Sony FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM review

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM reviews roundup: should you buy it?

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM reviews roundup: is it worth the price?

Released in August 2017, the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM is a premium wide angle lens for Sony E-mount cameras. It delivers a breathtaking image quality and if you’re into landscape photography, astrophotography or photojournalism, you’ll be very, very pleased. The f/2.8 aperture gives very pronounced bokeh effects.

Being a G Master Series lens, there’s nothing much to say about the build quality, it’s designed to cope with poor shooting conditions (humidity, dust) and incorporates a programmable focus lock button on its barrel.

The Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM doesn’t have optical stabilization but it uses the in-camera stabilization.

Specs: 

  • Mount: Sony E-mount (Full frame)
  • Dust and moisture resistant construction
  • No optical stabilization (uses in-body image stabilization from Sony’s cameras)
  • Weight: 680 g (24 oz)
  • Min. aperture: f/2.8
  • Max. aperture: f/22
  • Minimum focus distance: 0.28m
  • Filter size: 82 mm
Sony - FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (SEL1635GM), Black
  • Designed to achieve 50 Line pairs/mm resolving power
  • Two XA (extreme aspherical) elements w/ high surface precision. Minimum focus distance - 0.28 m (0.92 ft). Maximum Magnification ratio (x)- 0.19
  • Constant F2.8 max aperture maintains exposure and Depth of field. Hood Type : Petal shape, bayonet type; APERTURE BLADES: 11

What do the critics think of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM?

Most reviews on the web say that the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM offers an impressive image quality and is among the best wide angle lenses available, if you have the money for it and don’t mind its weight and size. It delivers very sharp images (rich in detail) and the constant aperture of f/2.8 is a big plus for playing with bokeh effects and feeling comfortable in low light conditions.

Most reviews like…

  • Outstanding sharpness
  • Beautiful bokeh
  • Build quality is top notch (feels tough and has weather-sealing)
  • Fixed f/2.8 aperture, useful for low light
  • 35mm performance is great
  • Focus lock button

Most reviews don’t like…

  • Price
  • Not a small lens
  • No in-lens stabilization
  • Distortion rather pronounced at 16mm
  • Vignetting visible at widest focal lengths

For more infos about the positive and negatives sides of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, check out the selection of reviews below:

Websites Reviews

  • Ephotozine.com✪✪✪✪½ – (‘Expensive, but outstanding‘)
  • Photographyblog.com★★★★½ Highly recommended (‘The best wide-angle zoom for Sony full-frame shooters with deep pockets‘)
  • Enthusiastphotoblog.com – 8,5/10 (‘A fantastic choice especially if you are shooting handheld at night or want to do astro photography.’)
  • Thephoblographer.comfive out of five stars (‘for the professional photographer, the Sony 16-35mm f2.8 G Master FE is bound to be a great option‘)

Youtube reviews

  • Chris Turner Photographer – ‘honestly the best wide angle for Sony thats out today in my opinion.
  • Wes Perry – 41/50 – ‘a phenomenal lens but it’s not gonna blow your mind for value to quality
  • Max Yuryev – ‘If you can afford it, get it

Amazon users reviews

Sony - FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (SEL1635GM), Black
  • Designed to achieve 50 Line pairs/mm resolving power
  • Two XA (extreme aspherical) elements w/ high surface precision. Minimum focus distance - 0.28 m (0.92 ft). Maximum Magnification ratio (x)- 0.19
  • Constant F2.8 max aperture maintains exposure and Depth of field. Hood Type : Petal shape, bayonet type; APERTURE BLADES: 11
A cheaper but still excellent alternative is the Sony 16-35mm f/4.

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