Sony 16-35mm f/4 review (vs Canon)

This is a minor update to the previously published version. I fixed a title and added examples at f/5.6 and f/8, at viewer request.

We try to find the best superwide angle landscape lens for full-frame Sony cameras by comparing the Sony 16-35mm f4 to the Canon 16-35mm (with an adapter). We discover that the Canon lens is significantly sharper, despite being less expensive… with a catch. At superwide angles, especially wide-open, the edges on the Canon are terrible.

To determine whether this the lens or a problem with how the SLR lens is adapted to the mirrorless body, I test the same lens on a Canon 5DS-R. On the 5DS-R, the edges were very sharp, even at 16mm. In fact, it was strikingly sharper than when mounted on the a7R II.

This effect seems to be more pronounced at super-wide angles, but I do see some of it even at 35mm. This is important for us to understand because we frequently adapt Canon lenses to Sony bodies and this means that doing so, especially for landscape focal lengths, gives up noticeable amounts of sharpness.

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STARTER CAMERAS:
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Better Travel Camera ($500 at Amazon): Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II http://help.tc/em10ii

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Travel ($1,000 at Amazon): DJI Mavic Pro http://help.tc/Mavic
Better Image Quality ($1,500 at Amazon): DJI Phantom 4 Pro http://help.tc/p4p