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

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

Sony
89 Overall Score
vs
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm

Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm

Viltrox
67 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

Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm

85 out of 100 medium confidence 23 reviews

The Viltrox 56mm f/1.7 is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, lightweight design, and outstanding value for money. Users consistently highlight its impressive image quality, with sharp details and pleasing bokeh, often comparing it favorably to much more expensive lenses. While the autofocus is generally reliable for portraits and stills, some users note it can be noisy and not as fast as native Fuji lenses. A few isolated concerns about dust ingress and the plastic build have been mentioned, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Excellent value for money
  • Pleasing bokeh
  • Good low-light performance
Cons
  • Noisy autofocus (some users)
  • Autofocus slower than native lenses
  • Plastic build
  • Dust ingress reported
  • No physical aperture ring
👍 Image quality 18
👍 Value for money 15
🤔 Build quality 12
🤔 Autofocus performance 11
👍 Size and weight 10
👍 Bokeh 7

Scores

Travel
Sony
94
Viltrox
55
Street
Sony
88
Viltrox
72
Budget
Sony
86
Viltrox
62
Video Cinema
Sony
85
Viltrox
62
Wildlife Sports
Sony
83
Viltrox
53
Portrait
Sony
83
Viltrox
63
Landscape
Sony
79
Viltrox
55
Professional
Sony
76
Viltrox
54
Macro
Sony
66
Viltrox
59

Specifications

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSSViltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min16 mm56 mm
Focal Length Max50 mm56 mm
Elements911
Groups89
Aspherical Elements4★—
ED Elements14★
Coating—high-definition nano-multilayer coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/16
Min Aperture3.5-5.6f/1.7
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountSony ESony E
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.11 kg★0.17 kg
Filter Thread41 mm52 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusSTM★
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance250 mm★550 mm
Max Magnification0.215x1:9.09★

Pros & Cons

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

  • 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

Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm

  • Strong build (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile
  • Strong optical (71st percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Pricing

Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm is $204 cheaper (2.4x less).

Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS0.256score per dollar
vs
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm0.467score per dollar

Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm offers 1.8x better value for money

Verdict

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

Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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