The Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G Lens: Affordable Wide Angle Excellence?

Choosing a wide angle lens is usually a balancing act between cost and performance. An excellent lens can transform your shots, while a disappointing one can hold your creativity back.

Coming to you from Dan Watson, this insightful video breaks down the Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G lens. At $799, it's priced remarkably lower than typical Sony lenses, prompting Watson to investigate if it’s too good to be true. One of the lens's most appealing features is its wide f/1.8 aperture, ideal for low-light environments, events, or dramatic landscapes. Watson points out how rare it is for wide angle primes to have filter threads, yet this lens includes a 67mm front filter size—useful for landscape photographers needing ND filters. He also highlights how the lightweight, compact build makes this lens appealing if you’re traveling or prefer minimal gear setups.

Watson notes this lens includes thoughtful hardware features, such as a physical aperture ring, linear manual focus, and two XD linear motors ensuring quick and silent autofocus performance. He specifically mentions the smoothness of the declickable aperture ring, particularly handy for smoothly adjusting exposure during video recording without noticeable exposure jumps. For video shooters, particularly wedding videographers, this could be a subtle but game-changing benefit. Additionally, Watson appreciates the inclusion of dust and moisture resistance, reinforcing durability for outdoor shooting scenarios.

Key Specs

• Focal Length: 16mm

• Aperture: f/1.8 to f/22

• Lens Mount: Sony E (Full Frame)

• Angle of View: 107°

• Minimum Focus Distance: 5.9" / 15 cm

• Magnification: 0.25x (1:4 Macro)

• Optical Design: 15 elements in 12 groups

• Aperture Blades: 11

• Autofocus: Yes (XD Linear Motors)

• Image Stabilization: No

• Filter Size: 67 mm

• Dimensions: ø 2.91 x 3" (ø 7.38 x 7.5 cm)

• Weight: 10.7 oz (304 g)

However, Watson identifies two notable image quality issues photographers should be aware of: distortion and bokeh. The lens exhibits significant distortion and vignetting that requires correction in post-production, although it's automatically managed in JPEG and video files. This makes raw processing essential for optimum results. He also notes the lens' bokeh can be unusual and not particularly smooth. Still, given the wide angle focal length, bokeh concerns are less critical than sharpness or distortion control. Despite these caveats, Watson confirms that the lens delivers excellent sharpness, even outperforming some pricier zoom lenses when stopped down slightly.

This lens is positioned as a compelling option for wide angle shooters seeking affordability without sacrificing key functionality. The price is significantly lower than Sony's own premium zoom lenses, yet Watson suggests this lens holds its ground or even surpasses them in specific aspects of image quality. He mentions it would pair particularly well with compact Sony bodies, effectively creating a portable, high-quality shooting package. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Watson.