Sony  AF DT 16-105mm F3.5-5.6  reviews

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: tcat1346   review date: February-05-10  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 28-135mm
Sony 18-70mm

price paid:

360 USD (Used)

positive:

Range
Build
Sharpness
Very Fast Focus
Color Rendition

negative:

Slight Flare @ Wide End

comment:

Picked up this lens to use for various events I shoot, many of which are held in Arboretums and Conservatories. Range is perfect for my purposes. Color rendition similar to my Minolta lenses. Well built and easy to handle, even though it is slighty heavy (I don't consider that a major problem, considering the results). Will be shooting in Europe in June for a month, and it will reduce the equipment I'll need to take along, which is always nice when traveling. Will post some samples when I return.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Ivanhoe   review date: February-04-10  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-55mm
Sony 18-70mm

price paid:

EUR 376

positive:

Nice range
Build quality
Flare control

negative:

Barrel distortion
Weight

comment:

This is a great travel lens due to its very nice range. The lens is a bit heavy, but the build quality is excellent. Much better than the 18-55mm. Be careful with filters, as it vignettes easily at 16mm.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: zhihui   review date: January-23-10  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

tamron 17-50 f2.8
sony 18-70
cz 16-80
minolta 28-70 G

positive:

very good range
very sharp wide open from 16 - 30 mm
fast focus
focus accurate
color is pretty good
affordable

negative:

3.5 - 5.6 aperture

comment:

tis is the best standard zoom lens that i own....
i used tamron 17-50 for over 2 yrs, and finally sold it to replace this one.

the sharpness is better than tamron when wide open, colour is cool,like cz 16-80 colour...
the focusing speed and accurately is better than tamron also...accurate in low light condition but need to use together with flash...

i recommanded tis lens to anyone who are need a affordable standard zoom,and really want to perform well in 16-30mm...

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: finnt   review date: January-12-10  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 24-105 D, KM 18-70

price paid:

370 euro in A700 kit

positive:

Well build, good range, nice design

negative:

Not really anything, price considered

comment:

Best WA lens I ever had. Sharp, perfect range.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: SvenJTD   review date: January-09-10  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

SAL 18-70
SAL 75-300

price paid:

400eur (new)

positive:

Focal length, sharpness, colour, build

negative:

None

comment:

A bit slow focus under some light conditions.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: ianb   review date: December-10-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

CZ16-80

price paid:

£620 with A700!!

positive:

Solid Build
Very Good range
Image Quality almost matches CZ16-80.

negative:

Slower lens than 16-80 but not much else other than some edge CA in difficult lighting.. easily corrected

comment:

I wanted another A700 body only, but had to take an ex display combination with this lens for £620! Compared with what I paid for my first body this means the lens was a snip at £30!

Compared with the CZ16-80..

It is not quite as sharp as the CZ, and has some edge Chromatic abberation, and stops down at lower focal lengths, but all in all I am really impressed with this lens.

It is beter build quality with no zoom wobble or creep. The extra reach is a great advantage.

If I had to choose just one of these lenses, I have to say it would be a very very difficult choice. THe decision is between very slightly better image quality, and extra 20mm of reach.... Your choice.

In very cold and very damp conditions, the lens suddenly decided to enhance the magenta... I was both worried and surprised but as others have shared it is a temporary blip... I'm not changing any of my ratings as a result.

I would thoroughly recommend this lens.

Ianb

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Vancouver   review date: November-17-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

price paid:

600 CAD$

positive:

Range
Color
Build
Price

negative:

Occasional vingnette on wide end

comment:

This lens is often compared to CZ 16-80 and this is for a good reason; it s performance.

I agree with people here. To get a700 with this lens is the best value kit. I made a mistake not to get mine with the camera.

I planned to buy a CZ 16-80. When I got to the store and start comparing with this lens. I decided to not buy anything and come home and do more research. I finally went with this lens. It s 120$ cheaper and the IQ is very very close, longer reach. Why not?

It is a very sharp lens. I have read that this was Sony's attempt to mimic CZ work and did a good job with it.

If you plan to get a CZ, do try this first.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: zabaz   review date: November-17-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

zeiss 16-80

price paid:

350 eur

positive:

big zoomrange
sharp
cheap

negative:

not usable on ff

comment:

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: CaptainChet   review date: October-19-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

18-70 mm Kit Lens

price paid:

590 USD NEW

positive:

Overall a great lens! I have no complains except as noted below.

negative:

Vignetting at 16mm is noticeable, especially if you use a regular filter.

comment:

This lens is much sharper than I expected. There is no comparison to the 18-70mm kit lens. For me, a good purchase. The build quality is fine, as good as can be expected for this construction. It does get a little long when fully extended but manageable. I'm shooting with a A700 and can easily hand hold it to 1/10 (1/15) sec at full zoom. As mentioned above, the vignetting at 16mm is noticeable. This could bother some so be aware. I've been able to PS most of it out. Not using a filter helps. I need to try a thin filter to see if that helps. Overall, I like this lens and I'm pleased with my purchase. (PS.. Started using Minolta products with the SRT101 and never left the fold. That's a long time with one brand!)

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: gonzales.ni   review date: October-12-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Tamron 28-200

price paid:

300 USD

positive:

Great all around lens. Sharp and great color.

negative:

none

comment:

The build is great and I use this lens all the time! Great all around lens.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: ghmcs   review date: September-23-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-200
Minolta 35-105

price paid:

450 USD (used)

positive:

useful zoom range
small size and weight
very sharp

negative:

price new

comment:

This lens is on my camera 80% of the time. The zoom range and relatively small size and weight make it an excellent choice for every day use. Extremely sharp at f/8 and smaller, and I would say above average up to f/5.6. I just used this lens for 2 weeks straight on holiday, quite often at the extreme focal lengths, and I was very happy with the image quality.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: lafustera   review date: September-23-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

kit lens

price paid:

280 gbp (new)

positive:

Most useful Zoom range
Price
Build
Great range

negative:

comment:

I was looking to buy a cz16-80mm lens to replace my kit lens, But saw this on rgb tech website (uk) for 280 gbp so i promtly ordered it , I had to wait 4 weeks for delivery . I am very impressed with this lens , it is almost always on the camera (A700)

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Hugo   review date: September-15-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70
Minolta 28-135

price paid:

350

positive:

Very sharp
Reasonably lightweight
Great range
Jack of all trades

negative:

Nothing much, really... price maybe, could be faster

comment:

Awesome lens.

Bought it as a walkaruond lens for my A300. I was looking for a wide angle lens, and the 18-70 kit lens was just not cutting it, plus the added range was a side benefit. I own the mighty 28-135, but its weight can become an issue, and 28mm isn't that wide on an APS-C camera.

I snagged one off eBay for a lot less money than what they go for these days. Lots of reviews say it compares to the CZ 16-80 with added range benefit. Sounds about right.

This lens is always on my camera, so much that I'm contemplating selling the 28-135mm I had all the trouble in the world finding...

I'm giving it a 4 in color even though I'd prefer 4,5, if it was available. Likewise, I'd give it a 4,5 in build rating if I could, so as it is, it evens out.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: maveric   review date: September-09-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony AF 18-70 F3.5-5.6
Sigma EX 24-70 F2.8

price paid:

a700 kit

positive:

Range
Build
Size and Weight

negative:

Noting that should surprise you (slow ...)

comment:

Perfect for a walk around lens. If I don't know what I'll be shooting this is the lens that goes on. I haven't really used either the Sigma 24-70 F2.8 sins I got this lens. I don't feel that I miss the extra stops on my a700.

This lens is really amazing for a kit lens. But would I buy it separately? Maybe not, a little expensive.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: keith_h   review date: September-08-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

28-85
28-75/2.8

positive:

Focal range, versatility
Compact and light
Sharp

negative:

Vignettes @ 16mm

comment:

I have had this lens over 12 months now and it never leaves the camera. Images taken with this lens on the the 5D or a200 are sharp and with pleasing colours. Focus accuracy and speed have never been an issue. Build is adequate.

The best thing I think is the utility of the focal lengths. This makes the lens extremely versatile for many situations compared to the 28-75 or 28-85 neither being wide or long enough for my use. The few stops extra of the 28-75/2.8 have not been missed either since as noted elsewhere, the Sony bodies can bridge the gap in other ways.

I bought this lens on vacation and paid a significant premium but have never regretted it. I am extremely happy with the performance this lens delivers.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: paulevans   review date: August-02-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

18-70 KM
28-135 f4-4.5

price paid:

with A700

positive:

Sharp, very sharp in fact
Great range
Solid build

negative:

Slight barrel distortion at wide end
Slight vignetting wide open

comment:

As kit lenses go, this one is the best! Covers most eventualities and does it well enough. No complaints.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: marcosfg   review date: July-27-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

tamron 17-50

positive:

Zoom range
sharp
colours

negative:

3,5-5,6

comment:

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: skm.sa100   review date: July-18-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

SAL 18-70.
Min 50 f/1.7

price paid:

400 USD (new)

positive:

Range.
Weight.
Price.

negative:

Not much I can think of.
Maybe have F/4 constant?

comment:

This is my first lens review and a pretty unscientific at that.
After I got the 18-70 for the kit lens and realizing that I'm not able to get full value from the camera due to this lens, I started to look around. I read a whole lot of reviews and compared prices and ended up deciding on this lens.
Perhaps the only better standard zoom out there is the CZ 16-80. Well, there's the Tamron 17-50 and a couple of other standard zooms which are of good quality but I wanted a good range.
I got a brand new copy with free shipping for 400 USD.
I love this lens. The range translates to a 24mm-157.5mm!! That's an amazing range for a single lens. It covers a wide variety of shooting situations. Pictures come out tack sharp, but you need to stop down a stop or two for best results. Center sharpness is good througout wide open.
Personally, I couldn't justify spending a further $300 for the CZ, and get a smaller range.
Importantly, I rarely print poster size and almost never pixel peep. I'm an amateur hobbyist without the exacting standards for pros. Hence this lens is great for me, given the sharpenss, colors and range. The bokeh is sweet but not as good as the 50mm F/1.7.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Otakar   review date: July-17-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

price paid:

kit with A700

positive:

my first lens
good range
build
16 mm on wide end

negative:

vignetting at 16mm even when using slim CPL filter but expected
manual focusing not great
aperture range - min 5,6 at 105 mm
filter diameter 62 mm not too often

comment:

When I decided to buy A700 camera (my first DSLR) and when I considered a lens with good ratio price/ performance, there was only one choice - this lens.
Other notes: good as start lens, very practical zoom range, good combination with A700

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: marathonianbull   review date: June-22-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony CZ 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5
Sony 55-200mm f/4-5.6
Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro
Minolta 50mm f/1.7
Minolta 70-210mm f/4 (Beercan)

price paid:

600 CAD (New)

positive:

+ SUPER fast, accurate focus!!!
+ VERY sharp centers (3D-like effect!)
+ Warmer colors than w/ similar Sony CZ
+ Perfect focal range
+ Sturdy
+ NOT overpriced...

negative:

- Compared to Sony CZ 16-80mm, 1/3 f-stop slower until 54mm; 2/3 f-stop from 55mm to 80mm... On the other hand, Sony's cameras offer many ways to offset this. NOT a real-life disaster!

comment:

I am EXTREMELY PLEASED with Sony's 16-105mm, rightfully dubbed the Sony CZ "Modified Edition"...

The Sony CZ 16-80mm may be optically sharper a bit on the edges (at least IN THEORY, at some focal lengths and apertures ONLY) and slightly faster with 1/3 f-stop difference until 54mm or 2/3 f-stop difference from 55mm to 80mm, BUT.. Sony's latest creation has succeeded where even its Zeiss sibling has strayed:

Sony's 16-105mm reproduces Minolta's magic better by offering somewhat WARMER, PUNCHIER COLORS (as opposed to more blueish / neutral ones) as well as SHARPER CENTERS. By the way, I have also noticed that my A700 tends to focus more accurately in the middle zone of a scene (spot AF / spot metering areas) with the 16-105mm mounted (!?)

While both models suffer from low-to-moderate distortion at extreme focal lengths (Sony > CZ), the 16-105mm has inherited more efficient control over ghosting and flare!

To sum up, pictures from the underdog often look as gorgeous as (if not better than) those from the pricier CZ 16-80mm design. The trick here is to get to know the lens' sweet spots (see Blur Index at: slrgear.com), something that may seem like a hurdle at first yet become a huge advantage in the long run. The 16-105mm will never be uniformly as sharp as my Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro, nor as bright as my Minolta 50mm f/1.7, but its brisk, precise focus behavior, handy focal range, and colorful output make it an ideal travel zoom to own; a real 'swiss-knife' lens!

If by chance you already own Sony's wonderful 16-105mm, a word of advice here: it would be REDUNDANT to add Sony's CZ 16-80mm to your collection, as well as pointless to get rid of your 16-105mm in order to fund the purchase of the aforementioned CZ!

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: andrewlamwc   review date: June-16-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony/Carl Zeiss - Vario-Sonnar T* DT 16-80 F3.5-4.5
Sony - AF DT 18-70 F3.5-5.6
Minolta - AF 24-105 F3.5-4.5 D
Sigma - 18-200 F3.5-6.3 DC

price paid:

340 USD (new)

positive:

+ Most useful Zoom range
+ Price
+ Build
+ Good colours
+ 16mm

negative:

- Distortion at 16mm

comment:

Has tried this lens in a Sony promotion activity and found the zoom range and picture quality is so nice while that time I was using the 18-70 Kit. Even replaced the kit lens with 16-80ZA and have a Sigma 18-200 as always on lens. I still wishing to have it but the price $450 is too high for me. I wait until I purchase it in low price with another who wants only A700 body. Then it brow away the Sigma 18-200 and become my walkaround lens.

It out perform to Sigma 18-200 in all aspects except the zoom range. It's acceptable for me, as 80% of picutre I'm taking with range below 105, to give up some range with far better picture quanlity.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Alpha2008   review date: May-10-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

18-70

price paid:

EUR 320 (new)

positive:

Zoom range
Price tag
Flare
Weight

negative:

Comparatively slow
Distortion

comment:

Like many others before, I bought this "premium kit" lens to replace the standard 18-70 kit lens. I probably was lucky to get a new copy of the DT 16-105 for only EUR 320. For that price this lens with its highly practical zoom range gives you a great bang for the buck. Particularly, having 16mm instead of 18mm at the wide end is sweet for landscape photography.

The comparatively low weight of the 16-105 makes it a nice walkaround lens. While it's not built like a tank, build quality seems to be perfectly fine to me. I also like how flare is handled. It's better than what I'm used to from the kit lens whose flare control I already found more than decent.

As others have mentioned, distoration is visible, in particular at the wide end, even though coming from the 18-70 I don't consider this a huge issue. Compared to the Sigma 17-70 or the (far) more expensive CZ16-80, aperture speed may be slower, but I'm into landscape photography, so this is no deal breaker either.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: wbreda   review date: May-10-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70 DT

price paid:

EUR 376

positive:

Nice zoom range
Weight
Build quality

negative:

Barrel distortion

comment:

I bought this lens as a replacement to the 18-70 kit lens. Compared to this lens the build and picture quality is much better. Also the zoom range is very nice. I don't like changing lenses too much, but did not want to resort to a hyperzoom. In this situation this is a great 'compromise' lens.

The barrel distortion on 16mm is noticible in some shots (horizon) but correctable in post processing if necessary. It is a bit slow (3.5 is only at 16mm). Filters do need to be low profile to avoid vignetting.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Mr_Canuck   review date: April-30-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

CZ 16-80
Sigma 17-70
Minolta 35/2
Minolta 50/1.7
Minolta 28-135
Tamron 17-50
Beercan

positive:

Unique and useful zoom range. Nice build, size and weight. Good colours.

negative:

Slow aperture. Wide barrel distortion. Average bokeh.

comment:

This is a nice generalist lens that covers a lot of ground. I like that it's 16mm at the wide end but this is hampered by the barrel distortion to some extent. Colours are pleasing enough. When stopped down it produces quite sharp images all around, so it's good outdoors and for landscapes in decent light. Wide open you'll see fuzzy corners. It's not a portrait lens as the bokeh is average and it's got a pretty small aperture across its range. That's probably the most negative aspect; it ain't a bright lens. Doesn't compare to higher end and classic Minolta glass in terms of smoothness and that special 'look'. But if you've got another indoors option for available light shooting, and if you aren't worried about portraits with this lens, it's a good walk-around for hiking, vacations and general shooting. It's quite comparable to the Sigma 17-70 but you get more length but don't get as much close up function, and it's slower. I've now got a CZ 16-80 and prefer it quite a lot over the 16-105 in terms of speed, contrast, colour, bokeh, but not build.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: maxfarphoto   review date: April-24-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 28-135 f4/4,5
Sigma 12-24 f4,5/5,6
Minolta 17-35 f2,8/4

price paid:

A700 kit

positive:

Nice range
Light weight
Flare control

negative:

Slow
Price (out of a kit)

comment:

I got it in the A700 kit.
I like the range and, best of all, flare control.
It is compact and well build but no as fast as it would be.
Compared against Minolta 28-135 it looses hands down (but Minolta is my favourite lens).
Sharpness stopped down is really good, a bit soft wide open.

A good buying if you get it in the A700 kit, little bit pricy if bought alone.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: araujo.emanuel   review date: April-12-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta AF 35-70 F3.5-4.5
Sony - AF 75-300 F4.5-5.6
Sony AF 18-70 F3.5-5.6
Sigma AF 90 F2.8 Macro
Minolta AF 28 F2.8

price paid:

$450

positive:

Size, build quality, fast focus, super sharp, Nice colors, range, very wide

negative:

comment:

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: i2o3l   review date: April-03-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

- SAL 1870
- SAL 75300

price paid:

470 USD (new)

positive:

- Nice Color and Sharp
- Nice Bokeh

negative:

- None

comment:

I want to find a lens to replace my 1870 and when I dig up the web to find some review, most of all had pointed this lens to be a great one. I searched my local store and found one that sell with a very bargain price.

This lens is quite amazing. The sharpness is great and the image quality is as great as you expected. The color is great and got very nice bokeh. And yes, you might find little vigneting on 16mm wide open but it is unnoticeable. The lens range is also more than enough to be carried as a walkaround lens. It is really worth the money :)

updated!, I took this lens on my vacation and try a night shooting with it. The flare control is good and the picture is soooo sharp even at low light, if I wanna replace this lens with other, the only thing that came up on my mind is CZ16-35 :)

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: lyn   review date: April-03-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70mm DT, Sigma 28-200mm DG Macro, Sony 55-200mm, Sony 70-300mm SSM

price paid:

420 USD (new)

positive:

Sharp, Compact, Solid, Color

negative:

comment:

This is amazing for a kit lens. Great sharpness and color overall. I comment on the weight because I hike and back country ski at high elevation. All of my photography is nature/wild life and I pack everything in, but this lens is worth it. I would have purchased the 16-80CZ, but after reading many reviews on this site, and several other user reviews, I picked this lens up. I'm glad that I did.

Just got back from Italy and my copy of this lens did incredibly well! If you're debating whether or not to go with this or the CZ comparable find a sharp copy of this bad boy and you will love the range as well as performance.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Anssisa   review date: April-02-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

M 28mm F2.8
So 50mm F1.4
M 80-200 HSG
M 85G

positive:

- a good compromize that works as a holiday lens.
- compact lens with great range

negative:

nothing that you do not know about when buying the lens (the aperture is not the greatest etc, but these are lost to gain range and compactness)

comment:

This lens was bought with the A700 kit. My main usage has been only for travel photography, when im in such company that im not allowed to take all the time i want to take pictures. In this regard the 16-105 works great. I have the range i need, and without any hassel of changing lenses. It is a compromize, and that shows in everything of the lens. Still, its much better than i had hoped for when compared to my other lenses.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: chrishurley   review date: March-14-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 16-80, Sigma 17-70, Minolta 28-105, Tamron 18-250

price paid:

420 new

positive:

Sharpness
Range
Build

negative:

Slowish aperture

comment:

I don't understand how the reviews are so rough on this lens. I've tried and tried to find the terrible corner softness, but I keep missing it.

My test shots come out sharp- bitingly sharp, like the Tamron 17-50.

The 16-80 may be superior in the hands of a more experienced user, but I really never got the shot that made me say "wow- this blows the other lenses away". I've been an enthusiast user for a couple of years which qualifies me as an extreme novice. I sold my 16-80 instead of the 16-105 because I knew it would bring more cash.

The 17-70 can be similarly sharp, and has the really fun close-focus feature, but the extra reach of the 16-105 is nice to have. At a significantly lower price, the 17-70 is as good a compromise against the 16-105 as it is against the 16-80.

Of course, the Tamron 18-250 is still on my camera a lot, even with the 16-105 around. The extra tele is just handy, even if you have to sacrifice a little bit of sharpness and a lot of focus speed.

Update: 5/2009: I continue to be surprised with the sharpness of this lens. I shot test after test trying to get the 17-70 or 18-250 a chance to produce a sharper image and the 16-105 fought them off. I would have a hard time selling this lens at this point.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: jakubh70   review date: January-28-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Tamron 18-250, Sony 18-70

price paid:

kit with A700

positive:

Nice range, sharp, light

negative:

Bit too slow, would like it to be 16-135, but then it would not be that great

comment:

Superior kit lens, giving sharp pictures with great colour. Could be faster in midrange (only F5@35mm) and have some extra range at tele end, but it would be larger then. I haven't noticed any extra vignetting at 16 mm when using Hoya HMC UV filter or Hoya Pro1 PL filter.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 3 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: cjlethal   review date: January-08-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

16-80 ZA
18-55 DT
18-250 DT

price paid:

500 CAD

positive:

Sharp lens
very usable range
compact

negative:

too slow for a walk around lens under some lighting

comment:

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: diveasia   review date: December-06-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

cz 18-80
sal1870

price paid:

305 euro NEW!!

positive:

everything!

negative:

nothing whatsoever!

comment:

This is the one! AWESOME lens! Did tests to compare it with the CZ 16-80, and liked this one better! Awesome colour, very sharp, great bokeh, build like a rock. Slight distortion at 16 mm, easily fixable in pp.
Blows away the sal1870 kitlens!
Bought this new for a bargain price!

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: crlowryjr   review date: November-06-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sigma 24 F1.8 Macro
Minolta 17-35 G
Minolta 28-70 G
Sony 18-70
Sony 75-300

positive:

+ great focal range
+ wonderfully solid feel
+ quick & accurate AF
+ beautiful color & bokeh
+ great sharpness

negative:

- nothing I experienced

comment:

For a kit lens I was blown away...Sony did a fantastic job.
The color and bokeh were Minolta Dreamy, and the sharpness was pretty much on when stopped down a little.

The overall feel of the lens is solid.
Had it not been for the Minolta 28-70 G in my collection I would have kept this one (lucky for my little sister).

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: musicol   review date: October-09-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

CZ 16-80

positive:

range
colors
sharp
very nice bokeh
good built

negative:

comment:

Great range, excellent standard lens, nice bokeh, no distorsion, excellent colors, very sharp, more pleasant (for me) than CZ 16-80.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: dr_obrien   review date: August-10-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70mm kit lens
Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 XR DI

price paid:

$499 USD new

positive:

Decent build.
Great walk-around range.
Very sharp 16-35mm.
Non-rotating front element

negative:

Slightly soft corners 50-70mm.
CA at 105mm under extreme contrast conditions.

comment:

I bought this lens for a vacation walk-around lens due to its 16mm wide angle. I was very unhappy with the 18-70 kit lens. I also considered the CZ 16-80mm at the time but got a great deal on the 16-105, nearly a $200 difference.

I find the lens to be very good at 16-35mm, sharp from f5.6 to f11 with good color rendition.
At 50-70mm there is some extreme corner softness. Stopping down to f11 helps reduce the problem. Center sharpness is still adequate.
At 105mm f8-f11 the corners get a little better although the overall image is slightly soft but not unusable.

At 16mm there is barrel distortion but that should be expected from a lens of this design. Flare is noticeable under extreme conditions such as a bright sun on the edges of the frame even with hood on. Again, this is expected at 16mm. At 16mm the extreme corners will vignette with a low profile filter.

CA only seems to be a problem at 105mm under extreme conditions such as a dark object against a very bright sky. I have found this to be correctable with Lightroom.

The minimum apertures fall as follows; 3.5 @ 16mm, 4.0 @ 20mm, 4.5 @ 24mm, 5.0 @ 35mm, and 5.6 @ 60mm.

Overall, I am very pleased with this lens for its intended use, a wide angle vacation walk-around lens. I would not recommend it as a portrait lens.

Shots on Flickr tagged for this lens are at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dr_obrien/tags/sony16105mm/

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Minolta Head   review date: July-09-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 28-135mm
Minolta 24-105mm (D)

price paid:

£210

positive:

Sharpness
Range
Weight
Build

negative:

Slight vignetting at 16mm.
Front cap a little fiddly.

comment:

After reading the reviews here, I decided to buy this lens. I am delighted with it, once again Dyxum has proved to be reliable guide for buyer's. I was using the excellent 28-135mm previously which I decided to sell due to it's weight. I find the 16-105mm a very acceptable replacement. Good sharpness across the range and excellent weight. The range is perfect for walk-around landscape shots and useful for closer images, for example zoo animals. The AF speed is very impressive. This does make an excellent A700 walk around.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: womprat4   review date: June-15-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

- Tamron 28-75 f2.8
- Sony 18-250
- 50 f1.4 and f1.7

price paid:

550

positive:

- nice build quality
- great range
- fast focus
- very sharp stopped down a little
- no noticeable flare

negative:

- some very small vignetting wide open at 16mm
- manual focusing not great

comment:

Really enjoy shooting with this lens. Focus is fast and accurate at all focal lengths, including the wide end at 16mm. Never have to zoom in, focus and zoom out to get a shot. The CZ 16-80 I borrowed for a time never focused well at the very wide end, but this lens is very accurate.

The center sharpness is excellent, very sharp. I have not had or noticed major problems with extreme corner or edge softness that has been mentioned by others. Vignetting is well controlled, but not with a filter on the extreme wide end.

Overall, a very good lens. Nice range, that little extra reach to 105 is very handy. Recommended. No where near as disappointing as a couple reviews elsewhere would have you believe.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: RVSSTS   review date: June-12-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70mm kit

price paid:

559 USD (new)

positive:

Good range
Pretty fast focus even in low light
Sharp photos
Rich colors

negative:

Little pricey for premium kit lens

comment:

I compared the CZ 16-80 to this lens when I purchased it.
To my eye I only noticed a slight difference between the 2 lenses (Colors a little less rich than that produced by the CZ). It wasnt worth the extra money and I wanted the extra range.
I have not noticed the extreme viginetting and edge blur as reported in some reviews.
I have had it for several months and have around 1000 shots on it in many different lighting conditions and situations.

I love this lens.
It stays on my A700 most of the time

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 3 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: raydsr   review date: June-03-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Carl Zeiss 16-80mm

price paid:

500 USD

positive:

amazing sharpness at 16 mm in low light. out performed the carl zeiss 16-80mm in my tests.

negative:

heavy. build quality isn't quite as nice as the CZ.

comment:

i got this lens as part of the kit with my a 700 purchase. i also bought the CZ 16-80mm thinking that i would sell this kit lens on ebay.

after doing two days of testing i found the 16-105mm to be a better performer for me over and over again. it's simply an amazing lens at any price!

i returned the CZ and i'm keeping the 16-105 as my main everyday lens. i only wish it was lighter and a little smoother in feel.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 1 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: 2hotrods   review date: May-16-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

price paid:

549 USD (new)

positive:

Great pictures at wide open apurture.

negative:

comment:

Aperture blades are sticking badly, hence the poor build rating. Horribly overexposed shots due to lens slow to stop down. Will be returning this one. Hopefully it is an anomaly, and not a common characteristic of this model lens.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: is_hagen   review date: April-30-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

KM 18-70, Min 35/2, Min 50/1.7, Sigma 28-70 2.8 EX, Beercan

price paid:

kit lens with A700

positive:

flexible range
good build quality
much better than the kit lens

negative:

noticable vignets at 16mm
distortion at 16mm
need to stop to around f8 to get optimal sharpness in the 50mm-105mm range

comment:

A good walkaround lens that far exceeds what the 18-70 can offer in terms of IQ. It's best
in the 20mm - 45mm range, the wide end shows signs of noticable barrel distortion and
vignetting. The long end gives good center sharpness, but the corners are fairly soft.
This can be greatly improved by stopping down to around f8.

The 'premium kit lens' stamp fits well. Much better than any other kit lens I've seen.
Probably won't rival the CZ16-80 in terms of IQ but has the nice extra 25mm range instead.

I've not given it max points for colour. Although very good, it doesn't quite live up
to the amazing older Minolta stuff.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Dr. Harout   review date: March-23-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

SAL1870 and SAL75300

price paid:

kit lens w/ A700

positive:

Build, hood, IF, IQ

negative:

Focusing not precise on wide side.

comment:

Way better than SAL1870 in most respects. Very sharp at f/8 and beyond. Wide open and up to f/8, sharpness weakens specially away from the center.
Has a very good flare control, and purple fringing in highlights (not always) fixable easily.
Overall a very good lens worth carrying around.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: jubilee0504   review date: March-21-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

KM 18-70, Min 24-85, 28-135, 35-70, 35-105, 24/2.8, 28/2.8, 50/1.7 and some others!

price paid:

kit

positive:

Very sharp at all settings

Build quality

negative:

Light falloff in corners at f5.6 and wider

Noticeable barrel distortion at 16mm, gone by 24mm

comment:

This a marvellous lens, bought with my A700 and stays there most of the time. Gives great results all the time and covers all situations excapt long telephoto and low light.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: sdblanchet   review date: December-26-07  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 24-105D

price paid:

575$ CDN (new)

positive:

Very sharp with an interesting range from wide (16) to tele (105)

negative:

Vignetting @ 16mm even when using slim uv filter but expected

comment:

I bought this lens for need of wider range but also in the intent to have a single lens when travelling with limited storage and this lens will do that. I thought about CZ1680 and SAL180250 but felt the price/quality was about right. I used the lens with my 7D and my a700 and the results are good. Some purple fringing in highlights but again expected. I find the results sharper than with my 24-105D on my 7D but quite similar on my a700 (suspect 7D focus inaccuracy)

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Webguyyy   review date: November-30-07  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Tamron 18-250
Sony 18-70

price paid:

405 cdn

positive:

Well made. Metal mount, functional petal lens hood, and has a non rotating front element. Covers 16-105 (24-157.5 35mm equivalent). ADI flash compatible.

negative:

Sony rubber lens grip design is a dust collector.
A little slow at the longer end and AF can hunt in lower light. No macro feature. Slight distortion at 16mm wide angle end.

comment:

I bought this lens as a kit lens with a Sony A-700. Sony calls it a premium kit lens, and it is a far superior lens to the lower priced Sony 18-70 kit lens, with it's plastic mount, rotating front element and non functional lens hood (only good at 18mm - non petal old design). It's easy to see the difference in quality, with the newly designed 16-105mm lens. It has an uncommon lens range 16-105 which equates to 24mm to 157.5mm, 35mm equivalent. This makes it a great lens for lots of purposes from indoor group shots, portraits, landscapes and short telephotos. Not bad as a walkabout lens. It may not be a Zeiss lens, but it has a better range compared to the Zeiss 16-80 higher priced lens. It's about the same size as the Tamron 18-250 lens. Just to gain the extra couple of mm at the lower wider end, and extra 35mm at the long end is worth the price (compared to the 18-70 lens) for the range and greatly improved quality. Combine this lens with a Sigma 70-300 APO and you have a killer 2 lens combo, with lots of overlap. Far superior to the basic Sony 18-70 & 75-300 2 lens bargain combo. The only thing this lens is missing is a macro feature (the Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro, has a 1/2 macro feature). I think the A-700P combo with the A-700 body, is the best A-700 kit lens combo value & quality for the money. Very nice lens to use, and takes sharp pictures.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: mahmoud   review date: November-23-07  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

price paid:

500

positive:

Good range, good price

negative:

sharpness requires PP processing using NIk plugin for Photoshop CS3,in addition to Auto Levels.

comment:

I have been using this lens for about two weeks and I am in love with it.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Nebbor   review date: September-22-07  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

positive:

negative:

comment:

I tested this lens at a Sony demo. My rating is based upon a very short experience. Build is good. Could not notice distortion on the wide end. Flare control was untested. Overall this will be a killer kitlens.