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Sony SAL-1680Z 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T DT Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera | 
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| Brand: Sony
Category: Photography
Buy New: $699.99
New (1) Used (2) from $649.00
Rating:  7 reviews
Media: Electronics
Optical Zoom: 5
Maximum Focal Length: 80
Minimum Focal Length: 16
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 3.2 x 3.5
MPN: SAL-1680Z
Model: SAL-1680Z
UPC: 027242694286
EAN: 0027242694286
ASIN: B000JE5CKA
Release Date: March 20, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | 5x zoom designed specifically for DSLR APS-size CCD | | • | Superb performance from wide angle to telephoto | | • | 2 glass-molded aspherical lenses for extra precision | | • | Circular aperture for pleasing defocused effects | | • | Auto clutch to stop manual focus ring rotation, wide focus ring for a solid feel in manual focusing |
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Product Description
The ultimate all-in-one zoom lens designed specifically for DSLR imaging. It's the first professional-grade 5X zoom lens specifically designed for APS-size CCD image sensors - providing incredible precision in a single compact, easy-to-carry lens that carries you from 24mm wide-angle to 120mm telephoto (35mm equivalent). Advanced Carl Zeiss optical design and anti-flare T Coating make this one of the most valued lenses in the world of digital photography.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 From a Zeiss Fanatic--> this lens is a dud. June 29, 2008
Harry M. Shin (Livermore, CA USA)
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
1. Obviously, most folks are going to disagree with me (which is fine), but this lens (which was widely anticipated by many people, including me) is a huge dissapointment.
2. I'm not an expert on Zeiss optics, but I'm probably more familiar that most folks who've written rave reviews on this lens. Prior to digital, I used Olympus, then Nikon and then Contax (with the Zeiss MM lens) system for many years. Compared to the Zeiss lens made for the Contax system, Hassy and even the current Zeiss lens made for the Nikon F Mount, and the two Zeiss Sony Primes along with the 24-70mm--> this 16-80mm appears and performs as if it was designed primarily for marketing purposes. The build is cheap, which I could kind of live with. What I can't live with is the performance: unacceptable vignetting and such crazy tolerances to which this lens was built so that even with a B+W slim 62mm UV filter--> you can actually see the filter when shooting at 16mm.
3. If you're used to and expect the build quality of a real Zeiss lens along with the optical performance of a Zeiss lens--> pass this one up and pray that more high quality optics will come along for the Sony full frame. Or check out the ZF line for the Nikon F mount.
 Sony Zeiss 16-80mm Zoom Lens December 18, 2007
Eduardo A. Nogueira (Campinas, SP, Brazil)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a fine zoom lens with superb optics. Construction is a bit less than desirable as it makes some strange noises and manual focus is not very smooth. Before I purchased this lens from Amazon, I read Cameralabs review (www.cameralabs.com) that indeed call attention to the very good optical quality and some construction problems. Based on that review I bought the lens and do not regret because the resulting photos are very good indeed.
Excellent Zeiss Zoom Lens For Sony Alpha System November 3, 2007
John Kwok (New York, NY USA)
20 out of 21 found this review helpful
This is an exceptional zoom lens which owners of Konica Minolta Maxxum SLR cameras as well as Sony Alpha SLR cameras should strongly consider adding to their kits. I recently had the opportunity to use it at this year's Photo Plus East and was quite impressed with the extremely high color saturation and resolution of this lens, trying it with the brand new flagship Sony Alpha 700 SLR camera. This lens is one of the reasons why I might consider adding the Sony Alpha system to my current camera kits; the others are the Zeiss 85mm f1.4 Planar and 135mm f1.8 Sonnar lenses. Quality-wise, I think these lenses compare favorably with the late, lamented autofocus Contax N-mount Zeiss lenses (Like those lenses the new Sony Alpha Zeiss lenses are built in Japan under strict Zeiss quality control, using designs made by Zeiss at its Oberkochen, Germany headquarters, where some Zeiss lenses are still being made for the Zeiss Ikon ZM rangefinder camera system and the Hasselblad "V" series medium format cameras. I am emphasizing this point only because one Sony representative at the show claimed that Zeiss doesn't build its lenses anywhere.). Without question, this lens is more expensive than its equivalent Sony/Konica Minolta peers, but serious amateurs and professionals using either Sony Alpha or Konica Minolta Maxxum cameras will soon realize that it is well worth its price.
Great all-purpose zoom lens November 2, 2007
D. H. Kim
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
I recently purchased SONY A700K, which is a A700 plus SONY 18-70 zoom lens bundle. The bundled lens turned out to be a nightmare. So I purchased this SAL-1680Z. Do I like it? Let me tell you.
If you really really care about sharpness, resolution, MTF, then get multiple prime lenses. No zoom lenses match any Minolta/Sony prime lenses in this category.
But if you can compromise a little bit (just a little bit) and want some 5x zoom convenience, look no further. This lens gives you all. Yes it is not cheap for a digital-format (1.5x FOV) lens, but in addition you get the "Zeiss" color: deep and classy.
Is it perfect? No, it shows some vignetting when wide open.
Bottom line: If you have Sony Alpha 700 (or 100) and if you want a zoom lens which you can use on almost any situation, save some money and get this.
Sony SAL-1680Z Lens Review September 14, 2007
Roger A. Krupski (Buffalo, NY, USA)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
I have been an amateur photographer for years, shooting with film cameras. When I purchased my old film camera, it came with an inexpensive "kit" lens that did not perform to my expectations. I ended up having to buy a new (and better) lens for it.
I recently purchased a Sony Alpha A100 digital camera with the 18-70 mm DT "kit" lens.
Although the camera itself performs admirably, the included lens was not as sharp and crisp as I wanted or expected.
So, as before with the film cameras, I purchased a better lens for the Sony Alpha - the SAL-1680Z 16-80 mm Carl Zeiss Zoom Lens.
The lens is obviously much better quality. It feels "tighter", and it's made in Japan rather than China. The lens is also heavier than typical "cheap" plastic lenses. Not "too heavy", but the kind of weight that says "quality".
However, the big difference came when I TRIED the lens and zoomed way into the resulting digital images.
This lens is razor sharp, with absolutely no chromatic abberation at any zoom length.
The only optical "problem" with this lens is a VERY slight vignetting in the extreme corners of the image when the lens is at full wide angle (16 mm). The field of view of this lens is so wide that lens attachments such as a protective UV filter ring must be chosen carefully so that they do not intrude into the image.
The zoom is smooth... the focus is super fast and scary precise.
The lens has an internal clutch which disengages the focus ring in auto focus mode. Cheap kit lenses do not have this feature.
This lens is amazingly good - it perfectly complements the Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera.
If you buy the Sony Alpha camera, you absolutely must get this Carl Zeiss lens or another lens of similar high quality, in order to take full advantage of what the camera can do.
Edit to add: I recently purchased an A-700 camera body. Of course, this lens also works with the A-700... and the resulting pictures are even better!
This lens rates 5 stars plus!
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