Sony - FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-angle Zoom Lens (SEL1635GM)

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First impressions of this lens are really good. Ive done some test shots comparing against two other lenses in the focal range. Comparing against the Sony 28mm with 16mm conversion lens and with the Zeiss FE 35mm F2.8 lens (my favorite) Attached are a couple of test shots – nothing too special, Im not DxOMark – check out their review when they get to it. Pros: - Solid Build – the high quality youd expect from a GM lens. - Surprisingly light – I have this mounted on an a7rii and it doesnt make the camera too front heavy. - Has an 82mm filter thread – When youre getting down to 16mm it gets increasingly hard to find lenses that dont have a bulbous front element preventing a filter thread. - The Bokeh this lens produces is beautiful – not as noticeable in the lower focal ranges, as youd expect. But 35mm gives an even smoother depth of field than my Zeiss 35mm equivalent - F2.8 at 16mm is impressive – For such a wide lens having the option to let in this much light is hard to come by. - Very little distortion – even without correction there is surprisingly little distortion on this lens. - Weather sealed! Cons: - The lens does extend when you use the wider end. Not a big deal, but it would have been nice to have that contained in the body. - Its not small, but thats expected from this. - When you use this with a filter, you will get a little bit of a vignetting from the filter – since the angle is so wide. Somewhat expected, but kind of a bummer. Even with 2 filters stacked, its not noticeable above 20mm Not much bad to say about this lens. Its incredibly sharp and performant, while not feeling like a burden to carry around.

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The Sony SEL1635GM is an excellent lens, providing sharpness across the frame and fast autofocus, it is not without its quirks however. The telescopic reverse-zoom takes some getting used to (the camera extends out as you twist its ring clockwise and in doing so the field of view becomes wider; this is the opposite of a typical telephoto lens that initially twists counter-clockwise and extends to zoom in). Again, this is nothing more than a quirk to become accustom to. The only other negative is it’s si and weight. Though not terribly large or heavy relative to its peers this lens is substantial and when paired with the a7R III is most definitely noticeable when out as a travel photographer. In the end these are minor concessions in order to have such a quality lens. Precise focusing, sharp, zero chromatic aberration (a truly impressive achievement), this lens is likely the only wide-angle lens a travel photographer will need. The added bonus of an 82mm filter thread for polarizing or ND filters is a welcome benefit for those shots that photo editing software just can’t replicate. Buy with confidence (but stick with “sold by Amazon.com” given Sony doesn’t seal its boxes and you never know if you’re getting a defective lens or return from a 3rd party seller). Side note: Amazon does not package the lens well, see attached photo.

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I purchased this lens for a trip to Europe where I was going to be taking a large number of architectural and landscape shots. This lens was absolutely incredible. I was able to capture so many amazing shots because of how wide I could get and the shots are crystal clear from corner to corner.

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I had high hopes for this lens for real estate photography but Im returning it. I was very happy with my Zeiss 16-35mm 4.0 on my Sony a7R III but wanted the 2.8 for better performance in low light. I shot a couple hundred real estate photos, all on tripod, at 16-18mm and noticed way too much softness at the corners in almost all of them. For this price, it should be perfect. Im giving the lens 3 stars because maybe mine was bad. Normally a Sony fangirl, but this is the first Sony lens that has disappointed me. Glad I hadnt sold the Zeiss yet!

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I use this full-frame E-mount lens with the Sony A7RIII and its a fantastic pairing. The lens is solid, high-quality build yet not too bulky or heavy. If you are using this on a crop-sensor like the Sony a6500 it will definitely feel big and heavy but its a good match with the A7R series. Its a quality lens that you can use at wider angles to produce stunningly sharp photos with minimal chromatic aberration and distortion. Thread size is 82mm so it will fit many quality filters of your choosing. Plus: • High-quality construction and dust/moisture-resistant construction (but I personally havent tested the weather sealing capabilities, nor do I really want to [remember, nothing is 100% water and dust resistant]) • A filter will fit on it as it has an 82mm filter thread • minimal distortion and chromatic aberration • ƒ/2.8 at 16mm lets in a lot of light for wide angle detail • weighs 680grams/1.5lbs and not too big or bulky on a full-frame Sony camera • pairs with Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras Drawbacks: • Paired with a filter, you may experience some vignetting • Will be somewhat large when paired with a crop sensor Sony camera like the a6xxx • Cost may be a factor for some, but its quality and you definitely get what you pay for.

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This is an awesome lens, you can never go wrong with a G series lens from Sony. Perfect match for my Sony a7ii! Only issue, this has to do with Amazon packaging. It arrived today in a big box with just the smaller Sony lens box in it, you should pack these better not to get rattled around. The Lens and all the components in them are a bit fragile. The shipping box was about ten times the size of the Sony box with no bubble wrap. All was good and no damage this time.

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This is currently my main lens, very versatile, and handy for traveling photography. Easier to use for landscape, group photos, wide angle shots comparing to my other lens 55mm f/1.8, 16-70 f/4, and 85mm f/1.8.

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I use this lens mainly for astrophotography, and I love it. Even at f/2.8 I dont see significant artifacts in the corners, and vignetting is acceptable. Sharpness is also great throughout.

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I love everything about it but it is very overpriced which I also hate because it’s always on my mind when I use it and really I wish it was cheaper so I would more worried about what I’m shooting instead of my expensive lens.

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I love this lenes. Most used lens I have for close quarter event shots. Unexpected good background blur is a plus. The lens is sharp even on my A6500, not to mention on my A7R3. Awesome lense, well worth the money.

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