Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM A-mount lens review by QuietOC
 QuietOC#30688 date: Sep-24-2016 | |
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| sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 5 overall: 4.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I used to own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony E 16-50 F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS Sony DT 16-80 F3.5-4.5 Vario-Sonnar Sony DT 16-105 F3.5-5.6 Sigma 17-50 F2.8 EX DC OS HSM Tamron SP 17-50 F2.8 XR Di Sony E 18-55 F3.5-5.6 OSS Sony DT 18-55 F3.5-5.6 SAM I/II Sony DT 18-70 F3.5-5.6 Sony DT 18-135 F3.5-5.6 SAM Canon EF 22-55 F4-5.6 USM Sony FE 24-105 F4 G OSS Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD Sony 28-75 F2.8 SAM Tamron SP 28-75mm F2.8 XR Di Tokina 28-80 F2.8 AT-X Pro |
| price paid: | 298 USD (used) |
| positive: | Internal focus Non-rotating filter/hood Non-rotating focus ring in AF Good contrast Very sharp even in the corners on the wide end In-body lens compensation Fast communication with A77 and newer bodies |
| negative: | Size and weight Clutched manual focus control Fairly heavy and uneven zoom mechanism Extends with zoom Weak at long end Distortion at wide end Focus drift with zoom Focus breathing Minor AF noise Expensive hood |
| comment: | A very clean copy with both original caps but no hood purchased from another forum member. I found a used hood and added it to the cost. This lens is currently on sale for $750 new and is one of the kit lens options for the A77 bodies. The optical design is similar to the older Tamron SP 17-50 mm F2.8 XR Di-II LD SP Aspherical. "MADE IN CHINA" It is a bit strange this lens didn't get the G designation. Not only is this the best normal APS-C zoom. It is also one of the best wide angle lenses. It is sharper the the E-mount 16, 19, and 20 F2.8 primes. It is sharper than the Minolta 20, 24, and 28 mm primes. It is pretty much as sharp as the DT 30 F2.8 and 35 F1.8 lenses. It is even sharp wide-open at the long end, though it has more optical problems on that end. It seems to be very similar to the Tamron SP 17-50 F2.8, but the differences make a better lens. This lens is much sharper wide-open and the focus plane is much flatter at the wide end. It is wider than the Tamron on both ends--more like a 15-48 mm. The field-of-view at the long end is similar to the DT 50mm F1.8 prime. It does often show lateral CA in the corners, but that is easily corrected. The distortion at the wide end is similar to the 16-80 and 16-105 lenses. The actual focal length of all of these seems to be less than 16 mm, perhaps to allow for the cropping involved in the distortion correction. Like other cheap zoom lenses the focus drifts a bit with zoom action, so it is not perfectly parfocal. The SSM clunks into position a little un-silently. Like the Sony 18-135 the AF switch on the lens is redundant. Sony could have put a focus hold button and/or a range limiter or something useful there instead. There is also a Tamron standard issue barrel lock switch. Overall a very nice kit lens and a great reason to own an A-mount APS-C camera. Image quality is better than the little primes with the size and weight being the drawback for the convenience of zoom. This is also one of only two DT lenses with a lens profile in Capture One 8. Test chart comparison with Tamron 17-50 F2.8, Carl Zeiss 16-80, Sony DT 18-135 SAM, and primes. |
rating summary
- total reviews: 104
- sharpness: 4.75
- color: 4.69
- build: 4.79
- distortion: 4.14
- flare control: 4.44
- overall: 4.56