Photo 1 of 8

Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G · Photo source

Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G
Photo 1 of 8

Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G · Photo source

Sony

FE 16mm F1.8 G

Released April 2025

A full-frame E-mount ultra-wide prime with an F1.8 aperture, two linear autofocus motors and aperture-ring controls.

Mount
Sony E
Focal length
16 mm
Max aperture
f/1.8
Stabilisation
No
Weight
304 g

What reviewers say

Both praise strong centre sharpness, compact handling and quick quiet autofocus. Photography Blog likes the background blur; Amateur Photographer finds bright blurred highlights harsher. Photography Blog sees well-controlled distortion with compulsory camera correction, while Amateur Photographer finds noticeable uncorrected barrel distortion. Both find that stopping down improves edges and very small apertures soften detail.

From amateurphotographer.com, photographyblog.com, photographyblog.com and photographyblog.com

Optics

Lens type
Prime
Focal length
16 mm
Maximum aperture
f/1.8
Minimum aperture
f/22
Optical construction
15 elements in 12 groups
Special elements
Two AA advanced-aspherical elements, one Super ED and three ED elements
Coatings
Fluorine coating on front element
Diaphragm
11 rounded blades
Angle of view
107° full frame; 83° APS-C

Mount and compatibility

Mounts
Sony E
Image circle
Full frame
Image circle detail
Full-frame coverage; 24 mm equivalent field of view on APS-C
Teleconverter support
Not compatible with SEL14TC or SEL20TC

Focus and stabilisation

Autofocus
Yes
Minimum focus distance
0.13 m (manual focus)
Maximum magnification
0.3× (manual focus)
Optical stabilisation
No
Autofocus detail
Two XD linear motors
Focus distance detail
Minimum focus 0.15 m with autofocus or 0.13 m with manual focus
Magnification detail
Maximum magnification 0.25× with autofocus or 0.30× with manual focus
Stabilisation detail
No lens stabilisation; compatible bodies provide stabilisation
Video features
Optical design reduces focus breathing; breathing compensation with compatible cameras changes the field of view slightly

Design

Dust and moisture resistant
Yes
Filter diameter
67 mm
Maximum diameter
73.8 mm
Length
75 mm
Weight
304 g
Controls
Aperture ring, click on/off switch, iris lock, AF/MF switch and customisable focus-hold button
Weather resistance
Dust- and moisture-resistant design; not guaranteed completely dust- or moisture-proof
Weight detail
Approximately 304 g lens; separate hood and caps excluded
Lens hood
ALC-SH184 petal-shaped bayonet hood
In the box
ALC-SH184 hood, ALC-F67S front cap and ALC-R1EM rear cap; Sony Japan lists no case, despite Photography Blog describing a supplied soft case
Release detail
Sony UK announced on 26 February 2025 with April 2025 availability and an approximate £850 list price; first-sale precision remains the month

Pros and cons

Pros

  • F1.8 maximum aperture
  • 304 g lens weight
  • Accepts 67 mm front filters

Cons

  • No optical stabilisation
  • No teleconverter support

Closest rivals

Model
MountFocal lengthMax apertureStabilisationWeightReleased
Sony E14 mmf/1.8No460 gMay 2021
Sony E20 mmf/1.8No373 gMar 2020
Sony E24 mmf/2.8No162 gApr 2021

Sources

  1. sony.jp/ichigan/products/SEL16F18G/spec.html
  2. sony.co.uk/presscentre/sony-launches-the-large-aperture-ultra-wide-fe-16mm-f18-…
  3. amateurphotographer.com/review/sony-fe-16mm-f1-8-g-review
  4. photographyblog.com/reviews/sony_fe_16mm_f1_8_g_review

Photo: sony.jp

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