camera gear, cinematography
NEW SONY 16-35mm F2.8 GM II vs 16-35mm F4 PZ G
Are you a photography enthusiast who loves capturing stunning landscapes and wide-angle shots? If so, you’re probably on the hunt for the perfect lens to enhance your skills. Look no further than the latest advancements from Sony – the NEW 16-35mm F2.8 GM II and the 16-35mm F4 PZ G lenses. In this blog post, we’ll dive into a detailed comparison of these two remarkable lenses, highlighting their unique features and performance capabilities. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a hobbyist, understanding the differences between these lenses will help you make an informed decision for your photography needs.
NEW SONY 16-35mm F2.8 GM II vs 16-35mm F4 PZ G
Introduction
So have I got a great video for you guys, we’re going to be talking about the brand new 16-35 GM Mark II versus the 16-35 pz lens and before you think, okay well the GM Mark II is obviously better, but we have to talk a little bit more about obviously price features.
The F 2.8 and overall, is it going to be worth getting something like this that’s almost twice the price as this we’ve got a lot to get through let’s talk about the specs then we can get right into it.
Specifications
The 16-35 F 2.8 GM is Sony’s newest full-frame lens that replaces the ever so popular original 16-35 F 2.8 GM. It has a wide constant aperture of F 2.8 to an F22, two custom buttons, a manual focus autofocus switch, an Iris lock, the ability to switch the RS from clickable or de-clicked, front filter thread of 82 millimeters, and weighs a total of 546 grams.
The 16-35 F4 pzg lens is the newest update to the older 16-35 F4 G lens. It has an aperture of F4 to F-22, one custom button, a manual focus to autofocus switch, an iris lock, clickable or de-clicked iris ring, a power zoom rocker, front filter thread of 72 millimeters, and weighs a total of 354 grams.
Comparison
Right off the bat, we have to address the biggest thing in my opinion and that comes down to the F2.8. Now, it’s a constant F2.8 through 16 and 35, and that could be a massive deal breaker when it comes to people who need to do interiors, low lights, obviously real estate agents, vloggers, and F2.8 against an F4 is pretty big.
But with the low light performance of a lot of cameras these days, is it actually bigger than you would imagine? Can you get away with doing real estate videography with the 16-35 pz? Is the F4 going to make a massive difference, especially when it comes to low light?
This is currently at F4 with ISO 640 and we changed it up to 12,800 and still at F4, and now we’ll just bring it down to F8 just to equalize that exposure.
Now, does this mean this slower F4 lens is going to be best for real estate? Well, the F2.8 does give you a little bit more versatility in that low light scenario, but like I’m trying to point here is that the Sony cameras are really good under low light situations where you can utilize higher ISO levels and still get clean usable footage.
When you actually think about aperture and F2.8 versus F4, you also think about depth of field. Now, depth of field is more relative to the aperture and the distance to the subject, but these are both full-frame lenses, so comparing the 2.8 against the F4 will be pretty interesting to see if it’s actually worth it or not.
In real time, it’s very difficult to distinguish the differences between an F2.8 lens and an F4 lens. The biggest thing with an F2.8 over an F4 is that you have that ability to try and get a shallower depth of field, and it does give you that flexibility if you need an F2.8 as opposed to that smaller F4 aperture.
Power Zoom and Zooming Mechanism
The gmasters’s got the W in every single category, but the price obviously is the biggest thing. But we’ll talk about that soon. We’re going to be talking about the pz, so that’s the power zoom in this thing, and the GM doesn’t have power zoom.
If you have the fx3, fx30, and the fx6, they do have a zoom rocker on top and also the zve E1 as well. That’s got a zoom rocker, and that pairs with the pz lens is actually quite well because you can zoom in nice and slow and nice and controlled as opposed to just that manual zoom on the actual ring itself.
If that is a feature that you actually like, the pz lens might actually be a really good option. Also, in saying that, the pz lens is internally zoomed as well, whereas the GM Mark II is externally zoomed.
But what they did say is that when you zoom externally and you do have it on a gimbal, it doesn’t actually change the balance. Interestingly, with the 16-35 GM Mark II, apparently what Sony said that they’ve essentially created the elements inside to be even when you zoom out.
If you have it on a gimbal and the barrel extends, you won’t actually have to rebalance a gimbal because the elements inside balance directly in the center or something like that. I’m going to be testing it here, but I got kind of varying results. It’s not 100% perfectly balanced when it zooms out, but it’s still perfectly fine because the gimbal can handle it no worries.
Focus Breathing and Build Quality
Now we have to talk about focus breathing. Well, we probably don’t have to because there is none when it comes to this lens. They’ve made this thing optically perfect, that there is no focus breathing.
But the same goes with the pz lens. It actually has very, very minimal focus breathing, which performs very good too.
When it comes to external build design and quality of the features, the GM Mark II actually has two custom buttons, as opposed to the single custom button on the G lens. Everything else is the same. You’ve got the autofocus to manual focus switch, you’ve got the iris lock, and then you can actually switch it to clicked or de-clicked as well. So it does have that aperture ring.
When it comes to the focus ring and the zoom ring, they are really nice and smooth. But the key factor between this focus ring and zoom ring is that the pz lens is zoomed by wire.
So you can pretty much rotate this as much as you like, and it’s not going to physically have a hard stop because it is by wire, as opposed to the 16-35 GM Mark II. It does have that hard stop. Whether that’s a big deal breaker or not, it just really depends. And if you did want to zoom nice and softly, you know exactly where those hard stops are, so you can actually see that on the lens.
Image Quality
Now we have to talk about image quality. The 16-35 GM Mark I wasn’t amazing when it came to image quality. It was not incredibly sharp, it did have chromatic aberration, and obviously a few other minor complications.
But they’ve literally addressed that with this lens. This 16-35 GM II is literally like perfect when it comes to the 16mm. When it comes to the 35mm, wide open at F2.8, incredibly sharp from the center and pretty much…
Frequently Asked Questions: Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II vs 16-35mm F4 PZ G
Q: What is the difference between the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II and the 16-35mm F4 PZ G?
A: The Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II is a second-generation version of the popular wide-angle lens, offering a wider maximum aperture of f/2.8 compared to the f/4 aperture of the 16-35mm F4 PZ G.
Q: How does the wider aperture on the 16-35mm F2.8 GM II lens affect my photography?
A: The wider aperture of f/2.8 on the GM II lens allows for better low light performance and increased background blur (bokeh) for artistic effect. It also offers greater control over depth of field, giving you more options for creative expression in your photography.
Q: Is there a significant difference in image quality between the two lenses?
A: Both lenses are known for delivering excellent image quality. However, due to its wider aperture, the 16-35mm F2.8 GM II lens generally produces sharper and more detailed images, especially in challenging lighting conditions.
Q: Which lens is better suited for landscape photography?
A: Both lenses are suitable for capturing stunning landscape shots. However, the 16-35mm F2.8 GM II lens’s wider aperture can be advantageous in low light situations, allowing for faster shutter speeds and reducing the need for high ISO settings.
Q: Does the 16-35mm F4 PZ G lens have any specific advantages over the 16-35mm F2.8 GM II?
A: One advantage of the 16-35mm F4 PZ G lens is its Power Zoom (PZ) feature, which offers smooth and silent zooming during video recording. If you prioritize video capabilities and require quiet zooming, the PZ G lens might be a better choice.
Q: Are both lenses weather-sealed?
A: Yes, both the 16-35mm F2.8 GM II and the 16-35mm F4 PZ G lenses are weather-sealed, providing protection against dust and moisture. This makes them suitable for outdoor photography in challenging environments.
Q: Which lens is lighter and more compact?
A: The 16-35mm F4 PZ G lens is lighter and more compact compared to the 16-35mm F2.8 GM II lens. If portability is a priority for you, the PZ G lens may be a better option.
Q: Which lens is more expensive?
A: Generally, the 16-35mm F2.8 GM II lens is more expensive than the 16-35mm F4 PZ G lens due to its wider maximum aperture and superior optical performance.
Remember to consult manufacturer websites or authorized retailers for the most accurate and up-to-date information about these lenses.
I hope you find useful my article NEW SONY 16-35mm F2.8 GM II vs 16-35mm F4 PZ G, I also recommend you to read my other posts in my blog at this link.
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