Canon EF 16-35mm pro lenses

introduction

the very average image quality Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L version II was introduced in 2007 this has been updated in Dec 2016 with a mark III version which is sharper wide open at 16mm and with less CA and the 9 blades give much better sunstars but otherwise fairly similar at other focal lengths
compared to the 16-135mm f/2.8L II lens, the newer Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 L IS is:
- sharper edge-to-edge
- less expensive
- adds image image stabiliser so you can shoot at hand-held at 1/2 to 1/4 second

announced Dec 2016
Fully weather-sealed construction
Sub-wavelength Coatings (SWC) and Air Sphere Coatings (ASC) to eliminate lens flare and ghosting
Two large-diameter double-surface GMo lenses plus a ground aspherical lens to help decrease distortion, curvature of field and astigmatism
Two UD lenses help to reduce chromatic aberration
9 rounded blades not 7
790g (up from 635g in mark II)
128 x 89mm
EW-88D lens hood
$US2199

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/updating-a-classic-canon-16-35mm-f2-8l-iii-lens-review
- sharpness wide open highest at 16mm (much better than mark II) but 2.6EV vignetting in corners and 2.7% x 0.9% barrel distortion, but lateral CA well controlled and much better than the version II lens
- at 28-35mm need f/5.6 for maximal sharpness and at these focal lengths, the distortion is pincushion, and the sharpness is only minimally better that the mark II lens
- distortion similar to mark II lens but simple and easily correctable

announced 2014
“by far the best ever from Canon for nature, landscape, interior, real estate, general architecture and outdoor photography” ¹⁾
16-35mm zoom
f/4-f/22
weathersealed
4EV image stabiliser
close focus to 28cm
9 curved blades
16 elements / 12 groups
flourine coatings
77mm filter
112.8 x 82.8 mm
617 g

	Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 at 16mm	Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II at 16mm
sharpness
chromatic aberration

despite the Olympus lens is a f/2.8 zoom down to 14mm not 16mm, it is:
- lighter at 524g instead of 640g
- shorter at 106mm vs 112mm
- more affordable at $A1499 compared to $A1899
- far more versatile as it can zoom out to 14mm in full frame terms
- focuses closer at 20cm instead of 28cm
- much sharper wide open edge-to-edge (see charts below)
- much less CA
- much less distortion at widest zoom 1.7% compared to 7.4% barrel distortion!!
- much less vignetting wide open 1.5EV vs 1.9EV
- both have 7 blades
- has much nicer star shapes for astrophotographic landscapes of the Milky Way as it has less coma aberration
- has image stabiliser of 5 stops allowing hand held shots at 1-2 seconds courtesy of the Olympus cameras (the Canon has no IS)
- has eye detection autofocus for portraits
- has fast, silent AF for movies
why would anyone buy the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 lens then?
- if you already have a Canon full frame dSLR with 50mp and you shoot landscapes on a tripod at f/8 then it may have a use as it can take filters although you should be buying the much better f/4 lens (although for static scenes, the new Olympus cameras can shoot 40mp HiRes shots with less moire on a tripod)
- one could argue you can get 2 stops better ISO on full frame, but with this lens you need to stop it down 2 stops to get close the the sharpness of the Olympus lens, so that argument generally won't hold much
- otherwise see your mental health therapist

From ePhotozine.com's reviews (not totally comparable given different sensor sizes):

	Olympus mZD 7-14mm at 7mm	Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II
sharpness
chromatic aberration

http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/877-canon_1635_4is
- 3.4% barrel at 16mm and 2.1EV vignetting at f/4
http://www.lenstip.com/411.1-Lens_review-Canon_EF_16-35_mm_f_4L_IS_USM.html
- nicely controlled coma correction, better than the Nikon 16-35mm f/4G VR
- astigmatism well controlled at 2.9%

¹⁾