Sony DT 16-105 mm f/3.5-5.6
11. Summary
- solid, tasteful and compact barrel in the same time,
- very universal and unparalleled focal lengths range,
- excellent or very good frame center image quality,
- very good frame edge image quality at shorter focal lengths,
- chromatic aberration well-controlled in the middle of the focal lengths range,
- slight astigmatism,
- sensible autofocus work,
- lens hood and pouch included.
Cons:
- very high vignetting at 16 mm,
- high distortion at 16 mm,
- the image quality at 105 mm could have been better,
- visible chromatic aberration at the extremes of the range,
- visible coma at shorter focal lengths.
The Sony DT 16-105 mm is difficult to assess. On the one hand, when we look at its performance from the perspective of a very good Zeiss’s 16-80 mm result we don’t like it much. In fact it loses practically in every category and offers instead the telephoto range wider by 25 mm (but paid with a worse light) and a price lower by around 150 $.
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On the other hand, though, if we compare the tested lens to its rivals like a Canon 17-85 IS, a Nikkor 18-135 mm or a Sigma 18-125 mm, its result is not bad at all. In comparison with them it offers, in my opinion, the most universal focal lengths range and a significantly better performance in many categories.
We can sum up this test in a greatly optimistic way. When Sony launches a good lens of the17-50 f/2.8 class, it will become a system with the widest choice offered to amateur reflex cameras users in the class of universal lenses.
Sample shots:
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| Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 105 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/2500 sec., ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.9 MB |
Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 50 mm, f/8.0, exp. 1/640 sec., ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.7 MB |
Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 30 mm, f/4.5, exp. 1/2000 sec., ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 3.1 MB |
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Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 16 mm, f/3.5, exp. 1/4000 sec., ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.6 MB |
Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 70 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/200 sec., ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.4 MB |
Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 50 mm, f/5.0, exp. 1/200 sec., ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.5 MB |
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Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 35 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/500 sec., ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 3.4 MB |
Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 50 mm, f/5.0, exp. 1/70 sec., ISO 400 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.6 MB |
Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 16 mm, f/8.0, exp. 1/320 sec., ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 6.1 MB |
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Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 105 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/160 sec., ISO 400 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.7 MB |
Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 70 mm, f/7.1, exp. 1/100 sec., ISO 400 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.6 MB |
Camera: Sony A100 Parameters: 35 mm, f/5.0, exp. 1/80 sec., ISO 100 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 2.5 MB |
