Customer reviews from sony.com
Sony - DT Carl Zeiss 16-80mm f/3.5-5.6 A-Mount Standard Zoom Lens - Black
Average customer rating
4.5
(17 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 17 reviews
5 Stars
11
4 Stars
4
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Star
0
88%of customers recommend this product.
(
14 out of
16)
Customer Reviews for Sony - DT Carl Zeiss 16-80mm f/3.5-5.6 A-Mount Standard Zoom Lens - Black
Customer Rating
4
Perfect walk-around lens
on October 30, 2011
Posted by: ElGueroMasLoco
This should be a mandatory upgrade from the kit lens that comes with the alpha cameras. Image quality is far superior, and the versatility takes you from wide-angle interiors and landscapes up to 80mm portraits and closeups.
I do get some vignetting (darkening of the corners), when using the lens wide open, but stopping it down to around f8 eliminates the problem, which is only occasional.
What's great about it: Great focal length range, clarity, brightness, bokeh
What's not so great: Some vignetting
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
5
Excellent but could be slightly cheaper
on June 12, 2011
Posted by: GaryJohnson
I have owned this lens for an year and I am not planning to buy another one to replace it. After I have bought this lens, I was so shocked but the color and the realistic feeling of photos that it gives me. I think it is pretty hard to find some alternatives that fits sony camera for the price. But compare to those that fits Canon, Nikon, it is slight over priced because the dis-shape image in 2 extreme distance. Could be better on that. Everything else is very fine. Quite Light weight, quite durable. One more thing is that, the design could look more professional. If there is no Blue Zeiss label on it, I think no one will notice it is an expensive lens.
What's great about it: Great Color, Sharp image, 16-80mm Perfect distance for daily use
What's not so great: Slight overpriced. Some dis-shape in 16mm-18mm and 80mm somehow.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
5
The perfect walk around lens IF
on January 26, 2011
Posted by: dcisive
There has been much said about this lens being copy dependent, and I too ran into this. The 1st copy I received was defective regarding the optics being decentered which rendered out of focus areas on the left portion of the frame. The 2nd copy was superb across the frame and does EVERYTHING right, so be aware and test your lens to be sure. It is near instant to focus and is accurate as well. color and contrast are what command the price, and man it delivers like NO other. 3rd party lenses are going to be a compromise I assure you. This lens is the REAL deal (when you get a good one). It think it was worth going through the hassle having to send the 1st one back as it is just such a stunning lens now.
What's great about it: Outstanding sharpness, contrast and lack of CA. Build is solid with no slop or play. Focus is fast and accurate
What's not so great: No SSM Motor oh well. I had to get a 2nd copy as the 1st one was decentered with bad left side sharpness
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
5
Best zoom lens I've ever owned
on October 21, 2010
Posted by: williamporterphotography
This is a terrific general-purpose zoom lens — all around, the best zoom lens I have ever owned. Focal range is just about ideal, weight is good, build is solid, and the image quality rivals that of my best primes. I've read some complaints about the lens's build quality but I think it's quite solid for a "modern" lens and given its price. Wish I'd picked this lens up sooner!
What's great about it: Great image quality, excellent price, focusing-distance scale
What's not so great: None
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
3
Nice optics, poor construction (zoom creep!)
on August 14, 2009
Posted by: BillyBilly123
This is a nice lens that covers an attractive zoom range. It is nice and sharp all around with good colour and contrast. A good walk-around lens.
But at this price the build is a little embarrassing. The zoom creeps down when only slightly turned downward. Sony should fix this problem.
What's great about it: Sharp at most settings, nice colour, nice range
What's not so great: Poor build, zoom creep shouldn't happen for this price!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Andy G, DI PRO, March 28, 2020
Thank you for your feedback. We will submit it to our engineering and marketing departments. - AG
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
5
Very Impressed
on June 11, 2009
Posted by: tcabrales
I really tried to do my research before I made the leap for this lens. I read some good reviews, but also read some bad reviews on it. After finally buying it and using for my last 5 photo shoots (weddings and engagement), I am sold. I use this with my a700 and get crystal clear shots everytime. The colors it produces are vibrant and rich. It is a bit heavier than any other lens I've worked with, but it's also a lot mor sturdy and well built compared to other lenses. Very glad I purchased this lens.
What's great about it: Crystal clear images and vibrant colors
What's not so great: A little on the heavy side with the added weight of the a700
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
5
Great lens for the price
on March 16, 2009
Posted by: pulseHEAD
This is a great general purpose lens. Since I picked it up it's rarely been off of my camera. The pictures are almost always sharp, and look pretty good even at wide-open apertures. It's a much better build quality than the kit lens, and is a good upgrade to the < $300 lenses offered by Sony. The optical quality is excellent.
My only complaint is that the f/3.5 aperture is only available at the absolute widest zoom, and it gets up to f/4.5 pretty fast, but for a 5x zoom lens at this level of quality for $700, you can't beat it.
What's great about it: Great image quality
What's not so great: Could be faster at telephoto
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
5
PreZEISSly speaking about maximum image clarity
on December 3, 2008
Posted by: Oldmanriver
I fell in love with my first ZEISS lens on my SONY DCS-R1, so I had high expectations for this design as one of my first two lenses in my customized A700 kit. (The other is a SAL-70300G.) The contrasty image quality of this lens does not disappoint. I find the audible focusing system to be fast enough even without the SSM mechanism on my G lens. I have no qualms with the build quality, either. The lens continues to challenge me to explore and learn the creative intricacies of the A700's exposure metering system.
Simply put as a Calculus problem, the SAL-1680Z solves for maximum image quality for the least amount of money for the owners of SONY DSLRs with APS-C sensors.
Simply put as a Calculus problem, the SAL-1680Z solves for maximum image quality for the least amount of money for the owners of SONY DSLRs with APS-C sensors.
What's great about it: Razor sharp images, enhanced contrast & color timbre, and the ZEISS panache
What's not so great: Not optimized for "full frame" sensor DSLRs, experts have expected a more tank-like build quality
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com