Sony 16-35mm f2.8 GM Sample Images – Real-World Examples

Sample images from the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM on the a7 III, showing the fast wide zoom’s real-world rendering from architecture to low light.

Related: what makes a prime lens · what “fast” means in a lens · finding a lens’s filter size.

This is a collection of sample images I’ve shot with the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM E-mount lens to give a sense of how it performs in real-world shooting conditions. All of these were shot on the Sony a7 III 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera.

This collection of sample images from the 16-35mm goes along with a more detailed review of the lens that I’ve posted separately.

But, briefly, the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM lens is an E-mount lens designed for Sony’s full-frame cameras. It has an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/22 (with apertures constant throughout the zoom range), an 11-blade circular diaphragm, three aspherical and two XA elements, and is ruggedized with dust- and moisture-resistant construction.

I’ve included a range of shots at different spots on the zoom range and at different apertures. I’ve also included a range of focusing distances, shots to show up any barrel distortion or chromatic aberration, and some that show general sharpness.

All of them were only lightly processed in Lightroom. Because the whole point is to see how the lens performs, I’ve deliberately done very little to them. And I haven’t done any extra correction for the usual lens issues like chromatic aberration, distortion, or lens vignetting. I also haven’t applied any extra sharpening beyond the Lightroom default (amount: 40; radius: 1.0; detail: 25). They were all shot in RAW, so they haven’t had any of the in-camera processing magic applied.

I should also note that some of these were deliberately shot at very high ISOs because I was also testing the a7iii’s low-light performance at the same time (you can see those tests here).

Sample photos taken with a Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM lens

If you’d like a closer look at a high-resolution version, you can click on each image to open the full-size photo.

Optical correction tools

I deliberately haven’t applied extensive corrections to these images. And the general rule of thumb in photography is that it’s better to get the shot right at the time of capture rather than trying to fix it after. That’s a great aspiration, but it’s not always possible to do if you’re bumping up against limitations or flaws in gear, conditions, or technique.

But it’s worth mentioning that there are some excellent tools available to help address common issues with lenses, such as distortion, chromatic aberration, and lens vignetting when editing the images. All-round image processing apps like Lightroom Classic and Capture One have solid tools built in already that often cater to specific lens profiles (or you can make your own).

Some more specialized tools can take it even further. DxO, in particular, sets the gold standard. Their software is built on the foundation of their incredibly deep archive of data from their extensive lab testing of the optical performance of lenses and cameras. But there are some other excellent specialized tools available. These are well worth a look (and have free trials):

• DxO Pure RAW (for a suite of automatic RAW file corrections enhancement)
• DxO ViewPoint (correcting for distortion and geometry)
• Topaz Labs Sharpen AI (in addition to standard unsharp tools, includes focus correction and shake reduction)
• On1 NoNoise (includes Tack Sharp AI, which applies sharpening)

Price & availability of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM zoom lens

The product number is SEL1635GM.

Check the current price and availability of the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 at:

• B&H Photo
• Adorama
• Amazon

If you’re in the market for a used copy, there are good odds of finding one at KEH, which is my go-to source of used photography gear.

You can rent them at LensProtoGo.

Accessories for the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM

Filters. It takes standard 82mm screw-on filters: Polarizer | UV/Haze | ND.

Lens Hood. It comes with a petal-shaped lens hood. If you’re after a replacement, the model number is ALC-SH149.

Lens Caps. It takes standard Sony front (ALCF82S) and rear (ALCR1EM) lens caps. Aftermarket versions are often cheaper and usually work just as well.