Samsung NX 16mm F2 4 Pancake Review | 54 Data compared

The Samsung NX 16 mm f/2.4 is a highly capable "pancake" lens for the NX mirrorless system that balances a compact, lightweight, and solid casing with impressive optical performance. Structurally, it earns praise for its fast and accurate autofocus mechanism and its ability to handle shooting against bright light effectively. Optically, the lens delivers very good image quality in the center of the frame and maintains decent performance on the edges when stepped down. Furthermore, it keeps technical flaws like chromatic aberration and astigmatism to a negligible minimum. When compared to market rivals like the Sony E 16 mm f/2.8 or the Panasonic G 14 mm f/2.5 ASPH, the Samsung stands out as a faster, more affordable, and optically superior choice. However, the lens is held back by notable optical compromises, particularly when shot wide open. At its maximum relative aperture, users will experience significant coma and soft image quality along the extreme edges of the frame. The lens also suffers from large amounts of distortion and pronounced vignetting that require correction. Despite these flaws, the reviewer considers it a...

However, the lineup suffers from noticeable drawbacks, primarily involving high chromatic aberration and inconsistent edge-to-edge performance across several models. For instance, while the NX 16mm f/2.4 pancake lens provides low distortion, its excellent performance is dampened by high levels of lateral chromatic aberration. Similarly, the NX 60mm f/2.8 Macro features excellent transmission and vignetting control, but is also held back by rather high color fringing. Pricing is another mixed bag; while the 85mm and 60mm lenses are excellent values compared to rivals, the NX 45mm f/1.8 feels overpriced at $350 given that it lacks the built-in stabilization and uniform sharpness found in cheaper competitor lenses.

The Samsung 16mm F2.4 Pancake is a compact, lightweight (75g) wide-angle prime lens designed for the Samsung NX system, originally retailing for a recommended price of 349€. In terms of build quality, it features a good, pleasant-in-the-hand feel with a metallic-coated mount, though it lacks an AF/MF switch and integrated optical image stabilisation (OIS). Its autofocus speed and noise emission are average compared to other NX lenses. However, because wide-angle pancake lenses heavily rely on software corrections to mask severe raw vignetting and barrel distortion, post-processing reserves in Lightroom can be heavily limited. The performance of the lens heavily relies on chosen apertures, presenting distinct optical pros and cons. On the positive side, center sharpness is near good wide open and peaks at f4 and f5.6, flare resistance is decent when shooting against the sun, and the front element does not rotate, making it friendly for polarizing filters. On the negative side, the midframe and corners never get truly sharp, with corners showing extreme softness and low contrast wide open. Chromatic aberration is present around the size of one pixel,...

The Focus Review of the Samsung NX 16 mm f/2.4 highlights it as a highly capable pancake wide-angle lens designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras, functioning effectively as a 24 mm equivalent lens on a full-frame sensor. The pros of this lens include its incredibly flat, feather-light construction—measuring just 23 mm deep and weighing 72 grams—which transforms cameras like the NX300 or NX500 into true pocket-sized options. Optically, the reviewer praises its outstanding center sharpness, low shop price (under 250 euros), and built-in iFunction (iFn) technology. Furthermore, software corrections in the camera handle potential wide-angle issues nicely by thoroughly cleaning up distortion, vignetting, and chromatic aberration. On the other hand, the review points out several cons that buyers should consider. The lens lacks built-in image stabilization, which leaves it reliant on stable holding in low-light situations. Despite the effective lens coatings, it can suffer from notable flare under bright backlighting conditions, and a lens hood is missing from the standard package. Manual focus handling is another drawback, as the electronic "focus-by-wire" system operates on a narrow, rubbery distance ring that suffers...

The primary advantages of this lens include its exceptionally compact form factor, low weight, and a maximum aperture of f/2.4, which is faster than the average lens in its category. Additionally, its autofocus mechanism operates quickly and nearly silently, and manual focusing is easy to control accurately through the camera's magnified focus view. On the downside, the lens relies on an extension system that causes the inner barrel to protrude slightly when focusing closely. It also lacks a physical AF/MF toggle switch on the lens body itself, requiring users to change focus modes via the camera menu, and uses a focus-by-wire manual system that may not appeal to all photographers.

The Samsung 16mm f/2.4 Ultra Wide Pancake NX Lens is a small, fast, wide-angle optic designed for the Samsung NX mirrorless camera system. Equaling a 24mm field of view in full-frame photography, it offers an expansive perspective that excels at field shooting but requires care to avoid perspective distortion. Weighing just 2.6 ounces and measuring under an inch thick, this compact pancake lens pairs exceptionally well with smaller camera bodies like the NX1000. Testing reveals that in-camera correction virtually eliminates barrel distortion. Furthermore, center sharpness is impressive right from the maximum aperture, where it outshines its direct competitor, the Sony SEL16F28. However, the lens has notable drawbacks, primarily its premium price tag of $349 and soft corner performance when shot wide open at f/2.4. To achieve optimal sharpness across the entire frame, users must stop the aperture down to f/4, where performance clears the benchmark for a sharp photo. Because its ultra-wide field of view can be difficult to master, the reviewer notes that the slightly narrower Samsung 20mm f/2.8 NX lens serves as a more versatile and less extreme...