The Sony E 20mm f/2.8 is the type of lens that doesn’t have a lot of fans. For the same money, you could get a much better option, both in image quality and bokeh. So why did I buy it? It’s a pancake. Simple as that. Mind you, being a pancake lens isn’t enough. Image quality has to be at least decent, a thing Sony wasn’t familiar with when they made the E 16mm f/2.8. Luckily, the 20mm is much better, so it’s getting a much-needed review.
The specs
Just like a real pancake, the recipe is fairly simple. 6 elements in 6 groups, 7 aperture blades, an aperture that opens up to f/2.8, a stepping motor for autofocus, all of which sit in a 20mm long body, that weighs just 69 grams. No info regarding protein and carbs.
If you’ll indulge me, there are more real pancake parallels. Just like in real life, you can choose to add some toppings. Sony came up with two of them: the VCL-ECF and VCL-ECU conversion lenses, turning the 20mm into a 13mm fisheye or a 16mm wide lens. Neither passes EXIF data to the camera, so don’t expect the metadata to tell you which one you used. Sony re-released both in black to match this lens (the originals were silver, made for the 16mm f/2.8), but apart from the colour, nothing changed between generations.
As for build quality, the 20mm is a mix of plastic and metal, which probably explains the lightness. After more than 6 years of usage, the scuffs are minimal, so it holds up well.
Image quality
Pancake lenses aren’t known for stellar image quality, and the Sony E 20mm f/2.8 is not an exception. But it’s more than enough for enthusiasts. Photos look good on smartphones, 27″ desktop monitors, and 55″ TVs.
For those who like to pixel peep, here’s how the lens fares at various apertures, with lens correction turned off:
There’s a bit of barrel distortion and quite a lot of vignetting that doesn’t really go away. Enabling lens correction in Lightroom fixes the issue.
It can also focus as close as 20 cm, a thing I already pointed out in my 7Artisans 18mm f/6.3 II review. Should you need more examples:
Flaring and sun stars
It’s the same story as image quality: because this is a small lens, it can’t do wonders when it comes to flaring.
The E 20mm f/2.8 comes with an unusual lens hood, presumably meant to help with this. I put it to the test with the sun both inside and outside the frame, and in neither scenario did the hood make any real difference to flaring.
If anything, the only reason I’d still put the lens hood on is protection for the front element, since it lets you keep the lens ready to shoot without worrying about bumps or fingerprints. As a flare-fighting tool, though, it doesn’t earn its keep, and it makes the whole setup much bigger, which defeats the purpose of having a pancake lens.
The same small-lens ceiling applies to sun stars. Seven aperture blades will only ever get you so far, and here they produce something serviceable rather than striking. If sunbursts are a big part of why you shoot into the light, this isn’t the lens that will sell you on the technique. But if you’re chasing everyday shots and a sunstar shows up now and then as a bonus, you won’t be disappointed.
Chromatic Aberration
Honestly, I was expecting to see more purple around high contrasting edges, but the E 20mm f/2.8 handles them quite well. You won’t see these issues on your smartphone, and I’d argue you won’t notice them on bigger screens. On my 27″ 4K display, I had to zoom in at 300% to find them.
As for longitudinal chromatic aberration, it’s not that bad. You can see it clearly at f/2.8, though I’d argue ghosting is to blame, due to the close focusing distance. Stop down to f/5.6 and it’s gone.
Should you buy the Sony E 20mm f/2.8?
If you want a compact setup above everything else, the Sony E 20mm f/2.8 should be on your list. Performance is more than enough for enthusiasts who simply want to capture everyday life. It’s actually refreshing to see Sony was able to right many of the wrongs that the E 16mm f/2.8 had.
The only reason you should avoid it is price. Both B&H and Adorama sell it for $378, which is a lot to pay for an f/2.8 wide lens. If you really want a compact lens for your Sony APS-C camera, you’ll have to resort to the second-hand market. That was no problem for me in December 2019, when I paid around $185 for it.
When it comes to alternatives, there’s not much to choose from if you’re set on owning a pancake that sits at a 28mm-ish full frame equivalent focal length. There’s the 7Artisans 18mm I reviewed a few weeks ago, and that’s about it. If you’re willing to trade the slimness for better image quality, there’s the Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN which is more affordable and sharper than the Sony.
Recap
The Good:
- Compact & light;
- Good image quality;
- Autofocus works well;
- Decent build quality.
The Bad:
- Pricey;
- No EXIF data update when using the converters;
- Front text elements are slightly misaligned.
The Sony E 20mm f/2.8 was made for everyday life: trips and vacations where you don’t have a lot of room for camera gear, long walks when you don’t want heavy glass dangling from your neck or wrist, and for those times you just want something that slips into a jacket pocket. It’s not the best value on the market, but more than 6 years later, it’s still the pancake I’d reach for, and still the one I’d buy again.
