The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM and the Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM is the longer of the two lenses at 137mm. The Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G with a length of 117mm, is 20mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM also has a larger diameter of 98mm compared to the Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G's 87mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM and Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM and the Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G Size and Weight The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G weighs 565g, 33% (282g) lighter than the Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM's weight of 847g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM and the Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of 12-24mm but while Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM has the fastest aperture of F2.8, the Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G's widest aperture value is F4.