Photographers shopping for a wide-angle lens start by asking a fundamental question: Prime or zoom? Prime lenses like the Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G ($799.99) include bright optical formulas that gather more light for nighttime cityscape and star field photography, and readily blur backgrounds to isolate subjects with more dramatic results than a narrower lens when focused close up. The trade-off is a fixed angle; the 16mm F1.8 always sees an ultra-wide view. Creators after a blurred background and those who like to capture images after the sun goes down should put the FE 16mm high up on their list when shopping for a wide lens. While it's not quite as versatile a lens as a wide zoom like the FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G, photographers who prefer bright prime optics will find the FE 16mm F1.8 G a tip-top wide-angle lens, so it earns our Editors' Choice award.

Design: Good for Small Cameras and Gimbals

The FE 16mm F1.8 G is an impressively small lens given its wide-angle view, bright aperture, and full-frame sensor coverage. It measures just 3.0 by 2.9 inches (HD), weighs 10.7 ounces, and supports 67mm front filters. That's smaller, but not too far off, than either the FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G zoom (3.5 by 3.2 inches, 12.5 ounces) or the FE 20mm F1.8 G prime (3.3 by 2.9 inches, 13.2 ounces) in size. I consider all three to be small lenses and good matches for gimbals and Sony's small a7C II and a7CR cameras.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

In this instance, size matters. A wide-angle lens is a common tool for documentary video and vlogging, and videographers who employ a powered gimbal to steady handheld footage seek out relatively light lenses in order to maintain compatibility with smaller support accessories like the popular DJI RS 4 Mini. The FE 16mm F1.8 G is both short and light, so it doesn't make your camera too front-heavy; plus, its angle is pretty much ideal for handheld, self-recorded footage. Granted, the FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G does just as well for this use case, and the FE 20mm F1.8 G is a fine option, too, if you prefer its slightly narrower angle.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The FE 16mm F1.8 is part of Sony's G Series, one step below its G Master (GM) line. Though not top-of-the-line, G lenses employ premium materials and construction. Here the optics are housed in a polycarbonate barrel finished in black. The lens is sealed to protect against dust and splash ingress and includes anti-smudge fluorine on its front element. Fluorine makes drops of water bead right off without leaving a mark and makes it a simple matter to wipe off a stray fingerprint. The lens ships with front and rear lens caps, a hood, and a soft zippered carrying case.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Controls and Focus: All Standard Controls, Instant Autofocus

The FE 16mm F1.8 G includes a healthy amount of on-lens control. Its aperture ring can turn with either third-stop click points or smoothly along its f/1.8-22 aperture range. The ring also has an "A" position to return aperture control, plus an Iris Lock switch to prevent you from inadvertently switching between A and manual control. The lens also includes an AF/MF toggle, a function button, and a manual focus ring.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Manual focus is well done on this lens. The focus ring turns comfortably but is dampened well enough that there's no slop or play evident. I don't notice any lag in focus either; the focus motors drive focus as you turn the ring for an overall pleasing experience. Videographers will like the linear response with about a 120-degree throw, an aspect that makes it possible to repeat the same focus rack across multiple takes. I can't spot any breathing in the footage either; the angle of view stays steady during focus racks.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The FE 16mm uses dual xD linear motors to drive focus. They're quiet and very fast—there's no delay at all when using autofocus to shift from a close point to a far-off one. Sony states that the lens focuses fast enough to keep up with moving subjects at up to 120fps for both stills and slow-motion video, and while I don't have a camera that can do either on hand, I've no reason to doubt the claim given the speed at which the lens focuses.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The lens focuses very close, as near as 5.9 inches with autofocus and to 5.1 inches in manual focus, near enough for 1:4 and 1:3.3 life-size reproduction, respectively. This is a very good lens if you want to lean in and get close to subjects. Its wide angle captures a bigger area behind a macro subject, too, for a very different close-up look than a typical short telephoto macro like the Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro Art.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

I don't talk about features for specific use cases with every lens, but the FE 16mm F1.8's angle and aperture are certainly appealing for night sky photography. Sony doesn't include any special controls or features for astrophotographers with this lens or the similar FE 14mm F1.8 GM. On the other hand, Sigma puts manual focus locks and mounting points for anti-fog lens warmers in its line of wide primes that are tuned for astrophotography. Look at its 14mm F1.8 DG DN Art, 20mm F1.4 DG DN Art, or 24mm F1.4 DG DN Art if night sky photography is among your interests.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Image Quality: Wide, Sharp, Background-Blurring Optics

I used the 60MP a7R IV to test the FE 16mm's optical performance in our studio with Imatest software and out in the world as well. Lab tests show it to have good resolving power at f/1.8-2.0 (3,750-3,900 lines); it crosses into very good territory at f/2.8 (4,100 lines) and is excellent in from f/4-11 (4,600-4,800 lines). This is the sweet spot for landscape work, and the lens shows its best resolution at the edges in the f/4-11 range as well.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Resolution falls off from f/16-22 (3,500-2,200 lines), which is an expected result of optical diffraction, an effect that scatters light particles as they pass through a small iris. Even so, there's a reason to narrow the aperture that far: sunstars. The closed-down 11-blade aperture causes small points of light to render as 22-point starbursts. The FE 16mm's sunstars are most clearly defined from f/16-22.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

If you use your camera in JPG or HEIF still mode or for movies, you won't have to worry about optical distortion, as corrections are baked in and cannot be turned off for these formats. Raw capture is another matter, as you'll need to apply manual geometric correction or a profile to the lens. I reviewed the FE 16mm F1.8 G ahead of its release and did not have a profile available, but I have no doubt that one will be included in Lightroom Classic with Adobe's next camera and lens support update. In the meantime, a +30 Distortion slider correction is a good starting point for a manual correction. Raw files also show more of a vignette than JPGs through f/2.8. Darkened corners may be brightened easily if desired, so it's not a serious drawback.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

I'm very happy with how well the lens handles flare and backlit situations. I found several good scenes lit from behind, and the FE 16mm captured them all without any significant false color or loss of contrast. I caught an occasional blob of false blue color in backlit situations when the light hits the glass at such an angle to cause internal reflections, but it's subtle enough that you can sidestep it with a very slight change in camera position in most instances. It's a good idea to use the hood with any wide-angle lens, and the FE 16mm is no exception.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Wide-angle lenses are not always good tools for background blur, but the FE 16mm's bright optics and its ability to focus very close together allow for images with softly defocused backgrounds. The look of background blur is generally pleasing, though it can show false color (longitudinal chromatic aberration, or LoCA) around the edges of defocused highlights and around bright reflections showing on surfaces, obvious examples being glinting off metal or the surface of water. Defocused highlights can also show hardly defined edges that are brighter than the center, which can make backgrounds with repeating patterns render frenetically. On the plus side, the highlights show little to no false onion skin texture, and despite the flaws, the FE 16mm's bokeh is quite good for a lens with an ultra-wide angle of view.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Verdict: Broad Views From a Compact Prime

The Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G has a lot going for it, including excellent optics and a bright aperture for use in dim light and for photos with background blur. It focuses quickly and optically curbs focus breathing, plus it's small and light enough to use with a handheld gimbal. The lens is not flawless, as it shows some false color in its bokeh and requires a correction profile for Raw distortion, but those are relatively minor issues in the grand scheme of things. Its angle is ideal for self-recorded vlogs as well as landscapes and architecture photos. In addition, very good close-up focus capability makes the FE 16mm more than a one-trick pony. Wide zooms like the FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G have a more versatile, changeable field of view, but creators who prefer the wide aperture that comes with a prime will get great results from the FE 16mm F1.8 G, and that's enough for the lens to earn our Editors' Choice award.