Sirui Sirui Sniper 2 Lens Kit with 16mm f/1.2 and 75mm Review

The Sirui Sniper 2 kit gives you two lenses that are basically built for one thing: letting in a ton of light. You get a 16mm f/1.2 and a 75mm f/1.2, both covering the APS-C sensor on your Sony camera. That f/1.2 aperture puts these lenses in the 96th percentile for light-gathering ability, which is their main party trick. It's a kit designed for low-light shooters and portrait artists who want that super shallow depth of field without breaking the bank.

At 363 grams, the 16mm is a solid little lens, and the pair together covers a useful range from wide to short telephoto. But the specs tell a clear story: these are specialists. They score a 93.2 for portraits and an 80.3 for professional work, but a weak 47.6 for travel. They're not the lenses you grab for a bit of everything.

Performance here is all about the aperture. An f/1.2 on APS-C is serious business, and it shows in the numbers. Bokeh quality lands in the 99th percentile, which means the out-of-focus areas from these lenses are exceptionally smooth, especially from that 75mm. That's the dream combo for creamy background separation.

You do make some trade-offs for that speed, though. Autofocus performance sits at the 48th percentile, so it's about average and might hunt a bit in low light. There's no stabilization (40th percentile), so you'll need steady hands or a gimbal for video. Optical performance is good at the 71st percentile, but don't expect Zeiss-level sharpness wide open. These lenses are about character and light, not clinical perfection.

At $599 for two f/1.2 autofocus primes, the value proposition is hard to ignore. You're getting a level of light gathering typically reserved for much more expensive full-frame glass. Comparing it to buying two similar-speed primes from Sigma or even Viltrox individually, this kit undercuts them significantly. The trade-off is in the polish—the autofocus and lack of stabilization remind you where the costs were cut. But if your primary goal is shooting portraits or low-light scenes on a budget, the price-per-aperture ratio here is exceptional.

Stacked against popular alternatives, the Sniper kit carves out a specific niche. The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 is cheaper and more versatile as a single walk-around lens, but you only get one focal length and a slower aperture. The Sony 15mm f/1.4 G is in another league for autofocus, sharpness, and build, but it costs nearly as much as this entire kit for just one lens. The Meike 55mm f/1.8 is a full-frame option, but again, it's one lens for a similar price. The Sirui kit wins on pure aperture value and focal length coverage, but loses on autofocus speed and general usability compared to more established brands.

This is a kit for a specific photographer. If you shoot portraits, low-light events, or creative video and you prioritize bokeh and light over speed and convenience, the Sirui Sniper 2 is a compelling, data-backed choice. The 99th percentile bokeh and 96th percentile aperture are real. But if you need snappy autofocus, stabilization for video, or a single do-it-all lens, look at the Viltrox or Sony options. For the price, you get two incredibly fast lenses that deliver where it counts most.