SEL16F28 FIRST CONTACT

Here a small review of this lens for my Sony a6000

It is a discontinued lens by Sony, underrated and not considered at all for photography. But I accept the challenge. By showing with my photography that is a good choice for me.

Joining the Sony ecosystem

When I decided to switch to Sony a6000 series from the M43, I was aware that this choice would also lead me to invest in slightly different lenses. The fact is that with Sony a6000 I am joining a system that will make me connected with something, as a Canon user, not so used to count with: a lens mount that respects a line and there are not 1 thousand of mounts: yes, i know, this sounds as a slap in the face to Canon, and yes it is.

To know that these lenses can be used even in the Sony full frame cameras is an investment.

In particular, for my needs I wanted a camera that is an ecosystem but also a real everyday camera. A camera (and lenses) that I can use for my street photography (call it street photography or simply my personal documentary notebook) and for portraits and editorial assignments. As I already said in the previous blog post and videos, simply the M43 was not the answer for editorial work.

You have already seen the photoshoot made with Carmen, this month. With only few hours of experience with the camera and counting only with the kit lens 16-50mm I achieved to make some of the best shots during the session.

The SEL16F28: one of the most bullied lenses on the internet

The Sony SEL16F28 is one of the most criticized lenses on the internet, often dismissed as soft, distorted, and generally inferior. Yet, my first experience with this lens was far from the horror stories I had read online. Yes, it has its quirks, —noticeable distortion and corner softness wide open, but it also has a unique character that many seem to overlook. Lightweight and compact, it transforms Sony’s APS-C cameras into an incredibly portable setup, perfect for street and documentary work. In the right hands and with an understanding of its limitations, the SEL16F28 can deliver striking results. The internet loves to bully this lens, but sometimes, real-world experience tells a different story.

With that said I am not going to hide the issues: first of all forget the phase detenction focus with this lens. It is no coincidence that Sony has decided to discontinue production of this lens. The Steady Shot feature is not active with this lens: the SteadyShot feature in Sony lenses refers to optical image stabilization (OIS) built into the lens itself. This helps reduce camera shake when shooting handheld, especially at slower shutter speeds. Sincerely this is not really a big issues for the use I want to give to the lens.

Why shooting with an equivalent 24mm?

I know that when it comes to street photography we are considering mostly the focal range between the 28mm and the 50mm. AT 24mm more distortion enters in the pitch, but even Garry Winogrand used that focal lenght. I take it as a challenge and a way to differentiate the approach and the aesthetic of my photography. When I am on the street I need to include more information, in order to achieve that social landscape that marks the difference respect to what we are used to see with many street photographers today. To shoot with a 24mm respect to a 28mm is more challenging for sure but adds fun to the experience.

I am not new with 24mm focal lenght: When I started as a professional photographer I did have the Olympus Pen EP1 with an equivalent 34mm (the pancake 17mm) but I photographed a lot also with the Panasonic Lumix LX3, counting with a zoom lens starting at the equivalent FF of 24mm. And I was shooting all the time at 24mm, achieving great, interesting images.

With models I am shooting with a classic 50mm, but couting with a 16mm lens adds a differentiation of the proposal and the results can give strength to an entire photoshoot. Today fashion photography has changed significantly: influenced even by the era of smartphones and I want to reply with my camera certain aesthestic of a smartphone, without renuncing to a camera and avoiding to enter in the computational photography. I feel that shooting with a 50mm there is not a real sense to add a 35mm or 28mmm, a wider difference will give me more dynamic results inside a photoshoot.

The first contact test

I made just few shots in my neighborhood. Without overthinking and shooting quickly, trying to replicate the experience when shooting street photography in Downtown. The lens is quick and responsive but I made several out of focus shots. It confirms the lens is soft, but there is also a little bit of experience I need more with this lens. I don’t think is true that is that bad described by Youtubers in their video reviews. I think for street photography and editorial work is a good lens, just like I expect.

If you are a landscape photographers pretending sharpness every part of the frame I would not recommend the lens, but here is exactly where I want to focus the attention: I am a metropolitan photographer, shooting in Downtown and in the barrios, where to count with a pancake lens is the way to make certain photos. I can see already the big advantage over the kit lens where the zoom comes out making it not the smartest choice to suddenly point it at unknown people.

The AF, despite not working in all the features offered by the camera is extremely quick, for sure exaggeratedly faster if I compare it to the Olympus Pen that I had until recently.

The photos

Conclusions

Most of the time I don’t think there are good or bad lenses. The truth is that there are often misunderstandings about certain lenses, what they can be used for and how we use them and what we expect. Often it is the lens manufacturers themselves who have and generate this confusion. It often happens that a lens is made with a certain intent that then does not respond in reality to this intent.

In my way of thinking, if a lens doesn't work for me, I usually blame myself and try to understand where I went wrong. This attitude leads me to want to get the best out of the tools I have available and I have never really worked with expensive lenses and cameras. I think part of the fun but also how much I learn is given by this approach. I count with Leica, Burberry and L'Equipe among my clients and I always work with equipment considered entry level (only the 5D is another speech). And for the same reason I made exhibitions all over the world. I could see my photos hanged on walls close to some made by photographers with Leica and Hasselblad, of course using expensive lenses.

This is just a first contact review. I am sure that I will get a lot of satisfaction with this set-up. But please, let me know what you think. Any experience with this lens? Or any other lens that is considered bad?