Sony 16-50 F2.8 SSM + LA-EA5 = The Idea was Perfect.

Sony released the new LA-EA5 just this last week. Of course, I preordered it thinking it would be brilliant! A $250 16-50 F2.8 SSM A mount lens plus a $250 adapter would be a $500 alternative to the $1300 Sony 16-55 F2.8 G, RIGHT?! It was close, but Sony disappointed with this adapter. And the lens disappointed as well.

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[GaryReedUnfrequentedWorld]

I think you're being too harsh on the 16 - 50 ssm..dude you paid $250 for it...saved $1000 bucks and had nothing good to say...

[geopapa]

A new stabilized tamron 17-70 constant 2.8 for apsc is coming out...

[networm]

Oh Arthur you really made me excited after a while! I'm just so curious to see some other A mount lenses performance on this little Minolta lenses which are so damn cheap!

[AsphaltPlanet]

The biggest problem with 16-50 SSM is that the bodies for alpha 6000 series cameras don't perform lens (ie. CA and distortion) corrections.

[ХристоРъцев]

Hey just a thought, maybe the camera adjusted automatically for vignetting, CA and distortion on the G lens, because of integrated profile and didn't do anything on the older SSM lens. Maybe in another RAW converter it will show up a bit different IQ. Still very impressive imaging from the new lens this is why it is sooo expensive.

[moolcool]

Will you review more adapted A mount glass? Would love to see a modern take on the Minolta Beercan

[dim.a]

This wasn't fungus inside of the lens, but balsam separation. Unfortunately this is a common problem with this great lens, under hot weather conditions.

[gregkempchannel]

The 16-50/2.8 was Sony's first entry in that range, it was priced much lower than the new 16-55/2.8 and at the time it was competing with Tamron and Sigma 17-50/2.8 entries. I originally bought the 16-50/2.8 when I ordered the a77. Its a good lens but I never expected it to perform like a higher end lens. I consider it very good for what it was competing against. Unfortunately the autofocus on mine stopped working, I haven't bothered to find another copy. I am also holding out on upgrading to any body with full support with the la-ea5, for now.

[frankfeng]

It's a huge miss for Sony that they couldn't use this adapter to take advantage of their A mount lenses. Sony could've built a variable ND, focal reducer, or CPL inside the adapter to satisfy videographers while boosting their lens sale. Just look at what Canon did.

[floriansolles]

Great video, but for the distorsion difference I feel like it could be that the E -mount is corrected directly in camera as the lens communicates more infos to the body (same for chromatic aberration)

[MoLetalis]

I noticed you’re comparing JPEGs. Could it be that the E-mount version has straight-to-jpeg lens corrections and with the A-mount lens you have to do this in post processing? Of course, sharpness, contrast and bokeh are going to be better with a new G lens, but the barrel distortion and CA from the 16-50 can be easily cleaned up in Lightroom

[holadu]

You have tu use the LA–EA3 for the SSM 😊

[vcoosc]

I daily use for years LA-EA4 + 16-50 2.8 SSM, is it so cheap used (less than $250 !! ), and for photography, it is perfectly great combo

[ericapelz]

Thanks for the great review. Now I know to avoid the adapter since no autofocus in video mode is a deal-breaker.

[Turbocharge]

Sony's support site states that lens compensation does not work with that lens on the adaptor which accounts for the barrel distortion. On a-mount bodies it was corrected in camera.

[elianhenriksen]

May you show more of the distortion performances of the 2 lenses when auto-correcting distortion turning off? I've owned a 16-55 lens and it has a pretty strong barrel distortion (even the very edges of the frame are missing, unfortunately).

[Dave-htdx]

Superb test report, great methodology, and still the most photogenic model in this genre of YT. Thank you, again.

[shadda]

I'm using the 17-50 2.8 Sigma EX HSM with this adapter and it works great on my A6500. Excellent lens and can be had for under $200. But yeah I was upset that I couldn't use screw drive lenses (which most of my A-mount glass are) unless I upgraded to an A7RIV or newer.

[zhengricky]

In fact, there's Monster Adapter which is based on LAEA4 has the same function to LAEA5, but support all SONY bodies

[jOhnPT]

Revisiting this video to see if your stance on both adapter and this lens still stands, if adapted to the new A6700?