The DA35/2.4 is very good wide open, while the DA*16-50 should normally be stopped down to f/3.2 or f/3.5 - possibly f/4. That makes the DA35/2.4 nearly 1.5 stops faster for similar IQ. I usually shoot primes, but I love the DA*16-50 when I need to take a bunch of shots of the landscaping around a house, for example. That's a case where the zoom is wonderful to have, and the quality is still very good.
I will say that I specifically chose the DA*16-50 because the quality was just good enough for me to be happy as a prime shooter. Photos I saw from the Sigma and Tamron alternatives weren't quite as good as I wanted. The DA*16-50 is one of the last lenses I purchased, and I probably put it off too long. After I got it I relaxed, and no longer had an urgency to get more primes within its range (although now I'm well covered there too).
I'd get the DA*16-50 and see if it's enough for you. If you still want the DA35/2.4 after that, at least it's not too expensive.
Last edited by DSims; 10-13-2013 at 02:03 PM.
|