Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mm

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mm

Sony
85 Overall Score
vs
Rokinon AF 50mm f/1.4 50mm

Rokinon AF 50mm f/1.4 50mm

Rokinon
59 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mm

85 out of 100 medium confidence 22 reviews

The Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM lens is a notable upgrade from the kit 18-55mm, offering a constant fast aperture, silent autofocus, and superior image quality. Users praise its sharpness, bokeh, and build, though they note it is heavier and bulkier. A few refurbished units had minor scratches or early malfunction, but overall the lens is highly recommended for Sony Alpha APS-C cameras.

Pros
  • Constant F2.8 aperture
  • Fast and silent autofocus
  • Excellent image sharpness and contrast
  • Pleasing bokeh
  • Solid build quality
Cons
  • Heavy and bulky
  • Some units have early malfunctions
  • Not compatible with full-frame cameras
  • Moderate flare issue
  • Limited zoom range to 50mm
👍 Image quality 9
👍 Build quality 8
👍 Autofocus performance 5
👎 Weight and size 6
👍 Value for money 4
🤔 Refurbished condition 6

Rokinon AF 50mm f/1.4 50mm

78 out of 100 high confidence 30 reviews

The Rokinon 50mm f/1.4 lens receives generally positive feedback for its excellent value, sharp optics, and solid build quality, especially for astrophotography and low-light use. However, many users note that the autofocus can be inconsistent and unreliable for fast-moving subjects, and some copies have decentering issues. The lens is fully manual on certain mounts, which is a key consideration for buyers.

Pros
  • Excellent value for money
  • Sharp optics for the price
  • Solid all-metal build quality
  • Great for astrophotography
  • Good low-light performance at f/1.4
Cons
  • Inconsistent autofocus performance
  • Autofocus unreliable for fast-moving subjects
  • Some copies have decentering issues
  • Soft corners at f/1.4
  • Fully manual on certain mounts
👍 Value for money 8
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 6
👎 Autofocus performance 7
👍 Astrophotography suitability 5
👍 Low light performance 4

Scores

Travel
Sony
95
Rokinon
48
Budget
Sony
89
Rokinon
60
Street
Sony
89
Rokinon
63
Video Cinema
Sony
85
Rokinon
63
Wildlife Sports
Sony
84
Rokinon
44
Landscape
Sony
82
Rokinon
50
Portrait
Sony
82
Rokinon
79
Professional
Sony
77
Rokinon
68
Macro
Sony
66
Rokinon
60

Specifications

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mmRokinon AF 50mm f/1.4 50mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min16 mm50 mm
Focal Length Max50 mm50 mm
Elements99
Groups86
Aspherical Elements4★2
ED Elements11
Coating—Ultra Multi-Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/1.4
Min Aperture3.5-5.6f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades78★
Build
MountSony ESony E
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.11 kg★0.42 kg
Filter Thread41 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusmanual focus only
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance250 mm★450 mm
Max Magnification0.215x1:6.25★

Pros & Cons

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mm

  • Strong build (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong versatility (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
  • Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile

Rokinon AF 50mm f/1.4 50mm

  • Strong aperture (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong build (76th percentile)
  • Below average af (14th percentile)14th %ile
  • Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (35th percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mm

Scores 85 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 22 specs.

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mm Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports