The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 II and the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II 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 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 II is the longer of the two lenses at 83mm. The Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II with a length of 30mm, is 53mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 II also has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II's 65mm 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 E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II weighs 107g, 63% (188g) lighter than the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 II's weight of 295g.
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 FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 II has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II has a 41mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 II:
And these are the 41mm filters that we recommend for the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 II and the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V.
Focal Range
Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 II has a focal range of 28-70mm and
2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
42 - 105mm.
On the other hand, the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II 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.
