Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G and Sony A7V — Sony A7 V and Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G

The Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G - A Portable All-Around and My First Sony Lens

After testing the Sony A7R V back in February, I decided to get one for myself. For a while now, I have contemplated this addition, as I wanted to stay well-versed in the Sony realm.

The Sony A7V opens up the possibility of reviewing more lenses, and as you may have noticed, if you’ve followed my site for a while, I have added a few reviews already. Ideally, I would have cameras from all manufacturers, but that is a costly affair.

I got the camera, but didn’t have a lens. One of the features luring me in the direction of Sony was their smaller and lighter full-frame cameras, so why not pair it with a portable lens?

A pre-owned Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G popped up on my local buy-sell, and I picked it up after considering the option for all about five minutes.

Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G and Sony A7V review — Sony A7 V and Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G

Introduction

The Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G has been around for a while, as it was introduced back in March of 2021. Along with it, Sony also introduced the FE 24mm f/2.8 G and FE 50mm f/2.5 G in this same “compact” series. I look forward to testing these later.

40mm lenses seem to be all the rage at this moment in time. Up until four years ago, I had never tried one, and since then I’ve owned or tested five: the Voigtländer Ultron 40mm SL IIs, the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.2 Z, and the Nikkor Z 40mm f/2 SE. (links go to my reviews)

I’ve also tried the Voigtländer Ultron 27mm f/2 X and the Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR, both of which are 40mm full-frame equivalents. Leica’s Q3 43 has a 43mm lens, and Panasonic recently announced a Lumix S 40mm f/2, and I probably haven’t mentioned half of the options out there.

With all this in mind, let’s see how the Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G stacks up.

At the time this review was posted, the Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G retailed for $798.00.

A portrait of a young man. Sample image from a Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G and Sony A7 V. — Vancouver, Sony A7R V, Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G @ f/2.5

Handling and Build Quality

What drew me to the Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G is the compact size, which will keep the combination with even the A7V very manageable for travel, a photo walk, or cycling. It will, of course, be even better with an A7C II or an A7 CR.

The lens weighs a mere 6.1 oz (173 g) while still featuring a metal mount and aperture ring.

The lens has three aspherical elements and dual linear autofocus motors with internal focus, so the lens does not protrude when focusing. The aperture ring can be de-clicked for videographers. Filter size is 49mm, and the minimum focusing distance is 9.8" (25 cm).

In terms of overall build quality and how the lens feels, it sits in the middle of the pack among the 40mm options mentioned above.

The Voigtländer lenses are at the top with metal lens barrels but are manual focus only. The Nikkor Z 40mm f/2 SE comes a bit short here with a plastic mount and lacks an aperture ring but also comes in at under half the cost.

Sony A7 V and Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G — Sony A7 V and Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM

In Action

A favorite camera of mine over the last couple of years has been the Leica SL2-S with the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2 (link to my review), but this combination sometimes feels heavy at 1381 g.

In comparison, the Sony A7V and FE 40mm f/2.5 G combination weighs only 881 g, or approximately 64% of the Leica setup. This is significant and offers me a lightweight alternative.

The portability truly shines with the FE 40mm f/2.5 G, but its maximum f/2.5 aperture also sets it apart from some standard zoom lenses.

In the photo below, I switched from the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G lens to the FE 40mm f/2.5 as dusk settled over downtown Vancouver during the 2026 FIFA World Cup when Canada won their first-ever World Cup game.

This allowed me to shoot with a narrow depth of field and achieve image quality that surpassed the zoom lens in these conditions.

I have no issues with autofocus speed and accuracy. It’s a solid performer here.

Celebrations after the Canada Qatar game during the 2026 World Cup in Vancouver. Sample image from a Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G and Sony A7 V. — Granville Street, Vancouver, Sony A7R V, Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G @ f/2.5

Image Quality

When it comes to image quality from the FE 40mm f/2.5 G, I again find it positioned in the middle of the pack among the above-mentioned 40mm options.

My favorite 40mm lens so far has been the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.2 for Z-Mount. It is priced only $100 more than the Sony lens, but remember it’s manual focus only.

I am mostly reminded of my time with the Nikkor Z 40mm f/2 SE when using the Sony lens. The Nikkor lens actually has 9 rounded aperture blades and an f/2 max aperture as opposed to 7 rounded aperture blades and f/2.5 on the Sony lens.

This allows for a shallower depth of field with the Nikkor, resulting in smoother bokeh, but the build quality and aperture ring are lacking.

The sample images in this review can be viewed at up to 2500 pixels wide, depending on your monitor's resolution. Please click to view larger photos on your PC or laptop, or pinch to zoom on your phone.

A man is reading a book at Café Crepe on Granville Street in Vancouver. Sample image from a Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G and Sony A7 V. — Granville Street, Vancouver, Sony A7R V, Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G @ f/4

Conclusion

If you can find a used copy of the Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G, it may represent good value for the money spent. I found a “like new” copy for $400.00 and find it matches my expectations for this lens given what I have spent.

If you are buying a new lens, the equation changes, and I think perhaps there may be better options depending on your budget and tolerance for portability.

Alongside the FE 40mm f/2.5, I am currently testing the latest Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II lens ($1,059.00) and find it optically superior. It is, however, $261.00 more expensive, heavier, and bulkier, so keep that in mind.

If portability is your main goal and you want to travel light, the Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G offers a wonderful tactile experience with good build quality, an aperture ring, and fast autofocus.

Optically, it takes a bit of a hit, but that is often the case with these smaller lenses. Keep in mind that optical superiority most often comes at a higher cost and heft.

Pros

Portability
Lightweigt
Aperture ring

Cons

Middle-of-the-road optical performance

Please see more sample images below

The Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G mounted on a Sony A7 V — Sony A7 V and Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G

Price / Availability

Thank you for reading my review. If you are planning a purchase and would like to support us, you can do so at no additional cost by using the affiliate links below. A small commission goes to us, helping us keep the wheels turning at 5050 Travelog.

Check the current price at B&H Photo

Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G - B&H Photo
Sony A7 V - B&H Photo

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