Back in December 2014 we made the decision to move from Nikon to the Sony mirrorless camera system and bought the Sony A7r. This camera is 36mp of sheer delight. We purchased it with the FE 24-70 F4 Zeiss lens which has been an absolute dream to work with. Despite the fact that DXO Mark rates this camera’s sensor behind the Nikon D810 and Nikon D800E by the narrowest of margins, the size and weight of this camera more than makes up for the 3rd ranking. We guess this is the reason why so many professional photographers are now flocking to the mirrorless cameras systems and selling all their DSLR gear. Having tested the camera and lens thoroughly over the last 8 months we decided that it was so good that we were ready to purchase the expensive FE 16-35 F4 Zeiss and FE 70-200 F4 Zeiss lenses. This review will cover the wide angle FE 16-35 F4 Zeiss lens. We will review the other lens in another post.
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 –
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
These shots are unedited and were shot for test purposes only. They have only been lightly sharpened in Lightroom and converted to JPG. All images were shot using the Sony A7r mirrorless camera. See our conclusion at the end of the post.
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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 |
CONCLUSION: With the amount of testing that we have done to date and for the images that we have shot in our professional work, this lens is awesome and strongly recommended for anyone using the Sony mirrorless cameras. It’s useful for any kind of photography work but Landscape and Travel photographers will absolutely love this lens. Its weight, functionality, build and image results make it a MUST HAVE for anyone using these cameras that want superb sharpness from edge to edge throughout the focal range. It may put a hole in your wallet but well worth the investment.
To purchase the lens on Amazon simply click here.
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