Sony E PZ 16-300mm F/3.5-8 G OSS is rumored to be coming soon

Another lens from Sony is rumored to be underway. Information insiders share reveals that the Sony E PZ 16-300mm F/3.5-8 G OSS is coming between September and November.

According to Sony Addict, the lens will feature an electronic zoom, better aberration control, low dispersion performance, and better resolution performance than similar lenses. The lens is also designed to minimize focus breathing.

Source: Sony Photography News

Interestingly, the information shared by Sony Addict seems to originate from Weibo. We unfortunately cannot verify the original post. However, another source has shared similar information. Sony Alpha Rumor revealed they have received the following information from an anonymous source:

SONY will release the E PZ 16-300mm F3.5-8 G OSS between September and November. This power zoom parfocal lens boasts excellent aberration control, low dispersion, high resolution, and minimal breathing effect. The smaller diameter of the barrel makes it easier for the electric motor to push the barrel to zoom as it has a small aperture.

Given that the source of the information is anonymous, we do recommend that the information presented here should be taken with a pinch of salt.

What we expect from this lens

There is very little information about the lens but we do know a few things based on the name. The upcoming superzoom will be a lens for APS-C (cropped) cameras and it will have optical image stabilization built-in. This means that the lens will have image stabilization when paired with mirrorless cameras that do not have in-body image stabilization.

Being a powered zoom lens, we assume that the Sony E PZ 16-300mm F/3.5-8 will feature a zoom switch and electronic zoom ring similar to the Sony E PZ 18-105mm G. The only question now is how fast will the electronic zoom be given the superzoom focal range of 16mm to 300mm.

The rumored Sony E PZ 16-300mm F/3.5-8 G OSS will be a perfect walkaround lens when paired with a small APS-C mirrorless like the a6700. With the equivalent of 24-450mm on full-frame, the lens will be wide enough for travel and landscapes while having plenty of reach at the telephoto end. The lens should also work well with the Sony FX30 for video work.

There will be some caveats when using a superzoom like this. The minimum aperture of F/8 on the telephoto end means that you can only use the long end during daytime without cranking up the ISO. Superzooms aren’t known for their image quality and we expect that the new lens will perform similarly. Corner sharpness will be an issue, especially at the longer end.

Although there isn’t that much information about the lens, we gather that it will have its audience given that it is a one-lens solution for travel and general-purpose photography. The only question now is how much will this lens cost. Hopefully, we won't be waiting too long to find out.