”Pancake” lenses seem to play a very important role in mirrorless systems. A kit lens is mainly the standard device for amateur photographers, who perceive it as a “better compact camera” or a “smaller reflex camera”.

Sony 16mm f2.8 "Pancake" Lens (SEL16F28)
Highlights
- Lens is suitable for: Sony APS-C E-Mount Only
- Fitting: Sony E-Mount (APS-C & Full Frame)
- PRIME
- Wide PRIME
- Filter Size: 49mm
Product code: 79244 (4905524636635)
Sony 16mm f2.8 "Pancake" Lens (SEL16F28)
Special Price
£180.00
RRP £229 (SAVE £49.00)
Save £9.00 ! Previously £189.00
No used versions available
Product Details
- E-Mount Lens/APS-C Format
- 24mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/22
- One Aspherical Element
- Compact Pancake Design
- Internal Focus
- Seven-Blade Circular Diaphragm
Light, low-profile lens for everyday use
The SEL16F28 combines slimline design with a wide 16mm coverage and large F2.8 max aperture. An ideal lens, whether shooting cramped interiors or majestic scenery.
Coupled with α E-mount cameras from Sony, APS-C E-mount lenses deliver big camera performance.
Smooth defocusing
Instead of a standard polygon-shaped lens aperture, this lens features a 7-blade circular aperture for more natural, rounded defocusing or ‘bokeh’.
Refined optical performance
To optimise performance, aspherical lens elements maintain high contrast (even with the aperture wide open) and minimise distortion and flatness of the image plane.
Fast, agile focusing
An internal focusing mechanism means the lens barrel doesn’t move, enabling a more compact design, faster autofocus response, and reduced minimum focusing distances.
- Slim, compact, wide angle lens for everyday shooting
- Stylish, light design with high quality aluminium alloy barrel finish
- Ideal for everyday shooting with minimised weight and bulk when camera is carried in a coat pocket or bag
- Compatible with optional VCL-ECU1 ultra-wide converter and VCL-ECF1 fisheye converter
- High-performance optics with aspheric surface for excellent contrast and sharpness
- Smooth, quiet, high-speed autofocus and aperture adjustment: ideal for still and HD movie shooting
- 7-blade circular aperture for beautiful defocus effects
- Direct Manual Focus with non-rotating focus ring during AF: ideal for precise, comfortable manual focus adjustments
Product Reviews
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The Sony E 16mm F2.8 was one of Sony's first mirrorless lenses. It's still on sale, but is in dire need of an update for use with modern cameras.
The Sony E 16mm f/2.8 may be a controversial lens on lower resolution NEX cameras. However, it seems rather pointless to use it on the NEX 7 - 24 megapixel are way beyond the capabilities of this tiny lens. The center quality is certainly fine but the outer image region is extremely soft at max.
Sony E 16mm f/2.8 was one of the three lenses that Sony officially announced with the release of its new NEX system. Along with Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, it was also offered as one of the kit lens options for the original Sony NEX-3, NEX-5 and later NEX-C3 and NEX-5n.
It came with Nex kit.. and it is sharp centrally. It is light weight with full metal build.
Sony E 16mm F2.8 Pancake is an Auto Focus (AF) Wideangle Prime lens with APS-C / DX max sensor coverage and it is designed to be used with Sony E mount cameras. Lens Mount Sony E 16mm F2.8 Pancake is compatible with cameras that have Sony E lens mount.
The size of the lens make a NEX camera system almost pocketable. If you like the idea of a wide prime for your NEX camera, right now there's simply nothing else available. It's an interesting little lens, but its price point and its performance are perhaps limiting it to strictly consumer...
Purchased the pancake lens for use on the Sony A6400.So I can use it for street photography. First time out not disappointed.excellent results on the camera.
I wasn't too sure about this lens but I wanted the wide angle attachment and this was a prerequisite. However, it has proved to be a terrific standalone performer. It's fast, light and vey compact so is great for taking candid shots in the street when the swivelling screen of the Sony NEX-7 comes...
Purchased the pancake lens for use on the Sony A6400.So I can use it for street photography. First time out not disappointed.excellent results on the camera.
It's a good lens when you want your NEX to fit in a pocket. Don't expect to take good indoor pictures under normal light especially if the subject is moving. Don't ever take it to the beach or the focus will get stiff from sand in it. It really doesn't take much exposure for this to happen.
The lens has an ugly glow around any lights that hits directly the lens. It's anoying for a wide angle lens.
Well this little lens has proved to be better than I thought it would be, images captured with this on the Nex-5n are really quite sharp in the f5.6 to f8 range & any issues like fringing & distortion are removed easily by Adobe camera raw software, I took a few comparison shots using the 16mm...
Camera purchased to photograph business related objects and locations. 16mm lens produces way too much distortion. With the more practical available lenses, realistically this camera is the same size or larger than a normal sized DSLR camera.
The lens has an ugly glow around any lights that hits directly the lens. It's anoying for a wide angle lens.
Changes the look of the Sony NEX such that most people think it is a much cheaper camera so are astonished by the quality of the photos. A lot easier to carry around as the lens is so compact.
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