Lens IQ comparison chart: E-mount wide angle [Sigma19 vs SEL16 vs SEL1855]

There is quite some consensus that the Sigma 19mm f/2.8 is a steal, providing great IQ for little money. The SEL16mm on the other hand is probably one of the most hated e-mount lenses, although there are quite a few people who obtain good results and are satisfied with its performace. Last but not least, people keep asking about the (old) kit lens, the SEL1855.

I wondered how those three lenses would compare in an one-on-one shoot-out, and how good or bad their performance really is, expressed numerically.

Just a couple of days ago, I discovered that test results of the Sigma 19 mm (MTF charts, Vignetting, CA) were published on photozone.de. I collected those numbers and put them up into a chart alongside the numbers of the SEL1628 and the SEL1855 [@18mm] - just to make it easier to compare them side by side.

Below is the chart. In summary, all three lenses are very good regarding center sharpness, but wide open, the Sigma literally destroys both SEL lenses at border and extreme corner sharpness. From around f/5.6 and onwards, the two Sonys actually can keep up with the Sigma and provide similar sharpness across the entire image as the Sigma.

Moreover, while the Sigma 19mm is certainly not a very good performer with regards to CA and vignetting, the two Sony lenses are substantially inferior in both domains.

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