One of the biggest reasons I switched to Sony is for the video quality and capability. The Sony A7CII may have been the camera body that convinced me to make the switch, but there were two lenses that played a major part in that decision, too. You can learn more about the other lens here, but today, I want to focus on the Sony 20mm f/1.8 G — my go-to YouTube and video lens, with a hidden photo use that I’ve fallen in love with.
First, the combination of a wide angle and fast aperture lets you film in tight spaces, shoot in low-light scenarios, and achieve a nice shallow depth of field. It’s a great option for A-roll in your videos and especially well-suited for vlogging and travel because of that versatility.
Second, the 20mm focal length is wide enough to handle Sony’s breathing compensation feature, which digitally crops in slightly to reduce focus breathing. I use this feature all the time. It gives me super smooth focus transitions — especially handy when I’m showing products to the camera and switching between something up close and something farther away.
Lastly, the lens is super compact and lightweight, which means you can rig it in ways that just aren’t possible with bigger, heavier lenses. For example, I filmed the opening sequence of this video using the 20mm f/1.8 on an FX3 with a friction arm and car mount — it was just light enough to make that setup work without needing a more complicated rig.
All the videos below were shot entirely on my A7C II paired with the 20mm f/1.8, including all of the b-roll. Hopefully, they give you a good sense of what’s possible with this lens!
Okay, we’ve gone over video; but what about photo?!
Personally, I love to use it as an accent lens during a production. My workhorse Sony 50mm f/1.4 GM covers the majority of the job, but the 20mm comes in to add some personality and energy to the overall gallery. Plus, the size and weight benefits I mentioned in the video section hold true here; it really is such an excellent travel lens because of how compact and discreet it is. I think these images below are a perfect example of that.
But that’s not even my favorite way to use this 20mm lens! I mentioned a hidden use, so here goes: on my A7CII, I have a custom button mapped to bring up the in-camera 2.35:1 guide. It doesn’t crop your image, but it does show the appropriate black bars on the top and bottom of your frame, in order to immerse yourself in that aspect ratio. And you know what kind of lens works so well with a long, narrow crop like 2.35:1? A wide angle lens! I absolutely love using the 20mm in this pseudo-crop mode. It’s so much fun to have tons of width, punch in on the top and bottom of the frame with the press of a single button, and instantly see the world through a movie-like frame.
It’s totally changed the way that I use this lens.
I’ve always loved wide focal lengths, and the Sony 20mm f/1.8 G is right at the top for me. Its size, weight, image quality, autofocus, and overall versatility just get me excited to make things with it. I think wide angle lenses add so much character and drama to the images they produce, especially in films like Birdman, The Revenant, Tree of Life, and Children of Men.
And while I’m definitely not making anything at that level, I’ve been hugely inspired by each of those pieces, and I like incorporating bits and pieces of their styles into my work. Maybe one day I’ll get to work alongside Chivo himself, but for now, I’ll settle for my little Sony wide angle moment as I make YouTube videos in my apartment.
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