Sony AF DT 16-105mm f/3.5-5.6

Best zoom lens for SONY Alpha APS-C cameras for this price This is definitely one of the best lenses for SONY Alpha APS-C cameras. It produces good pictures even at minimum aperture values for any focus lengths between 16-105mm. This is quite unusual for zoom lenses, especially with such zoom factor (about 6.56x). Most of them produce big aberrations and distortions - this statement is definitely not concern with SAL16105. It has fast-focus and good colors. Other manufacturers simply don't have lenses with similar characteristics. SAL16105 is the best choice within this price. It gives you super-wide creativity freedom with best picture quality, which most of zoom lenses can't.

Great walk around lens for Sony a55 This lens has a superb focal length and a very good build quality, it is pretty fast focusing and sharp at almost any length and aperture. One stop down and your pictures are really very crisp. The lens also controls CA pretty well, and ghosting. The bokeh is decent. I really like this lens, almost as much as the more expensive Carl Zeiss. You can usually find this lens for a great price used and with the build quality it's usually in great shape too. Highly recommended lens.

The useful lens for Travel This lens is a very useful size and weight to carry about - and gives an effective 24 - 150mm focal length range on reduced sensor size. For most travel work, panorama, scenic, or people, this is all I would need most of the time. So you could leave it on the camera most of the time. It is fighting for survival against my 18 - 250mm which is effectively 27 - 375mm on reduced sensor size ; not quite wide enough for crowded spaces but what a great total reach ! And their weight (obviously different) feels similar. In dusty locations I would want to ideally leave one lens attached, to minimise dust getting onto the sensor when changing lenses. So time will tell which one keeps its place in my camera bag.