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

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

Sony
90 Overall Score
vs
Tamron Di III VC AF020N700 28-300mm

Tamron Di III VC AF020N700 28-300mm

Tamron
70 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

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

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

Tamron Di III VC AF020N700 28-300mm

45 out of 100 low confidence 8 reviews

The Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD VC lens receives mixed feedback from users. Some praise its versatility, lightweight design, and value for money, especially for travel and casual photography. However, several users report significant issues with autofocus reliability, image sharpness, and lens creep, with some experiencing failures after a short period. The lens seems to work well for some but has notable quality control and compatibility concerns.

Pros
  • Versatile zoom range
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Good value for money
  • Vibration compensation
  • Suitable for travel and casual use
Cons
  • Autofocus reliability issues
  • Soft image quality at times
  • Lens creep problem
  • Noisy autofocus operation
  • Poor low-light performance due to high f-stop
👎 Autofocus reliability 4
🤔 Image quality 5
👎 Build quality 3
🤔 Value for money 4
👍 Portability 3
👎 Lens creep 2

Scores

Travel
Sony
98
Tamron
76
Street
Sony
93
Tamron
72
Wildlife Sports
Sony
87
Tamron
74
Budget
Sony
86
Tamron
74
Landscape
Sony
82
Tamron
84
Video Cinema
Sony
83
Tamron
68
Portrait
Sony
83
Tamron
75
Professional
Sony
83
Tamron
80
Macro
Sony
66
Tamron
82

Specifications

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSSTamron Di III VC AF020N700 28-300mm
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min16 mm28 mm
Focal Length Max50 mm300 mm
Elements919
Groups815
Aspherical Elements44
ED Elements14★
Coating—XR (Extra Refractive Index) glass
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/4
Min Aperture3.5-5.63.5-6.3
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountSony ESony E
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.11 kg★0.54 kg
Filter Thread41 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusVXD
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance250 mm★490 mm
Max Magnification0.215x1:3.5★

Pros & Cons

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

  • Strong build (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong versatility (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
  • Strong aperture (83rd percentile)83rd %ile

Tamron Di III VC AF020N700 28-300mm

  • Strong optical (99th percentile)99th %ile
  • Strong versatility (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (79th percentile)
  • Strong aperture (71st percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (2nd percentile)2nd %ile

Pricing

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is ¥156,412 cheaper (8.9x less).

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

Tamron Di III VC AF020N700 28-300mm

Verdict

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

Scores 90 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.

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

BudgetStreetTravelPortraitProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Tamron Di III VC AF020N700 28-300mm Better at:

Macro

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