Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: phila on June 20, 2014, 11:55:05 pm

Title: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: phila on June 20, 2014, 11:55:05 pm
Very quick test done this morning with my old and well used 2.8L II, the 4L & TS-E 17f4L. 1DX body. All 100 ISO.

www.philaphoto.com/images/16-35_Test_series.jpg
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: francois on June 23, 2014, 04:58:30 am
Very quick test done this morning with my old and well used 2.8L II, the 4L & TS-E 17f4L. 1DX body. All 100 ISO.

www.philaphoto.com/images/16-35_Test_series.jpg

Thanks for the quick test. It looks like the new 16-35 f/4 is a definitive improvement.
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: David Eichler on June 23, 2014, 02:22:55 pm
Very quick test done this morning with my old and well used 2.8L II, the 4L & TS-E 17f4L. 1DX body. All 100 ISO.

www.philaphoto.com/images/16-35_Test_series.jpg

Interesting. Have you tried a number of copies of the 16-35mm F:2.8? From what I have seen, assuming good copies of the lenses, the edge performance should be at least as good as the the 17-40, at the same apertures and focal lengths, which is obviously not the case with your copy. However, I have tried several copies of the lens and seen vastly different performance. One more example of Canon's mediocre quality control, at least with regard wideangle lenses.
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: David Anderson on June 26, 2014, 08:26:54 am
IMHO, the various Canon super wide zooms have all been disappointing, but the shots you posted look like there's been a real jump in image quality in the new model.

Very good Canon.  8)

Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: Paulowen on June 27, 2014, 07:40:42 am
Interesting comments on this lens. However, I'm a self-confessed pixel-peeper and the copy of the 17-40mm I have is nice and sharp right into the corners once stopped down passed f5.6? No justification to change for this new 16-35mm f4  :-\
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: David Eichler on June 28, 2014, 04:07:43 pm
Interesting comments on this lens. However, I'm a self-confessed pixel-peeper and the copy of the 17-40mm I have is nice and sharp right into the corners once stopped down passed f5.6? No justification to change for this new 16-35mm f4  :-\

This has not been my experience after using various copies of this lens (even stopped down to f:8-11), nor was it the experience with several tests of the lens I have read. Not bad (with a good copy), just not something to rave about, from what I have seen. Real world usability is another matter, and a lot of people find this lens quite satisfactory for their needs. I find it adequate for some purposes and not others. From the photos posted above, and a very quick-and-dirty trial with my own copy of the 16-35mm F:4 Canon, it would seem that this lens is on quite another level with regard to sharpness across the entire image area.
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: phila on June 28, 2014, 10:18:55 pm
Interesting. Have you tried a number of copies of the 16-35mm F:2.8? From what I have seen, assuming good copies of the lenses, the edge performance should be at least as good as the the 17-40, at the same apertures and focal lengths, which is obviously not the case with your copy. However, I have tried several copies of the lens and seen vastly different performance. One more example of Canon's mediocre quality control, at least with regard wideangle lenses.


My old f2.8L II has been back to Canon twice for checking (and given a tick both times). I've also tested it alongside a CPS loan lens and couldn't tell the results apart...

I had a 17-40 before the f2.8 and found it to be six of one & half a dozen of the other comparing the two. Depended on the focal length etc.

Having now used the new 16-35f4L for several shoots I'm ecstatic with the results!  ;D
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: shadowblade on June 30, 2014, 11:58:21 am
In terms of corner sharpness and CA, how does it compare to the Nikon 14-24?
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: John MacLean on June 30, 2014, 07:31:47 pm
In terms of corner sharpness and CA, how does it compare to the Nikon 14-24?

Here it is compared> http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=949&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=3&LensComp=615&CameraComp=614&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=2&APIComp=4
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: David Eichler on July 01, 2014, 01:40:50 am
Here it is compared> http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=949&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=3&LensComp=615&CameraComp=614&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=2&APIComp=4

As best I can see from the comparison, while the Nikon 14-24 may be a bit sharper in the center at some settings, the Canon 16-35 F:4 has better sharpness across the frame, as well as considerably lower CA. So far, I have found my copy to not have any CA worth bothering about.
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: John MacLean on July 01, 2014, 02:36:06 am
As best I can see from the comparison, while the Nikon 14-24 may be a bit sharper in the center at some settings, the Canon 16-35 F:4 has better sharpness across the frame, as well as considerably lower CA. So far, I have found my copy to not have any CA worth bothering about.

CA rarely is a bother, since one click in LR usually kills it. Distortion can usually be fixed too, but I'd rather it be optically correct. Corner sharpness, now that's a real concern!
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: Paulowen on July 01, 2014, 04:40:52 pm
This has not been my experience after using various copies of this lens (even stopped down to f:8-11), nor was it the experience with several tests of the lens I have read. Not bad (with a good copy), just not something to rave about, from what I have seen. Real world usability is another matter, and a lot of people find this lens quite satisfactory for their needs. I find it adequate for some purposes and not others. From the photos posted above, and a very quick-and-dirty trial with my own copy of the 16-35mm F:4 Canon, it would seem that this lens is on quite another level with regard to sharpness across the entire image area.

Maybe I have found the holy grail of 17-40mm  8)
Title: Re: Canon 16-35f4L quick comparison images.
Post by: KevinA on July 03, 2014, 05:48:22 pm
Interesting comments on this lens. However, I'm a self-confessed pixel-peeper and the copy of the 17-40mm I have is nice and sharp right into the corners once stopped down passed f5.6? No justification to change for this new 16-35mm f4  :-\
You can't peep very well then, I've never had a copy that's any good and most other pros I know that had one got rid of it super quick. Resolution was never better than poor even stopped down, contrast, colour and flare resistance was pretty good.