The Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G is a bit of a surprising lens in a couple of ways. Upon first contact, you will notice how small it is compared to similar (DSLR-)offerings. It's even more obvious in term of weight (565g vs 1150g for the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 HSM ART).

Sent back. I already have the 16-35 f/4 and the Rokinon 14mm manual focus. Going down to 12mm wasn't that much and at max of 24 mm is too wide compared to zooming it at 35mm.

I was looking for a wide angle zoom that didn't break the bank. I hesitated with this lens as it was a f/4 and I worried that it would come up short in low light. It performed wonderfully.

Great value; Versatile

Lighter construction; Shorter f/stop range

There are wide lenses, there are ultra-wide lenses, and there are lenses like the FE 12-24mm F4 G ($1,699.99), which is at the extreme end of coverage when paired with a full-frame image sensor. It's not the widest rectilinear zoom—Canon's EF 11-24mm f/4L USM ($2,999) captures images with a slightly broader scope—but it's a lot less expensive and about half as heavy. To meet its price and come in at a reasonable size it makes some optical compromises, but no more than you get with costlier ultra-wide zooms. It's a strong performer, and a better option than adapting the Canon or Sigma equivalents for Sony shooters who want the widest lens available. Design The 12-24mm ($1,773.00 at Amazon) is deceptively small compared with similar zooms for SLR systems. It measures 4.6 by 3.5 inches (HD) and weighs just 1.2 pounds. The Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art ($1,599) measures 5.2 by 4.0 inches and weighs 2.5 pounds, which certainly makes Sony's take on the design easier to carry. You can use ...

The Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G captures images with an incredibly wide field of view, and is much smaller and lighter than lenses for full-frame SLR systems.

Light, compact design; Quite sharp; Extremely wide field of view; Integrated lens hood; Focus Hold button; Dust- and moisture-resistant construction

Omits filter thread; No stabilization; Muddy corners at wide apertures; Noticeable vignette; Distortion throughout range

Sony's new lens is an ultra-wide zoom for full frame E mount cameras, although it can also be used on the APS-C format bodies, where it becomes an equivalent 18-36mm. In either case, this is a powerful and useful range.

This compact 12–24 mm ultra-wide-angle zoom lens features the shortest focal lengths available in any full-frame E-mount lens, with stunning corner-to-corner G Lens resolution at all apertures. It is an excellent choice for dynamic landscape and architecture photography.

Sorry for the delay in this review – I was having a little too much fun using the lens. And, reviewing thousands of images takes time. But, those images and the in-the-field use have given me strong insight into what this lens is capable of.

The Sony FE system is quite blessed by many lens options these days. While the third-party gang hasn't really started supporting the system, both Sony and its close ally Zeiss have been very busy beefing up the system lately.