So is that 16-25mm zoom range enough?
If you’re free to get past that restricted focal range this lens is very good indeed.
The Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G is an excellent example.
The Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G is smaller than most ultra-wide zooms, especially those with a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture.
The one compromise in the FE 16-25mm F2.8 G is its focal range.
So is the size saving worth losing that extra focal range.
I tested it on a Sony A7C II, and it still felt pretty big on that.
The Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G does have a limited zoom range, but does its size make up for that?
It would balance nicely on a regular A7 body, though.
Its also weather-sealed with a fluorine-coated front element to repel oil, grease and water.
Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G: design
Sony certainly hasnt stinted on build quality and controls.
Focusing is so fast as to be practically instantaneous, and silent too.
This is where youre likely to notice most difference between Sonys newer own-brand lenses and cheaper third-party alternatives.
This lens is compatible with Sonys focus breathing compensation mode, depending on the camera youre using.
The aperture ring has firm 1/3-stop clicks and can be ‘declicked’ for silent, stepless iris control while filming.
It’s not that big, it’s not that expensive, but it is very good.
You only want ultra-compact lensesThe Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G is small, but not THAT small.
The compact design includes a modestly-sized front element and takes 67mm filters.
As a walkaround lens, the Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G is pretty good, especially in tight spaces or for subjects crowded closely together. At 25mm, it has the same perspective and angle of view of a smartphone’s main camera.
At the 16mm minimum focal length, this lens’s short minimum focus distance means you can get in really close for some strong perspective effects.
The longest focal length is 25mm, which is still fairly wide, but you can get more natural looking perspectives as well as good close-up shots.
The advantage of an ultra-wide zoom like this is that you can get in front of obstacles and spectators that would otherwise be in the way, and still get the whole of your subject in the frame.
The difference between 16mm (top) and 25mm (above) is not great, but enough to give you some shooting flexibility and perspective control indoors.
The background bokeh is not bad, but highlights are distinctly polygonal rather round – but then you don’t get a lens like this for the bokeh.
The close-focusing capability of this lens is pretty remarkable, right across the zoom range.
Distortion correction is applied automatically in camera to JPEGs, and there’s not a hint of corner shading either.
At 16mm, the FE 16-25mm F2.8 G delivers really good center and edge sharpness even at f/2.8. The extreme corners are softer, though, right through the aperture range. Bear in mind that a close-up test like this is extra tough on wide-angle lenses because they are very close to a flat surface.
This is what the previous test shot looks like without digital corrections. You can see there’s strong barrel distortion at the 16mm end of the zoom range.
Here’s a test shot taken at 25mm. The performance is even better, with sharp details right to the edges and quite good corner definition too, especially at f/8 and smaller apertures.
Here’s an uncorrected version of our 25mm test shot. There is some barrel distortion but much less than at 16mm.
