Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II lens review
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2023
- Sweet, another new quality ultra wide zoom lens hits the market for Sony users! If you can afford it, that is.
Find it here (Amazon affiliate link - thanks for your support!):
geni.us/SonyFE1635II
Support me on Patreon! / christopherfrost
All pictures taken by me on a Sony a7R III camera.
Equipment I use to make my videos (Amazon affiliate links):
Canon EOS R5: geni.us/CanonEOSR5Body
Canon EF-RF Adaptor: geni.us/CanonEFtoRF
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 'Art': geni.us/Sigma50mm14Art
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM: geni.us/CanonRF35mm18Macro
Marumi Fit and Slim CPL Filter: geni.us/MarumiFitSlim77
AudioTechnica AT2020USB+ Microphone: geni.us/AT2020USBPlusMic Rode Smartlav+
Microphone: geni.us/RodeSmartLavalierPlus
Rode SC3 adapter: geni.us/RodeSC3MicAdaptor
Zoom H1n Recorder: geni.us/ZoomH1nMiniRecorder
DJI Mini 2 Drone: geni.us/DJIMini2FlyMore
Music: 'Opportunity Walks', Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b... - Jak na to + styl
The price of this lens in USD is $2298.00 not $2700. The original 16-35 GM was released in 2017 not 2007
I like your camera equipment review style -to the point, lots of handling/equipment shots, and no talking head shots. I watch reviews to see the product not the reviewer! Well done.
You're the best on CZcams for lens reviews, keep it up! 🙌
nobody even comes close to Christopher!!
@@RRH995 Exactly he's absolutely cornered the market for lens reviews and should have way more subscribers than he does!
That autofocus is near instant, and in af-c it basically is.
yeah, it's as fast as the tamron 28-75 g2 lens
it's not as fast as that. I own the 35-150 which has the same motor system. GM motors are faster@@sutocsanad
Great review Christopher. This will definitely be great for one zoom lens to take on hikes where you want to stay compact and light. I have the original 16-35 GM and will have to wait and see if I really want to upgrade to it later to pair it with the 24-70 gm ii and 70-200 gm ii. I have the 12-24 GM as well which is an absolute legendary beast; my absolute fav ultra wide landscape lens. It's only downside is that it can't take filters but honestly I am not a huge filters type shooter. I tend to usually bracket my shots or expose for highlights and do some mild editing in post.
I think it will be heavily depends on your shooting styles if you are using 12mm-16mm a lot. If not this 16-35 will be a better choice for you since it is tiny and lightweight. If you are pleasing using 12mm-16mm, 12-24gm will still be ideal for you.
How about a 12-24 GM review? Better late than never
Costly , but as good as it gets ! A big WOW . Thanks for a great review . Thanks Sony .
A brilliant review of a brilliant lens.
Woooow, that's an amazing performance! Even thou this will cost an arm and a leg, I can see a lot of people that will be happy to get this lens.
A small correction, the original 16-35 was 2017, not 2007.
So tempting!
Contender for lens of the year!
Yeah - this is a great lens - a must buy for all Sony users and all landscape fotographers !
Well done Sony - this thing will be a bestseller !
I like this trend from Sony of re-doing the lenses to be better quality and lighter. I'd like to see what can be done with the 24-240mm lens re-boot. Also, I wish they would have been more adventurous with the focal length, with more on the wide end (14mm would be nice), and less on the tele end (24-35mm is all overlap, with many lenses starting at 24mm).
Well that would be the 12-24mm then. And not everyone pairs a 16-35mm lens with a 24-something. The 16-35 and 70-200 combo is super useful, too.
@@opalyankaBG Unfortunately the 12-24 is out for me since it can't take filters. Most of the other companies have a 14mm based zoom now (nikon, Panasonic, Canon). There may be some that don't have a 24- something, but I think 24-70s and 24-105s are fairly popular. But I take your point, everyone is different, just tough for me seeing the lenses I want in all the brands other than mine.
I feel that with the very narrow Sony E-mount it is impossible to create a 14mm lens that can take filters. At least I can't think of any other reason that nobody created such a lens for E-mount wider than 16mm, while both Nikon and Canon have such a lens for years
@@EikenhorstMount size is not the issue... Everyone talks about E mount size. Do you know that the Nikon F mount is smaller?
@@jasontaycs7195 Well, I didn't say that WAS the case, just that it is the only reason I can think of that explains this lack of anything wider than 16mm with filter on E-mount even though I guess every third party lens company is looking to jump into this obvious gap in the line-up.
GOAT channel of lens review 👍
I recently bought a used Zeiss 16-35 f4 lens. I got it for 225 dollars because I was told the AF doesn't work, just manual. However, I've been using it for over a month and the AF works great. I use it mostly for landscape on my Sony a7riii. I think for my uses, it would be hard to tell the differences between it and this new lens. Huge difference in cost! I've also used the Sigma 16-28 f2.8 lens which I've throughly enjoyed.
What a find!
that's an excellent lens.
Really curious how this lens compares to the 20mm prime at 20mm... I'm thinking this one might be a tad sharper in the corners? Obviously not a 1.8 here but I'm wondering for those that don't need the extra stops if this can actually outperform the primes in some regards. Thanks for another no BS review, just what we need to know without too much fluff.
Best GM release since 2021. Swapped the 16-35GM for the 20G, because the GM is soft on the A1, and I knew the GMII would be softer than the 20G. 16-35GMII is definitely softer than the 20G, but for video work it will be amazing.
Yep. I picked up a pristine used 16-35mm f4 ZA OSS for $440 and pair it with the 20mm f1.8.
The trio of zooms for Sony FF now comes in at $7300. That's a commitment and a half!
Chris, you say there's almost no focus breathing but the "lenses distortion projection does warp a little." Is that happening because distortion corrections are turned off? anyway, great review as usual. I have my 16-35 GM on preorder and can't wait to get it.
Leftfield awesome... Mini disc epic. South Korea was where I bought my MD player.
I'm planning on making a special Techmoan-style video all about MD :-)
Chris, I have a Sigma 14-24 & Tamron 28-75 G2, which I rarely use since getting my Tamron 35-150 f2-2.8. Should I sell the other 2 and get this Sony 16-35 II to have 16-150 in 2 lenses. I also have the 70-200 II. I don't mind losing 14-16 on the wide end.
hello sir, Would you please suggest me the best lens for Sony ap c camera, i am totally disappointed with the kit lens of A6100. i have used Olympus Mzuiko digital lens in the past with Panasonic GH4 and they were super amazing, whenever I compare those photos with my Sony A6100 kit lens I get very disappointed. I am now looking for the same image quality as those lens in Sony system. please suggest me good lens that produce sharp images and good quality. Thanks.
€2700 in NL, these Sony prices are really getting out of hand. Great review though.
Hello Chris. Out of context, in a few videos there is a efs 18-55mm lens with a red ring around it. How did you get it?
The US price for this lens is ~$2300. Cheers!
It is amazing lens but i have sigma 14-24mm and sony 20-70mm f4 and i am so happy. This lens will be super expensive.
It should be good for that money!
I would be interested to see how this lens compares side by side with the F4 PZ variant....
Please review Canon's counterpart, the EF 16-35mm F2.8L II (or III) USM. I'd really like to hear your opinion on it!
I bought the previous 16-35 GM around 2 months ago... Ouch 😩
Looks great...seems like an internal zoom would have been a nice choice however.
Yeah i hoped for
Cool
Whoa.. what a piece of glass
Got the gm1 version new for $1200 usd recently. Will do me 👍
Where are you getting your prices from? Everywhere online I’ve checked the list price is $2299 usd
Aside from the 2.8 aperture & GM status, how would you compare the f4 G version (especially if 2.8 isn't needed)?
The f/4 G version is a beast. Probably in between the old GM and new GM but we're splitting hairs. The f4 PZ G lens is extremely sharp, even a 1 strength Tiffen GlimmerGlass isn't enough sometimes.
Nice review. $2700 vs $440 tough choice 😂 I’m sticking with my pristine used 16-35mm f4 ZA OSS. On the new A7Cii the slower f4 will be just fine for night photo walks at the second base ISO of 3200. 👍
f4 and night!?! 😅 Yes, at iso 100 with a tripod 👍
@@stefan_becker Easy if you don’t mind a tripod but 3200 is very clean on the recent Sony sensors. I use this setup all the time in Japan, HKG, and Singapore. You absolutely do not need f2.8 for night photos unless it’s astrophotography.
The lens is actually $2300
@@stevenuseda6317 Not with shipping and GST it isn’t…
I always purchase on B&H with the pay boo credit card. As long as you have the cash to front you get a credit back for the tax and free shipping
The price... Holy shit 😵💫😵💫😵💫
2007 or 2017 🤔
I really hope 100-400 gm ii will have internal zoom
No way that would happen, it would end up being huge, which goes against Sony's trend of miniaturizing their lenses in subsequent revisions.
When are you going to get a high mp body to fully test lens resolution?
42mp is very high resolution. I know that 61mp is available but 42mp is a nice medium: it makes the tests a bit more comparable when looking at similar options on Canon EOS R5 and Nikon Z7 (both 45mp), and it's more helpful to owners of 24mp cameras to see a resolution test closer to what they can enjoy.
@@christopherfrost I see. My concern is that with some of these new premium lenses, this may be testing the limits of the body rather than the limits of the optics. Since it’s a lens review, it seems like knowing the optical limits of the lens would be more useful (and more future proof) to most. Sony has several 61mp bodies now, with more 50-60 bodies certainly on the way. And people who own a Sony body care a lot more about what a lens can do in their system than comparing to other systems that are incompatible.
Great work otherwise, love the technical and detailed pixel-peeping reviews. I crop a lot on my 61mp bodies, especially with distant/small wildlife subjects, so knowing what performs at the limits is helpful.
@@christopherfrost I agree with your logic, but the system that would benefit from you making a body upgrade would be Fuji; an X-T5 would bring all of your test cameras up to the ~40MP range.
:/ been waiting for the lens, was expecting it to be around £2200 but its coming in at £2400 while the US has it listed for $2300. Can't help but feel the UK has been screwed...
good
The 16-35 GM I was definitely not a 2007 lens.
Definitely not from 2007
He probobly didnt mean to do that
Sorry, typo
Sony definitely could of made it internal zoom, and they will when they update the $5,000 16-35 2.8 PZ
😂👍
What happened with the RF 28mm review?
I'm about to put it up on my Patreon page. It'll come to CZcams a bit later :-)
Canon RF 28mm pancake review please 🙏🏼
I just put it up on my Patreon page. It'll come to CZcams a bit later :-)
@@christopherfrost legend!! Thank you!! 😊
This would be a great fit to my 24-70 GMII.
the autofocus speed is ridiculous
This or the Nikon Z 14-24?
I'm fine with my $550 viltrox 16mm. And it's 1.8. I could get a 35mm f1.8 as well and still stay under $1000. This is better for me. Not necessarily for everyone
I'm thinking between this and the viltrox... 16mm viltrox, 35mm GM, 85mm DG all with perfect IQ and about 2.3 crop between each.
But a zoom with similar IQ is pretty tempting, changing lenses is a pain, specially when travelling as you won't have much time to change lenses to try different compositions.
I would prefer 24-70/24-105mm with an uw prime, but the performance of the 24-70 gmII is disappointingly bad for the price and sony refuses to update the 24-105mm.
So far only this, the 12-24/14-24mm gm/dg and the 70-200mm gm ii have IQ comparable to high end primes.
@@vincenzodellama7158 I was not aware that the Sony 24-70/2.8 GM II was a poor performer, from where are you deriving that opinion?
Otherwise, I do agree that the Viltrox 16/1.8, GM 35/1.4, and Sigma 85/1.4 DG would be an excellent kit, well spaced and highly performant.
@vincenzodellama7158 you say changing lenses is annoying. Although I do agree with that experience tells me otherwise. I used to have an A6400 with a tamron 17-70 f2.8. It was great and all but it was incredibly boring and I took less pictures cause of that. I now rather go for primes. With my a7rii I got the Viltrox 16mm f1.8, samyang 24mm f1.8 which is incredibly sharp wide open and can almost be used for macro, sony 50mm f2.8 macro which is the sharpest lens I own and a tamron 70-180 f1.8. I love my current setup.
@@Bayonet1809 just by looking at the sharpness test images from reviews and the lens comparison tool, it is pretty soft compared to the lenses I mentioned at 24mm in the midframe and edges even stopped down. For the money you are better off saving a little more money for the 70-200mm gm II which is the best performing zoom.
First...after long time
You are second.
still no RF28mm 2.8 review?
He has to get it send to him he can't just buy every lens lol. Canon has to play ball with him.
Strange, Canon is completely ignoring the West when it comes the RF 28mm.
I'm about to put it up on my Patreon page. It'll come to CZcams a bit later :-)
Can't believe the first 16-35mm GM came out 7 years before the first a7!
The original 16-35 was 2017, not 2007. It happens to the best of us.
Sony 16-35mm f2.8 GM came out in 2017? Do you mean 7 years after?
@@thechinesepotato6263 just poking some fun at a typo Chris made.
A typo at 0:48 well-spotted.
I would like a lighter version of sigma 14-24 with front filter.
Should I buy this or 24 to 70mm for videos ?
Sigma 18 35 1.8 is one of the best lens i have. 👍 and way cheaper than this. Awesome video as always.
But that is for APS-C only. This is for full frame.
@@Bayonet1809 I can use it on my 5d no problem just not zooming out further than 28mm
Lens prices are going through the roof, must be cost of living crisis or the war in Ukraine, or the price or fuel.
incredibly overpriced lens. Brings nothing new to the table beside a full messy distortion pattern at 16mm :( I'm a big fan of Sony cams and lenses, but this one seems like a fail. If they would sell it as G line-up, not GM, for 1/3 of it's actual price I would say, "well, not bad, it has a place in the lens collection" but I still would be a bit mad about that chaotic distortion at 16mm.