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Patrick Alexander photo
United States of America, Erie
1 Level
743 Review
37 Karma

Review on Sony Alpha 16 55Mm Standard APS C by Patrick Alexander

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Reliable niche product at a steep price

I have been using a Sony a6300 with Sigma prime lenses (16mm and 30mm) and a Sony SELP16-50 Wal lens for several years. From the start I was looking for a quality zoom that is sharper, brighter and lasts longer than the kit lens. In the meantime, I've relied on Primes for both street and portrait photography. The new Sony 16-55G with a constant f/2.8 aperture on paper is just what I needed, although it's not cheap. I've been using it daily for about three weeks now and I'm generally quite satisfied. The Sony 16-55G is really reliable and easy to use. Focusing is so fast you won't even notice. Images are sharp even at f/2.8, although not as sharp as my Sigma primes, and the bokeh at f/2.8 isn't as nice as that of the Sigma at f/1.4. The Sony 16-55G lens is relatively light considering it's all glass, but it still weighs down the front of my a6300 camera. It feels really solid compared to the small lens in the kit, which can be easily damaged. (In the past few years, I've damaged the zoom mechanism on two kit lenses by bumping them into something.) Of course, for the price of this new Sony 16-55G you can buy almost 10 kit lenses. And the high price of the Sony 16-55G might surprise you. Do you really want to invest over $1000 in an APSC camera lens? I feel like I had no choice but to bite the bullet, but I'm still struggling with this issue.

Pros
  • Very good value for money
Cons
  • Unbelievable price