The g factors of the first excited 2 + states in the 112,114,116,122,124 Sn isotopes have been measured with high accuracy using the transient field technique in combination with Coulomb excitation in inverse kinematics. The experimental results are discussed in a qualitative way on the basis of empirical single-particle g factors of the relevant proton and neutron orbitals and are compared to a number of different theoretical calculations. The results are found to be best described by shell-model calculations in an extended configuration space. Clear evidence for the contribution of neutron pair excitations from the 1d 3/2 to the 0h 11/2 orbital to the wave function of the 2 + 1 state in 122,124 Sn has been obtained.