Review of Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM Zoom Lens (deal, expensive)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Canon 16-35mm is a true ultra wide angle zoom lens. If you want to capture stunning panoramic landscapes or make sure you get everyone at the party in the shot, then this is the lens for you.
The image quality of this lens is exceptional throughout the aperture range. As to be expected there is some fall off in sharpness at the extreme edges of a picture taken at 18mm. However, this is not unacceptable and is compensated for by having such a wide angle in the first place. The center of images is very sharp and there was change throughout the aperture range.
The build quality of this lens matches that of the image quality. It is a strong, solidly made lens that will stand up to the hard use that professional photographers will give to a lens. Although it is so well built it is not overly heavy, weighing in at around 1.4 lb. This makes it ideal for use without a tripod.
A particularly welcome feature is the constant f2.8 maximum aperture instead of the usual reduction as the focal length increases. The lens has a wide range of apertures also, stopping down to f22. This smallest aperture coupled with the short focal lengths available give you the utmost in depth of field.
One drawback to this particular lens is the large filter ring size. This is larger than any other Canon lens and means that your other Canon filters will not fit. Not only that but the large size makes the filters expensive.
The handling of the lens is very good. I find the zoom and focus rings to be smooth in operation and they are well positioned so that your hand finds them easily without having to take your eyes away from the subject. Autofocus performance is also of exceptionally high quality. The lens focuses quickly, quietly, and is never caught out by unusual lighting conditions.
I have been very pleased with the colors and contrast that this lens produces. In common with most ultra wide angle lenses there is some flare to contend with but it is no worse than that found on other quality manufacturers' products.
This is an expensive lens and, to some extent, it is a bit of a specialist. For a landscape or interiors photographer it is an indispensable tool that will provide quality images and stand up to all the abuse you can give it.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
