Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM A-mount lens review by Snegren

Snegren#9579 date: Nov-11-2011
sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.5	tested on: film camera: APS-C: 6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP; 16MP; 20MP; 24MP full frame: 12MP; 24MP; 36MP; 42MP; 61MP
ownership:	I used to own this lens
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, 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.