Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM is a Fixed aperture Auto Focus (AF)
Standard Zoom lens with APS-C / DX max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with
A Mount cameras.
What type of photography is the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM lens good for?
The type of photography that you are planning to use the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated its suitability to various photography scenarios:
Reasons to Buy Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM lens in a list form to help you determine whether it offers the features you need.
| Weather-sealed |
| Autofocus |
| Distance Scale |
| DoF(Depth of Field) Scale |
| Hood supplied |
| Zoom Lock |
| Fast Aperture at Wide end |
| Fast Aperture at Tele end |
| Constant f2.8 aperture throughout the range |
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| Lens Extents while zooming |
Lens Mount
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM is compatible with cameras that have a Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58.
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
Size and weight is a very important decision factor when searching for your next lens. Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has a maximum diameter of 81mm and total length of 88mm when not extended. It weighs 577g / 20.4 oz.
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has a filter thread of 72mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM:
Focal Range
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has a focal range of 16-50mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has a 35mm equivalent focal range of 24-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
Weather Sealings
The Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM is a weather-sealed lens, which provides extra protection to prevent water and dust get inside the lens and camera body under light rain, snow and wind. In order to have effective protection, you have to pair the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM with a weather-sealed camera body such as the Sony A77 II, Sony A77 and Sony A700.
Optical Image Stabilization
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM doesn't have an optical image stabilization system so the only option to stabilize the image taken with this lens is to mount on a camera body with IBIS (sensor based In-body image stabilization).
Alternatively, you can check the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM in Sony Alpha mount that have similar focal range but features Optical Image Stabilization.
Lenses Similar to Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM With Optical Image Stabilization
Zoom Method
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM features Rotary (extending) zoom method where the length of the lens changes as you zoom in or out. This makes it possible to design the lens with a smaller minimum length ( generally when it is zoomed out) compared to internal zoom lenses. The disadvantages of this design are being harder to seal against dust and moisture, weight balance shifting while zooming and zoom creep in certain lenses.
Zoom Lock
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has a Zoom lock feature which eliminates Zoom creep where focal length of the lens changes with gravity when it's held downwards or upwards.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.2x and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m.
Below are the 3 Standard Zoom type Sony Alpha mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:
Aperture
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM is a fixed aperture lens with a constant max aperture of f2.8 from 16mm all the way to the 50mm .
| Focal Length |
Max Aperture |
Min Aperture |
|
16mm
|
F2.8 |
F22 |
|
50mm
|
F2.8 |
F22 |
Optical Formula
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM's optical formula consists of 16 elements in 13 groups . Following special elements are used in this design:
- 3 ED glass elements
- aspherical elements
Lens Hood
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM comes with a removable lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos. The model number of the hood is ALC-SH117.
Body Colour
Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM is available in Black color.
Popular Comparisons of Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM
Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM Lens
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