Buy new:
To see product details, add this item to your cart.
Ships from: Focus Camera LLC
Sold by: Focus Camera LLC
To see product details, add this item to your cart. You can always remove it later.
To see product details, add this item to your cart. You can always remove it later.
FREE Returns
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Other Sellers on Amazon
Added
Sold by: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
Shipping rates and Return policy
Added
Sold by: Focus Camera LLC
Sold by: Focus Camera LLC
(114150 ratings)
93% positive over last 12 months
Shipping rates and Return policy
Added
Sold by: AVC Photo Store & Studio
Sold by: AVC Photo Store & Studio
(5 ratings)
80% positive over lifetime
Shipping rates and Return policy

Sony SEL1670Z Vario-Tessar T E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 142 ratings

To see product details, add this item to your cart. You can always remove it later.
Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping.
Lens Only

Purchase options and add-ons

Brand Sony
Focal Length Description 16-70 millimeters
Lens Type Standard
Compatible Mountings Sony E
Camera Lens Description 70 month

About this item

  • Carl Zeiss mid-range zoom lens; Compatible with E-mount Full Frame cameras and E-mount APS-C cameras
  • Minimum Focus Distance : 1.15 feet (0.35 m), Maximum Magnification ratio : 0.23x, Focal Length : 16-70 mm
  • High lens technology in a compact body. Filter Diameter (mm) - 55 mm
  • Optical Steady Shot image stabilization. Zeiss T anti-reflective coating
  • When using a flash, always remove the lens hood and shoot at least 1 m (3.3 feet) away from your subject. Angle of View (APS-C): 83°-23°
Serve a springtime stunner
Get ready for Easter Learn more

Frequently bought together

$798.00
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Only 4 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
$40.93
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
$59.00
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
In Stock
Sold by Focus Camera LLC and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Choose items to buy together.

Important information

Legal Disclaimer

Must be at least 18 & over to purchase

Compare with similar items

This Item
Sony SEL1670Z Vario-Tessar T E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS
Sony SEL1670Z Vario-Tessar T E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS
Recommendations
18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary for Sony E Black
dummy
Sony SEL1670Z Vario-Tessar T E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS (Renewed)
dummy
Sony Vario-Tessar T E 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens
dummy
Sony SELP18105G E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS , Black
dummy
Sigma 30mm F1.4 Contemporary DC DN Lens for Sony E Black
Details
Added to Cart
Details
Added to Cart
Details
Added to Cart
Details
Added to Cart
Details
Added to Cart
Details
Added to Cart
Price$798.00$539.00-37% $499.00
New Price:$798.00
$798.00-16% $548.00
List:$649.99
$284.00
Delivery
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Get it as soon as Tomorrow, Mar 29
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Customer Ratings
Image stabilization
5.0
3.2
4.5
3.9
Auto focus
5.0
4.7
4.3
4.4
Picture quality
4.2
4.8
4.2
4.7
Quality of material
4.0
4.4
4.8
Sold By
Amazon.com
Digital Goja
Minty Gadgets (we track serial numbers)
AVC Photo Store & Studio
Amazon.com
Digital Goja
lens type
Standard
Standard
Telephoto
zoom
Wide Angle, Telephoto
Wide Angle
compatible mountings
Sony E
Sony E
Sony E
Sony E
Sony E
Sony E
lens design
Zoom
Prime
Zoom
Zoom
Zoom
Prime
focus type
Auto Focus
Auto Focus
Stepper motor
Auto/Manual
Stepper motor
Auto Focus
minimum focal length
16 millimeters
16 millimeters
13.78 millimeters
18 millimeters
30 millimeters
max focal length
70 millimeters
70 millimeters
70 millimeters
105 millimeters
30 millimeters
fixed focal length
70 millimeters
50 millimeters
70 millimeters
105 millimeters
105 millimeters
1 millimeters

Looking for specific info?

Product information

Warranty & Support

Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here. [PDF ]

Feedback

Sony

Sony SEL1670Z Vario-Tessar T E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS


Found a lower price? Let us know. Although we can't match every price reported, we'll use your feedback to ensure that our prices remain competitive.

Where did you see a lower price?

/
/
/
/
Please sign in to provide feedback.

What's in the box

  • Hood (ALC-SH127)
  • Lens front cap
  • Lens rear cap
  • Case
  • Product guides and documents

    Product Description

    Product Description

    Outstanding contrast and resolution throughout the image area at all zoom settings are the hallmark of this high-performance Carl Zeiss mid-range zoom lens The latest advances in optical design technology have made it possible to deliver prized Carl Zeiss contrast and clarity in a high-performance mid-range zoom. Four aspherical elements combine with one ED glass element to bring you breathtaking rendering. When changing your aperture to defocus the background, the light sources appear blurred. This ‘bokeh’ effect of the blurred background can be enhanced with circular aperture blades used in this lens. Conventional aperture blades have flat sides creating unappealing polygonal shaped defocussed points of light. α lenses overcome this problem through a unique design that keeps the aperture almost perfectly circular from its wide-open setting to when it is closed by 2 stops. Smoother, more natural defocusing can be obtained as a result. As focal lengths get longer, lenses built with conventional optical glass have difficulties with chromatic aberration, and as a result images suffer from lower contrast, lower color quality, and lower resolution. ED glass dramatically reduces chromatic aberration at telephoto ranges, and provides superior contrast across the entire image, even at large aperture settings. Super ED glass provides enhanced compensation for chromatic aberration. Aspherical lens design dramatically reduces spherical aberration while also reducing lens size and weight. Spherical aberration is a slight misalignment of the light rays projected on the image plane. This is caused by differences in refraction at different points on conventional spherical lenses which degrade image quality in large-aperture lenses. Specially shaped “aspherical” elements near the diaphragm restore alignment of light rays at the image plane, maintaining high sharpness and contrast even at maximum aperture and can also be used at other points in the optical path to reduce distortion. Well-designed aspherical elements can reduce the total number of elements required in the lens, thus reducing overall size and weight. Advanced Aspherical (AA) elements are an evolved variant, featuring an extremely high thickness ratio between the center and periphery. AA elements are exceedingly difficult to produce, relying on the most advanced molding technology to consistently and precisely achieve the required shape and surface accuracy, resulting in significantly improved image accuracy and quality. Coated optics were pioneered by Carl Zeiss - and this superb lens features the Carl Zeiss T* (T-Star) coating that virtually eliminates lens flare, internal reflection and light scattering that can otherwise occur at glass-to-air surfaces. The T* coating contributes to outstanding image quality, with high contrast and uniformly excellent resolution right out to the image edges. Not simply applied to any lens - the T* symbol only appears on multi-element lenses in which the required performance has been achieved throughout the entire optical path, therefore guaranteeing the highest quality. Gyro sensors built into the lens detect even the slightest movement, and the stabilization lens is precisely shifted to counteract any image blur that might occur. The use of precision, quiet linear motors and technology inherited from high-end Sony professional camcorders results in exceptionally quiet, effective image stabilization that contributes to high-quality movies as well as stills. Only the middle groups of the optical system move to achieve focus, so the overall length of the lens does not change. Other important benefits include fast autofocusing and a short minimum focusing distance. Also, the filter thread at the front of the lens does not rotate, which is convenient if you’re using a polarizing filter. 2013 Sony Electronics All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony is not responsible for typographical and photographic errors. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice. All rights reserved. Sony, the Sony logo, Alpha, (a) and Super SteadyShot are trademarks of Sony. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.

    From the Manufacturer

    Vario-Tessar T* E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS Lens

    The latest advances in optical design technology have made it possible to deliver prized Carl Zeiss contrast and clarity in a high-performance mid-range zoom. Four aspherical elements combine with one ED glass element to bring you breathtaking rendering.

    Technology

    Circular Aperture

    When changing your aperture to defocus the background, the light sources appear blurred. This ‘bokeh’ effect of the blurred background can be enhanced with circular aperture blades used in this lens. Conventional aperture blades have flat sides creating unappealing polygonal shaped defocussed points of light. α lenses overcome this problem through a unique design that keeps the aperture almost perfectly circular from its wide-open setting to when it is closed by 2 stops. Smoother, more natural defocusing can be obtained as a result.

    ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass

    As focal lengths get longer, lenses built with conventional optical glass have difficulties with chromatic aberration, and as a result images suffer from lower contrast, lower color quality, and lower resolution. ED glass dramatically reduces chromatic aberration at telephoto ranges, and provides superior contrast across the entire image, even at large aperture settings. Super ED glass provides enhanced compensation for chromatic aberration.

    Aspherical lens elements

    Aspherical lens design dramatically reduces spherical aberration while also reducing lens size and weight. Spherical aberration is a slight misalignment of the light rays projected on the image plane. This is caused by differences in refraction at different points on conventional spherical lenses which degrade image quality in large-aperture lenses. Specially shaped “aspherical” elements near the diaphragm restore alignment of light rays at the image plane, maintaining high sharpness and contrast even at maximum aperture and can also be used at other points in the optical path to reduce distortion. Well-designed aspherical elements can reduce the total number of elements required in the lens, thus reducing overall size and weight. Advanced Aspherical (AA) elements are an evolved variant, featuring an extremely high thickness ratio between the center and periphery. AA elements are exceedingly difficult to produce, relying on the most advanced molding technology to consistently and precisely achieve the required shape and surface accuracy, resulting in significantly improved image accuracy and quality.

    Carl Zeiss T* (T-star) coating

    Coated optics were pioneered by Carl Zeiss - and this superb lens features the Carl Zeiss T* (T-Star) coating that virtually eliminates lens flare, internal reflection and light scattering that can otherwise occur at glass-to-air surfaces. The T* coating contributes to outstanding image quality, with high contrast and uniformly excellent resolution right out to the image edges. Not simply applied to any lens - the T* symbol only appears on multi-element lenses in which the required performance has been achieved throughout the entire optical path, therefore guaranteeing the highest quality.

    Lens-based optical image stabilization

    Gyro sensors built into the lens detect even the slightest movement, and the stabilization lens is precisely shifted to counteract any image blur that might occur. The use of precision, quiet linear motors and technology inherited from high-end Sony professional camcorders results in exceptionally quiet, effective image stabilization that contributes to high-quality movies as well as stills.

    Additional Features

    Internal focusing

    Only the middle groups of the optical system move to achieve focus, so the overall length of the lens does not change. Other important benefits include fast autofocusing and a short minimum focusing distance. Also, the filter thread at the front of the lens does not rotate, which is convenient if you’re using a polarizing filter.

    2013 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony is not responsible for typographical and photographic errors. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice. All rights reserved. Sony, the Sony logo, Alpha, (a) and Super SteadyShot are trademarks of Sony. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.

    Customer reviews

    4.1 out of 5 stars
    4.1 out of 5
    142 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the sharpness, color rendering, and contrast of the lens. They mention that it produces much more saturated colors, and that it's a pleasant lens to work with. Customers also appreciate the zoom range, and build quality. However, some customers differ on value.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    29 customers mention25 positive4 negative

    Customers like the sharpness of the lens. They mention that the center sharpness was superb, and the lens is sharp optically and mechanically very smooth to operate. They also say that the image is sharp and the corners and edges tend to sharpen up nicely by stopping down just to f.

    "...like the pixel count on the camera, rest assured that this lens is very sharp and provides extremely detailed pictures that are utterly crisp and..." Read more

    "...Too bad as this one was very sharp and I am left to wonder if the replacement will be as least as good.." Read more

    "...Now onto the positives: the center is extremely sharp even at f/4.0, bokeh is very pleasant, it is ultra light compared to similar f/4 zoom lenses,..." Read more

    "...Lens it's delightfully sharp, and way sharper than you would expect from a 24-105 equivalent zoom lens...." Read more

    26 customers mention23 positive3 negative

    Customers like the quality of the camera lens. They mention it's an excellent lens, works great, and is pleasant to work with. Some say that the lens is lightweight and handles well. Overall, most are satisfied with the quality and functionality of the lens.

    "...Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent lens, it really feels good in the hand and is not too heavy or large...." Read more

    "...If price matters to you, the kit lens is pretty darn good (90%) and a bargain when purchased with a NEX body...." Read more

    "...cons: First the pros; this is a lightweight lens that compliments the NEX system well...." Read more

    "...I’ll update this if I notice any problems, but so far I think the lens is great. And again, looks like I got lucky in getting a good copy." Read more

    24 customers mention24 positive0 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the color rendering and contrast of the lens. They mention that it produces much more saturated colors than the other two kit lenses, and that the images are crisp and clear. The glass resolves colors sufficient enough for the price. Some say that the lens is very sharp and provides extremely detailed pictures that are utterly crisp. Overall, most are happy with the purchase and recommend it to others.

    "...camera, rest assured that this lens is very sharp and provides extremely detailed pictures that are utterly crisp and have absolute stunning colors..." Read more

    "...I used it a great deal, liking its compactness, light weight, and inconspicuity, but I also recognized its limitations, such as its slow-and-slower..." Read more

    "...the positives: the center is extremely sharp even at f/4.0, bokeh is very pleasant, it is ultra light compared to similar f/4 zoom lenses, and the..." Read more

    "...The best part are the Zeiss characteristics of this lens. The color is great, and realistic, not oversaturated...." Read more

    21 customers mention21 positive0 negative

    Customers like the zoom of the camera lens. They say it has an excellent zoom range and size. Some customers also say it's a great walk-around zoom lens with a wonderful useful focal length range. The zoom action is smooth and silky, making it great for all-around shooting.

    "...And fortunately, this is exactly what you get - superior optical performance in the areas of contrast, color rendition, vignetting, and distortion...." Read more

    "...The zoom action is very smooth but the manual focus ring is a little narrow and you don't have to turn it much to overshoot your focus, I am spoiled..." Read more

    "...f/4 zoom lenses, and the range covered makes it in theory a fantastic travel lens. You also get a nice blue Zeiss logo on the lens...." Read more

    "...Both have Optical Image Stabilization. The Zeiss has a slightly longer zoom range and a constant f4 aperture at any focal length, whereas the kit..." Read more

    15 customers mention12 positive3 negative

    Customers like the size of the lens. They mention it's clear, sharp, and compact for the focal range. Some say that it'll be the perfect size and weight lens for their camera. Overall, most are satisfied with the size and quality of the product.

    "...I used it a great deal, liking its compactness, light weight, and inconspicuity, but I also recognized its limitations, such as its slow-and-slower..." Read more

    "...I liked the focal range, the constant f4 aperture, the somewhat compact size, the chance for high quality contrast, color and images from Zeiss...." Read more

    "...The size of the lens is good and feels solid, but not L class solid...." Read more

    "...The lens is not too large and handles well." Read more

    14 customers mention14 positive0 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the build quality of the lens. They mention that it is well-made, above the quality described, and a solid performing lens. The size of the camera lens is good and feels solid. Overall, it is a good choice for quality Sony a6xxx mid zoom lenses.

    "...as the kit zoom and weighs 3-1/2 times as much because it's solid metal and glass. It isn't stealthy...." Read more

    "...If you are a genuine photography enthusiast who wants a well built regular zoom lens that won't hold you back and will allow you to get the most..." Read more

    "...the Zeiss lens is built with better materials, metal barrel, precision manufacture. Of course it's image quality that counts most...." Read more

    "...The quality of the optics is definitely great, you get a lot more sharpness/contrast/chrome aberration than the standard kit lenses...." Read more

    11 customers mention11 positive0 negative

    Customers like the weight of the lens. They mention it's lightweight, compact, and has a great balance.

    "...is an excellent lens, it really feels good in the hand and is not too heavy or large. It has very good close focus and the OSS works well...." Read more

    "...I used it a great deal, liking its compactness, light weight, and inconspicuity, but I also recognized its limitations, such as its slow-and-slower..." Read more

    "...is extremely sharp even at f/4.0, bokeh is very pleasant, it is ultra light compared to similar f/4 zoom lenses, and the range covered makes it in..." Read more

    "...The build quality is as good as a $1k lens should be. The weight is a great balance on the a6000. Second, the image quality is excellent!..." Read more

    29 customers mention10 positive19 negative

    Customers are mixed about the value of the lens. Some mention that it's well worth the cost, with reliable focus and fast in single shot. However, others say that it was a waste of money buying this lens. They say that the lens is expensive and is F4 at best.

    "...The lens fussed a bit at first, it wouldn't focus and made a few 'interesting' whirring noises...." Read more

    "...So, in summary, is this lens worth the hefty price tag? In my opinion, it is worth every penny of it...." Read more

    "...It is not cheap. I probably couldn't afford it, but I'd buy it again, and recommend it to you...." Read more

    "...I was a bit offended by the high price, which I believe takes advantage of the customer who expects miracles from Zeiss...." Read more

    Would Be Perfecf if Not so Flawed
    3 Stars
    Would Be Perfecf if Not so Flawed
    There is a lot to like about this lens and there is a lot I like about this lens but at the end of the day, it is being returned. I have wanted this lens for well over a year now. I liked the focal range, the constant f4 aperture, the somewhat compact size, the chance for high quality contrast, color and images from Zeiss. It just seemed to be the type of lens you leave on for 90% of the time. However, I have read a number of reviews and while many people praise this lens, there are a lot of people who were disappointed with it for a variety of reasons. The overarching reason seems to be the quality control with this lens and that turns out to be the reason I returned it.Most of the complaints I’ve read have focused on the decentered issue with this lens in having an imbalance between corner and even center sharpness and softness. I have to say, that testing the lens for the short time I had with it, there did seem to be some issues with some corners being softer than others but for me it wasn’t horrible and the center sharpness was superb and more comparable to a good prime than I expected. Center sharpness was good to great through most of the range and apertures and while the corners were not consistent with each other or themselves at different ranges and apertures, they were decent.The only zoom lenses I own are the kit 16-50 and the 18-105 f4 so I can really only compare the lens to these two lenses without going into comparing this to a prime. It was far and away better than the kit lens as expected in terms of the constant aperture, the focal range, and image quality in general. I also expected it to be slightly better in image quality than the 18-105 but felt the image was a good bit better than I expected making it a pleasant surprise. I really like the 18-105 but the Zeiss 16-70 was far more compact, slightly wider although losing distance, and the image quality seemed to noticeably surpass it.It sounds great so why did I return it? While I believe my copy was maybe slightly decentered, the image quality was still good so it came down to two issues I had with the lens. The first somewhat minor issue was the zoom ring. It was smooth until about the 50mm mark where it almost gets stuck making for very bad zooming if you’re using this for video. This might change with some breaking in but from my experience with Zeiss lenses, their rings are buttery smooth and this was disappointing to say the least.My second major issue the straw that broke the “cameras” back was what looks to be a large dust particle inside the lens. I have added pictures to show it. I know dust isn’t necessarily an issue inside the lens and I know that eventually even the best of lenses will get dust inside due to the nature of their design but for my new $1000 Zeiss lens that already has a sticky zoom ring and slightly decentered issue, I couldn’t justify keeping a brand new lens with a large piece of dust in it brand new. I have purchased a number of lenses on Amazon and none of my Zeiss or Sony lenses have ever got to me with a large piece of dust clearly inside the lens.In the end I want to like this lens for all the good that it has. The compact size for the focal range and fixed aperture not to mention good image quality for a zoom is really one of a kind for native E-mount glass. Add to that image stabilization, T* coating, and Zeiss colors and contrast and you have a truly amazing lens….on paper. In reality it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped and I’m not sure if there is something inherently flawed in the design or if this could be the amazing lens people want it to be if it just had good quality control. For now because of the potential it has and the image quality I have seen, I am comfortable giving this 3 stars.I’ve heard good copies of this lens exist and if that is true, I can still recommend taking the gamble to see if you get one. The price is high which is going to make me hold off on taking the gamble again right now, but unless Sony releases something similar to this soon I think I’ll probably end up taking the plunge again eventually. This could be the ultimate travel lens for Sony E-mount cameras but if you don’t want to take the gamble and don’t mind a bigger lens with slightly inferior image quality, the Sony 18-105 F4 PZ lens might be a better option at a fraction of the cost.(Pictures - 1.)16-70 on A6500 2.)Zeiss 24 f1.8 on left 16-70 f4 on right 3.) Dust inside brad new lens)
    Thank you for your feedback
    Sorry, there was an error
    Sorry we couldn't load the review

    Top reviews from the United States

    Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2014
    Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase
    92 people found this helpful
    Report
    Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2013
    Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase
    28 people found this helpful
    Report
    Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2021
    Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect (but $pendy) Replacement for the Sony 16-50 Starter Lens
    Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2021
    I have long been perfectly content with my Sony 16-50mm "kit" lens. I used it a great deal, liking its compactness, light weight, and inconspicuity, but I also recognized its limitations, such as its slow-and-slower f/3.5-5.6 variable aperture, and the fact that it was only a 3X zoom.

    This Mighty Zeiss is a 4X zoom, but it's 3X as long as the kit zoom and weighs 3-1/2 times as much because it's solid metal and glass. It isn't stealthy. It has a crisp no-nonsense professional look, as it should, being Zeiss badged and producing professional image quality. It also holds f/4.0 throughout its 4X range, equivalent to 24-105mm (full-frame).

    It is not cheap. I probably couldn't afford it, but I'd buy it again, and recommend it to you.

    I carefully read many reviews and saw complaints, especially about the lenses arriving decentered. At unboxing, I tested and found no flaws at all. I've been using it almost daily for 3 months now and it is my walkabout lens, often paired with my new-to-me Sony SEL1018 10-18mm Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (Renewed). Together they give a really useful range from 15mm to 105mm, but if I go out with just one lens, it will be the 16-70 f/4 Zeiss.
    Images in this review
    Customer image Customer image Customer image Customer image Customer image Customer image Customer image Customer image
    Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer imageCustomer imageCustomer imageCustomer imageCustomer imageCustomer image
    5 people found this helpful
    Report

    Top reviews from other countries

    Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on January 29, 2018
    Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase
    One person found this helpful
    Report
    Raju Mudunuri
    5.0 out of 5 stars Received as promised! Great service!
    Reviewed in India on October 18, 2017
    Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase
    One person found this helpful
    Report