Sony DT 16-50 F2.8 SSM  reviews

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: mrggt   review date: April-13-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

16-80

price paid:

kit

positive:

fast focus
f2.8
quiet
sharp

negative:

distortion

comment:

nice lens very good match with A77

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: berlin steve   review date: March-14-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

KM 17-35 (most similar focal length)
& loads of others as listed in my member profile

price paid:

EUR 350 used

positive:

sharp
quiet
fast

negative:

only locks @16mm, but otherwise no real negative comments

comment:

I had to buy this lens for the price. It was a steal. I was already very pleased with my KM 17-35, but I spotted the ebay ad, from a local seller- hit buy it now, and had the lens picked up same day. I thought if I don't like it, I can always sell. 3 months later- I have no intention of selling...

I don't really need to add much to the positiveness that others already posted. But how does it compare to KM 17-35 2.8-4?

Well, optically they are both very good. I prefer the colours on the KM- but it is really hard to tell which is better.

Where it excels- is reach. 16-50 makes it a far better walkabout lens. Distortion on wide is acceptable, and both 17-35 and 16-50 are way ahead of the standard kit lenses. Build quality is top. It feels nice, it moves nice- and for video- almost silently- so great for video.

Do you need both? If you intend to go FF, then keep the 17-35. I'm keeping mine for this very reason.

If you intend to stay aps-c, then this lens is a great all rounder. You'll reach less often for a nifty 50mm prime where this really delivers stunning results throughout the focal range. It works great in low light too due to constant 2.8.

Recommended without hesitation. If you are buying an a77, consider getting the combo with this lens. It is worth the extra.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: ColiNiloK   review date: March-03-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- Sony DT 35mm f1.8 SAM
- Sony DT 50mm f1.8 SAM
- Bower 85mm f1.4 manual focus, aspherical IF
- Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm f1.8 ZA
- Sony DT 18-55mm f 3.6-5.6 SAM
- Sony DT 18-250mm f3.5-6.3
- Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f2.8 ZA SSM
- Sony 28-75mm f2.8 SAM
- Sony 70-200mm f2.8 G SSM
- Minolta AF 70-210mm f4 Beercan

price paid:

$650 AUD (New)

positive:

-Sharp
-Well build
-Weather sealed
-Not too big and heavy
-Zoom clock
-SSM

negative:

- Distortion and vignetting at wide angle wide open
- Flare control can be better
- CA control at wide open aperture can be better
- Corner sharpness ok

comment:

This is a very good lens, I've tested on 3 Sony SLT models- A57, A77 and A99 and this lens produces very crisp and vivd images on all 3 cameras.

IMHO For starters looking for a all-rounder walk around zoom lens that can also be used in low light conditions to pair with their APSC Alpha bodies, this lens is highly recommend. Though it doesn't offer great zoom range as the 18-250mm lens, it is much faster to focus, sharper, and better build and offers constant f2.8 aperture. However, some may find this lens isn't exactly lightweight and the focal range isn't enough for general purpose/ walk around photography. Though this lens is not exactly cheap but it is cheaper than the Canon Nikon equivalent and plus you can also find some seriously good deals for this lens online.

The sharpness of my copy is excellent, much better than the kit lens, and it is similar to my 28-75mm f2.8 lens. When comparing to Sony 50mm f1.8 lens at f2.8 it is hard to tell which one is better. When stopped down to f4, this lens is tack sharp no question. When coupled with A77 or A57, IMHO this lens can even be a match to other brand's full frame cameras with their 27-40mm f2.8 lens in turns of sharpness say Canon 5D MK II + Canon 24-70mm L combo, but the Sony combo has the advantage of image stabilisation build into their camera bodies while the Canon/Nikon doesn't( lens dependent) .

When mounted on A57, this lens can seem a little front heavy, though personally I find no problem, and this lens is a perfect match on A77, very well balanced and handles brilliantly with A77. On the A99, you can not use the AF-D with this lens, and you only get 10MP files, but you can still produces good images from it.

Colour is generally good with this lens,but not excellent, not as saturated contrasty as Zeiss 24-70mm and rich as Minolta Beercan.

The fast, silent and accurate focus from the SSM motor is really handy for snap shots, however, it doesn't guarantee no misfocus especially in continuos burst modes and low light conditions. In general this lens focuses well, and rarely hunts even in low light. Other features like weather sealing and zoom lock button is welcome and really adds value to this lens.

Bokeh wise, this lens is generally good , it can render good out of focus scenes and blur the background relatively smoothly when used at f2.8 and f4, however, the bokeh balls can appear a little busy sometimes in day light at wide open aperture. The 70-200 G produces better bokeh than this lens wide open.

The biggest con of this lens is the relatively strong distortion at 16mm, when shooting RAW wide open this is very obvious. When shooting in JEPG however, the distortion control is better, but still excises. Stopping down and shooting at 24mm this almost goes away. Vignetting wide open at 16mm is also visible too, again stopping down helps. Lastly, the corner performance, flare and CA control of this lens is not the best, though acceptable but not excellent. Stopping down to f4 helps with CA, though not eliminates the issue. Corner performance greatly improves as stoping down to f5.6-f8 or smaller aperture; and to avoid flare, try to avoid direct sunshine to lens.

Overall, great lens for APSC Alphas and a must if you want a standard zoom for walk around photography and low light shooting.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: Mortenmb   review date: February-28-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Zeiss 16-80 and tamron 17-50

price paid:

Traded

positive:

Build, Image quality, and flare resistance

negative:

zoom range, and IQ not nessesarily better than the tamron 17-50.

comment:

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: brikas   review date: February-15-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50
Sony 18-55

price paid:

350 GBP (used)

positive:

+Well built
+Fantastic autofocus performance
+Weather sealed
+Constant aperture F/2.8

negative:

-Heavy.
-Stiff zoom ring.
-Expensive.

comment:

I had Tamron 17-50 F/2.8, I was very surprised about IQ for that lens and really liked it. Anyway, I thought, I paid too much for it- 329GB for new, almost 100 GBP more than cheapest deal on the Internet. So I gave it back to the store and tried to find cheaper deal. Finally, I found used Sony 16-50, in mint condition, spitted from A77, for almost same price which I paid for new Tamron.

After this Tamron, Sony version didn't surprise me with IQ, I don`t have both lenses anymore, but I`m pretty sure that there is no noticeable difference between them. Zoom ring is also same class- stiff as hell, can`t compare with classic Minolta AF zoom rings, for video, it`s also hard to zoom smoothly.

The greatest thing about Sony lens is autofocus performance, it`s fast and quite. But in a very quite place, you can still hear it on the video, not motor, but clack-clack, when it stops focusing, so, the external mic is anyway a must.

Also it`s very heavy, Tamron was quite nice and balanced, this one is like a brick attached to your camera, maybe it`s only with my entry level body, but I read there, that even on A77 it feels same. After few hours shooting my hand feels extremely tired. And with external flashgun, I don`t need gym anymore :)

In terms of IQ, and maybe it`s most important for any lens... It performs well, but I can`t say it`s outstanding. I`m not saying that it is bad, but for the price, it should be reviewed more critically. At F/2.8, it looks like a bit softer than Minolta AF 28mm F/2.8 prime lens, and definitely softer than Tamron 17-50 was. At slower F it becomes very well. Colors- typical Sony colors, my Sony 50mm F/1.8 produces exactly same results.

Price- new is pretty expensive, I`m not sure if it is worst the price. For still images only- Tamron 17-50 is clear winner in terms of price&performance. For video shooting- probably this is better, with slightly faster and less noisy AF. Weather sealed is also a nice feature. And of course, it looks much better :)

Added information on 27/05/2013

Had chance to test this lens on a new A58 and its 20MP sensor. Comparing to old A35, pictures looks a bit sharper on this camera, I'm more happy with results on A58 than on my old A35. Plastic lens mount on the camera doesn't look like a problem, and overall feeling is a bit better than with A58- it feels slightly more balanced, but any way, it's still too heavy for entry level bodies.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: lassero   review date: February-15-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- Sony DT 1.8/35 SAM
- Minolta AF 1.4/50

price paid:

599 EUR (new)

positive:

- Great build quality
- Fantastic silent and fast AF
- Great image quality at around 24mm to 35 mm
- Very decent image quality for the rest of the zoom range

negative:

- It isn't super sharp (still very respectable for its class)
- Distortion at wide end
- Bokeh is a bit harsh

comment:

Even with its faults, it's a great lens. Focusing ring is just right, zoom ring is a bit stiff but at least there's no zoom creep. It's heavy and even on A77, without the battery grip, very front heavy. Still, I like it as a walkaround combo.

I find that, shooting RAW, the images from this lens on the A77 are pretty flat, low contrast ones that are great to post process in Lightroom.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: homeranger   review date: February-01-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

N/A

price paid:

Kit Lens w/a77

positive:

Fast.
Quite.
Sharp.
Versatile.
Quality build.

negative:

N/A

comment:

It took me a while to warm up to this lens. It wasn't the lens, it was my perception of the lens. After using a while i have really grown to love it. It's versatile as a landscape and portrait lens. It's very sharp, fast AF and very quite. It also balances the camera with VG very nicely. I only wish that I could take it with me when I eventually move on to a FF camera.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Tailor23   review date: January-30-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony DT 16-105

price paid:

500 USD (new)

positive:

Sharp
Silent AF
Excellent build quality

negative:

Zoom ring a bit firm
Distortion at 16 mm (can be adjusted in post-process though)

comment:

I absolutely love this lens. It's silent, fast-focusing with top image quality even at f2.8.
(It's a litte bit unbalanced with my A65, but this is not the lens' problem.)

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: magnafon   review date: January-27-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 3.5-4.5/24-85 AF
Minolta 1.7/50 AF

price paid:

500 euros

positive:

Sharpness
definition
construction
colors
very speed AF

negative:

nothing...

comment:

The best lens I have ever had. Very sharp, high level definition, excellent color rendition. Mounted on a Sony A-77 body, it is fabulous.

sharpness: 3.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: ithinkso   review date: January-23-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50 1.7 AF
Minolta 28-85 3.5/4.5 (on Film)
Minolta 35-70 f4
Sony 18-70 (on A100)
Sigma 24 2.8

price paid:

£349.00GBP

positive:

Colour rendition
Fast quiet focus
Feels well built
Weather seals
Looks the part

negative:

Hood does not facilitate use of filters such as polarising filter.
No jaw dropping sharpness.

comment:

This lens is the most expensive lens I've owned in 37 years of using SLRs, and only the second new lens (as opposed to used). Of the images i've grabbed so far none of them have made my jaw drop open when compared to what I got with my (lost/stolen) A100/SAL1870. The weather seals have withstood a couple of hours session in the snow, and a spraying from an inconsiderate motorist. I have noticed some vignetting at 16mm , but I think that may have be caused by the polarising filter I was using as an ersatz "skylight" lens protector in the snow the other day. There is also some quite alarming chromatic aberration even at f11 at the wide end. The wide maximum aperture is useful for portraits but the handling of out of focus areas is nothing to write home about.

Conclusion? Disappointing, given the price. Although I have to remind myself that a lens of this focal range and fast maximum aperture would have cost considerably more not so very long ago. It's made in China.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: InspiredbyNature   review date: January-18-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70
Tamron 70-300

price paid:

800 (new)

positive:

Very useful range on APS-C camera
Very sharp until about 35mm, but still good
Great Build
Very fast and accurate focus

negative:

Distortion wide open can be harsh
Flare control is about average

comment:

Great Lens overall, love almost everything about it. It has a great range, very very useful for a crop camera. The SSM focusing is great and super fast. Weather seal is good, have been out in the rain with it, as well as in sand, and other than maybe a few grains of sand causing a problem all was good. Sharpness wise it is very good, able to virtually maximize my A100 sensor. Love the color as well very nice indeed.Only problems are with distortion wide open, but that is correctable in jpegs in newer cameras, and through photoshop. Flare is also about average, can't say it great, but not bad.
Overall and bottom line is that I love this lens, it isn't perfect, but it is a must have for sony crop camera users wanting a reliable, fast, and well built standard zoom.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: vaughaag   review date: December-03-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 17-35, Minolta 28-135, Minolta 24-50, Minolta 35-70

price paid:

£319 GBP

positive:

Solid Build, Weather Sealing, Sharp wide open, silent focusing, colour rendition

negative:

Distortion at edges @16mm, heavier than expected, manual focus not as smooth as others

comment:

First time owning an SSM lens, very impressed with the build quality, weather sealing, sharpness and colour rendition. Overall this lens is superb with only a few minor niggles.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Huge   review date: November-26-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 18-250 Macro HSM
Minolta GT (A2)
Tamron 28-300
CZ Planar 50 f/1.8

price paid:

£350 (A77 kit)

positive:

Superb contrast/resolution
Very good build quality
Fast silent AF
Gives consistently excellent image quality without having to 'work at it'

negative:

A bit heavy?

comment:

One of the best half frame (APS-C) zoom lenses ever built.
Flare control is good rather than very good (still well above average, but 4.5 isn't available!).
The sort of lens you can fit and forget - it just works: it works very well all the time without you having to think about it; it allows you to concentrate on the composition and not worry about the gear.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Simao   review date: November-17-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony CZ16-80
Sony 18-50

price paid:

Bundled with A77

positive:

Everything

negative:

None

comment:

Having had a Sony CZ16-80 with its build quality problems I really loved this lens straight away. Don't get me wrong the CZ is fantastic and gives very sharp results and is lighter and looks better on smaller bodies but it has many problems that make this lens a really superior lens compared with it.

At the start I noticed that details aren't that great at pixel level although the picture had an overall good quality. I did a little micro-adjustment using the Moire method and this lens started to show its true colours! pictures taken with it had great details even at pixel level.

The quiet and quick SSM does a great job, and the lock (which works at the 16mm end only) is a good addition but lens is so well built that it doesn't really need it anyway.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: Sky_walker   review date: October-09-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

Bundled

positive:

AF - very fast and silent
Dust/Weather Sealing
Great solid build
f/2.8 throughout the range
Parfocal lens

negative:

Distortion
Sharpness at certain settings
Quality of lens hood plastic
Zooming action isn't perfectly smooth

comment:

It's one of the best lenses on a market, especially when we compare value to the quality.
Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G runs for £900-1000 and at the same time doesn't even offer 24mm equivalent focal length! Meanwhile Sony runs for little more then a half of the price and hardly has anything to be ashamed of comparing to it's by far more expensive counterpart.

As for the sharpness - at f/2.8 it's perfectly usable on all focal lengths, but it's razor-sharp between f/4 and f/7 (below f/8 with A77 you can clearly see diffraction kicking in). What I like is that the lens is very consistent and predictable - it hardly has any "strong" or "weak" focal lengths - performs evenly across entire range what's really quite an achievement.

As for colors - well, I'm hardly an expert in that, but it seems to be "ok". Not to good, but not bad either. It got quite neutral colors, but because of this - it doesn't "pop" in any way that can be used as an advantage like in the Zeiss lenses.

Distortions... well, everyone put it quite nicely already: Quite bad on wide angle f/2.8, but stopping down to f/5.6 seems to be fixing the issue nicely. But at least it doesn't have any very complicated distortion pattern. Never the less - out of all lenses I got: This one has most pronounced distortions.

Quite complicated flare made of small spots and one large green can be visible on a shots, with green one very eye-catching, still visible even on a bright background. It's not the worst one, but can be annoying.

As for aberrations - TcA is quite ok, quite easy to correct, lucky: LcA is nearly non-existent, so thank Sony for that, as this one is nearly impossible to correct with post-processing.

Bokeh - well, it's not bad, nor beautiful either. Comparing to Carl Zeiss 16-80mm this one is tad disappointing. It can be smooth, but hardly anything I'd describe "buttery smooth". Overall though: I got few lenses that have worse bokeh, including these making weird twisted patterns, and this one is nothing alike. Solid performer, but nothing extraordinary.

Build quality - well, this lens is nearly a tank. I shot with it in a rain, sand, hot sun, it even fallen down to concrete once, and never got even a slightest problem with it. Definitely a must-have for everyone shooting in bad weather.
What I don't like though is the zooming action - no way I could zoom in video through entire range smoothly. That's very frustrating considering a fact that this is suppose to be a lens build with video in mind.
Second issue is the lens hood - it's made of plastic that sticks out from an overall lens build quality. My is already whole in scratches - to a degree where you can't read "Sony" on it any more, cause it got scratched out of it. o_O

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: 3.0   review date: October-07-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
Tokina 28-70mm f/2.8
Sigma 50mm f/1.4
Minolta 50mm f/1.7

price paid:

600 CAD(Used)

positive:

-Dust/Weather Sealing
-Incredibly Sharp at all focal lengths and aperture
-Fast and Silent AF motor
-Full-time manual focus override
-Build Quality

negative:

-Nada

comment:

I regretted not buying my a77 with the Sony kit lens within 2 months of the purchase, and jumped on the opportunity to buy the lens separately at a great price.

There's nothing to complain about with this lens especially on the a77. With the grip the whole system is weather sealed and balanced to perfection.

The silent SSM AF motor is a nice to have for stills, but is a must for video if you're not recording externally. I was relying on manual focusing during video but with the SSM I have no fears of using the AF during video.

Of all my lenses this is probably the sharpest zoom, and second in sharpness only to the Sigma 50mm 1.4; but even that is debatable.

I've heard a lot of people mention there's a newer class of zoom lenses for each system, that can rival primes but found it hard to believe until I got this lens.

Worth every penny.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: KlikArt   review date: September-18-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

CZ 2.8/24-70

price paid:

619 EUR

positive:

Fine lens beautiful matches. Compact size and not too heavy.

negative:

Zoom range could be greater.

comment:

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Wingco   review date: September-10-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

F1.4 50mm Minolta

price paid:

£450 new

positive:

Build quality
Manual Focus control
Colours

negative:

Distortion at wide aperture

comment:

What a fantastic lens. OK it has some obvious distortion wide open but this aside it's near faultless. Maybe a little large diameter be careful when changing lens if you have small hands. Although a recent purchase I see this spending most of tie time on my A77

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: dibasol   review date: August-26-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 17-50 EX DC f2.8 HSM
Tamron 17-50 f2.8 XR

price paid:

614 Euro (new)

positive:

fast and silent SSM
very sharp, bokeh
color and contrast
weather seal

negative:

extreme corners could be a little sharper

comment:

The focusing is very precise and fast. Optical and build quality is very good.
Sharper as my Sigma and Tamron.
Distorshion, vignetting and CA well corrected on my a65.
The best one for video
Overall I'm very impressed with this lens

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: thewave   review date: August-08-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 18-50 kit lens
Minolta 28-135
Minolta 28-105 Xi

price paid:

Bundled

positive:

Great solid build
Quite focusing
f2.8 throughout the range
Professional appearance

negative:

Significant distortion, but this is negated by the lens compensation feature of the A77.

comment:

Great lens, can't recommend it enough! Professional look, feel and operation.
Used for many months now without any problems in the slightest. In fact, since receiving this lens, it has barely been of my camera, despite owning some quality Minolta glass. Only ever comes off when using primes, or super zooms.
Colour is quite good, not up to Minolta vibrancy, but better by far than all Sony DT lenses i have tried. Also works well in b+w when using in camera (A77) b+w settings.

Only potential downside is the pin cushion distortion, but this is fixed perfectly using the lens compensation feature of the A77, can actually be used to a reasonable degree as a 'fish eye effect' if required.

All in all, currently my favourite lens!

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: mattsonylover   review date: August-04-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 18-125mm F3.5-5.6 DC
Sony 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM
Sigma 17-35mm F2.8-4 EX

price paid:

£410

positive:

great build quality
DMF
Silent AF
nice contrast

negative:

heavy
AF not so accurate (on my A580)

comment:

I was impressed by the amount of the positive reviews over here so I decide to get one.
I am a bit disappointed about the AF accuracy on my A580 thats never failed me before. its a bit of mix results either nice and sharp or just everything out of focus.
maybe this lens is only designed for the A77 advanced AF sensor not the one shared between a580, a57, a65 and a55 !
the lens is sharp at the center stepped down to F4 but dont expect anything like that at the corners. its hard to get sharp corners !
I did some comparison shots against the Sigma 18-125mm and the sigma wins in term of sharpness across the entire frame, while the Sony has better overall contrast.
the other bright side is the F2.8, however it is not possible to get very sharp results with that aperture.
I am disappointed with the results, as I got better sharpness with £100 lens than the £400 ( cost for used copies )
you can search for the review of photographyblog dot come and see by yourself about the sharpness of this lens
maybe its my copy, maybe I have higher expectation than I should after all these impressive comments !

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: tafata   review date: July-29-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta AF 28-70/2.8
Minolta Af 50/1.7

price paid:

630 EUR

positive:

- Fast fast fast AF
- Very sharp
- Solid build
- Nice bokeh
- Very silent

negative:

- AF not so accurate on my A200
- Little distortion (well corrected on A77)

comment:

This lens is wonderful, i tested it for just one day and i'm very happy to have one. In my opinion is the best choice for an A77 (like mine) because it's silent, fast and very sharp even wide open. I think it will be on my camera most of the time. If you're look for standard focals this is the answer!

EDIT: After two months of use, i can say it's a prime killer, it is mounted on my A77 from its purchase.
I tried it even on my A200 but it lacks AF accuracy, since i can't microadjust focus in that camera, pictures aren't so vibrant as with the A77. Not a problem: continue using all good primes on A200 and keep 16-50 on A77 (reducing to zero every dust problem!)

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: lupponne   review date: July-23-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5 , Sony SAL 50 F1.8, Tamron 70-200, f2.8

price paid:

670 Euro (New)

positive:

Sharp, fast, very fast, silent,72mm filters (for me), good for video

negative:

i have to test more to find something...is not perfect for sure and i hate " Made in China"

comment:

perfect fit with a77...perfect for video

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: MediaArchivist   review date: July-16-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

699 USD (new)

positive:

Built like a tank, and weathersealed
Fast (f/2.8) at all focal lengths
Fast and accurate focus
Parfocal design
Bokeh (sometimes)

negative:

Bokeh (sometimes)

comment:

This is a great lens for photography, and perhaps an even better lens for video. As noted in the "positive" list it is parfocal-- it remains in focus as it zooms, and likewise the focal length does not change when focusing. It is also f/2.8 throughout the focal range, which makes it a great indoor lens.

The bokeh is difficult to describe. Sometimes (rarely) it is excellent, and other times (rarely) it is harsh. I can't tell in advance which bokeh flavor I will get, but most of time it is at least "pretty good."

I have become spoiled by my primes, so I don't reach for this as much as I used to. When I do, this lens keeps up quite well-- and certainly better than almost any kit zoom on any brand. I still use it for indoor sports-- it is fast enough and the AF is superb. I also use it for HDR architecture and landscapes, sometimes stitched. The minor downsides are irrelevant, and I can count on sharp focused shots at the view I need.

It was a very good idea to bundle this lens with the a77, the two work very well together. Features such as ADI distance confirmation work as expected, and the camera knows how to correct the very slight barrel distortion and almost negligible vignetting (at least with JPGs). The pair will almost certainly beat kits with slower zooms.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Kentho   review date: June-22-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 18-250, Tamron 28-105

price paid:

550 USD

positive:

Fast focus
extremely silent motor
range on the wide end to 16mm

negative:

Would have been nice if it went all the way to 70mm or 80mm.

comment:

Fast focus - may seem faster than it actually is because the motor is so silent
Great walk around lens for cities and architectural shots because of its 16mm wide angle.
Color not quite as good as some classic Minolta lenses
Works great with my a77

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: PieterB   review date: June-15-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50/f2,8

price paid:

629€

positive:

Very fast AF speed.
Silent Af
Accurate
nice feel to it

negative:

Resolution not a lot better than the Tamron.
corners could ben sharper

comment:

compared to the tamron, I don't see an improvement in resolution. The colours are okay but I prefer a bit more saturated.
Its AF is very fast and also very quiet.
What I love best about the lens, is that you don't notice it when taking pics. It sort of works naturally and there is no bigger compliment than that.
The biggest imrpovement is in video. It is quiet and gives nice results.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: Nas79   review date: June-14-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

$750.00 (new)

positive:

Very sharp (Especially at F4)
Nice build quality
SSM (Fast)
Colors

negative:

Distortion at wide end

comment:

I have been using this lens with the A77 and am very happy with it.

I get great sharp images from corner to corner. I like the build quality. I think for a sub $1000.00 lens it is put together well.

The only complaint with it is the barrel distortion when used at the wide end. I have found that Lightroom quickly corrects this issue however.

I think this is a great walk around lens and befor I got my Zeiss 135 F1.8 it lived on my camera.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: zpi   review date: June-13-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

700e(new)

positive:

Build, focus ring DMF, very fast SSM

negative:

a little bit expensive for its category, huge barrel distorsion at 16mm, should be longer than 50mm

comment:

very good lens for walk around, buildings, lanscapes, and even portrets.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: wiel_sam   review date: June-13-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

16-80
16-105

price paid:

699 USD

positive:

Very Sharp at wide open, Fast , weather shield and nice build

negative:

Price is high

comment:

Very good Lens for my daily purpose

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Dan Berke   review date: May-14-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

Kit with A77

positive:

Everything

negative:

nothing

comment:

Love it. Range is fine, colours could be slightly more saturated but balances perfectly with A77 and the zoom lock is handy.
Fast to focus and big focus ring for MF.
Good MFD.
This is my 'always on' lens

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Joryn   review date: May-03-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- Minolta 70-210mm F4 (beercan)

price paid:

700 (CAD new kit)

positive:

- Fast and versatile
- Excellent build quality
- Focus/Zoom rings are easy to reach/control with no creep or slop
- Excellent for video

negative:

- Sharpness isn't very good wide-open
- Heavy!
- Distortion at wide range is significant but well corrected in-body (jpg) or via post (raw)

comment:

Excellent lens overall that spends the most time on my camera thanks to it's versatility and speed. I especially like the extra little wide-angle I get (compared to 18-55mm) and find the focus to be fairly accurate under a variety of conditions. I would strongly recommend this lens to anyone looking to get a significant upgrade from the standard kit lens.

One of the primary reasons I went with this lens was for its SSM and video use. After using it for a fair bit of video I'd have to say it's a great choice. The zoom range and focus speed make it a great lens for a variety of shooting conditions so if video is something you're looking at this is likely a great option also.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: iullian   review date: April-12-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50 1.8
Sony 18-55
Tamron 28-75 2.8
Minolta 100-200 4.5

price paid:

840 USD

positive:

Sharp
Build
Weight

negative:

Vignetting at 16mm even in sunny daylight.

comment:

I was torn between the 16-50 2.8, the 16-80 CZ and the Tamron 17-50 2.8. The decision took me over 3 moths, but I made my decision and bought the 16-50 2.8. I'm not saying it's better or worse than the others. I'm just happy with the lens.
So, the lens is sharp enough for my taste and, it makes mt A580 look smallish. But I like the weight and the build. I won't use any filters, except, maybe, the Carl Zeiss CPL. I think all other filters just won't keep up withe IQ of the lens.
I really wnat to thaks for all your previous inputs, as I finally made my decision based on you opinions.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Bob Socko   review date: April-10-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

* Zeiss 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5
* Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8
* Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 Macro
* Konica Minolta 28-75mm f/2.8
* Minolta 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5

price paid:

649 USD (open box)

positive:

* Sharp wide open at 16mm.
* SSM focus is fast and accurate.
* Great color and detail rendition.
* Weather sealing is a nice touch.
* Sturdy build, but doesn't weigh a ton.

negative:

* Significant distortion at 16mm.
* Soft corners wide open at 50mm.
* Large enough to attract attention (unlike a prime or the Zeiss 16-80)

comment:

I was hesitant to buy this lens at first - I already had the Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8, and worried there would be too much overlap. I bought the Zeiss 16-80mm instead. Now, the Zeiss 16-80 is a fantastic lens, and I'm really happy with its performance. It's small, lightweight, and sharper than some primes. However, it started to bug me when I was unable to isolate subjects via a shallow depth of field. So, when I found a good deal on an open-box copy of the Sony, I picked it up.

In terms of image quality, the two lenses are more-or-less identical. I've read reviews which show a few very minor differences between the lenses while pixel peeping on a 24mp sensor, but in terms of everyday use, you're just not going to notice it. Other similarities include focus speed (the Sony wins, but not by much) and resolving power (both lenses do a good job with the 24mp APS-C sensor).

So, what does that leave us with for differences? Not much, and nothing major. Do you prefer Minolta or Zeiss colors? Do you need f/2.8, or are you willing to sacrifice aperture for a bit more zoom range? Do you honestly need weather sealing? Is a bulkier lens ok, or do you need the smallest, lightest kit possible? Only you can decide which is more important to you, but rest assured that the Sony 16-50 can keep up with the Zeiss 16-80.

What about other walkaround zooms?

* I did some side-by-side shots comparing the Sony 16-50 to the Minolta 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5. As much as I love old Minolta lenses, the 35-105 just can't keep up with the a77's 24mp sensor. You can still use it, of course, and you'll still end up with nice photos. However, the a77 simply outresolves the 35-105. If you're a pixel peeper or plan on making giant prints, you'll be disappointed by the results.

* The Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8 is a good match for the Sony 16-50 in terms of overall image quality. The Zeiss is quite a bit heavier and not as well balanced on the a77, and of course, the focal range is a bit different. If you already have the Zeiss, don't mind the weight, and don't need the wide end, save your money and stick with the Zeiss - it's a great performer on the a77.

* Though I no longer have the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 Macro or the KM 28-75mm f/2.8, I feel confident that the Sony 16-50 is sharper than both, and produces better color.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: pureaxis   review date: April-03-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Carl Zeiss 16-80
Minolta 28-105 RS

positive:

-Just as sharp as my CZ1680
-SSM!
-F2.8 is great

negative:

-A bit heavy
-Distortion at wide end

comment:

I borrowed this lens from a friend and from my limited use I would say it is on par with my CZ1680. However, I ultimately decided to stick with the Zeiss because I found myself needing that bit extra reach for my style of photography. The weather sealing while great have little use because I only have a A65. If I had the A77 I would trade in my Zeiss.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: SChurchill   review date: April-02-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony DT 18-70mm
Sigma 20mm f1.8 EX DG Asp DF
Sony 50mm f1.4
Minolta AF 35-105mm 3.5-4.5 (old)
Minolta AF 28-135mm 4.0-4.5

price paid:

380 GBP used

positive:

Very sharp wide open.
Fast and silent focusing (as I'd expect from a SSM lens.)
DxO Optics Pro modules available

negative:

Distortion at wide end.
A77 auto correction not applicable to RAW.
Wished it was a bit longer (70mm).
Not full frame so useless on my film bodies.

comment:

This is my first SSM lens so was unsure what to expect with regard to focusing speed and noise. I can confirm that focusing noise is minimal and speed and accuracy are impressive.

Sharpness at 2.8 is very good and this lens is probably the only one that I'd have no qualms using wide open.

Colours appear good to me with excellent contrast in my tests.

Distortion at the wide end is very prominent and would be a serious negative point for me if the DxO Optics module were not available. However DxO works wonders with shots at 16mm. You can lose a significant proportion of the image
when its distortion corrections have been processed so you need to be aware of this during composition.

Build is good and the hood seems robust and fits tightly unlike that of my Sigma 20mm f1.8, which I constantly fear losing.

Flare control is also very good, handling strong, direct light with minimal flare. It maintains good contrast in these situations when many lenses would exhibit haze.

Overall I'm very impressed with this lens. I just wish it was a bit longer to match my shooting style. I also wish it was full frame so I could use it on my Dynax 7.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Swan White   review date: April-01-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

18-70 kit lens Sony
50 mm f 1.7 Minolta

price paid:

599 euro ( new)

positive:

f 2.8
Optical quality
Build quality
SSM
Wheather sealed
Price/quality

negative:

Had a few weeks lead time.

comment:

Impressive lens! Fast and silent spot on focus. Very good at full opening, even better at f 4. Great standard walk around lens. Recommended!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: borjomi   review date: March-31-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

20/2.8, 35G, 50/1.7, 50/2.8, Sigma 50/1.4,18-70, 24-85, 28-85 etc.

price paid:

750 USD (new)

positive:

Sharp!
Constant /2.8
Color
Build quality
Fast SSM

negative:

Distorsions at 16 mm
Wignetting at 16/2.8

comment:

Perfect lens for APS-C with 24-75 mm equivalent on FF.
Must have.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: LKB   review date: March-29-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 70-210/4
Zeiss 135/1.8
Sony 50/1.4
Minolta 20/2.8

price paid:

520 GPB (as new)

positive:

SSM
Range
Weight+Size
MF

negative:

this is DT lens, but for this price...

comment:

Those lenses have been bought as replacement for 20/2.8. I found having prime lenses in this length too limiting and opted for zoom instead. After discussion on this forum I decided to buy those lenses instead of Zeiss 16-35/2.8. While I do expect that Zeiss performance is better, those lenses are superb in their own right and at half price, with larger range, weather sealing, smaller size and weight are definitely standing their own ground.

I took now more then 5k photos with those lenses - sports, architecture, street photography and general walk around. My orginal expectations has been exceeded.

AF is silent and very good, its difficult comparing with the non-SSM lenses, they focus so fast that making missfocus in the game is not a problem as they will get it right. They are not as precise as Zeiss (1.8!) but its so fast is hardly a problem. Those are also first lenses where I use Eye start AF - with great results for street photography or candid photos.
It perform really well for landscape and architecture. Its great to have the range. It produce nice portraits, not on the Zeiss level but wide end ones are as nice as with 20/2.8. With group photos it can occasionally go wrong on wide side (20/2.8 was notorious for that), but just take a few shots and problem will be solved.

Those are not low light lenses, 135/1.8 and 50/1.4 are my workhorses here. But they work very nicely on the tripod and my long exposures are very pleasing. Also flash work is similar or even slightly better then to 20/2.8 - which is very good. Hardly any missed AF and good colours.

Distortion is feature of wide lenses and I find it good, flare control is good but not perfect. I thinks colors are not as good as on my primes but its a mater of taste I expect. Bokeh is nice and pleasing, better then 50/1.4 but not as nice as Zeiss or Beercan.

Lenses are sharp in extreme range and from 2.8, so only praises here. There is a problem with the corners on the wide side so you need to step down, but this seems just slightly worse then 20/2.8. I read that some models of those lenses can suffer from noticeable decentering (see Luminous Landscape for details) but mine seems fine.

MF is a pleasure with this lenses but I do miss DMF on my A55. With this and focus peeking it will be a true blast.

Overall, great lenses and very recommended. They have replaced 20/2.8+35/1.8 in my camera bag with ease.

UPDATE:
comment update after 5k shots - portrait and group experience and some cosmetic changes

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: boyzone   review date: March-23-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50
SAL16-80Z
SAL16-105

price paid:

568 USD (new)

positive:

-F2.8
-Sharp
-Build quality
-Focusing speed & Accuracy

negative:

-Stock limited

comment:

Is totally different class compared with T17-50.
The image quality is look similar with my 70-400G.
Also, well matching with A77, slightly heavy at the front when plug into A33.
The focusing is very accuracy and fast. Silent, no front/back focusing issue on my both A77 & A33. This 72mm diameter glass manage to provide sharpness across the range when wide open. Also, it is included corner sharpness as well.
Is a must have lens for Alpha user.
If need to choice between 16-80Z and 16-50, I will go for 16-50 without any doubt.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Hols52   review date: February-12-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 70-300G, Sony 70-400G and Sony 35mm F1.8.

price paid:

With A77 - £1450

positive:

An excellent lens which with the A77 does exactly what you would expect and hope - and then some.

negative:

Nothing so far.

comment:

The lens feels completely solid and well made. Attached to the A77 it gives an almost perfect balance. Combined with the A77 the weight, balance and ease of use make a great combination.
I also own the 70-300G, 70-400G and Sony 35mm F1.8. This lens compares in terms of image quality, build, speed of focus to either of the other two zooms and is better than the fixed lens.
The quality of the images is excellent and the speed that it focuses is fantastic. Sometimes at 2.8 and indoors you have to be a little careful re sharpness but I am aware of this and can normally sort it by altering the shutter speed - which is slight anyway and may well be done to the limits of me rather than the camera or lens.
To date I cannot recall the lens ever hunting for the subject. Always auto focus is both fast and accurate. I have not used manual focus so far.
I have only shot jpeg to date so again cannot comment on RAW with the lens and A77.
I have been out, or at least got caught out in some rain with no protection and both the camera and lens were absolutely fine.
I cannot find any fault whatsoever with the A77 and 16-50 combination and am sure attached to another equally good body this lens will perform just as well.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: lifeispixels   review date: February-04-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

kit to A77

positive:

Top all-rounder. Extremely Sharp right from f2.8, Fast & Silent SSM focusing, Excellent build.

negative:

Colors can be a bit washed under bright day light. Distortion can be heavy at 16mm (but perfectly corrected by A77 in-camera lens profile)

comment:

This is definitely one of the best Sony lens ever produced and an indispensible choice for 24 MP APSC sensor on A77, and A65. SAL1650 lens gives stunning sharpness right from f2.8 and seems to maximizes at f5.6. Stopping down further doesn't increase much sharpness. For hyper focal landscape shots, F13 still gives excellent sharpness from 1 meter to infinity, while from F14 onwards, diffraction starts kicking in and becomes noticeable at pixels level.

I observe the colors can be a bit washed out or lightened under bight day light and not as deep and vivid as true Minolta colors. But that's not a problem and can be easily boosted to your liking by lightroom and photoshop sliders. Although flare can be noticeable at wide apertures like f2.8 and reduce contrast a bit, this is very typical for all zoom lens in this range with constant f2.8. SAL1650 performs well relatively to its class so I give 5 because 4.5 isn't available.

Distortion can be strong closed-focused at 16mm but perfectly corrected by A77 in-camera lens profile. I usually shoot RAW but if I observe straight lines in the shot that clearly exhibit distortion, I will just switch to JPEG and the in-camera lens profile in A77 solve everything. CA is minimal and easily corrected.

SSM focusing is very fast and silent. This is one of the best features of this lens that make it suitable for taking still as well as video. Tested and no problem with back/front focusing on my copy.

Build quality is excellent. The zoom is tight and doesn't creep. Zoom lock button is a nice plus that doesn't exist in 16-80 CZ.

In summary, I'm very impressed with the build and performance of Sony SAL1650 lens and it's one of my keepers. When the shooting situation is unclear, I always bring 16-50SSM with my A77 and this combination never disappoints and always gives me the best shots! Easily one of best APSC lens available on Sony system. If you're deciding between 16-50 and 16-80 CZ, in my opinion, constant f2.8 is very versatile for all day/night shoots, weather sealing, SSM, clearly outweigh the additional 30mm benefit of CZ. If you miss that 30mm, slight cropping in post-processing can fix but it can't create the bokeh of 16-50. Some might say 16-80CZ for day-time and 16-50SSM for low-light. But I don't see much advantages so, I'd consider 16-50 SSM and Sony 16-105 combo instead.

See my photos with SAL1650 on my Flickr collection at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lifeispixels/collections/72157628204412995/

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Serg(vrn)   review date: January-31-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 16-80 ZA, tamron 17-50

price paid:

700 usd

positive:

excelent lens

negative:

comment:

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Jeroon   review date: January-13-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron SP 17-50.

price paid:

€1,25 per gram (new)

positive:

Image quality even excellent at 2.8.
Solid as a rock, terrific focus ring.
Crispy and contrast full image quality.

negative:

Auto focus (AF) not accurate on my a580.

comment:

Auto focus i barely use, so for me the AF is a minor inaccuracy. Tamron's AF is better, at least on my a580.

Otherwise the Sony 16-50 is a better lens, including the same Tammy-distortion at 16 mm ;).

Highly recommended for photographers with big hands and/or long fingers, plus a lot of money. They will love the 577 gram weight, build quality and fluent, firm focus ring.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Roby72   review date: January-11-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 17-70
Tamron 17-50
Sony 16-105
Sony Zeiss 16-80

price paid:

700 EUR (new)

positive:

Weather sealed
SSM
Zoom lock
16mm
F2.8

negative:

No focus hold button
Distortion (16mm)

comment:

Finally I decided to sell my CZ 16-80 (sic) and buy this gem because I prefer a relatively fast lens to 80mm zoom possibilities with CZ.
I still have to completely understand how it works so this is a work in progress review.

EDIT: 2012/02/12th, I've raise the sharpness rating to 5 and mentioned how great is SSM. Plus some corrections about vignetting and distortion.

SHARPNESS: I would say excellent, even at f/2.8.
I obtained wonderful and super detailed portraits at f/2.8 - f/4 - 50mm
I still have to understand how I can obtain pleasant result for landscapes, at the moment it seems like CZ16-80 was a better lens for that.
Corners are generally a little soft, bokeh is much better than CZ.
At 16mm, sometimes, it's difficult to obtain perfect focus at f/2.8, maybe it's my A700, still have to try and verify.
All in all I'm happy with it, sharp, detailed and contrasted photos!

COLOR: Same as all Sony lenses, very nice and neutral, I didn't see any difference switching from CZ.

BUILD: WOW!! It's superb, I can't ask for a better lens! Weather sealed, SSM motor, AF/MF selector, zoom lock...ah yes, maybe it only miss a focus hold button like G lenses and, hey, why not labeled as a G lens? Hum, all in all Canon didn't labeled L its 17-55 USM f/2.8.
It's a pleasure to use with my A700, great balance and look!

DISTORTION: it's heavy at 16mm, maybe a little more than CZ.
You have to take care of your compositions. From 24 on it's neutral and unnoticeable.
Chromatic aberration are noticeable at 16mm at any aperture but they quickly diminish at 24, 35 and at 50mm f/2.8 they are almost unnoticeable. Anyway if you shoot ARW they are easy to fix.
Vignetting is noticeable at 16mm f/2.8 but it's not worse than CZ, works very well with Hoya HD CIR-PL and it doesn't add more vignetting ar all.

FLARE: I still have to try but it seems pretty resistant with the Sun directly on the lens but it rapidly lose contrast with Sun just out of the hood.

Finally a special mention to SSM AF motor. It's superb and fast.
I've photographed children playing on the snow, running and sliding...and with AF-C and eye-start I almost obtained more than 90% of the photos in perfect focus!!

So, at the end, am I happy with it after selling my beloved CZ? Oh yes I am!!
This lens is made to last and to give satisfaction.
It's better priced than CZ and I don't think it's expensive for what it gives. I'm quickly forgetting the CZ 16-80.
And please, don't call it a kit lens! :)

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: sonicx   review date: January-06-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tokina 2,8 11-16mm
Minolta 1,7 50mm
Sigma 3,5-6,3 18-200mm

price paid:

650 EUR

positive:

- sharpness
- weight on a KM D7D
- SSM

negative:

- nothing so far
- lens flare is the worst of all lenses I own (parts of it see above, "compared to")

comment:

Since I got this lens (4 weeks ago) I just love it. It feels just right on my old KM D7D and is a fabulous update to that camera. The lens is sharp, very fast and super silent (nice to have).

To the range: I noticed that either the range of that lens isn't right or the one from my Tokina or Minolta lens. At 16mm the lens has a little more wide angle then my 11-16mm Tokina. So either the Sony is more a 15mm at the lower end or the Tokina goes up to 17mm. At the range end of 50mm it is the same thing. The 50mm Minolta lens has more tele then the 50mm of the Sony. So in my opinion the 16-50mm is just a little to much, more 15-48mm. But the differences are marginal, but noticeable.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: robertsmx   review date: January-03-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony DT 18-55mm/3.5-5.6 SAM
Sigma 18-250mm/3.5-6.3 HSM

price paid:

600 USD (Like New)

positive:

Build Quality, Aperture, Wide Angle, SSM

negative:

Weight & Size

comment:

I decided to replace the kit lens for my A55 with this primarily for its larger aperture, and the nice to have SSM. I'd also read about its sharpness and IQ in general. In less than a week of ownership, I can attest to it being an excellent product.

Sharpness and color are great, build is exceptional, distortion and CA are very well controlled. Flare control leaves a little to be desired however, but based on quick and dirty attempts, it actually performed quite nicely when looking straight into the sun but not so much at an angle. Pretty good MFD as well as 1:5 magnification.

The tradeoff (compared to SAL1855 DT SAM) is weight and size. But I was aware of it and IMO, worth it. In fact, in "zoom lock" position, it is just a little smaller size than the Sigma 18-250, and just a little lighter. But it would still make for a good walk around lens for me. Many may complain about limited zoom range, but IMO, I would prefer quality in the more usable 16-35 range than compromising any of it for more zoom. I think of it as a "flexible prime".

I was also (pleasantly) surprised to see it beat the Sigma 18-250 in terms of distortion at their widest focal lengths (16mm for the Sony, 18mm for the Sigma). It also helps that this lens has 72mm thread, meaning, it can share filters with my Sigma 18-250 and Minolta 200/2.8 APO G HS.

Great addition to the Sony lens lineup.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: AsuAmo   review date: January-02-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50
Sony 18-250
Sony 35-105
Minolta 24-105
Sigma 10-20 hsm
Sigma 50-150
Sony 70-300 G

price paid:

kit to a65

positive:

Color, sharpness, speed, build, balance on camera

negative:

Not figured out yet

comment:

Excellent walk around lens for aps-c, well worth the price paid.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: balduv   review date: January-02-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Sony 35mm f/1.8

price paid:

867.76 USD (new)

positive:

Build is really superb. Almost feels like a G/CZ lens.
Really sharp even at f/2.8.
Focusing is dead silent and fast. It rarely hunts even at low light.
Focal range

negative:

VERY MINIMAL front focusing
Not good distortion
Some CA

comment:

Aside from looking really good, this lens lives up to its tale. It's really sharp. No doubt.

My copy has some VERY MINIMAL front focusing, although it is really not noticeable (it's just a tad soft) but at +4 adjustment, it's tack SHARP at all focal lengths.
Perfect for a77 because of the microfocus adjust, in-body lens correction.

This lens one of the best all-around lenses that sometimes, my other lenses are just stuck in the drybox for the longest time.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: everwake   review date: December-28-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50
Minolta 50/1.7
Sony 35mm/1.8

positive:

Sharp from wide Open.
As good or better than my tamron 17-50 in every area
excellent build quality
Fast and dead silent focusing

negative:

a bit heavy
72mm filter size, 77mm filters won't fit with hood

comment:

a truly excellent lens, my copy is every bit as sharp as my primes, the CZ135 is sharper by a bit so -0.5 point for sharpness.

there is some distortion especially @16mm, but the A77 is able to compensate fairly well, even without compensation there is less distortion than on my T17-50.

SSM AF is really quick, and so silent it cannot be heard when filming.

this is one of my favorite lenses right now, it is hard to fault

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: wiel_sam   review date: December-28-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

CZ 16-80 f3,5 - 4,5
SAL 16-105 f3,5 - 5,6

price paid:

700 USD (new)

positive:

Very Fast Lenses
Sharp enough at wide open

negative:

Just 50
Heavy

comment:

This is very superb lens in APSC mode , sharp at wide open, fast , weather shield, matched with my A77 and HVL 43.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Icefloe   review date: December-27-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

CZ 16-80
Sony 50 1.4
Minolta 28 2.0
Sony 100 2.8 Macro

price paid:

Kit lens

positive:

Sharp
SSM fast
Build quality

negative:

Focal range only 50mm

comment:

It has a very solid feel. However my lens had a severe front focus problem at 16 mm. Sony made a quick warranty service and the lens is now in good working condition. It requires a +2 setting on the Micro Adjust. Sharper than the Sony 50 1.4 at F2.8.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Webguyyy   review date: December-19-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 16-105
Sony 28-75
Sony 70-300G
Sony 70-400G
Sony 100mm

price paid:

680 CDN

positive:

Great build compares to my Sony 70-300G, for an under $1K lens.
Larger more effective hood than my 16-105
Very useable wide open, throughout the range.
Quick precise silent SSM focusing.
Best choice of the in lens motorized 16/17-50 F2.8 lenses.
Very sharp if you get a good copy.

negative:

For some may seem heavy on a lighter camera, feels right at home on a larger body camera, like A-700/77.
Most expensive of the 16/17-50 F2.8 lenses, but well worth it. (only the non motorized Tamron 17-50 F2.8 has a much cheaper price).

comment:

Initially my first copy was off calibration, which was a big disappointment after reading so many great positive reviews (can even happen with a name brand these days). After testing I exchanged it for another copy, and second copy lives up to all the great reviews.

Many may say, the basic Tamron 17-50 F2.8 (non motorized) is quite a bit cheaper, and they are right ($300 approx), but when you compare the Sony 16-50 F2.8 to the motorized versions of the Sigma and Tamron 17-50 F2.8, less than $80 difference, and if bought as a kit probably comes out the same as the 3rd party motorized lenses. Tamron doesn't currently make a motorized 17-50 F2.8 lens in a Sony mount.

Build quality of the Sony is in the class of a 'G" lens for an under $1K lens (not fair for the price to compare to a $1K+ 'G' or Zeiss). Much better build than the 3rd party lenses, and you are assured compatibility.

WIde open it's very useable, and with just a touch of sharpening it's razer sharp at 1:1 when viewed. From F4 up next to no sharpening is required.

For those that make videos with a SLR with that feature, a motorized lens is really the only way to go, otherwise the in camera motor noise can be picked up, which would be very annoying.

Even in lower light this lens doesn't hunt for the most part.

At 16mm there is mild distortion, but this is common for most zooms in the the range. Only primes handle the distortion better.

This lens with it's larger petal hood, handles lens flare better than my 16-105.

The replacement for my 16-105 general purpose lens, is now complete with the Sony 16-50 F2.8 and the Sony 28-75 F2.8, which to me is a better fit for c sensor users than a 24-70 F2.8. Price of the combo is just a bit less though, but weights about 150g more.

I'd highly recommend this lens, if you get a properly calibrated copy it doesn't disappoint. Worth the price, and SSM is better than SAM or others where you have to switch on the lens to MF (just have to push the AF/MF button and temporily MF).

I wish the Sony 28-75 F2.8 was SSM, and not SAM.

Could have bought it about $30 cheaper as a kit lens, but at the moment it's close to a 2 month wait on the A-77's in Canada.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: GlassEye   review date: December-08-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

SAM 18-55 kit lens (currently for sale)
Beercan

price paid:

$1.21 / gram ( 699 )

positive:

Very sharp and fast, good flare control.
Silent, fast AF. Zoom lock.
Focus and zoom rings large and easy to use, well dampened and smooth. feels good in hand and looks good on camera. A pleasure to use.

negative:

Price, what you gonna do?
A little too conspicuous for street photography.

comment:

I just got this lens yesterday, so I can't be as thorough as I would like.
This is the lens that should have come with my A55, of course it would have doubled the price! The kit lens was OK, but this baby just sings. It is sharp and resists flare even when the sun is in the shot. the build is tight. the zoom and focus are smooth and well dampened. The lens is kinda big, but is seems like it 'fills out' the small A55, so it fits my hand as a set. Super comfortable and easy to use. I'm really going to love this lens, I anticipate that it will be on my camera most of the time from here on out.
When I get some more photons through it, I will add to this review.

1-14-2013: I keep this lens on my A77 now. It is even better! So very sharp and great AF performance. A real must-have for APS-C.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: digitalsniper   review date: December-04-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

SGD900 (KIT)

positive:

Sharpness
Bokeh
Color
Build. Weather-sealed
Super Quiet Motor. Excellent for video
Excellent performance in low light

negative:

Edit: Distortion at 16mm
Need to use slim CPL to avoid vignetting

comment:

I bought this lens together with the @77 body last October 21, 2011 and I must say that this is lens is excellent! I use this lens for landscape and portraiture shots and now I am have tons of keepers in my drive. The sharpness and color that this lens gives makes my shots looks like one that was shot by a professional, award-winning photographer. I wonder why Sony wouldn't categorize this lens as a "G".

Edit: I decided to downgrade the distortion rating to 4 as I found to have it at 16mm

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: halrui   review date: December-02-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

tamron 17-50 2.8, sony cz 16-80

price paid:

Kit lens

positive:

Good build quality, dust and moisture proof, IQ, fast, focal length, SSM motor

negative:

pricy & a bit heavy

comment:

Just got this lens as a kit with A77 camera some days back. Haven't tested it much. but this lens works well with the A77 and feels better in the hands than my earlier Tamron 17-50. The Tam is good for A700 but imho its cheap build and noisy AF is not suited for A77 and its video abilities. The sony beats the CZ in quality, built and aperture. End of the day this lens has been especially designed to handle 24mp resolution of A77

A must have for everyday use. All i can say is super quality, quite, fast and great IQ. Bokeh is lovely.

IMHO sony should have called this a 'G' lens. unbelievable that sony has provided this as a kit lens. Wonder whats in store for the A99 in future.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Vin   review date: November-13-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm 1.8 SAM
Sony 18-70
Sony 18-55

price paid:

€599 (BULK)

positive:

F2.8
Size
Silent AF
Sharp

negative:

Slight distortion and vignetting (pretty normal for this range)

comment:

Bought this lens for my A77. The lens is available in Europe as BULK, so no orange Sony box. However with normal guarantee.

Before owning this lens I mostly used the plastic fantastic 50mm 1.8 which I found to be very sharp. Well the 16-50 is as sharp, maybe even sharper and has much nicer bokeh. The range makes it an ideal walk round lens. It's a bit heavy but I like it that way. In fact I haven't used the 50mm 1.8 anymore since.

The build quality is superb. The lens looks very nice and Sony payed real attention to the looks. Furthermore the lens is weather sealed so combining it with an A77 makes it the ideal travel companion.

At 16mm there is some distortion. However I actually like it at 16mm, gives a bit of fish eye effect. Vignetting is present, but does not bother me at all.

This lens is a great addition to the collection with very fast and silent AF, great build quality and F2.8 throughout the whole range. To bad Sony did not label it as G or CZ. However that would have influenced the price also..

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: htarash   review date: November-13-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tam 16-50
SAL2875SAM

price paid:

900 AUD

positive:

Sharp
Fast
SSM
Good balance on A77
Metal filter thread
Distotion correction with A77

negative:

So far nothing

comment:

A little early as I only have it for two days, I will review it later again if anything changed.
This is one sharp lens, so far I was always worried to use any lens wide open, except my 70-300G, but cetrainly there is no problem with this.
The SSM as usual fast and quite, but so far all my lenses been fast with a77.
Combined with A77 the distortion is gone, which fantastic, I dont need to relay on dxo anymore.
Comparing it to Tam 16-50, this one for sure sharper wide open.
Overall highly recommended, I wish I would have wait until the kit was available, as buying them separate costed me $300 extra.
Flare I gave 4 as I have not really tested yet, so for now 4.
The build I gave also 4, as it is not fair to 70-200G if you give this one 5, but I think it is actually better than my 70-300G.
Distotion, gets 4, as it is expected at wide it does exist. (If you shoot jpg, like me with a77, this is not really a problem.) But i tried to give more a general review.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: DAVY793   review date: November-12-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 70-400mm G
Sigma 10-20mm
Carl Zeiss 16-80mm
Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro
Minolta 50mm f1.7
Minolta 200mm f2.8 HS APO

price paid:

£500 (new)

positive:

Sharp
Weight and feel
Fast AF
Silent AF
F2.8 all the way
Colours

negative:

Slight vignetting at16mm and f2.8
Slight distortion at 16mm
Only 50mm

comment:

I love the weight and feel of this lens on both my A77 and A580. Sharpness is very good at f2.8 but excellent at 3.5 onwards. I would rate this at least 4.8 on the scale so decided to go for the nearest which is 5.
I didn't notice any flare on any of my images so far but will come back and amend when I have taken more in bright sunlight.
I sold my CZ16-80 because it did not live up to its price tag and this lens is just as sharp at 3.5 as the CZ - would like to have had the 80mm length but not at the expense of an f4.5. Thought about the 24-70 but needed the width that this lens provides. If I go FF, the 24-70 would be my choice.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Snegren   review date: November-11-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

My primes SAL20F2.8, SAL28F2.8, M35F2, M50F1.7

price paid:

589 EUR (new)

positive:

Well built, feels solid
Instant silent accurate AF
Smooth zoom and focussing ring
Weather sealing

negative:

Heavier than expected (or is this a positive)

comment:

Got tired of walking around with 4 primes all the time. OK, lost a bit of light compared to the 35F2 and 50F1.7, but not much and the lens is actually very nice at F2.8 (don't expect razor sharp corners, for that you need to stop down a bit, but who needs sharp corners wide open?). Use it at F5.6-8 and you have corner to corner sharpness and great depth of field for landscapes

The range perfectly suits my needs.

At 16 mm distortion is there, but on which WA there isn't? Fix it in post processing or buy A77 and shoot JPG. There is some vignetting wide open, so what?

Haven't noticed any flaring yet, but eventually all wide angles can be made to do it. Has a nice hood though.

Color is what you make it in the digital age, but looks nice.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: scovell001   review date: November-11-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

CZ 16-80
Sigma 17.50 f2.8

price paid:

670GBP

positive:

Sharp at f.28, really sharp at f3.2 onwards
SSm fast & silent

negative:

none

comment:

I've been waiting a 'long time' for this lens (or its equivalent) to come out. For professional use on APS C there isn't a better lens available. Used on the A700, the SSM is quick & silent. The range is 24-75, a perfect equivalent to a 24-70 on FF. Mild distortion at 16mm, but in no way bothersome. Slight blue fringing detected at f2.8, which is nearly gone by f3.2. Also vignetting at f2.8 is reasonably strong, however, if your a portrait photographer, you actually 'want' vignetting at these apertures. What I've found really exciting was the colour & the overall exposure. This lens has immediately transformed my A700. I would go so far as to say that this is the no 1 lens for your APS-C Sony. Certainly if you're serious about your photography.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: vincentius   review date: November-05-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

16-105 DT
24-70CZ

price paid:

600 USD (kit)

positive:

Fast
Sharp
Build

negative:

Size
Weight

comment:

Definitely not a small or light lens, but it balances with the A77. Sharpness is great, and rarely back/front focus. With micro AF adjustment it'd be even better.
The 16-105 seems really light after holding this for a while.

I love the silent AF and the range. You will feel limited by the range at first, but this is the range I shoot at 70% of the time (and the 30% is covered by my 55-200 or 70-200) (On APS-C, that is)

No doubt the designers are serious about the build. Very solid.

If you look for an affordable high quality lens, this lens will be a good start. Still a way to compare with the 24-70CZ, but at the price, you get what you pay for.
Still first days using the lens, so will update review if there are any changes

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: DavidBoentoro   review date: November-04-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

CZ 16-80

price paid:

600 USD (New)

positive:

SSM
Build Quality
Constant Aperture
Fast AF
Bigger filter diameter (more intimidating in a way, but you look more like a pro with it)

negative:

Heavier than CZ16-80 (NOT a real issue)
distortion on 16mm, but to be expected
a bit more range please? :p

comment:

It's really hard to find an A77 with this lens as kit in Indonesia, and I finally got it! and boy was it worth every phone call and text messages I made to every possible retailer around.

The lens basically trumps the CZ 1680 in terms of build, focusing, and aperture (means almost all aspects including low light situations), except for the shorter focal length (which is more useful on outdoors) and heavier (if you want to travel light, the CZ is more shoulder friendly, but only by a bit).

Sharpness is great on all focal lengths, even at max aperture. I've heard there were issues of decentering. However I learned of that after I had the lens for a few days and I found none in my copy.

If you are looking for a consistent lens to walk around with good low light performance and fast & silent AF(compared to the CZ), this is the answer. And the price is cheaper when compared to a new CZ 16-80 if you buy it as a kit lens with the A77. Even if you buy it separately, it's still better IMO.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: nicols   review date: November-02-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

CZ 16-80
Tamron 17-50 2.8

price paid:

~500GBP (Kit)

positive:

Build Quality
Fast
Sharp
Moisture / dust seals
SSM

negative:

Not long enough
Unusual filter size at 72mm

comment:

To call this a 'Kit' lens is a little bit misleading, even though it does come as part of a kit :-). Basically, this is a short, fast zoom that's an APSC only G lens in all but name (as prototype IDs would appear to confirm. Build quality is excellent on my copy (a few early review copies had some centring problems though so beware), AF on the A77 is fast, smooth and quiet and it gives sharp images even wide open - better than the Tamron 17-50mm imho, though a bit pricier due to the SSM / seals. A great lens and a must on the A77. It would replace my Zeiss is it was just a bit longer. Also, there's just a hint of distortion / flare but the score system doesn't allow 4.5 and I hesitate to use a 'perfect 5' for that reason.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: kevinbm   review date: October-29-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Zeiss 24-70

price paid:

Part of A77 kit

positive:

Nice solid build
Colours
Sharpness

negative:

Not "long" enough

comment:

I took my A77 and 16-50 for a "test drive" yesterday. Overall I was quite impressed by the lens - the SSM is silent and quick and the lens produces some very nice photos. However, I did find that I ended up switching to my Zeiss 24-70 as I found that for me the lens was not quite long enough for my style of photography.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: Ian777   review date: October-08-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

CZ 16-80

price paid:

799 CDN

positive:

Sharp
bright
fast silent autofocus
little vignetting

negative:

size
flare

comment:

Early days yet but so far I am impressed.

A nice fit on the A700 but feels bulkier than the 16-80, although the weight feels about the same. I do miss the extra reach but the improved aperture and shallow DOF are winning me over. The SSM is awesome, very quiet and fast focus. I have only tried daylight photography so far, so have to explore the low-light experience. Intentional into-sun shots produced significant and large flare. The lens feels very solidly built, zooming is smooth and stiffer than the 16-80, no lens creep noted even without using the lock.