Sony Carl Zeiss 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 DT Vario-Sonnar T*

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Stephen
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Having recently received my Father's old Sony A550 body I'm looking at buying a half decent walkabout lens and was thinking about the 16-80 Zeiss.
Any users out there?
Thanks
 
Compare the Zeiss with the Sony 16-50mm. I can't find it but I recall a comparison by David Kilpatrick in which he found both excellent, but such a different combination of vices and virtues that he decided to keep both. One little remarked advantage of the Sony is that with the latest versions of Sony's IDC RAW converter you get automatic lens correction (geometry and chromatic aberration), also in-camera jpeg corrections with later Sony A-mount bodies, but not with your A550.

I have the Sony 16-50mm, and use it for a walkabout lens in interiors, evenings, or dim winter daylight, but for an outdoor walkabout lens in good light I found to my surprise that I prefer the old Sony 18-250mm. Its IQ defects are much less noticeable when shooting at f8, my usual good light default for opportunistic walkabout grab shots, and the instant accessibility of the longer focal lengths trumps the bother and lost opportunities of lens switching.
 
Thanks Chris, he's actually let me use his 18- 250 lens till I get sorted
Cheers
 
I had the CZ 16-80 when I was using my old A200 and A700 - and was very please with it, loved the quality and clarity over a relatively long zoom range.

Then I switched to the FF A900, and invested in a 24-70 f/2.8, and love having the faster aperture available (as you would with the 16-50 f/2.8)

As Chris mentioned, both lenses are good options, which is better will depend on your preferences.
 
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