Digital Cameras Ratings: Sony SAL16105 16-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Wide-Range Zoom Lens Review

Average Reviews:
4.8 out of 5 stars

(More customer reviews)I've been shooting this lens alongside the full-frame Zeiss 24 -70mm f/2.8 and Sony G 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6, both of which are world-class.What I've found has surprised me:this lens has no apologies to make in that company.I bought the other two lenses only because I expect to transition to full frame in about 3 years.(I'm currently using an A550 body.)I haven't done any scientific measurements, but when I blow-up shots from this lens on a large monitor, I'm not finding any resolution issues at all.I've done shots of the same subjects with all three lenses, and simply haven't seen any loss of resolution or any color signature with this lens.Again, this is real-world shooting and subjective evaluation, not laboratory testing.

Someone commented on the lens being heavy.That's a relative thing.It is much, much lighter than the Zeiss 70-24.That's partly because the Zeiss has a wider aperture and works full frame.The 16-105 is, however, heavier than typical Minolta film camera lenses.

The feel of the build quality is impressive.It is very, very close to the subjective feel of the Zeiss 24-70, which is possibly the best made lens on the market.If you twist and wiggle the two lenses, you can detect a very slightly tighter tolerance in the Zeiss, but you have to try -- it's not readily apparent.

This is my walk-around lens of choice.I also considered the Sony SAL18250 Alpha DT 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 and the Zeiss Sony SAL-1680Z DT 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5.Based on what I've read and what I've experienced first hand, I'd say the optical quality of the lenses would place the 18-250 at the low end, this 16-105 in the middle, and the Zeiss 16-80 at the high end, with this 16-105 being closer to the Zeiss than to the 18-250.Honestly, I don't think you'd go wrong with any of the three.But if you want close to the best quality, and the 6.5X zoom range suits your needs, this lens is a no-brainer.Personally, I wouldn't trade it for either of the other two, even though it's the least expensive.

Additional comment:Several months after writing my original review above, I spent 3 weeks with my camera covering 10 stops in Europe.I took this lens and the Zeiss.I left my other lenses behind because I couldn't spare the weight budget.I'm now, more than ever, a huge fan of the lens reviewed here.I took over 2000 pictures, and my best shot -- afforded by its zoom range, was taken with this lens.This lens, matched with the A550 (or A500) body makes an absolutely formidable combination.

Good shooting,
Tim

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Product Description:
Specially designed APS-size CCD imagers like the Exmor- sensor of the Sony® a(alpha DSLR-A700 camera, this amazingly compact premium zoom lens provides superior all-around performance. Its 35mm-equivalent range of 24mm wide-angle to 157.5mm telephoto excels at capturing faraway subjects, sports events, dramatic landscapes and intimate close-ups.