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Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G: two-minute evaluate
Each lens comes with some form of compromise, however Sony’s completed nicely to disguise it on the FE 16mm F1.8 G. Sure, it lacks the flexibility of a wide-angle zoom just like the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II. However for those who’re available in the market for an excellent wide-angle prime with loads of artistic potential, it’s an actual box-ticker.
You’ve received the 16mm focal size favored by structure and panorama followers, plus a quick f/1.8 aperture to fulfill night-sky fanatics. You’ve received speedy autofocus and set of handbook controls. Then you definately’ve received the scale: Sony has cleverly packaged the FE 16mm F1.8 G to make it a lens that’s straightforward to journey with. All at a worth that’s firmly within the cheap bracket.
Sony could be advertising and marketing its 16mm prime at your conventional wide-angle customers, however that record makes it a compelling proposition for anybody eager to experiment with a wider subject of view. So the place’s the catch?
Within the minor class, there are a few marks towards the FE 16mm F1.8 G. To realize its low weight and matching worth, Sony has used a good quantity of plastic within the construct. And whereas it’s a moisture-resistant lens, it doesn’t have full climate seals. However this isn’t a G Grasp lens. For the cash, neither a kind of components ought to be a dealbreaker.
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What might be is the barrel distortion. Whereas prime optics imply the FE 16mm F1.8 G can shoot sharp within the heart at its widest aperture, element drops off to softness within the corners. That is due to how a lot correction is going down on the very edges of the body. Shoot in RAW and also you’ll must compensate fairly closely, costing you sharpness within the stretched pixels.
Whereas this reliance on lens corrections may not sit nicely with purists, Sony is just not alone in leaving software program to handle optical imperfections. Neither is it a difficulty which solely impacts prime glass. It’s a rising development amongst wide-angle lenses as a complete, as we present in our evaluate of the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM. Sony’s personal FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II is responsible of it, too.
In actuality, for those who’re prepared to reside with some nook softness, the FE 16mm F1.8 G is a wonderful tremendous wide-angle prime for the worth. Capturing at f/1.8 not solely helps you to profit from the obtainable mild, but additionally means that you can play with defocused backgrounds when your topic is near the lens.
It’s true that videographers and journey photographers will most likely be higher served by a 16-35mm zoom, even when meaning accepting a slower most aperture. The Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II has the flexibility to cowl each extensive angles and tighter 35mm road pictures with edge-to-edge element. For many who need get artistic at 16mm, although, the FE 16mm F1.8 G isn’t far off the candy spot.
Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G specs
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Kind: |
Tremendous wide-angle prime |
|
Mount: |
Sony E-mount |
|
Sensor: |
Full-frame |
|
Focal size: |
16mm |
|
Max aperture: |
f/1.8 |
|
Minimal focus: |
0.13m |
|
Filter measurement: |
67mm |
|
Dimensions: |
73.8 x 75mm |
|
Weight: |
304g |
Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G: Design
- Compact and light-weight for a wide-angle prime
- Protected towards mud and moisture
- Tactile focus and aperture management rings
It’s not a pancake prime, however Sony’s completed some very intelligent packaging to maintain the FE 16mm F1.8 G compact. By tremendous wide-angle requirements, that is about as small as they arrive with an f/1.8 aperture. It weighs in at a really manageable 10.7oz / 304g and measures simply 73.8 x 75 mm (or roughly 3 inches on every axis). That makes it nearly 10mm shorter than the Sony FE 20mm F1.8G.
Its lean construct is achieved partly by use of plastic within the development. The result’s a barrel that doesn’t really feel particularly premium, however Sony hasn’t completed an inexpensive job both. There’s no sense that corners have been minimize right here: the physique is creak-free and the controls are properly tactile. Whilst you don’t get the climate seals of the G Grasp collection, resistance towards mud and moisture additionally provides to the sense of robustness.
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The general impression is one in all performance. That extends to the controls, most of that are thoughtfully positioned inside a finger’s attain. That is a straightforward lens to really feel your means round one-handed. A couple of touches assist to raise the consumer expertise above that of a fundamental prime, too: you’ve received a swap which provides you the choice of clicked or clean aperture ring rotation, for instance, plus a programmable operate button.
Some customers may like just a little extra weight to the handbook focus ring, however the resistance of the aperture ring feels completely judged. Along with switches for focus mode and Iris Lock, the FE 16mm F1.8 G is a beautiful lens to make use of. It paired neatly with a Sony A7C II physique in testing for a handy wide-angle taking pictures setup.
Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G: Efficiency
- Mounted ultra-wide 16mm focal size
- Quick f/1.8 most aperture
- Speedy autofocus with two linear motors
Body up with the FE 16mm F1.8 G and also you’ll immediately see simply how extensive a 16mm focal size actually is. Whether or not you’re taking pictures buildings, interiors or landscapes, it is a lens designed to offer you dramatic views. And due to its extensive most aperture, you may shoot these views in a spread of eventualities.
At f/1.8, that is fairly quick glass. Quick sufficient to seize sharp leads to low lighting, whether or not that’s a night road scene or a starry sky. Sony reckons the FE 16mm F1.8 G is an effective possibility for astrophotography. Paired with a full-frame Sony E-mount digital camera, the 16mm’s light-gathering talents actually imply you may profit from any obtainable lumens.
The extensive aperture additionally means you may play with a really shallow depth of subject. The impact is strongest when taking pictures close-ups: with the correct composition, you may draw a close to topic into clear focus towards a hanging defocused background. This impression is enhanced by the truth that the extensive subject of view contains extra of the backdrop than a typical macro lens.
Bokeh might be smoother and we did encounter some false colour in blurred backgrounds. All the identical, its close-focusing talents add a further string to the bow of Sony’s tremendous wide-angle prime. It’s not a macro lens, however with a minimal focus distance of simply 0.15m, the FE 16mm F1.8 G helps you to get very shut.
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It helps that the autofocus system is speedy in all circumstances. Pushed by twin linear motors, focusing response is just about on the spot. That’s simply as true up shut and in low mild as it’s when taking pictures massive topics in broad daylight. Paired with a Sony A7C II, the lens demonstrated a commendable hit price, giving no cause to doubt that it could discover its goal.
All of that interprets to video, too. It’s straightforward to see why Sony touts the FE 16mm F1.8 G as a lens with vlogging potential. Its ultra-wide focal size and close-focusing talents are each well-suited to self-shot videography, permitting customers to comfortably document themselves at arm’s size. The proportions of the lens itself additionally make it straightforward to wield when paired with a vlogging-first digital camera just like the Sony ZV-E1.
Focus respiration is stored to a minimal: shift focus whereas recording and the sector of view stays constant sufficient for many eyes. In case you have a suitable Sony physique, you need to use the respiration compensation operate to eradicate it fully by making use of a slight crop. Capturing video with a 16:9 side ratio additionally crops out any softness within the corners from the applying of distortion correction (see beneath).
Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G: pattern photographs
Photos shot with the Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G are broadly very good. As with most prime lenses, there’s a candy spot within the aperture vary that nets you edge-to-edge sharpness with no vignetting. That’s precisely what you’ll discover at f/4.
Huge open at f/1.8, the story is just a little bit totally different. There’s some minor vignetting evident in RAW stills, which might be addressed in publish or decreased considerably by stopping right down to f/2.8. That’s until you need the impact to enrich the wide-angle look, main the attention to the middle of the body.
Extra problematic is barrel distortion. This isn’t a shock for such a wide-angle prime, however the result’s a lack of element the place correction stretches pixels within the corners. Whether or not that is utilized in-camera to JPEG stills or within the edit for RAW recordsdata, the outcome is similar: softness on the far reaches of the body.
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How a lot this lack of nook readability is a matter will typically come right down to the composition. Naturally, the outcomes of distortion correction are much less noticeable when the world is defocused. In any case, you continue to get wonderful heart sharpness at f/1.8 and determination stays first rate throughout the body as much as f/11. Enterprise past that and also you’ll discover that sharpness drops off considerably, significantly as you method f/22.
In stills captured dealing with into the solar, the FE 16mm F1.8 G shows a powerful capability to take care of backlighting. There might be some washout on the widest apertures, however distinction is retained at f/4. The lens additionally retains flaring underneath tight management and renders delicate however engaging sunstars at narrower apertures.
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How I examined the Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G
- Examined comprehensively for per week
- Paired with a Sony A7C II physique
- Utilized in a spread of circumstances
Sony was solely in a position to mortgage the FE 16mm F1.8 G to me for a seven-day interval, throughout which era I shot with it extensively. Fortunately the climate was good throughout my time with it, so I used to be in a position to absolutely assess the way it handles totally different lighting circumstances, from vivid backlighting to dimmer night scenes.
As a 16mm would historically be thought of a lens for taking pictures landscapes and structure, I did each of these. However as a result of Sony’s tremendous wide-angle prime additionally boasts the defocusing potential of a quick most aperture, I additionally made positive to shoot up shut with a spread of topics.
I used the lens with a Sony A7C II physique. By taking pictures with it closely over the course of per week, I used to be in a position to get understanding of the construct high quality and value of the lens, significantly the texture of its focus and aperture rings.
- First reviewed March 2025