Sony 16mm f/2.8 'Pancake' lens review with samples 

The first channel i came across that shows straight outta camera photos instead of the lightroom diarhhea most channels do.

Man! what I love about this channel is the honesty in its reviews

I am amazed with your honest reviews. Thanks for all the videos.

Well done, Chris, great review, splendid pictures, beautiful analysis, that's rhe way a review should be made. Congrats to You! Cheers on You!

That was my first Sony e-mount lens. It is much better than my former cheap compact cameras but the worst of all my later e-mount lenses. Maybe for that reason Sony has introduced a pancake at 20mm f/2.8 with nearly the same size which is much sharper and much more expensive and can accept the same converters as the 16mm f/2.8 does.

As an new hobby photographer, this lens on my NEX-5R is perfect for me. I'm happy with the image quality and price I payed for taking with me on days out.

I would be really cool if sony release a 16mm f2.8 mark II and address all of the shortcomings in this lens

This lens gets a lot of undeserved hate, but it does the job and is basically weightless. When I moved up to full-frame, I removed the rear baffle of this lens and have almost 100% coverage across the frame. Nice ultra-wide angle for cheap.

Thank you for helpful video

Seeing as I often find myself adding a little vignetting on the edges for my ideal uses with this lens, I'll take it. A great little vlog lens I can throw on my sony a7sii no matter where I go!

I have the Sony 16mm f/2.8 SEL and own a Sigma 19mm f/2.8 EX DN E, too. The Sigma is sharper wide open and has a much flatter field than the Sony. The Sigma is, indeed, a wonderful lens for similar (if not less) money to the Sony. BUT, what people don't typically realize is that the 16mm Sony suffers from field curvature. Sure, it's soft even in the center wide open. Starting at F/4, mine sharpens up in the center _and_ if I re-focus at the edges, the performance isn't nearly as bad as things appears.

que tal es el enfoque de este lente?

Howdy to you too Christopher!

One thing to say having owned this lens that is not mentioned in its reviews, is that it's sharper close up than focused far away. This is very much a vlogging lens and sony seems to have compromised infinity quality, so it's a bit unfair to test it mostly on landscape shots, like most reviews do, although it could have been great at that too.

I wonder if this would improve if you removed the baffle from the rear of the lens, if you fancy experimenting, that is.

Why does the top left corner of the test image look so washed out?

Hi Christopher, The image you use to test the sharpness of your lenses, is that the available somewhere, or is it your own? And at what distance is it from your lens when you shoot it? Thank you ✌️

i have the same lens but on sony a73 it looks like F-- the image is too dark and bad how can i fix it

Can you test yongnou 100 f2 vs canon 100 f2?

Hello Christopher, thanks for your high quality reviews, have you considered reviewing the Sony SEL18200 lens?

Interest if this or samyang 35mm f2.8 ff is better

Is this compatible with the canon 200d mark ii camera as is?

Do you know why this is one of my favorite lens? Because its a good alternative to the 10-18 if you use the wide converter! :) For vlogging that is... :)

It looks like a really crappy lens. I remember years ago sony paid shills telling us on youtube what a fantastic little lens this was. Thanks for your honesty. You just saved me £100. I'd pay about £20 for this lens which is the price I paid for my Pentacon which is a fantastic lens.

So happy to see you getting into Sony! I have the a6000

Cool reviews! I quite enjoyed your videos, you have a very nice voice. In the future, can you review the sony ef 85mm f/1.8?

I own one of these, and the quality - or lack of it - is pretty much as you found, though the top left corner leaves the most to be desired on mine....

Wonderful format of this channel showing several examples of lens performance. Top notch photography as well. I would consider broadening your reviews to Nikon as it could expand the interest in your channel.

can i use it with sony a73 ???

Is there a chance that you can test the selp18105g too?

Well done..

Christopher, your points are valid, but I feel this lens is misunderstood. It's not priced to compete with wide prime lens. So the image quality won't either. It's an inexpensive wide lens with a decent f2.8 aperture. That can be had for as little as $120 "used". I love this lens. I've been using it in my recent review videos. But sticking the ultra wide adapter increases the wideness without decreasing image quality. You can even focus closer than with out the converter. I made a couple of videos reviewing this lens "With" & "With out" the converter. Feel free to check it out.

To me it is a good little lens. 2.8 in a prime, ANd then not even supersharp does sound Bad, but its tiny and cheap

Just got my a6300 switched rom canon. Any advices on buying my first prime? I'm hesitant on buying sony's 50mm.

Friends, this 16mm Pancake for £80 or the old kit 16-50 OSS for £65? I have a Sony A7C but i have an old NEX5N which id like as a care free canera, thrown in my bag or a back pocket. I have the tiny flash for the NEX

Please do the Sigma 19mm f2.8 for E-mount :-P

Hello! Will you be doing a review on Samyang's new AF 14mm F2.8 EF mount? Curious to know - I saw one of your sample pictures on Samyang's website :)

Спасибо! Thanks)

is there any way to use this lens on Olympus Pen Ep3 m4/3 camera?

That SAM clock is good

Great video. I was always wondering about the quality of my old Sony E 16mm f/2.8 pancake lens. I brought this lens new with a new NEX-3 in 2011 at a bargain price of 250€. The quality of the lens and camera was immensely better than my previous zoom, point and shoot cameras. I had great great moments with this lens. It is 24mm (35mm equivalent) and the angle of view is great for architectural and landscape photography I usually prefer. A little later I bought the affordable VCL-ECF1 Sony Fisheye Converter 0.62x. It is giving a 14.8mm (35mm equivalent) angle of view. I was amazed. The pancake converter even at f/8 is quite soft at corners but that didn't matter. Afterwards I bought the affordable too VCL-ECU1 Sony Ultra Wide Converter 0.75x. The ultra wide converter is much sharper than the fisheye converter and gives very good photos even at f/2.8. It has 18mm (35mm equivalent) angle of view. The construction of pancake lenses is inherently inferior to typical lenses. But with raw photos the optical quality of the Sony 16mm f/2.8 pancake lens is by far better than that of the power zoom retractable Sony E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS at 16mm. I love pancake lenses because they are very convenient. That's why I bought the Sony E 20mm F2.8 pancake lens which was introduced three years after the Sony E 16mm F2.8. It is much sharper and much more expensive. It has a. much narrower angle of view 30mm (35mm equivalent). Afterwards two new versions of the previous converters were introduced in 2015. The VCL-ECF2 Sony Fisheye Converter 0.62x and the VCL-ECU2 Sony Ultra Wide Converter 0.75x. I haven't bought both of them and I haven't tested the original converters with my later Sony E 20mm F2.8 lens because I am not 100% if they are compatible. In 2015 I bought the Sony α7 and I wished and still wish a full frame pancake e-mount lens. The Sony Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 35mm F2.8 ZA lens and the similar in size Samyang autofocus full frame e-mount at 35mm f/2.8 and 24mm f/2.8 lenses are small but not really pancake lenses. For my full frame Sony α7 there not even manual focus e-mount full frame pancake lenses too. For lovers of pancake lenses like me there is the affordable manual focus APS e-mount Meike 28mm f/2.8 pancake lens. Much narrower than the Sony E 20mm F2.8 and more suitable for portraits.

Would this lens be any good for astrophotography? Wondering if I should buy it for Sony a6400.

This lens support full frame camera ??? Example a7r3 ?

Hi, will it work with sony a6000?

Basic Little Lens, not to expect too much, don't get as much either. Sounds like it. And so early on in the e-mount line up. Yet small and useful, yes there is better obviously but. Sometimes a basic option is just fine enough ;) I know enough people want small even if that means less quality of less features.

What is fucus ?

nice lens

This lens has been universally panned it seems. I own it and the better 20mm f2.8 plus both the rectalinier and fisheye adapters. In absolute terms its not great but I've had some " interesting " results using the 16mm with both the adapters. If you can find a copy very cheap then it's worth owning. I do also have the Sigma 19mm f2.8 DN which is considerably better in every way and also priced cheaply. If image quality matters more go for the Sigma even though it's not as wide 😊

Intervening test. This lens has a very big advantage, weight and dimensions. Sony E 20 mm F2.8 is not much bigger, apparently better optically. Can you test this glass ? I have it in my backpack and I'm very curious how it will fall out.

Need Sony G Master lens review!

Minolta 50mm 1.4 vs super takumar 50mm 1.4 witch Lens i pick??

Chris, how I miss your Canon reviews. But I understand how you have moved on. I have also added a new format to my toy box. While you have gone Sony I am playing with Panasonic. Mainly for video but I cant break away from Canon for stills. I am still new to the image hobby but thanks to your advice I have never purchased a poor lens. If I were Canon I would send you a free 5D mkiv to get you back on board.

Would this lens have autofocus on a Sony a7 ii?? :0

Could you do a review on the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG OS HSM ART?

For portrait photography and hopeful build up to weddings as well. I’m coming from a canon t4i with only 2 lenses. Spending $1800-$2200 canon 80d with primes or Sony A6500 with primes? Or whatever else you think would be right. I would like your opinion. Thank you for your time.

What best on 16mm f11? 16 2.8 or 16-50?

want to make sure, does it fit with a5100?

I heard Sigma's 16mm F1.4 is great. But its quite heavy and bulky. Anyway please review that lens if you can get :)

I have the same experience on my a6000 with this lens. It's a pity for Sony. They produce Super sensors and cams, but are still not capable to provide a decent compact starter lens. I use a samyang for wide angle on this or a eos m3 with its good compact lens.

I use to vlog with this.

is this compatible on a a5000?

Is this lens good for a selfie ? I have the A5100

Can i use it on a canon apsc camera?

Sony, PLEASE make a 22mm F/2 pancake like Canon's! And Chris, please review the Sony Zeiss 24mm f/1.8! No one ever reviews it, I guess because it's so expensive? I actually own the lens already, and want to see if the results that you get will match the results I seem to be getting with mine. I suspect that the quality may be inconsistent!

I really wish Fuji would release a 16mm pancake.

How would this lens be for real estate photography?

is Sony 35mm f1.8 E review coming soon?

Could you re review the 70 200 2.8 without is? Ive been thinking about getting it, so id appreciate an updated review:)

Chris you should grab the 800mm mirror lens and put it on the a7rii so that it gets IS. Guys like so chris can see.

How much difference between kitlens

Chris have you moved from Canon to Sony mirrorless

If you want pancake on E-mount go for the 20mm 2.8, much better image quality and all around purpose focal lenght. Otherwise the kit lens 16-50 produces the same image quality of the 16, and you trade not even a stop for being able zoom up to 50. Just my 2 cents after trying them all

Request: 7artisans 35mm f1.2 for Sony E-mount :D

Is this lens for full frame cameras? Is this suitable also for milkyway photography?

Wa ise a canvuta

Shittiest lens I have ever had :D

for size, it isn't bad, but kind of poop for sharpness. and f11 for sharp corners is hilarious. I'd rather get a bigger lens. And have.

The Samsung one is better, still not a super lens but better than the Sony.

ixix

Boy it is much less sharp than Canon's pankakes

Small details are the hobgoblin of narrow minds...

Wa ise tained ?

I’m not able to see strong vignietting here

its rubbish

sony lens sucksss

Dude this lens came out 10 freaking years ago!!! How can you use this to claim the quality control issues of Sony. Come on now .I expected better from you.

😢 this lens made me hate sony lenses, even canon is better at optics

Bad review