Compare lenses

Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G vs Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A

The Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G and the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A side by side, computed from this guide's catalogue.

Which to pick

Pick the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A if you want a fit on more cameras (106 against 41 in this guide). On these specs the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G has no clear advantage: choose it if the price, the handling or a lens you own decides it.

Still torn? Ask the guide about the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G and the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A

Specs side by side

Rows that differ are in full colour; the better value is marked where one is better by any measure.
Spec	Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G	Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A
Maker	Sony	Tamron
Focal length	16-55mm (zoom)	16-50mm (zoom)
Full-frame equivalent	24-82mm on APS-C	24-75mm on APS-C
Maximum aperture	f/2.8	f/2.8
Made for	APS-C	APS-C
Mounts	Sony E	Sony E, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X, Canon RF
Stabilised	no	no
Autofocus	yes	yes
Zoom range	3.4×	3.1×
Weight	494 g	not listed
Cameras it fits	41 in this guide	106 in this guidefits more cameras

Focal range, in full-frame terms

Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G: 16-55mm on APS-C, like 24-82mm.

Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A: 16-50mm on APS-C, like 24-75mm.

Aperture

Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G: f/2.8 wide open.

Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A: f/2.8 wide open.

Each opening drawn to scale against f/1.4: a smaller f-number lets in more light and blurs the background more.

Field of view

How wide each sees, at each end, on the sensor it was made for.

Cameras they fit

41 cameras in this guide take both, so either works on the same body. In all, the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G fits 41 and the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A 106.