Amin Sabet
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The Sony Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens is a recently introduced, Zeiss branded wide angle zoom lens for Sony E-mount featuring f/4 speed throughout the zoom range as well as optical image stabilization.
Key Specifications:
Focal Length: 16 - 35mm
Equivalent on APS-C Format: 24.5 - 52.5 mm
Aperture Maximum: f/4
Minimum: f/22
Minimum Focus Distance: .92' (.28 m)
Magnification: 0.19x
Elements/Groups : 12/10
Diaphragm Blades: 7, Rounded
Image Stabilization: Yes
Autofocus: Yes
Filter Thread Front: 72 mm
Dimensions (DxL): Approx. 3.07 x 3.88" (78 x 98.5 mm)
Weight: 18.27 oz (518 g)
You can click through any of the images below to see full-resolution (42MP) captures from my Sony A7RII.
Most people who buy this lens will be looking for superb performance at the wide (16mm) end of the zoom range. In my opinion, the lens delivers nicely with great sharpness, color, and contrast.
There is some barrel distortion and moderate color fringing as well as light falloff, but all of these can be addressed automatically in camera as well as in leading raw converters such as Lightroom and Capture One.
ƒ/8.0 16.0 mm 1/60 320
ƒ/6.3 16.0 mm 1/160 100
Autofocus is quick and silent. I had no problems with hunting at any focal length.
ƒ/9.0 16.0 mm 1/250 100
A bit of uncorrected barrel distortion can actually help with a more natural result in fun shots like this one:
ƒ/4.0 16.0 mm 1/60 4000
Don't worry. She mostly eats healthy food!
Did I mention this is a sharp lens? I invite you to click through and pixel peep this fellow taking a selfie:
ƒ/8.0 16.0 mm 1/320 100
Center sharpness is excellent already by f/5.6:
ƒ/5.6 16.0 mm 1/100 100
Zoomed in to 24mm, we see excellent edge to edge sharpness with the lens stopped down:
ƒ/9.0 24.0 mm 1/200 100
Not bad at all at 27mm and f/5.6 if you look within the depth of field, for example the wood dock towards the bottom of the frame:
ƒ/5.6 27.0 mm 1/250 100
Slightly past optimal from a diffraction standpoint, f/11 is still very sharp:
ƒ/11.0 28.0 mm 1/125 100
In contrast to some of the reports I had read, I found this lens to remain excellent when fully zoomed to 35mm:
ƒ/6.3 35.0 mm 1/160 100
ƒ/4.0 35.0 mm 1/200 100
ƒ/9.0 35.0 mm 1/160 100
You'll not often see a ton of background blur with an f/4 wide zoom. What bokeh I came across was pleasing:
ƒ/4.0 28.0 mm 1/160 100
ƒ/4.0 35.0 mm 1/200 100
ƒ/4.0 35.0 mm 1/400 100
All in all, despite being a "prime guy" and having never been much good at seeing with an ultrawide, I enjoyed my time with the Sony 16-35. From construction, to autofocus performance, to image quality, it's a high-end lens and seems well worth the asking price. Highly recommended.
Download all RAW files from this review: Sony-16-35.zip
Sony Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens pricing / availability:Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens SEL1635Z B&H
Key Specifications:
Focal Length: 16 - 35mm
Equivalent on APS-C Format: 24.5 - 52.5 mm
Aperture Maximum: f/4
Minimum: f/22
Minimum Focus Distance: .92' (.28 m)
Magnification: 0.19x
Elements/Groups : 12/10
Diaphragm Blades: 7, Rounded
Image Stabilization: Yes
Autofocus: Yes
Filter Thread Front: 72 mm
Dimensions (DxL): Approx. 3.07 x 3.88" (78 x 98.5 mm)
Weight: 18.27 oz (518 g)
You can click through any of the images below to see full-resolution (42MP) captures from my Sony A7RII.
Most people who buy this lens will be looking for superb performance at the wide (16mm) end of the zoom range. In my opinion, the lens delivers nicely with great sharpness, color, and contrast.
There is some barrel distortion and moderate color fringing as well as light falloff, but all of these can be addressed automatically in camera as well as in leading raw converters such as Lightroom and Capture One.
---
ƒ/8.0 16.0 mm 1/60 320
---
ƒ/6.3 16.0 mm 1/160 100
Autofocus is quick and silent. I had no problems with hunting at any focal length.
---
ƒ/9.0 16.0 mm 1/250 100
A bit of uncorrected barrel distortion can actually help with a more natural result in fun shots like this one:
---
ƒ/4.0 16.0 mm 1/60 4000
Don't worry. She mostly eats healthy food!
Did I mention this is a sharp lens? I invite you to click through and pixel peep this fellow taking a selfie:
---
ƒ/8.0 16.0 mm 1/320 100
Center sharpness is excellent already by f/5.6:
---
ƒ/5.6 16.0 mm 1/100 100
Zoomed in to 24mm, we see excellent edge to edge sharpness with the lens stopped down:
---
ƒ/9.0 24.0 mm 1/200 100
Not bad at all at 27mm and f/5.6 if you look within the depth of field, for example the wood dock towards the bottom of the frame:
---
ƒ/5.6 27.0 mm 1/250 100
Slightly past optimal from a diffraction standpoint, f/11 is still very sharp:
---
ƒ/11.0 28.0 mm 1/125 100
In contrast to some of the reports I had read, I found this lens to remain excellent when fully zoomed to 35mm:
---
ƒ/6.3 35.0 mm 1/160 100
---
ƒ/4.0 35.0 mm 1/200 100
---
ƒ/9.0 35.0 mm 1/160 100
You'll not often see a ton of background blur with an f/4 wide zoom. What bokeh I came across was pleasing:
---
ƒ/4.0 28.0 mm 1/160 100
---
ƒ/4.0 35.0 mm 1/200 100
---
ƒ/4.0 35.0 mm 1/400 100
All in all, despite being a "prime guy" and having never been much good at seeing with an ultrawide, I enjoyed my time with the Sony 16-35. From construction, to autofocus performance, to image quality, it's a high-end lens and seems well worth the asking price. Highly recommended.
Download all RAW files from this review: Sony-16-35.zip
Sony Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens pricing / availability:Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens SEL1635Z B&H
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