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Sony has released the E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II, a slightly revised version of its compact, retractable kit zoom.

The new version has an updated control chip that allows it to focus while zooming and makes it compatible with the company’s latest AF standards. This means it can autofocus at up to 120fps for stills or high frame-rate video.

The new version also communicates gyro information from its stabilization system to the camera body, allowing better coordination between the two.

The move from a metal lens mount to a plastic one helps reduce the weight from 116g to 107g (3.8oz)

Sadly the optical formula of the lens is unchanged, meaning you shouldn’t expect any improvement in image quality. And while the 16-50mm PZ is one of the more compact kit zooms and more responsive power zooms, we’ve never been particularly impressed with the IQ consistency of the copies we’ve encountered.

The 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II will be available from August at a price of $299 if bought separately. It typically adds $100 to the cost of a camera and lens kit, so ex-kit versions are likely to become available. Bought separately, the lens is only available in black. A silver version is kitted with some cameras but not available separately.

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