p.22 #1 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
So the 16-35 GM arrived this morning. I'm at work, but managed to sneak out for a few minutes to compare it against my Zony 16-35.
My Zony is a pretty good copy, excellent from 18->28mm (good enough that I usually don't switch to my Loxia 21) and great at 35mm. What made me consider upgrading was that the 16mm end isn't great at the edgest and that's where I use it often.
From the initial test and looking at the back of the camera, the 16-35 GM looks at least as good at 21mm as the Zony and far better at 16mm. No signs of decentering either, but I haven't tested that as thoroughly as I'd like. More when I get time to test properly over the weekend.
p.22 #4 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
I've put some 100% photos of my very quick comparison up on DPReview forums (I can't post images easily here unless I'm missing something): https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59861489
Doesn't seem worth 2x the price for my use cases (landscape & astrophotography) over the Sony-Zeiss as I have an RX1R2 and a great copy of the MF Samyang 14/2.8, but I need to test the lens more to see whether there is any field curvature affecting my shots (especially at 20mm where at f/2.8 the edges are quite blurry when focused at the center).
p.22 #5 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
sidaths wrote:
I've put some 100% photos of my very quick comparison up on DPReview forums (I can't post images easily here unless I'm missing something): https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59861489
Doesn't seem worth 2x the price for my use cases (landscape & astrophotography) over the Sony-Zeiss as I have an RX1R2 and a great copy of the MF Samyang 14/2.8, but I need to test the lens more to see whether there is any field curvature affecting my shots (especially at 20mm where at f/2.8 the edges are quite blurry when focused at the center).
I am certainly hoping that it suffers a lot less from field curvature than the Zony 16-35 and am really hoping that it will at least nearly equal my loxia 21 for real world use. The Loxia is just superb but I rarely use it and just want he versatility of this zoom
p.22 #6 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
sidaths wrote:
I've put some 100% photos of my very quick comparison up on DPReview forums (I can't post images easily here unless I'm missing something): https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59861489
Doesn't seem worth 2x the price for my use cases (landscape & astrophotography) over the Sony-Zeiss as I have an RX1R2 and a great copy of the MF Samyang 14/2.8, but I need to test the lens more to see whether there is any field curvature affecting my shots (especially at 20mm where at f/2.8 the edges are quite blurry when focused at the center).
How's the distortion at 16mm? Well-corrected with the Adobe Lightroom profile? Is the vignetting overcorrection that accompanied the 12-24mm profile also a problem with the 16-35GM?
Also, if you get a chance, could you post a photograph at 16mm with a tall, straight structure at the edge (such as a lightpole or building)?
p.22 #7 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
OK so I did another quick and (slightly less) dirty test comparing the 1635ZA and 1635GM.
All photos:
* on a tripod
* ISO 100
* IBIS/OSS on
* focused on the left midfield (the windows) using AF-S (was as good as when I used MF)
* Standard Lightroom import, with vignetting and distortion profiles added
* Exported at JPEG quality 80 No export sharpening
* Apertures: 2.8, 4, 5.6 and 8
* It's better than the FE 16-35, but this is only visible in the edges and extreme corners.
* It's negligibly bigger and heavier. I am massively impressed by the size of this lens
* Balance seems close to the camera so I didn't notice a difference at all
* I love the build and the rings move really well, unsurprisingly just like the 85 GM
* Focus is fast and pretty silent didn't notice a difference compared to the Zeiss
* I didn't have time to compare with the Loxia 21 (which isn't going anywhere even if the GM beats it )
I'm going to have to think hard on whether I keep this one. I'm essentially choosing between the 1635GM and a combination of the 1224G & 1635ZA as they work out to roughly the same price for me...
If there's anything I've done wrong, let me know and I'll try to fix it. This stuff takes longer than I'd thought! Since I've benefitted from others doing things like this in the past I'll try to do my best.
@Messier: I'll try to take a photo to test distortion tomorrow. Taking 28 photos of the same thing isn't what my other half thinks is a good way to spend a Friday evening
p.22 #8 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
sidaths wrote:
OK so I did another quick and (slightly less) dirty test comparing the 1635ZA and 1635GM.
All photos:
* on a tripod
* ISO 100
* IBIS/OSS on
* focused on the left midfield (the windows) using AF-S (was as good as when I used MF)
* Standard Lightroom import, with vignetting and distortion profiles added
* Exported at JPEG quality 80 No export sharpening
* Apertures: 2.8, 4, 5.6 and 8
* It's better than the FE 16-35, but this is only visible in the edges and extreme corners.
* It's negligibly bigger and heavier. I am massively impressed by the size of this lens
* Balance seems close to the camera so I didn't notice a difference at all
* I love the build and the rings move really well, unsurprisingly just like the 85 GM
* Focus is fast and pretty silent didn't notice a difference compared to the Zeiss
* I didn't have time to compare with the Loxia 21 (which isn't going anywhere even if the GM beats it )
I'm going to have to think hard on whether I keep this one. I'm essentially choosing between the 1635GM and a combination of the 1224G & 1635ZA as they work out to roughly the same price for me...
If there's anything I've done wrong, let me know and I'll try to fix it. This stuff takes longer than I'd thought! Since I've benefitted from others doing things like this in the past I'll try to do my best.
@Messier: I'll try to take a photo to test distortion tomorrow. Taking 28 photos of the same thing isn't what my other half thinks is a good way to spend a Friday evening ...Show more →
Thanks for the test and sharing the results. I prefer using MF and IBIS 'off' for tests like this but it's still a great comparison. I wish we could see the extreme edges where the differences should be more apparent.
Based on your images, the new GM seems to have lower astigmatism towards the corners and it's sharper everywhere including center. (however I'm not sure how corrected it is for field curvature).
What I see in your images is that the new GM is noticeably better but not much better from 16 until 20mm at center and mid-field. After that, the GM is much improved, which it's the known 16-35/4's weaker range.
p.22 #9 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
sidaths wrote:
OK so I did another quick and (slightly less) dirty test comparing the 1635ZA and 1635GM.
If there's anything I've done wrong, let me know and I'll try to fix it. This stuff takes longer than I'd thought! Since I've benefitted from others doing things like this in the past I'll try to do my best.
@Messier: I'll try to take a photo to test distortion tomorrow. Taking 28 photos of the same thing isn't what my other half thinks is a good way to spend a Friday evening
Thank you for the tests! Any chance you can take some night/astro shots wide open to check its comma performance?
p.22 #10 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
I have now shot several interiors with the Sony 12-24. I normally shoot with the Canon 11-24. The increase in distortion is significant by comparison. Before the lens profile for the 12-24 was released, I was ready to return it because the distortion was so bad. I was spending way more time correcting it. However, the lens profile helped a lot, so now I'm still testing, but I'm still 90% sure I'm going to return it.
Most of my interior shots are done at 16mm/f11. Very distorted. Much better with the lens profile, but still not as good as the 11-24 in my opinion.
Yesterday and today I did shoots at f8 and tweaked focus to see if there could be any performance increase extracted from the 12-24 above and beyond what I'm already getting from the 11-24. So far I don't think this is the case.
My conclusion for now is a good adapted Canon 11-24 is the best choice for anyone who has to spend a lot of time making vertical lines straight. Everyone else should get the 12-24.
p.22 #13 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
We had overcast skies last night so I didn't get a chance to test for coma. If this lens can get close to my Samyang 14/2.8 MF lens I will be very happy!
If time permits, I plan to test against the Loxia 21, Samyang 14/2.8, Samyang 24/1.4 and RX1R2 today or tomorrow.
I'll also shoot the scene tilted like Fred does to test those extreme corners :-)
p.22 #14 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
sidaths wrote:
We had overcast skies last night so I didn't get a chance to test for coma. If this lens can get close to my Samyang 14/2.8 MF lens I will be very happy!
If time permits, I plan to test against the Loxia 21, Samyang 14/2.8, Samyang 24/1.4 and RX1R2 today or tomorrow.
I'll also shoot the scene tilted like Fred does to test those extreme corners :-)
Please do so! The FE 12-24/4 G has great wide open coma performance and if the new 16-35 GM performs similarly, it would be an amazing option for astro and reason enough to own both lenses.
p.22 #15 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
sidaths wrote:
We had overcast skies last night so I didn't get a chance to test for coma. If this lens can get close to my Samyang 14/2.8 MF lens I will be very happy!
If time permits, I plan to test against the Loxia 21, Samyang 14/2.8, Samyang 24/1.4 and RX1R2 today or tomorrow.
I'll also shoot the scene tilted like Fred does to test those extreme corners :-)
p.22 #17 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
I'm very interested in the vignetting @16mm 2.8 as well as I'm considering switching to Sony and want to use the 16-35 2.8 (my most used Canon lens has been my 16-35). Thanks to all so far for the information.
p.22 #18 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
Unfortunately it has been raining all weekend here in the UK and so I haven't been able to test for flare or coma. I also haven't been able to test properly against my other lenses at the same focal lengths.
However, from what I have managed to do:
35mm
* The RX1R2 is clearly better at f/2.8 and is still ahead slightly at f/4.
* The RX1R2 at f/2 is only slightly worse than the GM at f/2.8
21mm
* From what I can see by turning on and off vignette correction in Lightroom, the GM seems to vignette roughly the same amount as the Loxia at f/2.8
* Vignetting seems to reduce more than it does on the Loxia as you stop down
* My Expodisc is only 77mm so can't test with that easily I'll have to figure out another way to test that.
16mm
* Extreme corners hold up quite well, being only slightly worse than the edges.
* They may not be quite as good as what I've seen posted from the 12-24G though
When the rain stops, I plan to head out with the lenses I mentioned in my previous post as well as the 35mm Art and get some photos and crops I can share. Looking at the forecast though, I may well be beaten by others testing their lenses!
p.22 #19 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
sidaths wrote:
Unfortunately it has been raining all weekend here in the UK and so I haven't been able to test for flare or coma. I also haven't been able to test properly against my other lenses at the same focal lengths.
However, from what I have managed to do:
35mm
* The RX1R2 is clearly better at f/2.8 and is still ahead slightly at f/4.
* The RX1R2 at f/2 is only slightly worse than the GM at f/2.8
21mm
* From what I can see by turning on and off vignette correction in Lightroom, the GM seems to vignette roughly the same amount as the Loxia at f/2.8
* Vignetting seems to reduce more than it does on the Loxia as you stop down
* My Expodisc is only 77mm so can't test with that easily I'll have to figure out another way to test that.
16mm
* Extreme corners hold up quite well, being only slightly worse than the edges.
* They may not be quite as good as what I've seen posted from the 12-24G though
When the rain stops, I plan to head out with the lenses I mentioned in my previous post as well as the 35mm Art and get some photos and crops I can share. Looking at the forecast though, I may well be beaten by others testing their lenses!...Show more →
Thanks for the updated report! Vignetting on the Loxia is actually very pronounced so if the zoom is the same at 21mm I have to imagine the vignetting is approaching the Canon 16-35 2.8 iii at 16mm and worse than the Rokinon 14mm 2.8
p.22 #20 · Pre-order Now! Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM and FE 12-24/4 G
Just picked mine up and I took it out for a brief spin before completing the purchase (my dealer knows me well) and so far looking good. extreme corners at f16 are clearly a lot sharper than the F4 version which is important to me. Remarkably small and light compared to the 24-70GM. Manual focussing is much better though I wished Sony would give us a more detailed distance scale. Hood doesn't click into to place a solidly as the 24-70. Early days though
