Showcase Sony E 16mm f/2.8

[Dioptrick]

I've been so pre-occupied with MF legacy lenses since I got my 5N. Although I had only used my SEL16 pancake kit lens only a few times early on, I really do like this lens. Mine had sat long enough unused on my shelf, so I thought it was about time to take it out for a walk. I've read several complaints elsewhere on the internet about this lens being too wide, which puzzles me. The extra wide perspective it delivers is what actually makes it such a useful native AF lens. I'm just so fond of it.

NEX-5N    E 16mm F2.8    16mm    f/4.0    1/60s    ISO 100

SEL16, f4, 1/60sec

NEX-5N    E 16mm F2.8    16mm    f/8.0    1/100s    ISO 100

SEL16, f8, 1/100sec

NEX-5N    E 16mm F2.8    16mm    f/22.0    1/60s    ISO 200

SEL16, f22, 1/60sec


(All pics taken with bare front element, no lens filter)

 

[pictogramax]

Dioptrick, I love your samples, especially the second.

Your first image reminded me of one of mine taken with SEL16:

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I don't really like that lens (or my copy at least), but of course it can, like any other lens or camera, give a picture.

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[freddytto]

great shots of this lens, I also use it very little, I really like despite the bad reviews for my needs is a good wide angle, works fine on f5.6 and f8 apertures, I like the DOF on f2. 8, I always carry in my bag as it is very compact and lightweight, the bad thing about this lens it's a little weak in color / contrast, but I can fix it in LR or in the setting of the camera to put more contrast, sharpness and saturation also the problem with the corners in f2.8 but if we use over f6.3 works better.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/freddy_007/7762096128/" title="DSC00024 by Freddytto Robles, on Flickr">

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"541" height="800" alt="DSC00024"></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/freddy_007/7422914016/" title="Untitled by Freddytto Robles, on Flickr">

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"800" height="538" alt="Untitled"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/freddy_007/7206737214/" title="A short walk around the lake by Freddytto Robles, on Flickr">

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"800" height="538" alt="A short walk around the lake"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/freddy_007/7762222876/" title="DSC03990 by Freddytto Robles, on Flickr">

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"800" height="505" alt="DSC03990"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/freddy_007/7762224108/" title="DSC03983 by Freddytto Robles, on Flickr">

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"800" height="531" alt="DSC03983"></a>

 

[Poki]

Thanks for posting all these photos @everybody here!

After shooting almost exclusively with my 24mm 1.8, I'm beginning to shoot more with the pancake again. It simply makes the difference between "Jacket pocketable" and "you need a backpack to get that shot", and the quality is for casual shooting quite okay. Yeah, the color rendering and edge sharpness could be by far better, but I haven't seen any compact camera matching the NEX-5 16mm combo (RX100 not tested yet).

 

[Dioptrick]

Thanks for posting all these photos @everybody here!

After shooting almost exclusively with my 24mm 1.8, I'm beginning to shoot more with the pancake again. It simply makes the difference between "Jacket pocketable" and "you need a backpack to get that shot", and the quality is for casual shooting quite okay. Yeah, the color rendering and edge sharpness could be by far better, but I haven't seen any compact camera matching the NEX-5 16mm combo (RX100 not tested yet).

I'm glad you also enjoy using this lens Poki. I think that those of us who like using the SEL16 already know that it is not a perfect lens - and that it is not a general purpose wide-angle lens either. The more we understand it's strengths and limitations and take these into account - the more we will know when and how to utilize this lens to its full potential.

Besides its portability and price, the 83 degree angle of view of the SEL16 is its real strength - mainly because 'compositional perspectives' can be pushed into creative extremes which are impossible with moderate wide angle lenses.

NEX-5N    E 16mm F2.8    16mm    f/22.0    1/20s    ISO 3200

Sony NEX-5N + SEL16mm Pancake

 

[freddytto]

I think that those of us who like using the SEL16 already know that it is not a perfect lens - and that it is not a general purpose wide-angle lens either. The more we understand it's strengths and limitations and take these into account - the more we will know when and how to utilize this lens to its full potential.

You're absolutely right Dioptrick, this wide angle to make maximum use must be put into practice, I personally rarely used it,now I'm thinking and seeing the techniques to make maximum use, this pancake 16mm f2.8,looking forward to go out and shoot

I found this photo in Flickr, was taken with the nex 7 and 16mm f2.8, very good

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/davedueck/7352087378/" title="_DSC3204 by Dave Dueck, on Flickr">

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"534" height="800" alt="_DSC3204"></a>

 

[Phoenix]

Thanks for posting all these photos @everybody here!

After shooting almost exclusively with my 24mm 1.8, I'm beginning to shoot more with the pancake again. It simply makes the difference between "Jacket pocketable" and "you need a backpack to get that shot", and the quality is for casual shooting quite okay. Yeah, the color rendering and edge sharpness could be by far better, but I haven't seen any compact camera matching the NEX-5 16mm combo.

As much as I prefer using 3rd party glass on the NEX, I have to agree.

 

[Dioptrick]

great shots of this lens, I also use it very little, I really like despite the bad reviews for my needs is a good wide angle, works fine on f5.6 and f8 apertures, I like the DOF on f2. 8, I always carry in my bag as it is very compact and lightweight, the bad thing about this lens it's a little weak in color / contrast, but I can fix it in LR or in the setting of the camera to put more contrast, sharpness and saturation also the problem with the corners in f2.8 but if we use over f6.3 works better.

You're absolutely right Dioptrick, this wide angle to make maximum use must be put into practice, I personally rarely used it,now I'm thinking and seeing the techniques to make maximum use, this pancake 16mm f2.8,looking forward to go out and shoot

I am looking forward to see your photos Freddy


The SEL16 is engineered to match an incredibly reasonable retail price, especially for a lens at this focal length. So the IQ of this lens is actually very good if we bear this in mind. The majority of the bad reviews about this lens stems from what is happening geometrically when shooting images that encompass an 83 degree field of view - and NOT necessarily from the optical efficiency of this lens itself.


Saturation and Contrast
We know that all lenses (not just wide-angles) will suffer from saturation and contrast loss to some degree if light hits the front glass element directly. Ultra-wide angle lenses with very broad fields of view have 'domed' front elements that are very exposed, so they are more susceptible to getting directly hit by light sources even from the side or directly overhead. Because the SEL16 elements are quite small (mini CCTV size optics but with a big body), it doesn't look like the front element is a protruding dome, but it is. So I always use the lens hood (same hood for the SEL18-55 zoom) whenever possible - any other hood may cause severe vignetting. Without a hood, I try to shoot with the light behind me, or I stand somewhere shaded from the light source.


Sharpness Fall-off at the Corners
The SEL16 isn't tack sharp, but it is certainly more than sharp enough for most applications (sharpness can be easily added by software if necessary). However, the common complaint of sharpness falling-off at the corners at wider apertures can be misleading. In an image that covers an 83 degree field of view, distances can play tricks with our eyes.

Depth of Focus appears very differently in ultra-wide angle lenses. In standard and telephoto lenses, the DOF extends in horizontal zones (above is far, below is near, and objects at the sides often fall within the same zones) so depth and distance are easily understood depending on which horizontal areas are in or out of focus. In ultra-wide angle lenses however, the DOF extends spatially. So if the focus point is at the centre, a narrow DOF extends farther away from the center in all directions. Because the image includes so much more peripheral views, areas at the center of the photo and similar looking areas near the edges of the photo can sometimes appear that they are beside each other, but in reality they could be many meters apart. Our perception of depth and distance gets compromised when our mind tries to 'normalize' the highly abnormal perspectives captured by an ultra-wide optic.

So as a result, we mis-conclude that the lens could be defective or poor because the corners around the photo are not as sharp as the centre at wider apertures. What is really happening is that these zones are merely out of reach by the narrow but circular depth of focus. So it will appear that this problem is fixed (or the lens quality improves) when we increase the DOF by stopping-down to f5.6 and smaller apertures. In reality, there was never a problem with the lens quality to begin with.

 

[applemint]

Here are a couple with my 16mm, but they are both with the wide angle converter attached so I hope it's okay to post them here?

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NEX-5 ISO: 1250 Exposure: 1/30 sec Aperture: 5.6

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NEX-5 ISO: 640 Exposure: 1/30 sec Aperture: 7.1

I love the size and weight (ie: small and light) of the Nex with just the 16mm attached and it's quite a nice lens for video too. I much prefer the 24mm equivalent to 28mm but the convertor is also worth getting (only £90 on amazon) for an 18mm equivalent.

 

[quezra]

Nice shots! One thing people don't realise about the 16mm is that the converters are excellent and actually make it 3 different lenses for a really good variety of wide photography. And composition makes a lot more difference than soft corners. I really do hope Sony come out with another fast prime pancake like the 16 - in my opinion a 28/2.8 would be perfect.

 

[simonclivehughes]

I find this much-maligned lens to be just fine, thank you very much. There is far too much nit-picking and pixel-peeping and whining about edges and corners. How many of the people that you actually show your images to complain about edge and corner sharpness etc? We are our worst critics. Most of the time, others judge the image by its content, not the technicalities.

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Cheers,

 

[Dioptrick]

Nice shots! One thing people don't realise about the 16mm is that the converters are excellent and actually make it 3 different lenses for a really good variety of wide photography. And composition makes a lot more difference than soft corners. I really do hope Sony come out with another fast prime pancake like the 16 - in my opinion a 28/2.8 would be perfect.

I can't remember where I read the technical review, but apparently the SEL16 is the only lens that produces a better image when coupled with the extra wide converters. It's as if Sony deliberately created this as a modular system from a 16mm all the way to a fish-eye. I keep telling myself to by the converter but some other legacy always gets in the way, lol...

 

[Dioptrick]

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I really like this... the more I stare at it, the more it makes me think of other things...

Musical G-clef
Peacock Feather
Jet Engine
Air Filter
Accordion
Light Sabre
Eye ball of Powderpuff Girl

Lol, I'm so easily amused!

 

[Bradwin Cruz]

This is a photo from a park near my house.

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Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ChangshaNotes]

The only lens I had with me at the time.


Kite

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[JimR]

Had a quick trip through Sedona, AZ on Saturday and this was one of my favorite shots. Sony NEX-C3, 16mm e-mount, ISO 200, F/7.1, 1/320. I used a "velvia" preset in Lightroom for the extra saturation.

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[JimR]

I'm starting to warm up to this lens. I'm in a "low to the ground, focus close" phase right now. This one was taken with the NEX-C3 and the 16mm e-mount lens during the 2012 Worldwide Photowalk in Montgomery, Texas. The corner fall off doesn't bother me at all.

SONY NEX-C3, f/8 @ 16 mm, 1/160, ISO 200

NEX-C3    E 16mm F2.8    16mm    f/8.0    1/160s    ISO 200

 

[freddytto]

SONY NEX-C3, f/8 @ 16 mm, 1/160, ISO 200

NEX-C3    E 16mm F2.8    16mm    f/8.0    1/160s    ISO 200

I love this picture, excellent

 

[freddytto]

I really like this... the more I stare at it, the more it makes me think of other things...

Musical G-clef
Peacock Feather
Jet Engine
Air Filter
Accordion
Light Sabre
Eye ball of Powderpuff Girl

Lol, I'm so easily amused!

: D +1 wow

 

[Dioptrick]

I'm starting to warm up to this lens. I'm in a "low to the ground, focus close" phase right now. This one was taken with the NEX-C3 and the 16mm e-mount lens during the 2012 Worldwide Photowalk in Montgomery, Texas. The corner fall off doesn't bother me at all.

SONY NEX-C3, f/8 @ 16 mm, 1/160, ISO 200

NEX-C3    E 16mm F2.8    16mm    f/8.0    1/160s    ISO 200

Yeah, I loved this little lens from the start but it's still growing on me.

This photo for example... is that a pebble, a stone, a rock, or a boulder? It's a fascinating lens...