honestly fed up with my kit lens, the corners are just mushy garbage and it totally ruined my shots from last weekend. i got a big trip to Zion in two weeks and i need something actually sharp for my a7iv. whats the absolute sharpest sony lens for landscapes? price isnt really an issue i just want quality...
Like someone mentioned, those kit lenses really dont do the A7IV sensor any justice. If you want to avoid that mushy garbage in the corners, I have been incredibly satisfied with the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II. It is easily the sharpest wide zoom Sony has ever put out.
> the corners are just mushy garbage and it totally ruined my shots In my experience, if you want absolute sharpness without wasting money, the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is incredible. I've tried many lenses and this prime often beats the expensive zooms for edge-to-edge detail. Zion is perfect for a 20mm focal length. Its way lighter than a GM lens too, which youll appreciate while hiking. Definitely a better value for the quality.
Honestly, I was pretty disappointed with some of the earlier zooms because they just didnt hold up under pixel peeping at the edges. Unfortunately, those kit lenses are a total waste of a good sensor. If you want the absolute peak of technical performance and resolving power for that A7IV, you need the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM. Its MTF charts are basically a flat line at the top. It has almost zero field curvature, so those corners stay tack sharp even wide open. If you need wider for Zion, the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM is another beast. Just keep in mind that even with great glass, shooting past f/11 starts introducing diffraction which softens the image. Definitely worth the investment to see what that 33MP sensor can actually do... hope you have a blast in Zion.