moisture resistance and the front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels water, oil, and other contaminants, making it easier to wipe off any fingerprints from the lens surface. Explore the slide below which shows the specs. Click on the image to view it larger. 

Image quality

Sony has released a video demonstrating the capabilities and image quality of the 12-24mm GM. Watch the video below and judge by yourself.

Pricing and Availability

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM is available in August 2020 for a suggested retail price of $2,999.99 USD and $3,999.99 CAD.

Final thoughts

There is no doubt that the GM lens is a GM lens. I mean, it’s a quality stamp and you can’t go wrong with it. First, it’s important to emphasize that the footage gets distorted. This is not a Zero-D lens like the Laowa Cine which we covered here: Venus Optics Presents 3 new Compact, Zero-Distorted, and Affordable Ultra Wide Cine Lenses. When you shoot with the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM at 12mm focal length you’ll get a distortion, especially when shooting on a FF sensor. However, the distortion looks artistic rather than a side-effects artifact. Second, the price. This lens is not cheap ($3,000) however when comparing it to other cinema alternatives, it’s a pretty decent price point. On the other hand, it’s not a cinema lens, but a still lens. Nevertheless, in the range of high-quality wide-angle zooms, the price is comparable. For instance, the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM costs $2,700 and it’s considered less advanced than the FE 12-24mm F2.8 and less fast as well. Remember that you are paying for the privilege of shooting with a wide-angle zoom (plus constant aperture) lens. To sum it up, it all depends on the image quality. Form what I’ve seen so far, the footage quality is solid. Does it justify the price? It depends. If you’re a guru of the GM family and want to expand your options, then this lens can be a valid choice. Nevertheless, we need to see more footage and comparisons.

What are your insights regarding Sony’s 12-24mm GM? Would you invest in that glass?