Head-to-head · Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G vs Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.7 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about Astro, low-light and travel shooters who want a bright, light, sharp ultra-wide prime with standard filter support at a sensible price. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G

4.7

$998as of Jun 7

The Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G is one of the best-value ultra-wide primes in the E-mount lineup, pairing excellent sharpness and fast autofocus with a notably light 373g body. The 20mm f/1.8 combination is well suited to astro and low-light work, and the standard 67mm filter thread adds practicality. Mild coma wide open and the fixed focal length are the only meaningful trade-offs.

Strengths

— One of the sharpest ultra-wide primes available, with few optical shortcomings
— Very light and compact at 373g for a fast full-frame ultra-wide
— Fast, accurate G-series autofocus suited to hybrid stills and video

Watch-outs

— Some visible coma at the widest apertures that improves on stopping down
— Fixed 20mm focal length limits framing flexibility versus a zoom
— No optical stabilization, relying on in-body IS

$998 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

4.6

$899as of Jun 7

The Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD is the value champion of fast Sony wide zooms. It combines near-G-Master center sharpness with a genuinely pocketable 420g body and a constant f/2.8 aperture, all for under $900. The compromises are a narrower zoom range and slightly soft close-focus corners, but as a light, weather-sealed travel wide-angle it is hard to fault.

Strengths

— Center sharpness rivals and at times matches the Sony G Master, especially on distant subjects
— Exceptionally compact and light at 420g and about 10cm long
— Constant f/2.8 aperture at less than half the price of the Sony GM II

Watch-outs

— Restrictive 1.6x zoom range that stops at 28mm rather than 35mm
— Full-frame corners can be a bit soft at close 1-2m focus distances
— Very short working distance at the wide end limits close-up framing

$899 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G

It is the cheaper, more practical prime sibling to the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM, sharing the f/1.8 aperture and astro pedigree but with a 67mm front filter thread the 14mm lacks and a less extreme 20mm view. At $898 it sits at a similar price to the Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD and Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary zooms but trades their flexibility for a brighter aperture. It is far cheaper than the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II.

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

It is the lightest and one of the cheapest fast zooms here, undercutting the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II by roughly $1,400 while matching much of its center sharpness. Against the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary it is similar in concept but starts at 17mm rather than 16mm and uses a 67mm rather than 72mm filter. Unlike the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM and FE 20mm F1.8 G primes, it offers a zoom range, albeit a short one.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G	Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
Focal Length	20mm	17-28mm
Max Aperture	f/1.8	f/2.8 (constant)
Mount	Sony E (full-frame)	Sony E (full-frame)
Weight	373g	420g
Filter Thread	67mm	67mm
Stabilization	None (relies on in-body IS)	None (relies on in-body IS)
Dimensions	73.5 x 84.7mm	—
Minimum Focus	0.18m (AF) / 0.19m (MF)	—
Length	—	99mm
Aperture Blades	—	9

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