Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G

Reviewers found it sharp in the centre from f/1.8 and good in the corners by f/2.8 to f/4, with low lateral colour and well-controlled coma for night-sky work at the price. Autofocus is fast and silent, and focus breathing is low enough for video use.

The trade-offs are heavy reliance on in-camera distortion and vignetting correction, and corners that trail the FE 14mm F1.8 GM wide open. Some testers also note that sun stars are only average.

Owners like that it costs half as much as the 14mm GM yet still takes normal filters, which makes it a popular landscape, astro and vlogging lens on A7 and FX bodies. The close focus and light weight get frequent mentions.

Criticisms are about the uncorrected files, which show strong barrel distortion and vignetting in raw converters without profiles, and the plastic-feeling hood. Some owners say the 20mm F1.8 G is still sharper at the edges.