The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR and the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 104mm. The Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA with a length of 83mm, is 21mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR also has a larger diameter of 84mm compared to the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA's 72mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA weighs 445g, 37% (265g) lighter than the Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR's weight of 710g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58 for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR has a focal range of 24-120mm and
5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
36 - 180mm.
On the other hand, the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has a focal range of 16-80mm and 5.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-120mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
