CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
    • All Cameras
    • Cameras by Brand
      • Sony Cameras
      • Canon Cameras
      • Nikon Cameras
      • Pentax Cameras
      • Fujifilm Cameras
      • Olympus Cameras
      • Panasonic Cameras
      • Leica Cameras
      • Samsung Cameras
    • Cameras by Body Type
      • Mirrorless Cameras
      • DSLR Cameras
      • Compact Cameras
      • Bridge Cameras
      • Waterproof Cameras
    • Cameras by Lens Mount
      • Sony E Mount Cameras
      • Canon RF Mount Cameras
      • Nikon Z Mount Cameras
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Cameras
      • Fujifilm X Mount Cameras
      • Leica L Mount Cameras
      • Nikon F Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF M Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF S Mount Cameras
      • Pentax KAF Mount Cameras
      • Sony Alpha Mount Cameras
      • Fujifilm G Mount Cameras
      • Sigma SA Mount Cameras
      • Nikon 1 Mount Cameras
  • LENSES
    • All Lenses
    • Lenses by Mount
      • Sony E Mount Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF M Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF S Mount Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Lenses
      • Pentax KAF Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm G Mount Lenses
      • Sigma SA Mount Lenses
      • Sony Alpha Mount Lenses
    • Teleconverters
    • Cinema Lenses
      • Sony E Mount Cine Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Cine Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Cine Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Cine Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Cine Lenses
      • ARRI PL Mount Cine Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Cine Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Cine Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Cine Lenses
  • TOOLS
    • Cameras
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Lenses
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
  • BLOG

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G vs Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T

x
Lens to replace
Change

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G

Standard Zoom | Sony E

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G
CHECK PRICE
BUY from B&H PHOTO
Change
    
Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS

Standard Zoom | Sony E

Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T
CHECK PRICE
BUY from B&H PHOTO

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G vs Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G for the E Mount and the Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS for the E Mount, two Standard Zoom lenses by Sony.

We will start by looking briefly at the main specs of these two lenses, and in the next section, we will start analyzing them in more detail and listing the pros and cons of each lens.

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G Key Specs

  • 16-55mm Focal Range
  • F2.8 Max Aperture
  • Weather-sealed
  • Filter Thread: 67mm
  • Max Format: APS-C / DX
  • Sony E Mount
  • Weight: 494g.
  • Diameter: 73mm
  • Length: 100mm
  • Min Focus Distance: 0.33m
  • Max Magnification: 0.2x

Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS Key Specs

  • 24-70mm Focal Range
  • F4.0 Max Aperture
  • Image Stabilization
  • Weather-sealed
  • Filter Thread: 67mm
  • Max Format: 35mm FF
  • Sony E Mount
  • Weight: 426g.
  • Diameter: 73mm
  • Length: 95mm
  • Min Focus Distance: 0.4m
  • Max Magnification: 0.2x

What type of photography are the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS lenses good for?

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 F4 OSS for their suitability to various photography scenarios:

Photography Type Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS
Bird/WildlifeFairFair
SportsAverageFair
PortraitVery GoodGood
TravelVery GoodGood
StreetVery GoodGood
WeddingVery GoodGood
Walk AroundVery GoodVery Good
VloggingVery GoodGood
LandscapeVery GoodVery Good
MacroFairFair

Size and Weight Comparison

The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G is the longer of the two lenses at 100mm. The Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS with a length of 95mm, is 5mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 73mm.

Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G vs Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS Lens Size Comparison
Comparison image of the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and the Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS Size and Weight

The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS weighs 426g, 13% (68g) lighter than the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G's weight of 494g.


Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Zoom Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.

Standard Zoom Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Model Length Diameter Weight Street Price
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
113mm
83mm 663g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
136mm
88mm 886g Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 24-70 F2.8 DG DN Art Lens Sigma 24-70 F2.8 DG DN Art
123mm
88mm 835g Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD Lens Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III
117mm
73mm 550g Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron 17-70 F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens Tamron 17-70 F2.8 Di III-A VC
119mm
75mm 525g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
120mm
88mm 695g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS Lens Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS
30mm
65mm 116g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS Lens Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
83mm
73mm 295g Amazon B&H Photo

Lens Mounts

Both the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and the Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony FX30, Sony ZV-E10 and Sony A6600.

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. Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS 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.

Reasons to choose Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G over Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T

Focal Length - Wide 16mm vs 24mm 8mm Wider coverage
Optical Zoom 3.40x vs 2.90x More flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide 2.8 vs 4 Wider aperture at wide end
Max Aperture - Tele 2.8 vs 4 Wider aperture at tele end
Diaphgragm Blades 9 vs 7 Potentially more rounded and smooth bokeh
Minimum Focus Distance 0.33m vs 0.4m can focus closer to the subject

Reasons to choose Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T over Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G

Focal Length - Tele 70mm vs 55mm 15mm more Tele coverage
Image Stabilization Yes vs No Sharper Images at longer shutter speeds
Focus Type Internal Focusing vs Extending front Length of the lens doesn't change during focusing
Max Sensor Coverage 35mm FF vs APS-C / DX covers larger sensors
Weight 426g vs 494g 68g lighter
Length 95mm vs 100mm 5mm shorter

Common Strengths of Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T
Weather Sealing Yes vs Yes safer to use under rain and dust
Common Weaknesses of Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G and Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T
Internal Zoom No vs No Length of the lens changes during zooming
Distance Scale No vs No No Distance Scale assist


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G vs Sony FE 24-70mm F4 OSS Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General
Brand Sony Sony
Lens Type Zoom Zoom
Price CHECK PRICE CHECK PRICE
Lens Type Standard Zoom Standard Zoom
Lens Mount Sony E Sony E
Max Format APS-C / DX 35mm FF
Focal Range 16-55mm 24-70mm
Image Stabilization Yes
Colour - Black
Zoom Method Rotary (extending) Rotary (internal)
Power Zoom No No
Zoom Lock No No
Zoom Ratio 3.4X 2.9X
Aperture
Max Aperture F2.8 F4.0
Min Aperture F22 F22.0
Aperture Ring No No
Diaphragm Blades 9 7
Optics
Optical Elements 17 12
Optical Groups 12 10
Focusing
Min Focus Distance 0.33m 0.4m
Max Magnification 0.2X 0.2X
Autofocus Yes Yes
AF Motor Type Linear Motor Stepper motor
Full Time Manual Yes
Focus Method Extending front Internal
Distance Scale No No
DoF Scale No No
Distance Scale No No
Focus Distance Limiter No No
Physical Specs
Weight 494g 426g
Diameter 73mm 73mm
Length 100mm 95mm
Materials - All-metal construction
Weather Sealing Yes Yes
Filter Thread 67mm 67mm
Hood Supplied Yes Yes
Hood Code ALC-SH161 ALC-SH130
Tripod Collar No No
Report a Correction
FOLLOW US


Latest Lenses
Leica Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400 f5-6.3
Leica Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400 f5-6.3
Leica L | F5-6.3 Telephoto Zoom
Sony FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Sony FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Sony E | F1.4 Standard Prime
Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD
Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD
Fujifilm X | F2.8 Wideangle Zoom
Leica Summicron-SL 50mm f2 ASPH
Leica Summicron-SL 50mm f2 ASPH
Leica L | F2.0 Standard Prime
Leica Summicron-SL 35mm f2 ASPH
Leica Summicron-SL 35mm f2 ASPH
Leica L | F2.0 Standard Prime
Most Popular Lenses
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
24-105mm | F4 Standard Zoom
Canon EF 75-300mm f4.0-5.6 III
Canon EF 75-300mm f4.0-5.6 III
75-300mm | F4.0 - F5.6 Telephoto Zoom
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G
70-300mm | F4.0 - F5.6 Telephoto Zoom
Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
16-55mm | F2.8 Standard Zoom
Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS
Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS
18-55mm | F2.8 - F4.0 Standard Zoom
Copyright © 2023 by CameraDecision
Privacy About Contact Us SpeakerDecision

Report a Correction