Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G: In the Field
As a Sony Digital Imaging Advocate, I have the opportunity to access some fantastic lenses, and when Sony Australia sent me the new FE 16mm f/1.8 G, I was keen to see how it would work in my photography. While Sony Australia hasn’t requested this article, I want to be transparent that they did send me the lens and I ran events featuring it during Dark Mofo, Hobart’s winter festival. My motivation for writing this is simple: I love using different glass and sharing authentic experiences that might help other landscape and nightscape photographers make informed decisions about their kit.
I had the lens on loan from Sony Australia for about three weeks during Dark Mofo in June 2025, which provided the ideal testing ground for this ultra-wide prime. With a focal length that sits well between my usual 14mm f/1.8 GM and 20mm f/1.8 G lenses, the 16mm promised to fill an interesting gap in Sony’s wide-angle lineup.
What I discovered during those two weeks completely changed my expectations about what a compact wide-angle lens could achieve, particularly in challenging low-light conditions and close-focus scenarios.
First Impressions
- Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G SEL16F18G
- Weight: 304g
- Dimensions: 73.8 x 75mm
- Filter Thread: 67mm
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.15m (AF) / 0.13m (MF)
- Maximum Magnification: 0.25x (AF) / 0.30x (MF)
- Aperture Range: f/1.8 – f/22
- Mount: Sony E (Full Frame)
The first thing that struck me when I first held the 16mm f/1.8 G was how much smaller it was than I’d anticipated. I expected it to be similar in size to the 20mm f/1.8 G, but it’s actually shorter and noticeably lighter. At just 304 grams, it feels almost weightless compared to my usual landscape workhorse, the 12-24mm f/2.8 GM.
Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G Details
The build quality matches what I’ve come to expect from Sony’s G lens lineup. The weather sealing feels robust, and I particularly appreciate that it includes all the standard controls I’m used to: aperture ring with click switch, focus hold button, and AF/MF switch. Everything feels consistent with other lenses in the range.
One feature that immediately caught my attention was the 67mm filter thread. Coming from the 14mm f/1.8 GM, which has a bulbous front element that prevents filter use, having the ability to screw on standard filters opens up creative possibilities for waterfall photography, light pollution filtering for astrophotography, and general landscape work.
The lens balanced beautifully on both my α7R V and α1 Mark II. It’s so lightweight that at times it almost feels like you don’t have a lens attached to the camera, which makes handheld shooting remarkably comfortable.
In the Field
Dark Mofo, Hobart: Handheld Long Exposure Capabilities
During Dark Mofo, I photographed at several installations around Hobart, with my favourite being the Sora installation at Macquarie Wharf 2. This light installation featured strobing, spinning lights creating different patterns across the warehouse ceiling, with people standing underneath creating silhouettes and interactions with the light.
This is where the lens completely exceeded my expectations. I discovered I could capture sharp handheld exposures up to eight seconds. Yes, you read that correctly – eight seconds handheld. I was trying to capture full circles of the light installation, and the eight-second exposure was crucial for getting that complete effect.
The combination of the 16mm focal length, the lens’s compact size, and my camera’s in-body image stabilisation created something I hadn’t experienced before. I’d lock my elbows against my body, sometimes crouch down for extra stability, and rely on the IBIS to handle any minor movement. While there might be slight movement in some shots, the results were genuinely usable and allowed me to be much more dynamic with my compositions than a tripod would permit.
At the Winter Feast, another Dark Mofo venue, the 16mm proved ideal for capturing the dramatic entrance sign with its gas flame effects. The wide field of view meant I could include the entire sign and even capture reflections in puddles below, something that would have been challenging with the 20mm f/1.8 G. The lens handled the mixed lighting conditions well, and any flare that appeared when shooting directly into the bright signage was easily managed in post-processing.
Tasmanian Beach: Astrophotography Performance
I also took the 16mm out for a night beach shoot under the Milky Way, where I photographed my partner Jo and experimented with some creative light painting effects. The colours reflected beautifully on the white sands below, and the lens performed well in these challenging low-light conditions.
I found it really easy to focus on stars using manual focus, and bright monitoring worked well with the lens. My experience using it in an astrophotography setting was straightforward and matched what I’d expect from a lens in Sony’s wide-angle lineup. The Sony 16mm lens handheld long exposure capabilities proved useful here too, and the 16mm focal length provided a nice balance for Milky Way shots, offering more sky coverage than the 20mm while being more manageable than the ultra-wide 14mm for compositions that include foreground elements.
Mount Field National Park: Close-Focus Capabilities
At Lake Dobson in Mount Field National Park, I discovered the lens’s second major surprise: its exceptional close-focus capabilities. With a minimum focus distance of just 13cm in manual focus mode, I could get incredibly close to small subjects while maintaining that ultra-wide perspective.
I found that switching to manual focus and using my body to fine-tune the distance worked better than relying solely on autofocus for these extreme close-ups. You manually focus to the minimum distance, then physically move the camera closer or further until your subject snaps into focus. This technique opened up creative possibilities I hadn’t considered when first picking up the lens.
The pandani grove at Lake Dobson provided excellent subjects for using this close-focus capability, and I was genuinely surprised to find myself reaching for this lens repeatedly rather than switching to other options in my kit.
Key Learnings
Three major discoveries emerged from my time with the 16mm f/1.8 G that I genuinely hadn’t expected.
First, the handheld long exposure capability. The combination of ultra-wide focal length, compact size, and excellent image stabilisation support creates a lens that’s uniquely suited to handheld night photography. This would make it excellent for Sony 16mm close focus photography applications as well as handheld aurora timelapses or any situation where tripod setup isn’t practical.
Second, the close-focus performance transforms this from purely a landscape lens into something capable of intimate nature photography. The 13cm minimum focus distance with that ultra-wide perspective creates a unique look that’s different from traditional macro work.
Third, the size advantage is more significant than specifications suggest. When you’re carrying a heavy 12-24mm f/2.8 GM as your primary landscape lens, adding this 16mm as your astrophotography option barely registers in your bag. It’s there when you need it without the weight penalty.
In terms of image quality, corner sharpness shows some compromise compared to the 14mm f/1.8 GM, but that’s expected given the size and price difference. For most applications, particularly when you’re benefiting from the size advantage, this trade-off feels worthwhile.
Where It Fits in My Kit
The 16mm f/1.8 G occupies an interesting position in Sony’s wide-angle lineup. Compared to the 20mm f/1.8 G, I’d choose the 16mm for Milky Way photography where I want to include more of the sky, for handheld long exposures, or when I need to get very close to subjects. The 20mm would win for aurora photography where I want the aurora to appear larger in the frame.
Against the 14mm f/1.8 GM, the choice becomes about priorities. The 14mm is optically superior and offers that extra 2mm of width that can be crucial for some compositions. However, the 16mm’s size advantage, filter compatibility, and close-focus capabilities give it distinct use cases where it would be my first choice.
For zoom lens users, if you already have the 12-24mm f/2.8 GM covering this focal length, the 16mm’s value comes down to those specific scenarios: low-light street photography, handheld astrophotography, intimate landscape work, or any situation where the weight savings matter.
Who would benefit most from this lens? Anyone doing handheld low-light photography, astrophotographers who want a lightweight option, landscape photographers who find 20mm too restrictive but can’t justify the cost of the 14mm GM, or anyone who values having a capable wide-angle lens that doesn’t dominate their camera bag.
Would I purchase it for my kit? If I didn’t already own the 14mm f/1.8 GM, this would be a no-brainer. Given that I do have the 14mm, the decision comes down to how much I value the size and weight savings for specific shooting scenarios. The capabilities I discovered during this review period certainly make a compelling case, and it’s definitely on my wish list.
The Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G proves that sometimes the most surprising discoveries come from lenses that initially seem like simple gap-fillers in a lineup. Its combination of compact wide-angle lens Sony engineering, close-focus capability, and excellent handheld performance creates a lens with a distinct personality that earns its place in the kit through capability rather than specifications alone.
For more information about the Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G, visit Sony Australia’s product page.