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+--- Thread: Sony NEX - 18-55mm (SEL-1855) vs 16-50mm (SEL-1650) (/showthread.php?tid=1631)
Sony NEX - 18-55mm (SEL-1855) vs 16-50mm (SEL-1650) - mikerow - 12-10-2013
Hi folks, I'm new here in fact i just joined. My name is Mike, I used Minolta 35mm cameras as an amateur some 30 years ago, recently I got back into photography with digital via the Sony NEX 5n chosen partly due to reviews here and elsewhere. I have been reading the reviews of the NEX kit lenses. I used the NEX 5n with the standard SEL-1855 lens with good results. I am now thinking of buying the NEX 6 and I have a question...
Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS PZ (SEL-1650) - Review
Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS (Sony NEX) - Review
Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS (Sony NEX) - Review / Re-Test
The Sony SEL-1650 got a poor result and a 1.5 star rating when tested on the 24mp Nex 7. The first test of the SEL-1855 lens got an average rating of 2.5 stars and the overall tone of the test was a positive one in comparison to the SEL-1650 and in the SEL-1650 test the final verdict was:
"the Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is the better bet"
However, when the SEL-1855 was tested on the NEX 7 it faired as badly or possibly worse than the SEL-1650 on the same 24pm camera body. Also in the SEL-1650 test it was commented that in the
20-50mm range "the Sony lens to this range it is actually pretty decent" and that was on an 24mp body.
So my question is, which is the better lens on the 14-16mp sensor bodies and would either actually be worth having?
Based on the test results I was considering an Nex 6 and SEL-1855 (Black) combination but I am wondering if the SEL-1650 would perform as well or possibly better on the Nex 6 16mp body?
Any thought on this would be gratefully appreciated.
Many thanks.
Best regards,
Mike
Sony NEX - 18-55mm (SEL-1855) vs 16-50mm (SEL-1650) - Klaus - 12-10-2013
Quote:Hi folks, I'm new here in fact i just joined. My name is Mike, I used Minolta 35mm cameras as an amateur some 30 years ago, recently I got back into photography with digital via the Sony NEX 5n chosen partly due to reviews here and elsewhere. I have been reading the reviews of the NEX kit lenses. I used the NEX 5n with the standard SEL-1855 lens with good results. I am now thinking of buying the NEX 6 and I have a question...
Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS PZ (SEL-1650) - Review
Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS (Sony NEX) - Review
Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS (Sony NEX) - Review / Re-Test
The Sony SEL-1650 got a poor result and a 1.5 star rating when tested on the 24mp Nex 7. The first test of the SEL-1855 lens got an average rating of 2.5 stars and the overall tone of the test was a positive one in comparison to the SEL-1650 and in the SEL-1650 test the final verdict was:
"the Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is the better bet"
However, when the SEL-1855 was tested on the NEX 7 it faired as badly or possibly worse than the SEL-1650 on the same 24pm camera body. Also in the SEL-1650 test it was commented that in the
20-50mm range "the Sony lens to this range it is actually pretty decent" and that was on an 24mp body.
So my question is, which is the better lens on the 14-16mp sensor bodies and would either actually be worth having?
Based on the test results I was considering an Nex 6 and SEL-1855 (Black) combination but I am wondering if the SEL-1650 would perform as well or possibly better on the Nex 6 16mp body?
Any thought on this would be gratefully appreciated.
Many thanks.
Best regards,
Mike
The problem of the 16-50mm is its extreme degree of distortion in the lower range.
Thus you can only use it with activated distortion correction. We haven't obtained the "corrected" MTF data because it depends heavily on the used converter. However, it is a good bet to state that the (heavy) distortion correction has a negative impact of the resolution in the border zone.
This problem will not be solved by going for a NEX 6. On the NEX 6, the results will be "sharper" due to the lower pixel density. I also suspect that the NEX 7 sensor produces some corner smearing with wide angles which doesn't help though ( I gave up my initial plan for a comparison since I just don't have the time due to the recent flood of lenses).
If you really want to exploit the potential of the camera, you will have to go for the new Zeiss 16-70 OSS or possibly the cheaper (but bigger) 18-105 G OSS.
Sony NEX - 18-55mm (SEL-1855) vs 16-50mm (SEL-1650) - stoppingdown - 12-10-2013
mikerow, for what I can say, I second Klaus' advice. The problem is that there is a total lack of lab tests for both (somewhat understandable for the latter, which didn't hit the shelves yet, but not for the former).
Sony NEX - 18-55mm (SEL-1855) vs 16-50mm (SEL-1650) - Klaus - 12-11-2013
The 16-70 OSS is basically not available locally. I checking on a daily basis but nada ...
Sony promised a batch for about Christmas eve I think ...
Sony NEX - 18-55mm (SEL-1855) vs 16-50mm (SEL-1650) - Guest - 12-19-2013
I have both these lenses. Both can do the job. The 16-50 does distort and vignette heavily, and quality-wise you'd better off with your 18-55 + 16/2.8.
The main reason for owning 16-50 is its compactness; if you need a lens of such size/weight, get it and learn to live with the restrictions. By the way, it's sharp and capable of "3D-look".