The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM 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 FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM is the longer of the two lenses at 136mm. The Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G with a length of 100mm, is 36mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM also has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G's 73mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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 E 16-55mm F2.8 G weighs 494g, which means it is 392g (44%) lighter than the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM which has a weight of 886g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Zoom Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM has a 82mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G:
And these are the 82mm filters that we recommend for the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A6700, Sony FX30 and Sony ZV-E10.
Focal Range
Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G has a focal range of 16-55mm and
3.4X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM has a focal range of 24-70mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 36 - 105mm.