A few months back, I switched systems, mainly due to work-related requirements moving forward. The system I switched to was Sony, namely the a7R IV, so I needed a versatile lens to start with to allow me time to save for another lens after clearing out my bank account.
After reading many reviews and watching countless YouTube videos, the lens I opted to go for was the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens. A versatile and reliable Swiss army knife of lenses according to the reviews, so how did I get on with the lens, and is it worth considering in my opinion?
Build Quality
The lens feels solid in your hands, with a robust construction that is dust and moisture-resistant. Measuring 113.3 mm when closed, the lens has a 77mm filter thread and weighs only 663 g. The lens itself has Sony Nano AR coating to eliminate glare and ghosting, with the front element fluorine-coated to help prevent fingerprints and dirt from sticking. 
The lens is made up of 17 elements in 14 groups, which include three ED elements, two aspherical elements, and two advanced aspherical elements, and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.38 m.
The body of the lens contains a focus hold button that can be programmed via the menu to other functions, an AF/MF switch, and an OSS on/off switch which provide further image stabilization on top of that of the camera. Both the zoom and focus rings are very well-dampened so that you can make precise adjustments accurately.
Performance
The Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens doesn’t disappoint in this area. With a focal range covering everything from wide-angle shots to medium telephoto, it’s perfect for landscapes, portraits, and street photography. The f/4 aperture might not be the widest out there, but it’s plenty for most situations, which in my case are mainly landscape. Plus, the built-in Optical SteadyShot (OSS) keeps your shots steady, even in low light. With this in mind, I can currently shoot comfortably at 1/20 sec if I need to with some images and very little breathing being able to be captured at 1/6 sec. This is not something I plan on doing; that's what tripods are for, but I am enjoying the challenge nonetheless. The autofocus is quick and silent and works well with eye tracking for photo and video.
Sharpness is good throughout the zoom range, with minimal distortion and chromatic aberration. Sure, the GM lenses will be sharper, but for the price you are getting a very decent lens that you can use in a multitude of situations, and the lens handles them well. For landscapes at the widest focal length, the corners can be a little soft. In saying that, however, I've yet to find it detrimental to the images I've taken so far. This is more of a general-purpose all-round lens, so any softer edges at 24mm are not a deal-breaker. 
You can leave your other lenses at home with this versatile lens and still be prepared for anything. This I’ve found very useful for longer and higher hikes where weight can be an issue carrying a few different lenses. I carried two lenses with me on the last few hikes, this lens being one of them, and not once did I wish I had a different focal length with me. It allowed me to capture wider shots and then zoom in to get more distant subjects. Plus, with the 35mm zoom on the Sony a7R IV, I was able to extend the reach by another 52mm.
breziner effect at f/4
1/6 sec handheld
Various outings with the lens over the past couple of months
Pros
- Constant f/4 aperture throughout the range
- Sharp
- Lightweight
- Versatile
- Relatively low cost considering what you get for your money.
Cons
- After a few months of use, I can't really say I've found any that affect the photography I do
- There will be some less expensive lenses available with a similar focal range
Final Thoughts
It's sharp at all apertures, it is a do-it-all lens, and it is great for simply carrying one lens on longer hikes as it produces the goods and does it very well. It's not going to match the quality of the GM lenses, and that's why you pay higher prices for them; they do the job extremely well.
Can you go wrong with the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens? I don't think you can. At $1,198, you are getting a versatile workhorse of a lens that can cover a wide shooting range, plus it's not large and heavy, so it very easily fits into your camera bag. I carried the lens, a Sony a7R V, and a Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 Lens in my Peak Design Everyday Sling v2 and still had plenty of room, on some pretty high and long hikes. The lens returned the images I was after on these hikes, and they worked well considering I didn't have to take my tripod with me. The Steadyshot in the lens, combined with the in-body stabilization, meant I didn't have to worry about lowering my shutter speed for some shots; although this is something I'd like to practice.
So far, it has proved to be the Swiss army knife of lenses as some reviewers mentioned, and for the images I take, I can relax slightly in terms of saving for the other lenses. These reviews were correct in terms of versatility and sharpness, so if you are considering this lens while at the same time pulling your hair out at the price of the G-Masters, I would get this lens. Sure, the GM lenses are going to be better, but this lens is surprisingly good at what it does and costs less.
That's pretty great, it weighs more, and has less reach the the Nikon version.
The Nikon version is a little heavier and is for a DSLR released 14 years ago. DSLR. Ewww. :P
There is a Z version that is about a year old.
Pretty nice. Especially, it weighs a whopping .06 lbs lighter.
It’s a very good lens, but I sometimes wish for a Tamron 28-200 instead, especially for one-lens walkabout.
As a budget photographer, I splurged on one. My advice is to stay away from all f4 shots as well as f22 at 24mm. For f4.5 shots, the edges are not so good.
Great lens.
I’ve had one for a few years and I would say it’s ok, and that’s about that. Though I’m not sure about what he means by the A7R4 ability to zoom? If he is meaning the APSC feature, that’s a crop and not a zoom, however it can be useful getting rid of unwanted pixels in camera which also aids composition and framing. No zooming involved! The other advantage is smaller files from the 26MP cropped image produced which is way smaller than the regular 61MP.
On a point the way cameras with smaller sensors like to crow about their alleged extra reach is really a myth as for all intents and purposes it’s all down to cropping ability as opposed to any optical ability.
Pretty outdated with 24-105mm f2.8 now available. Slow aperture etc. Hardly that versatile when Nikon has greater reach and Canon has same reach at a constant f2.8 and is parfocal as well.
That new Canon f2.8 is twice as much ($3000, ouch) and twice as heavy at almost 3 lbs. If you're going to go around with something that heavy and large, get something more useful like a 35-150 f2-f2.8. If you plan to use it mostly at f5.6, 7.1, 11, etc, stick to the f4 versions of the brand of your choice.
F2.8 for landscape is a bit pointless as one would normally be shooting to maximise depth of field. Too heavy, too expensive and not really suited to the task. F4 is way plenty fast enough especially if you find yourself shooting at f8 / f 11most of the time I would also argue a short zoom at f2.8 is a waste of cash. If portraiture is your thing then a dedicated prime at your preferred focal length is a better option. Generalist do everything lenses are ok but have their limitations.
Not really into the MP hype or even the Gear chasing but software is the thing that makes the image. All the images I am showing are done with my best travel lens with the many Sony cameras I have and have used with the FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS that came out in March 2015 and now just under $1k, can not remember when I got it but always in my carry every day and where I go tear drop bag. Along with the FE 12-24mm f/4 G both on the spot if I see something, Have been with Sony since 2014 and have just about every lens including this FE 24-105 f/4 G OSS. First telephotos have OSS as well as all the cameras since A7 mod two's have IBIS. Second I do not care what lens and who makes one the sharpest f/ is two stops above wide open. The 24-105 is a great lens just as good as the 24-70 have used both and both are sharp and clear and if focus is small square you get great bokeh even. But the 24-240mm as all that also but also in APS-C you get 36-360 meaning you are using the center of the sensor and get faster AF and use all the pixies color etc.. The subject here really is travel and lenses to have. For maximum range of use 24-360mm and if you carry a second the 12-24mm you would have all covered from Milky Way's to critters near and far. For those thinking f/2.8 or f/4 and the primes at f/1.4 or f/1.8 for the more light gathering on a Sony no matter the camera someone is pulling your leg. If you go way back to the beginning of Sony cameras each had a higher ISO's to select from than any other make of camera, well back then it was noise everyone was worried about and SW was not too good at clearing it up. On mirrored cameras ISO basic stop at 6400 but yes could extend higher some. What I am trying to point out is SW is the king to rid Noise. Even with new makers of mirrorless cameras have problems with noise.
Now with all that I would say with Sony and the high ISO's and the high MP's available any lens will be sharp.
1. using the A7RV and 24-240 when passing a rookery. Just a note the A7RV is also good for MW's.
2. Saw earthshine on the setting moon and drove to a spot to capture with my everyday/anyplace bag and also got the comet.
3. After doing a morning of Milky Way and blue hour captures on driftwood beach with the 12-24 pulled out my other camera with the 24-240 for some critter breakfast shots, never change a lens outdoors!
4. My first Solar Eclipse 2017 from ring to ring both far 24mm and near 360mm best to get some stars also missed by the long lenses close ups.
Just remember what your SW will do and you will always try a capture.
I can vouch for the robust construction of this lens. While out on fieldwork in NW Scotland, i dropped this lens 3 feet onto a rock. The polariser was destroyed and had to be removed using pliers, but the lens survived and still takes sharp-looking pictures. The focus mechanism was fine. If this lens broke, that would have been the end of the work.
I've had this lens since it came out and its never a lens I get excited about but sometimes its the best lens for the job if all you can bring is a single lens. Many use this lens for travel and landscape shots and I agree it is great for that but one area which this lens shines and its often not talked about is in a studio environment especially if you are bringing in strobes. The lens is quite sharp in the 5.6-f8 range and provides great focal length flexibility. Lindsay Adler, uses this exact lens for the majority of her work and its amazing what she can do with it.
I have the Z 24-120 and the Sony 24-105. Nikon is sending it out of the park recently with their lenses both in quality and price and the Z version beats the Sony equivalent hands down. What isn't immediately apparent is that Sony relies heavily on camera software to correct its aberrations to a greater extent than many other lens makers. When you turn off auto corrections, you will shocked at how lousy it is. Having used them both, the Nikon is crisper, sharper, offers great minimum focus distance and is nearly instant in focus lock, at least on a Z8. The Z version is substantially superior to the AFS version as well. There is also the 19mm greater range, compared to the Sony. BTW, I'm not sure what relevance "switching systems" has to assessing a lens? I am always "moving forward".