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
90 Overall Score
vs
Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm

Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm

Samyang
35 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

Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm

78 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

The Samyang 16mm f/2.0 manual focus lens receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional sharpness, micro-contrast, and image quality, especially given its affordable price. Users love it for landscape and astrophotography, praising the fast f/2.0 aperture and solid build, though many note it is quite large and heavy on APS-C bodies. Manual focus is generally well-accepted for static subjects but challenging for moving ones. A few buyers were surprised by its size due to misleading product images but still found the optical performance excellent.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Great micro-contrast and rendering
  • Fast f/2.0 aperture
  • Solid build quality
  • Excellent for landscapes and astro
Cons
  • Large and heavy on APS-C
  • Challenging for moving subjects
  • Manual focus only (no AF confirm chip on some)
  • Misleading product images (size mismatch)
  • Not ideal for full frame (vignetting)
👍 Image quality 6
👍 Sharpness 4
👍 Build quality 3
👍 Value for money 4
👎 Size and weight 4
🤔 Manual focus 4

Scores

Travel
Sony
98
Samyang
25
Street
Sony
90
Samyang
29
Budget
Sony
86
Samyang
29
Video Cinema
Sony
84
Samyang
31
Wildlife Sports
Sony
84
Samyang
21
Portrait
Sony
83
Samyang
30
Landscape
Sony
82
Samyang
35
Professional
Sony
77
Samyang
36
Macro
Sony
66
Samyang
59

Specifications

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mmSamyang CS SY16M-C 16mm
Optics
Typezoomwide-angle
Focal Length Min16 mm16 mm
Focal Length Max50 mm16 mm
Elements913
Groups811
Aspherical Elements4★2
ED Elements11
Coating—UMC
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/22
Min Aperture3.5-5.6f/2
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades78★
Build
MountSony ECanon EF-S
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.11 kg★0.58 kg
Filter Thread41 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusmanual focus only
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance250 mm200 mm★
Max Magnification0.215x★—

Pros & Cons

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

  • Strong build (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong versatility (84th percentile)84th %ile
  • Strong aperture (83rd percentile)83rd %ile

Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm

  • Strong macro (81st percentile)81st %ile
  • Strong optical (78th percentile)
  • Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
  • Below average bokeh (19th percentile)19th %ile
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (32nd percentile)

Pricing

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 50mm is ¥57,705 cheaper (3.9x less).

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

Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm

Verdict

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

Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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