Sony E SELP16502 16-50mm

The Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II is the ultimate travel lens for APS-C Sony shooters, weighing just 107g and collapsing to pocket size. It adds weather sealing over the original, and the stabilization is a standout. Image quality is average, and the slow aperture is limiting, but for around $150, it's the best way to make your camera disappear into your everyday carry.

Sharpness is solidly middle of the pack, landing in the 64th percentile for optical quality. That means it's not going to embarrass itself on a 24MP sensor, but it's also not going to make your jaw drop. The four aspherical elements and one ED element do a decent job keeping things under control in the center, though the corners can get a bit soft, especially at the wide end. For sharing photos online or making standard-sized prints, you'll be perfectly happy. If you're the type to pixel-peep at 200%, you'll find things to complain about.

Where this lens really shines is in its stabilization. The Optical SteadyShot is well above average, and combined with the light weight, you can handhold shots at surprisingly slow shutter speeds. We've seen sharp results at 1/10 of a second at the wide end without much effort. Autofocus is about average for this class, which means it's quick and accurate in good light but can hunt a little when things get dim. The power zoom is smooth for video, though it's not instant like a mechanical zoom ring, so fast zoom pulls for stills can feel a bit delayed.

The most direct competitor is the Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR. It's a similar concept, a collapsible kit zoom, but the Sony has a slight edge in build quality and a brighter aperture at the long end. The Nikon is also excellent, but it's not weather sealed, which gives the Sony a real advantage if you're shooting outdoors in less-than-ideal conditions. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 is a completely different beast. It's much larger, heavier, and more expensive, but it gives you that constant f/2.8 aperture for low light and subject separation. If you're serious about portraits or event work, the Tamron is the better tool, but you'll feel every gram of it in your bag.

Then there's the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. It offers way more reach, which is great for wildlife or sports, but it's also much bulkier and designed for a different mount system. The Sony's strength is its size. It's the lens you bring when you don't want to bring a lens. For pure portability, nothing else in this comparison comes close.

Pricing on this lens is all over the map, with a spread of over $77,000 across vendors. Obviously, ignore the outliers. The real street price for the SELP16502 typically hovers around $150 to $200 when bought separately, and it's often significantly cheaper as part of a camera kit. If you're buying it standalone, shop around. The best deals we're seeing are from Newegg, where it frequently pops up bundled with filter kits for not much more than the lens alone.

For the money, you're getting a lens that's best-in-class for build quality and portability. There are sharper lenses out there, and there are faster lenses, but none that pack this much utility into something this small at this price. If you find a used copy in good shape for around $100, it's an absolute steal as a walkaround lens.

Sony's E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II is the lens that probably came with your camera, and that's not a bad thing. It's the updated version of the classic kit zoom, and it's designed to do one thing really well: make your APS-C Sony mirrorless camera small enough to take anywhere. We're talking about a lens that weighs just 107 grams and retracts to barely over an inch long when the camera is off. It basically turns an a6000-series body into a point-and-shoot that happens to have an APS-C sensor inside.

This is a lens for travelers, street photographers, and anyone who hates the idea of leaving their camera at home because it's too bulky. The 24-75mm full-frame equivalent range covers your wide establishing shots, your environmental portraits, and a little bit of reach for picking out details. The power zoom is smooth and quiet, which is a real plus if you're shooting video. And unlike the original version, this Mark II adds weather sealing, so a little drizzle won't send you running for cover.

But let's be real about what this is. It's a variable aperture kit lens with a maximum aperture that starts at f/3.5 and quickly drops to f/5.6. You're not going to get creamy background blur or stellar low-light performance. What you are getting is a lens that scores a 96.1 out of 100 for travel in our database, making it one of the best options out there for exactly that purpose. If your priority is capturing the moment without the weight, this thing is hard to beat.

If you're shooting a lot of portraits or anything in low light, this lens will frustrate you. The f/5.6 maximum aperture at 50mm means you'll be cranking your ISO indoors, and you won't get much subject separation from the background. Look at a fast prime like the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 or a constant f/2.8 zoom instead. Also, if you're a pixel-peeper who demands corner-to-corner sharpness, this isn't your lens. The optical performance is average, and the corners are noticeably soft wide open. You'd be happier with something like the Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 G, though you'll pay a lot more and carry a lot more weight for that privilege.

If you're a travel photographer or someone who just wants to have a camera with you more often, this lens is a no-brainer. It's the reason you can slip an a6700 into a jacket pocket. The image quality is good enough for 90% of what you'll shoot, and the convenience factor is off the charts. Pair it with a fast prime like the Meike 50mm F1.8 for low light, and you've got a tiny, capable two-lens kit that covers almost everything.

But if you're primarily shooting portraits, events, or anything where background blur and low-light performance matter, skip this. You'll be frustrated by the slow aperture. Look at a constant f/2.8 zoom or a fast prime instead. This lens is about capturing the moment without fuss, not about achieving the ultimate in image quality. For the right person, it's the lens that stays on the camera 80% of the time.