Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens Review

Sony E16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Handling and features

The new collapsible design is certainly much more compact when not in use than previous E-mount lenses covering the same range, which will appeal to many. Build quality is very good with the lens barrel being constructed from high quality black plastics with a glossy finish and the lens mount is metal. Weighing only 116g, it makes a perfect companion for the Sony NEX-6 camera used for testing.

As the lens collapses to save space when the camera is switched off, there is a delay of around three seconds as the lens extends before pictures can be taken. This may not be an issue for some, but those who are used to being able to take shots almost instantly may find this frustrating, as shots are missed waiting for the lens to extend.

Once the lens is extended, auto focus is very fast and accurate and the power zoom control located on the left side of the lens is easy to operate. Manual focus adjustments are reasonably easy to apply, thanks to the smooth action of the focusing ring. Although the focusing ring is smooth, it isn't very well damped, which means fine adjustments can sometimes be tricky to apply. Minimum focus varies between 25cm and 30cm, depending on the zoom setting.

As focusing is performed internally, the 40.5mm filter ring does not rotate, which makes the lens ideal for use with graduated and polarising filters. No hood is supplied as standard with the lens.

Thanks to the optical stabilisation system, sharp hand-held images can be taken at shutter speeds as slow as 1/10sec with the zoom set to 50mm. This is roughly three stops slower than the usual rule of thumb for hand-held photography would allow.

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