The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS and the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM 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. Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS with a length of 68mm, is 20mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM also has a larger diameter of 81mm compared to the Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS 's 64mm 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. Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS weighs 275g, which means it is 302g (52%) lighter than the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM which has a weight of 577g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS :
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM:
Lens Mounts
The Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony ZV-E10 II, Sony A6700 and Sony FX30 for the Sony E Mount and Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58 for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS is also available in the Canon EF-M , Fujifilm X and Micro Four Thirds mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 21mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
31.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has a focal range of 16-50mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
