Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS

Reviewers rated the centre as sharp from f/4 but found the corners and edges soft at 16mm and 35mm until f/8, with some sample variation between copies. Distortion and vignetting are significant without correction, and the lens was often called good rather than great for its price.

On the positive side, testers praised the compact metal build, effective stabilisation, quick and quiet AF and good flare resistance. Later options such as the FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G and the third-party f/2.8 zooms outperform it optically.

Owners value it as a light travel and landscape lens, and many used it for years as their only wide zoom. The OSS is a frequent reason older A7 users chose it, and the used price is now attractive.

The complaints are corner softness wide open, uneven copies, and a price that felt high for the optical results. Some owners say the 35mm end is weaker than the 16mm end.