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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

by Sony
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)

Price: $998.00 & FREE Shipping. Details
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Only 6 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
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  • 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

Frequently Bought Together

Sony SAL-1680Z 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T DT Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera + Sony Alpha Filter DSLR Lens Diameter 62mm + Sony NPFM500H Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery Pack for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Cameras - Retail Packaging
Price for all three: $1,102.62

These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers.

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Product Details

  • Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 3.2 x 3.5 inches ; 1.3 pounds
  • Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
  • ASIN: B000JE5CKA
  • Item model number: SAL-1680Z
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
  • Date first available at Amazon.com: October 4, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Enjoy using the professional-grade, compact, easy-to-carry Sony Carl Zeiss SAL-1680Z lens for your next photography session. Its precise optical design will make it one of your favorites. 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.

Features:

  • 5x Zoom Range: Smaller and lighter, it's the only 5x zoom lens designed specifically for the APS-size CCD imager used in the Sony α (Alpha) DSLR-A100 camera.
  • Glass-Molded Aspherical Lens Elements: Two glass-molded aspherical lens elements correct visual aberrations and improve picture quality across the entire zoom range.
  • Circular Aperture: Because aperture blades form a near circle at the wide openings used for low-light shots, spot-light sources have a pleasing circular defocused effect.
  • Auto Clutch: In auto-focus mode, the manual focus ring does not rotate--and in manual focusing, a wider focus ring provides a solid, hands-on feel.

Compatible Models
Sony NEX Handycam Camcorders, α290 (14.2 megapixel), α390 (14.2 megapixel), α500 (12.3 megapixel), α33 (14.2 megapixel), α55 (16.2 megapixel), α580 (16.2 megapixel).

What's in the Box:
Lens, front and rear lens cap, SH0005 lens hood.

Product Description

D1) SONY 16-80MM 3.5-4 ZEISS Lens

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
59 of 60 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great all-purpose zoom lens November 2, 2007
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.
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41 of 42 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Sony SAL-1680Z Lens Review September 14, 2007
Amazon Verified Purchase
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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36 of 40 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Zeiss Zoom Lens For Sony Alpha System November 3, 2007
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Zeiss!! cheapest Zeiss and very sharp!
I got this at a good deal, it is still serving me, I send for servicing after it sent dead on me after 2 years.

The optics is just no comparison! Read more
Published 2 months ago by Kipling Peh
4.0 out of 5 stars Great lens
For still shots, this is a great overall lens. This has been my walk-around lens on my A65 for a few months. The clarity and color were amazing compared to the kit lens. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Tyson
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent lens.
I had the kit's lens 18-55 mm but I wanted sharper photos. With this CZ the quality image is great. Highly recommended.
Published 3 months ago by Juan Camilo Velez
5.0 out of 5 stars Great glass bad focus ring
Carl Zeis has the best glass, every thing I have taken pictures of has had great resolution, not evry pic has been great but was my fought not the lens, part must give credit to... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jack Yarbrough
5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary Photo Quality! OK price for a Zeiss!
For an amateur photographer, this is the lens that you want to put on your camera and leave it on... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Yano
2.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful images, shoddy workmanship
I purchased this lens as a walkabout for my α700, replacing some very old Minolta glass. The image quality out of the box was stunning - near uniform brightness with minimal... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Dap
5.0 out of 5 stars Sharp, Versatile, Beautiful Bokeh
I recently switched out my SAL-16105 for the Zeiss 1680Z, thinking that the upgraded optics and T coating would make up for the loss of range on the lens. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Kris
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice Build
I am a little above an amateur photographer but I can tell quality when I feel it. This lens is much more solid and weighty than the sony kit lens. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Donald G. Watson
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good optical performance under careful testing
I bought this lens as a factory refurb at a Sony store. Before buying, I tested it extensively against my Sony 16-105. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Tim Naff
5.0 out of 5 stars What a lens!
I was hesitant at first to order this lens thru Amazon warehouse deals Inc. These are open box and returned items and this lens has a tempermental character even when new... Read more
Published 18 months ago by sidedoor
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