This is an extremely well-built lens and considering that it is a Zeiss lens this should be no surprise. It is almost identical in size and weight to the FE 24-70 F4 lens that we initially bought with the camera. It is so well built that, shortly after buying it was accidentally dropped off a tripod into mud & water! Although the fall was dampened by the mud and the lens hood it continued to work perfectly and considering that it is has a moisture and dust resistant design, it certainly lived up to this specification. The metal construction of the body and focus ring is sturdy, yet silky smooth when zooming or using manual focus. The filter diameter is 72mm which fortunately is the same as the FE 70-200 F4 lens but different to the FE 24-70 F4 lens (67mm) so if using polarisers or other screw-in type filters you will need an adapter ring or need to buy extra filters. The only annoying thing we have found with this lens is the awkwardness of attaching the hood. Maybe it's just us but we always seem to struggle with attaching and removing the hood compared to our Nikon lenses. This certainly is not a deal breaker and maybe is something we need to get used to.
Vignetting has always been a problem for photographers using wide angle lenses and 16mm on this lens was a concern for us when using a Lee Filter holder with filters however we were pleasantly surprised to find that there is only very marginal vignetting which is easily corrected in post-processing. This is a huge plus for landscape photographers wanting the very wide perspective while being able to use ND & ND Grads without having to do considerable crops in post-processing.
Based on tests with the lens we have found that the lens is sharpest at F8 - F11 and although the lens only has a maximum aperture of F4 this is not a problem for us with our photography, however, may be a problem for those that specialise in low-light or astrophotography.
Below are the specifications of this lens -
Below are the specifications of this lens -
OPTICS/LENS
- Lens Mount Type: Sony E-mount (35mm full frame)
- Lens Stabilization: Optical SteadyShot
- Minimum Focus Distance: 11″ 0.28m
- Lens Groups-Elements: 10 groups, 12 elements
- Filter Diameter: 72mm
- Lens Type: Full-frame E-mount Wide-angle Lens
- Lens Weight: 18.3 oz (518g)
- Aperture (Max.): f/4.0
- Aperture (Min.): f/22
- Maximum Magnification: 0.19x
- Focal Length (35mm equivalent) : 16-35mm (35mm) 24- 52.5mm (APS-C)
- Aspheric Elements: 5 aspherical, 1 advanced aspherical
- Aperture Blade: 7 blades (Circular aperture)
- Angle of View: 83°-44° (APS-C) 107°-63° (35mm)
WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS
- Dimensions (Approx.): 3-1/8″ x 4″ (78 x 98.5mm)
- Weight (Approx.): 18.2 oz (518g)
PROS
- Lightweight
- Good edge-to-edge sharpness
- Minimal flare
- Excellent build quality
- Minimal vignetting of filters
- Lens stabilization
- Dust and Moisture resistant
CONS
- Expensive (RRP is $1779 AUD)
- Not a fast lens (F4)
- Fiddly lens hood attachment
SAMPLE SHOTS
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Shot at 16mm F8 1/100th ISO100. There is very slight vignetting in the corners which are easily corrected once the lens profile is used. |
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Shot at 24mm F8 1/250th ISO100 |
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Shot at 35mm F8 1/200th ISO100 |
To purchase the lens on Amazon simply click here.
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