- Call us: 01444 237070
- Contact Us
- Stores
- Sign In / Register
Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Zoom Lens
The Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Lens is a high-end fixed aperture f/2.8 zoom for crop sensor A6000-series cameras, which offers fast and accurate AF and excellent image quality for a huge variety of everyday subjects.
Trade in & Trade up
Looking to trade in your photo equipment? Get a quote now!
We Love
- Lightweight design of just 494g, yet boasts a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the versatile equivalent 24-82.5mm range
- XD Linear Motor offers excellent response and low vibration for fast, precise, quiet AF when capturing stills and video
- High resolution throughout the zoom range thanks to two AA lens, two aspherical elements, and three ED glasses
- Well controlled aberrations, reduced flare and ghosting plus a Fluorine coated front element to reduce smears and dirt
- Ideal for all sorts of styles, including travel, portraits, landscapes and any subjects which is relatively near in the frame
Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Lens Summary
With its fixed f/2.8 aperture throughout an extremely useful zoom range, the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Lens is a premium Sony E mount lens for crop sensor A6000-series mirrorless Alpha cameras. When it launched, Sony highlighted its fast XD Linear Motor in the SEL1655G, high-resolution resolving power and lightweight design, which sits perfectly on mirrorless bodies like the a6400 and flagship a6700.
An elaborate optical design with special glass elements captures edge-to-edge sharpness throughout the zoom range, with a zoom range, which is ideal for portraits, landscapes, travel and video content.
Along with the bright f/2.8 aperture comes a 9-bladed aperture design, which renders beautiful bokeh and smooth defocus areas to highlight your subject. Whether capturing delicious food photography, nature or friends and family, you can draw attention to your subject with a shallow depth of field and lovely subject separation.
Sample image 01 at 19mm. Camera settings: 1/500 sec. f/2.8. ISO 400
What’s more, the bright aperture and lightweight design are ideal for handholding while shooting low light subjects, whether natural lit portraits, street photography or close-up wildlife and nature shots.
Image quality is further enhanced by Sony’s antireflective lens coating, plus a front element Fluorine coating, which complements the weather sealing and cements this as an excellent option for indoor and outdoor creators.
Key Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Features
- Corner-to-corner resolution even at f/2.8
- Special glass elements reduce chromatic aberration
- Nano AR coating suppresses flare and ghosting
- 9-blade circular aperture
- Bright constant f/2.8 optics in a compact, lightweight lens weighing just 494g
- Fast, precise, quiet AF and tracking with XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motor
- Customisable focus hold button
- Linear Response MF for fine, responsive manual focus control
- Dust and moisture resistant design
- Fluorine coated front element resists dirt and fingerprints
Read our new lens Review
Learn more about the impressive A9 III features which can transform your photography in our latest review. Read our lens Review
Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Lens (SEL1655G) in More Detail
Excellent image quality across the range
Two AA (advanced aspherical) and two aspherical elements suppress aberration for outstanding corner-to-corner G-Series lens resolution, while three ED (extra-low Dispersion) glass elements reduce chromatic aberration and colour bleeding to a minimum.
This helps the 16-55mm f/2.8 G lens to render high image quality throughout its zoom range, from close-up to infinity, and across all apertures, even when shooting wide open.
Sony’s Nano AR Coating also adds resistance to flare and ghosting for crisp contrast, while the 9-blade circular aperture contributes to smooth bokeh and soft out-of-focus areas in the image.
Sample image 02 at 19mm. Camera settings: 1/2000 sec. f/2.8. ISO 100
Compact, lightweight and portable
Compact, lightweight, and featuring a bright aperture, this lens boasts an optimised mechanical and optical design that results in a mere 494 gram weight. It's a versatile constant f/2.8 16-55 mm (24-82.5 mm full-frame equivalent) zoom lens, perfect for a variety of shots from portraits to daily captures. Paired with compact E-mount bodies, the zoom lens offers a highly portable and easy-to-manage system suitable for diverse photography needs.
Sample image 03 at 18mm. Camera settings: 1/500 sec. f/2.8. ISO 4000
Fast and precise focusing and tracking
Equipped with an advanced XD (eXtreme Dynamic) Linear Motor found in premium G Master lenses, this APS-C model ensures fast, precise autofocus and tracking. It leverages the camera body's speed capabilities to maintain focus on and accurately track even swiftly moving subjects. Additionally, its operation is extremely quiet, making it ideal for videographers who benefit from the consistent f/2.8 aperture without intrusive AF motor noise.
Sample image 04 at 19mm. Camera settings: 1/250 sec. f/3.2. ISO 6400
Professional control and reliability
This lens offers professional control and reliability, featuring a customisable focus hold button, an AF/MF mode switch, and Linear Response MF for enhanced control versatility and precision, ensuring shots can be captured even in demanding conditions. The front lens element benefits from a fluorine coating, repelling water and grime, while its construction is dust and moisture-resistant, allowing for confident use in tough outdoor settings.
What’s in the box
- Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Lens for crop format cameras
- Lens Hood ALC-SH261
- Lens front cap ALC-F67S
- Lens rear cap ALC-R1EM
- Soft case
Sample image 05 at 16mm. Camera settings: 1/1000 sec. f/11. ISO 2500
Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Lens Specifications
|
Mount |
Sony E-mount |
|
Format |
APS-C |
|
Focal-length (mm) |
16-55 |
|
35mm Equivalent Focal-length (APS-C) |
24-82.5 |
|
Lens Groups / Elements |
12-17 |
|
Angle Of View (35mm) |
N/A |
|
Angle Of View (APS-C) |
83°-29°1 |
|
Maximum Aperture (F) |
2.8 |
|
Minimum Aperture (F) |
22 |
|
Aperture Blades |
9 |
|
Circular Aperture |
Yes |
|
Minimum Focus Distance |
0.33 m (1.09 ft) |
|
Maximum Magnification Ratio (X) |
0.2 |
|
Filter Diameter (mm) |
67 |
|
Image Stabilization (Steadyshot) |
Body-integrated |
|
Zoom System |
Manual |
|
Hood Type |
Petal shape, bayonet type |
| Offers: Price Drop |
| Offer Category: Camera Lenses |
| Offer Product Type: Sony Lenses E Mount |
| Autofocus: Yes |
| Aperture ring: N/A |
| Constant Aperture: Yes |
| Lens CIPA Image stabilization rating: N/A |
| Colour: N/A |
| Diameter (mm): 73 |
| Length (mm): 100 |
| Weight (g): 19595 |
| Distance scale: N/A |
| DoF scale: N/A |
| Elements: 17 |
| Environmental Sealing: N/A |
| Focus distance limiter: N/A |
| Focal length: 16 - 55 mm |
| Focus method: N/A |
| Filter Thread: N/A |
| Full time manual: Yes |
| Groups: 12 |
| Hood supplied: Yes |
| Lens Image stabilization: N/A |
| Lens mount: N/A |
| Lens Materials: N/A |
| Maximum focal length: 55 |
| Maximum magnification: 0.2 |
| Maximum aperture (number): 2.8 |
| Maximum aperture (text): N/A |
| Max Format size: N/A |
| Minimum focal length: 16 |
| Lens Minimum focus distance (m): 0.33 |
| Minimum aperture (number): 22 |
| Minimum aperture (text): N/A |
| Motor type: N/A |
| Number of diaphragm blades: 9 |
| Power zoom: N/A |
| Special elements / coatings: Two AA (advanced aspherical) elements, two aspherical elements, three ED (extra-low dipsersion) elements. Fluorine coated front element. |
| Tripod collar: N/A |
| Lens type: N/A |
| Wide/Tele: N/A |
| Lens Level: N/A |
| Best For: N/A |
| Best For Holiday and Landscape: Yes |
| Best For Interior and Architecture: Yes |
| Best For Fashion and Portrait: Yes |
| Best For Macro and Still Life: Yes |
| Best For Astro: N/A |
| Best For Street: Yes |
| Best For Wildlife and Sport: N/A |
| Zoom lock: N/A |
| Zoom method: N/A |
| Notes: N/A |
Thinking of choosing finance?
Finance is a great way to spread the cost of your purchase. To make it easy we have teamed up with Omni, one of the UK’s leading finance specialists, so that you can apply for and complete a loan application quickly, easily and informatively.
Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd which is a credit provider/ lender regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority whose finance options are best suited for you and your purchase.
Simply add the items you love to your basket. Once you are at the checkout select the finance option that suits you and choose Omni. The quick application form is simple and should take no more than a couple of minutes to complete and you will receive a decision instantly. Easy!
Use our finance calculator to check the impact of various loan values, terms and interest rates on the total amount you need to pay and the monthly repayments.
Representative example:
Buy Now Pay 2025, a 36-month loan following a 3-month deferral period. Buy a £1,500.00 camera and pay a 10% deposit of £150, Total Amount of Credit £1350. 1st payment deferred for 3 months – rest of balance can be paid off in this period with no interest, however a £29 early settlement fee is payable. 36 monthly repayments, with a first payment of £48.87 followed by 35 monthly repayments of £48.51. The total amount payable will be £1746.72 16.9% APR Representative
Buy Now Pay 2025 | Finance available See options |
|
Buy Now Pay 2025
|
|
Check your eligibility
To be considered for finance, you will need to meet all of the following criteria:
- Are at least 18 years old
- Are in regular full or part-time employment (minimum 1 hour per week or £10,000 income per annum), unless you are retired and receiving a private or company pension, or you are in receipt of disability living allowance
- Are a permanent UK resident and have lived in the UK for at least 3 years
- Have a UK bank account capable of accepting Direct Debits
- Have a good credit history with no late payments, Debt Relief Orders, County Court Judgments or bankruptcies.
Please note that, due to calculations, your monthly repayment may differ very slightly from what you were expecting. Please check your monthly repayment figure before proceeding
Missed or late payments will result in fees and additional interest on your loan and can also affect your credit file and your ability to obtain credit in the future.
Credit is subject to status, UK only, 18+
Park Cameras Limited is a credit broker, not a lender and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 680161). We do not charge you for credit broking services. We will introduce you exclusively to finance products provided by Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd.
Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd which is a credit provider/ lender regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Firm Reference Number: 720279. For more information please go to www.omnicapitalretailfinance.co.uk/contact/customer or visit www.omnicapitalretailfinance.co.uk.
Find out more about paying with finance here and Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd terms here
Our Verdict
The Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G Lens (SEL1655G) is a feat of optical engineering, designed exclusively for Sony's APS-C cameras. As a pro-level zoom lens, it offers a versatile 16-55mm focal length (24-82.5mm full-frame equivalent), making it perfect for a wide range of photography from landscapes and portraits to everyday snapshots. The constant f/2.8 aperture delivers outstanding image quality and depth of field control across the entire zoom range, enabling beautiful bokeh effects and superior performance in low light conditions.
Equipped with Sony’s advanced XD Linear Motor technology, the SEL1655G achieves fast, precise autofocus and seamless subject tracking, helping to capture sharp images even with fast-moving subjects. This lens is not just about optical excellence however, it's also built for professional use with a customisable focus hold button, AF/MF switch, and Linear Response MF for intuitive, precise control even in challenging environments.
Durability is also a key feature, with a dust and moisture-resistant design and a fluorine-coated front element to withstand harsh conditions and keep the lens performing at its best. Lightweight at just 494g, and compact, it’s an ideal choice for photographers seeking pro-level performance in a portable package. The Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G Lens is a testament to quality and versatility for APS-C camera users.
Would you like to give any feedback about this page?
Complete our feedback formWriting your review
Sign In / Register
Existing Customer Login
If you are already a member, fill in the details below to login & view your account.
Condition guide
Our used products are subject to wear and tear in comparison to brand new products. This also applies to accessories that are supplied with the camera including batteries which may have a lower optimum performance level/life expectancy.
- Like New – The equipment is in a condition as if you have just bought it from the manufacturer. The item is still considered to be ‘Like New’ even without the original packaging and accessories. The product has been fully tested and is in perfect working order. Lenses are optically clear. There may be light dust present that will not effect the imagery.
- Excellent – The equipment should be close to being ‘Like New’ but there may be some small cosmetic blemishes that lower its grade. The product has been fully tested and is in perfect excellent order.
- Cameras – Should have no marks on the LCD screen
- Lenses – Should have no marks on the elements and optically clear. There may be light dust present that will not effect the imagery.
- Very Good – The equipment may have some slight cosmetic wear to the paintwork and cosmetic blemishes with only light signs of use and the product has been fully tested and is in great working order.
- Cameras – The LCD screen may have small signs of wear that does not affect its display
- Lenses – The mount of the lens will start to show signs of wear
- Good – The equipment is showing more obvious signs of cosmetic wear and blemishes, but the product has been fully tested and is in great working order.
- Cameras – LCD screen may have scratches or wear that is starting to affect the display.
- Lenses – May have slight dust inside that does not affect images. The mount shows signs of use.
- Well Used – The equipment will show significant signs of wear. The paintwork will be coming away in large areas exposing the metal work, but the product has been fully tested and is in great working order.
- Cameras – LCD screen is heavily worn either by de-lamination or has scratches to it. Rubber grips are starting to come away from the body.
- Lenses – The lens has dust inside that may affect images. The rubber zoom/focus ring is coming away from the barrel of the lens.
*All of our used items are listed with the accessories that are included. If they are not listed, then they will not be supplied at the point of purchase.
Peace of mind with our 6 month warranty
This product has been thoroughly tested by our team of photographers and we are happy to give a 6 month warranty as a result. The number of tests depends on the individual product but we are confident in this product having tested all the major functions. Anything that isn’t as you would expect, we then make a note of and show this in the condition notes on the page.
So you can be confident you are buying a great piece of kit that’s been looked after by a fellow photographer and seen many extraordinary sights, tested by our team of photographers and now looking forward to being set free to capture more great images!
