Discount Sony SAL-1680Z 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T DT Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* DT 16-80/3.5-4.5 ZA (Sony SAL-1680Z)

----- Pros -----
Extremely sharp
Very good contrast
Pleasing bokeh
Vibrant colors
Ideal range for most situations
Zeiss glass under a G

----- Cons -----
F3.5 is widest aperture
Good, but not great for indoor/nighttime/low-light use
Noticeable distortion @ 16mm (objects get stretched-out near corners)

----- Thoughts -----
After having gone through cycle after cycle of buying, using & reselling lenses, I felt it was time I bought decent glass for my A700. I was interested in the SAL-1680Z because a) it's a Zeiss b) has AF (Zeiss usually = manual-focus) and c) made specifically for Sony DSLR's w/ APS-C sensor. The two negative reviews on Amazon of this lens state the SAL-1680Z doesn't work on bodies w/ full-frame sensors (A900/A850)... which seems to reflect the fact these reviewers didn't do their homework. DT (Digital Technology) is Sony's designation for lenses made/optimized for APS-C (or crop) sensor bodies. Apparently, the SAL-1680Z does work on the A900/A850 though you wouldn't be utilizing the full-frame sensor.

Before purchasing this lens, I was slightly hesitant because of a few lukewarm reviews I read. However, I can now say with confidence that after purchasing this lens and using it for myself, all of my fears were put to rest. As listed above, the SAL-1680Z is extremely sharp, the bokeh is pleasing to look at and depending on your subject, this lens can produce amazingly vibrant 'Zeiss-like' colors. The contrast is insanity... if you shoot on a sunny day with lots of beautiful clouds, you can be sure you'll get every single detail without worrying about overblown highlights, shadows that are too dark, etc. Compared to the other Zeiss zoom lenses, this one is smaller/lighter. Mounted on the A700, this lens looks right at home. Out of the three big camera manufacturers (Canon/Nikon/Sony), Sony users are the only ones who can enjoy the luxury if using an auto-focusing Zeiss lenses... so to Alpha users out there looking for good glass & don't own this lens yet, I pose you this question: What are you waiting for?


----- Background Info -----
Sony Alpha D-SLR:
The A200 was my first DSLR (loved it). Within 3 months, I upgraded to the A700 for better low-light capabilities & couldn't have been happier with this decision. I've also used the A100/A500, but having been spoiled by the A700, these didn't wow me... even with the A500's enhanced live view (A700 = no LV).

Sony/Alpha-Mount Lenses:
I've previously owned (and sold) the Sony 11-18/4.5-5.6 DT (SAL-1118), Sony 28/2.8 (SAL-28F28), Sony 50/1.8 DT (SAL-50F18) , Minolta 50/1.7, Sigma 24-70/2.8 EX DG and many others not worth mentioning. I currently own the Sony 50/1.4 SAL-50F14, Minolta 70-210/4 (Beercan) & of course the Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* DT 16-80/3.5-4.5 ZA (Sony SAL-1680Z).

Other Equipment:
Leica M8, Chrome Cron-M 35/2 (IV), Olympus Pen E-P2, Lumix 20/1.7Get more detail about Sony SAL-1680Z 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T DT Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera.