ZEISS Loxia 2.4/25

Reviewers rate it as one of the sharper 25mm lenses for E-mount. The centre is already very good at f/2.4, and the borders and corners come up to a high level by f/5.6 to f/8. Distortion is low for a wide-angle, flare and ghosting are well controlled, and the sunstars stand out.

The weak points are the modest f/2.4 aperture, clear vignetting wide open, and a short 90-degree focus throw that suits zone focusing better than precise focus pulls. Several reviews also note that it costs about as much as faster autofocus 24mm lenses.

Owners like the size, the dense metal build and the way it renders skies, foliage and stone with snap and good colour. Many pair it with the Loxia 50 or 85 as a compact manual kit for hiking and city trips, and the sunstars come up often.

Common complaints are the price for an f/2.4 lens, the short focus throw when shooting close subjects wide open, and the lens hood blocking part of the view on some bodies. A few users stitch panoramas with it and wish the distortion profile were applied by default in more raw converters.