Sometimes we have to examine crops very closely to spot differences between products, but each of the examples below clearly illustrate the optical superiority of the Sony DT 16-80mm over the standard kit lens.

Starting with the first row of crops taken from the upper left corner and showing the mountain ridge, the DT 16-80mm sample is sharper, better-corrected, suffers from noticeably less coloured fringing and also exhibits higher contrast, revealing subtle tonal details which are washed-out on the kit lens sample.

The second row of crops taken from the middle of the image again show greater contrast and a punchier-looking result from the DT 16-80mm than the kit lens.

The third row of crops, taken from the lower right corner of the image, tells a similar story to the first row: namely the DT 16-80mm being much better corrected compared to the somewhat soft edge performance of the kit lens, coupled with higher contrast for good measure.

Normally we’d stop with these three crops, but have included a fourth set of samples taken from halfway up the far left side of the image. These brightly illuminated buildings particularly reveal coloured fringing on the kit lens and again illustrate the optical superiority of the DT 16-80mm.

So while the build quality and focusing aren’t amazing, the DT 16-80mm redeems itself with its optical performance under real-life conditions. Now let’s see how it measures-up in the studio: next up, the Sony DT 16-80mm resolution.