Sony 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS E-mount lens review by QuietOC
 QuietOC#32719 date: Dec-2-2016 | |
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| sharpness: 3.5 color: 4 build: 3 distortion: 2 flare control: 4 overall: 3.3 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony DT 16-50 F2.8 SSM Vario-Sonnar 16-80 F3.5-4.5 DT Sony DT 16-105 F3.5-5.6 Tamron SP 17-50 F2.8 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 Sony DT 18-200 F3.5-6.3 Tamron 18-250 F3.5-6.3 |
| price paid: | 348 USD (A5000 Kit) |
| positive: | Small, especially retracted Quiet focusing Internal focus w/ minimal breathing OSS Very good IQ in the middle of the range Flat focus plane |
| negative: | Heavy distortion Heavy vignetting Noisy zoom motor Slow Varifocal Low contrast at the long end |
| comment: | A silver version included in an A5000 kit. The retail price is $350, $50 more than the 18-55 OSS, but it is often on sale separately for $300 new or about $100 used. "Made in THAILAND" The image quality is similar to the A-mount 18-55 kit lenses--a bit better at the wide end and a little worse at the long end. The lens barrel is shortest at 25 mm. The barrel distortion at 24 mm is similar to the distortion of the A-mount 18-55 at 18 mm and the 16-105 at 16 mm. The focus plane is quite flat--much flatter than the A-mount Carl Zeiss 16-80 or 16-105 or the E 18-55 OSS. The zoom motor is rather noisy. It sounds and feels like it belongs on an inexpensive camera. The power zoom on my ancient PowerShot S1 IS operates much smoother. The powered manual focus is actually pretty good--more precise than the mechanically clutched A mount lenses. The main control ring is accurate and effective if a bit laggy. A second ring might be nice in place of the zoom lever. It is a disappointing way to spend $150 on what is probably an essential lens. It certainly doesn't help the argument for a small APS-C ILC over a smaller sensor sensor compact camera, but the optical quality is good enough for a small kit lens. |
; 24MPrating summary
- total reviews: 17
- sharpness: 4.00
- color: 4.41
- build: 4.00
- distortion: 3.00
- flare control: 3.88
- overall: 3.86