Showcase Sony E 16mm f/2.8

It's not a bad lens at all. These two pictures were taken in rather dim-light, so they aren't tack-sharp, regardless I was pleased with the results.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/travisennis/6032184672/" title="West Baden Springs Hotel by travisennis, on Flickr"> View attachment 23771 "426" height="640" alt="West Baden Springs Hotel"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/travisennis/6031629321/" title="West Baden Springs Hotel by travisennis, on Flickr"> View attachment 23772 "426" height="640" alt="West Baden Springs Hotel"></a>

 

Nex-3, 16mm samples

The online reviews don't give this lens a lot of credit, but I find in the real world it does rather well. It's not highest resolving lens, but distortion is very well controlled (unlike the standard kit lens) and it gives a unique perspective - one that seems to match the APS-C sensor size well. Except for the dog pic, these are all shot in JPEG with the toy filter on the Nex-3; brightness, contrast, and unsharp mask adjustments in Photoshop.

 

Kinda wish I bought the 2 lens set instead of just 18-55mm kit. I guess I will wait for another pancake to come out.

 

I'm kinda happy I've bought the 2 lens kit, although I had to wait 6 weeks for it 'cos it wasn't available anywhere when the NEX-5 came out..

I just looked into my library and had to admit that I hardly ever used it ... Well, here at least two shots I got at the beginning. I really like the lens. It's compact, well build and gives the pictures a unique look, so although it's not about sharpness, it does pretty well for most compositions and it's going to be good enough for most of the NEX-3/5-shooters out there. And hey, you were able to get it for 100 bucks with the double lens kit.

 

Williamsburg, VA





View attachment 24001

 

The 16mm is my main lens on the NEX-3. Wide open it isn't as sharp from corner to corner (and it doesn't render as "harsh") as other pancakes like the Panasonic 14mm or 20mm lenses on m4/3 cameras. However, the 16mm sharpens up very nicely when you stop down to f/4 or f/5.6.

This lens has really grown on me. When I first bought it I was disappointed because it wasn't as tack sharp wide open as my other pancake lenses, but the more I use it the more I realize it's a very convenient and fun lens.

 

Like I said some weeks ago, I haven't used it much past year. So I decided today to go out and shoot something with it. One reason was that I'm not plan to take the kit zoom with me as soon as I got the 50mm, but for the moments I need a wider lens, the 16mm could do the job, and it's small enough to fit in every pocket. Well, the results aren't as good as I hoped, but judge by yourself.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48126456@N05/6285317895/" title="SEL16F28 1 Landscape by Poki5, on Flickr"> View attachment 24164 "1024" height="682" alt="SEL16F28 1 Landscape"></a>

This is the only picture today I'm happy with. To be fair, the light conditions weren't good (I was a bit too late) and it was just a short trip. What you can see even in the resized version: The corner sharpness isn't good at all - stopped down at f/7.1!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48126456@N05/6285838928/" title="SEL16F28 3 by Poki5, on Flickr"> View attachment 24165 "1024" height="682" alt="SEL16F28 3"></a>

Again stopped down to f/7.1. It isn't absolutely sharp even in the center, but center performance is okay for it's price. As far as I saw on many pictures, chromatic aberrations are well controlled.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48126456@N05/6285843156/" title="SEL16F28 4 by Poki5, on Flickr"> View attachment 24166 "1024" height="682" alt="SEL16F28 4"></a>

Here's what you get wide open at f/2.8. Bokeh isn't good by any meaning, but it has character to me. Here's a 100%-crop of the image above:



It's a 100% crop, so judge by yourself. What do you think?

As always, taken using the NEX-5 and post processed via Aperture 3.

 

Turns out I'm not the only person in Tbilisi with a NEX. I came across another expat who has the NEX-5 with the two lens kit. So I borrowed his 16 and took a few shots.

DSC02346 by ...olli..., on Flickr


DSC02334 by ...olli..., on Flickr


DSC02316 by ...olli..., on Flickr


DSC02362 by ...olli..., on Flickr​

As is usual most of the internet whining turns out to be just that - a lot of whining. Seems like a very decent lens to me. Might even get one.

 

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesrpspaintshop/6413119539/in/set-72157627807010852]
Here's one of my 16mm photo's taken last December in Glasgow, Scotland. It's been slightly cropped and adjusted in Lightroom.

 

Olli, I like the colors and composition as Amin said. Very nice lens for those street shots.

Amin, B&W shots is priceless The plate shot is nice to show the environment. I see that NG photographers use it a lot with animal shots to show the environment/tell the story in one shot.

Macjim, nice shot also. However, the main subject looks darker on my screen, maybe needs a little highlighting.

 

the lake at pen-y-pass

 

yes, it is a bit but the very bright sky, plus the wheel being in the shade made it a so.

 

Very nice photos all

 

Rail Bridge at Dawn



16mm f8 1/160 ISO-Auto
Post Processing: Adobe Photoshop