Sirui Sniper Lenses 16mm F1.2 & 75mm F1.2 Prime Lenses

Today’s review explores the Sirui Sniper Series lenses—the 16mm F1.2 and the 75mm F1.2. These APS-C lenses for the E, X, or Z mount can create a significant shallow depth of field. Although they are not clinical in appearance, they are impressive and versatile for various shooting situations. I used the E-mount versions with my Sony FX30 for all test samples. Let’s dive in.

Welcome & About

Welcome back, folks! My name’s Shane. Instead of focusing on test charts, specs, and graphs, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of these Sirui Sniper lenses from a hands-on perspective. There are many specification reviews on YouTube, so I’ll concentrate on their performance for video shooting with my Sony FX30. I’ll also cover considerations for shooting video wide open at F1.2, especially outdoors. These are not anamorphic lenses. If you’re interested in shooting Anamorphic, check out my review of the Sirui 35mm F1.8 lens.

Sirui Sniper Pack 16mm & 75mm F1.2 Prime Lenses

Disclaimer

Before we get into the test samples and review, a huge thanks to Sirui for sending these lenses to the channel, which is why it says paid promotion in my video review. As always, all thoughts about these lenses are my own and have not been influenced by Sirui in any way.

This pack from Sirui includes a wide-angle 16mm F1.2, which, with the 1.5x crop, translates to a 24mm equivalent. The 75mm F1.2 works out to 112.5mm, making it the tightest prime lens focal length I’ve used for video. I wouldn’t go over a full-frame 85mm unless necessary, but the image from this 75mm is beautiful.

Field of View Comparison

For those unfamiliar with the difference in focal length between 16mm and 75mm, here’s a sample photo shot at 16mm and the same framing at 75mm. As you can see, it’s much tighter, meaning that you’ll need to have the camera quite far back for videos or interviews.

Sirui 16mm F1.2 Field of View

Sirui 75mm F1.2 Field of View

Shooting Experience

Let’s talk about the aperture and shooting experience. F1.2 is incredibly fast; if you plan to shoot at this aperture, you’ll need an ND filter. F1.2 is over a full stop faster than F1.8, requiring only half the light of F1.8.

If you plan on shooting wide open outside, bring ND filters—there’s no way around this. In low-light or controlled studio situations, you should be fine without them, but shooting outside, even at sunset, requires ND filters. The look of these lenses on Sony APS-C cameras rivals Full Frame cameras, making them a great choice if that’s important to you. The filter thread is 58mm for the 16mm lens and 67mm for the 75mm.

Sirui Sniper 16mm F1.2

The 16mm F1.2 is fantastic for follow-up shots, gimbal shots, vlogging, or any situation requiring a wide-angle lens. The 24mm equivalent is ideal for general wide-angle shooting without being too wide or tight. When paired with my Sony FX30s, I achieved solid handheld results despite the camera’s average stabilization system.

The Sirui Sniper 16mm F1.2 provides more background blur than the Sony 15mm F1.4 and costs a fraction of the price—at least here in Australia. We’ll discuss value and comparisons with other lenses later.

Sirui Sniper 16mm F1.2 Lens Sony E Mount

Sirui Sniper 16mm F1.2 Autofocus Issues

One downside to the 16mm F1.2 is its autofocus performance. If you’re wondering if this autofocus is better or as good as the Sony 15mm F1.4, the quick answer is no. The Sony lens is more reliable for autofocus, but the image from the Sirui looks objectively better, making it a tough choice. Even if the autofocus works, it struggles to pull focus smoothly, especially with faster-moving objects. Check the video above for exact issues with the autofocus performance.

There’s noticeable pulsing in the background, and the focus ramps significantly. The Sony lens does not have this issue. The Sirui 16mm focusing system has some inconsistencies. When held up, I can find an object, but it might shift to the background. Hopefully, the autofocus issues can be fixed in a new firmware update.

It worked well enough to be reliable for gimbal follow shots, vlogging, or subjects not moving quickly. Keep the speed and sensitivity at or under 4 for the best performance. The lens is not ideal for fast-action or unboxing videos, but it performs well for other uses. F filmmakers can achieve great results with it.

Focus Breathing, Minimum Focus, and Sharpness

Both lenses exhibit focus breathing when pulling focus from infinity to minimum focus. While it is not ideal, the overall image quality makes up for it.

The minimum focus is not impressive on either lens, but the magnification makes it easier to get close with the 75mm. Sunnstars look nice, and flaring and chromatic aberration are well-controlled on both lenses.

The Sirui 16mm lens is not as sharp as the Sony, especially wide open. However, the softer look can be preferable, as the FX30 is extremely sharp. The Sirui lens softens facial features, which can be a positive.

Sirui Sniper 75mm F1.2

The 75mm F1.2 is an impressive prime lens with excellent image quality. It’s a great choice for video shooters or those wanting a prime with a 112mm field of view. Background blur, compression, and subject separation are outstanding, even at F1.2. While 75mm and 16mm suffer from flaring, the retro look can be appealing. The ND filter was essential, especially during the daytime.

The 75 mm autofocus is smooth and consistent, performing well in various situations. The bokeh balls are beautiful, making it a great lens for those who love large, round bokeh.

The main downside is the difficulty in getting decent handheld shots with the FX30. The A6700 with digital image stabilization should handle it better, but the FX30 struggles with micro jitters even with an active, steady shot on. This is an issue with the camera’s IBIS system, not the lens. The 75mm F1.2 is best used with a tripod or gimbal for video. Considering the tight focal length, it’s a great interview lens with a respectable minimum focus.

This lens is enjoyable to use, and despite the flaring, it’s suitable for personal projects, interviews, or any situation requiring excellent low-light performance on the Sony FX30.

Sirui Sniper 75mm F1.2 Lens Sony E Mount

Sirui Sniper | B&H Photo (affiliate link)

Lens Limitations

The design of these lenses is straightforward, featuring only a focus ring. Despite being a focus-by-wire lens, the focus ring feels great and is easy to use manually. However, there is no autofocus/manual focus switch, which might not be a significant issue for most content creators.

Who are the Sirui Sniper Lenses for?

Let’s talk about who these lenses are for. If you know my YouTube channel, you know I’ve shot using the Sirui anamorphic lenses and the manual-focus Nightwalker lenses—both of which have a very particular use case: video shooters. These autofocus lenses appear to work equally well for video and photography.

While the 16mm autofocus is not perfect, I love the lens’s look, and it’s no doubt a cheaper alternative to a Sony 15mm F1.4, for example. Until the autofocus is fixed, I will have difficulty recommending it over Sony, even with the price difference. The Sigma 16mm F1.4 is another classic for APS-C, and while I don’t own that lens personally, I know it has solid autofocus on this camera.

The 75mm F1.2 is a gem. It’s one of my favorite lenses I’ve tested all year, and if you’re happy using it on a tripod or gimbal for video, you’ll love it. I found my hands too shaky to get this to work handheld, but I loved the video results, and the AF performance is excellent.

Build Quality & Weight

The Sirui Sniper lenses are a true set, meaning everything is consistent. The size and weight only vary a hair, and the aesthetics of the body design match. I am a big fan of lens consistency here, and while there’s no focus mode switch on the side or aperture ring, I can still appreciate the consistency and overall solid build quality.

Excellent Build Quality and Carry Case Included

My only nit-pick build quality-wise is the provided lens hoods. File, they work fine. The lenses are metal, and the caps are plastic, so the plastic is peeling away on the threading. I am unsure if this will cause any issues, but it’s worth mentioning. The lens and rear cap are fine, and I love the fact that these lenses were vacuum-sealed on arrival.

Given that the Sirui Sniper lenses are between 300-400 dollars cheaper than first party Sony lenses, they represent excellent value for money. Hopefully, I have an opportunity to test the 33mm F1.2 lens down the track, and except for the Autofocus bugs on the 16mm, it’s still a solid lens when you’re not pushing it too hard; it’ll do a fine job until a future firmware update is hopefully available. It is great to see some autofocus lenses from Sirui for folks who don’t enjoy the manual focus-only experience.

Sirui Sniper | B&H Photo (affiliate link)