I’ve been looking for a high-quality, versatile zoom lens to ‘live’ on my Sony Nex 5R. Honestly the kit 16-50mm power zoom lens (SELP1650) is decent, but considering how many photos I take on a professional and personal basis, I was willing to invest in something better.
So I hunkered down, and forked out an eye-watering SGD$1,300 for the recently released Sony Carl Zeiss 16-70 constant F4 lens (SEL1670Z).
But is it worth the ‘Zeiss Price’ and the ‘Sony Tax’?
For me, paying the premium was worthwhile simply because I use it professionally, and I take a ton a photos. Having spent precious little time with my nephew and niece has also taught me the value of capturing precious memories while you can, preferably in the best quality possible.
After all, how much is a memory worth?
That being said, should the average consumer buy this lens? Honestly, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend this lens to the average shooter. Even though this lens offers better image quality than the kit lens, I’m not sure that the average user can justify the SGD$800 difference in price. If it had a constant aperture of 2.8, or if it were $500 cheaper, I think it would be a steal. But as it is? I’m not sure.
If you are thinking about buying this lens, you may want to check out some of the sample images below.
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Hi,
Read up this article and found it really nice! (Not to mention I was actually in one of the photos in the kitchen XD) So if comparing this lens to the standard 16-50mm F2.8 + Adpator, which would you think be a better performer?
Are you referring to the E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6? If so, the maximum aperture is F3.5 on the wide-end, not F2.8. If you are referring to that lens, it’s not a contest, the SEL1670Z easily takes the cake.