Sony SEL16F28 16mm f/2.8 Wide-Angle Lens for NEX Series Cameras

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Some people complain about this lens because it is not a pro lens. It does a good job for the price, just dont expect it to be the same as a $1,000 lens. I paired it with a wide angle converter lens to give me two options. On its own, it is relatively short. With the optional converter (about $100) it is rather long. Ive read some people think it is too big compared to the 20mm, but it really isnt significantly bigger. It is a good lens to test out the Sony E-mount system. Be aware that this goes on a camera that makes it an equivalent of a 24mm lens. So it is a wide angle but not super wide angle lens. The optional converter makes it an 18mm. If you are happy with your kit lens, dont bother buying it. if you are unhappy with the quality of your kit lens, this really isnt an improvement. It is slightly faster with the f2.8 aperture compared to the kits f3.5 at 16mm. I recommend it if you dont have a lens with your body, or if you want to attach the converter lenses (the wide angle or fisheye). You can get a better lens for the same price with a Nikon, but if you own a Sony this is a good starter lens.

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This Sony 16mm is a nice lens if you accept it for what it is. When I want to shoot wide, I almost always go with my Sony 10-18mm. The 10-18mm is a near flawless piece of glass when paired with my Sony a6000. The problem is that is a big and heavy lens, which makes it difficult to carry around while on longer hikes. I picked up the Sony 16mm pancake for taking photos while hiking. To start, the size is perfect. I can fit this lens in the side pocket of my running vest, and its much lighter than the 10-18mm. The 16mm on the cropped APS-C sensor is equivalent to 24mm on a full frame. This allows me to capture the wide landscapes I see while hiking. There is also a wide angle attachment that can be paired with the 16mm to get even wider. As others have noted, the 16mm can be a big soft at the corners at 2.8-5.6, but looks better as. Once youve stopped down to 5.6, things look a bit sharper. For hiking, Im almost always in the 5.6-15 range, so the soft corners dont bother me. There is no stabilization in this lens, but its a wide angle, so not that big of a deal. The one issue I have is that the autofocus isnt as accurate as when Im using the 10-18mm. At <$250, this lens is a great value. Some of the other reviewers are complaining about this lens as if it cost $1000. Be realistic about youre going to get at this price point. In my opinion, the value per dollar is quite high. If you want a lens that is super sharp, youre going to have to pay a bit more.

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Overall: This is a very compact lens that allows the NEX to reach 24mm (full frame equivalent field of view). The quality is good, focusing is fast, and the lens handles direct sun in the frame without many noticeable anomalies. Furthermore, the large aperture really helps for low light. Pros: + Affordable + F2.8 for low light + Allows attachments like fisheye and wide angle converter + Fast focusing + Compact size + Uses same size filters as 18-55 kit lens Cons: - No visually pleasing sunstars (ie: like the Tokina 11-16) I bought this lens because of its compact size and ability to make the NEX F3 pocketable. Despite the fixed focal length, I think I used this lens significantly more during my vacation than the 18-55 kit lens. Consequently, at this low price, this lens is a good complement to the 18-55 kit lens. Its affordable, and really changes your shooting experience. Another plus is that it uses the same size filters. Sony does not provide a hood or case with this lens package. However, the hood from the kit lens is compatible (but Im not sure how much it affects vignetting). I didnt use it with the good. In summary: The lens makes a great complement to the 18-55 kit. It is compact, offers a wide aperture, focuses quickly, and really enhances your NEX shooting experience. I recommend it. I hope this review was helpful to you.

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With the conversion lens, this is a very useful unit for taking buildings from the outside and any interior shot. Must have for that. Need to be careful about keeping the verticals vertical by pointing up or down until the vertical lines become vertical. The lens and the conversion lens were made for each other; although for me I wish it were a single unit because I dropped it once and it came apart (but so far still works). Only 4 stars because it is not as sharp as say the Zeiss 1.8/24MM; not in the same class. Price is reasonable.

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It has no image stabilization but I knew that going in. For jpeg shooting, especially in-camera hdr, this little lens does an excellent job. CA well controlled (again in jpegs), good corner sharpness. Paired with the UWA converter it is an excellent ultra wide solution.

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The others reviews are pretty accurate on the softer sharpness around the edges of images, but given the price point, its still quite good. I shoot at F18+ for interiors so the images are quite sharp. The wide angle is great at capturing a more comprehensive view in such a small package.

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I bought this one used from an Amazon seller and its a very nice lens so far. I bought this one over the newer model available mainly due to price. If i couldve found the newer 20mm f/2.8 second-hand for a great price i would have picked it up. I am not a professional photographer and none of my pics are going into National Geographic. The corners are a bit soft on this lens, but a lot of the typical complaints on this lens are made up by 1) Adobe Lightroom, and 2) the fact that you can slap on the ultra wide-angle conversion lens OR the fisheye lens. I have grabbed some AWESOME shots with the ultra wide-angle lens attached to this baby. I wouldnt have bought this lens just by itself - - if you are interested in ultra wide-angle or Fisheye, though, this is a must. If you can spring for the newer 20mm then do that instead. I give it 5 stars because for the money, its a fantastic lens.

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I brought this lens for auto focus. But the AF not always working. Image quality just OK. If you dont need the AF, buy other manual lens, dont buy this one.

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Not the best in low light, and not very good for AF on Sony a6500. Wouldnt purchase again. Purchased used and it was excellent condition.

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Great size for portability. Perfect wide angle and relatively fast at f2.8. Perfect companion for Sony a6000/6300. Reasonably priced and more than adequate performance. A bargain lens.

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