Sony full-frame mirrorless wide-angle lens Zeiss 16-35mmF4 review

Before the IT168 review, I used a Sony full-frame mirrorless camera, but I always lacked a corresponding wide-angle lens. Often, if you really want to shoot with a wide-angle lens, you can only use an adapter and use other lenses. Use the adapted lens or more. Or less problems will occur. Focus is the first problem, then the image quality will be affected, and then the latitude of Sony's full-frame mirrorless camera may not be fully expressed. Anyway, the standard FE mount is the most suitable. It is not new for Sony and Zeiss to advance and retreat at the same time. The FE 16-35mm F4 launched by Zeiss this time enriches Sony’s full-frame mirrorless lens group. The release of Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS officially complements Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras!

In the past, when using Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, there would be “I dare to ask where is the way” "The road is not under my feet" is a problem because I really didn't have a suitable wide-angle lens before, so it was very difficult to take pictures of the scenery under my feet. Now that Sony has the Zeiss 16-35mm, it can be paired with the 24-70mm F4 ZA and G lens 70-200mm F4 to completely cover the near, medium and far focal lengths, and the focal lengths for normal shooting are all available. This marks Sony's full-frame micro The Shan has truly entered the ranks of photographers' main camera, and what I'm looking forward to next is large ternary lenses and macro lenses.

Today we will take a look at the quality of this new lens and whether it can truly bring everyone into the "happiness first" journey of wide-angle shooting.

Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS main specifications

Full-frame E-mount lens

7 aperture blades, minimum aperture F22

The lens structure is 12 elements in 10 groups, including 5 aspherical lenses and 3 ED lenses

Minimum focusing distance 0.28m

With optical image stabilization

Support Full-time manual focus

Filter diameter 72mm, weight 518g

Maximum diameter 78mm, lens length 99mm

Various tests (click on the picture to go directly):< /p>

Purchasing advice (test summary): After the overall test, this ultra-wide-angle lens is moderate in weight and volume, has excellent image quality, and there is room for improvement in distortion control. It feels better in use and is very quiet when focusing. It is also positioned as Xiaosanyuan's ultra-wide-angle lens. It is also the only ultra-wide-angle lens among the so-called full-frame mirrorless cameras, which complements the connectivity of focal lengths. The habit of zooming has changed and it takes time to adapt. In strict tests, the image quality of the lens performed very well. After all, if all optimizations are turned off for shooting, the actual shooting will definitely be better than the one in the evaluation.

The editor personally feels that the price of this lens is a bit expensive (priced at 8,099 yuan, click to view), but at present, this is the most native ultra-wide-angle lens among Sony mirrorless full-frame lenses. Are there any other options for people who want to take wide-angle photos? Yes, please continue transferring. If you want a perfect experience, it’s better to buy this Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4.

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Sony Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS appearance

Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS This lens is a continuation of Zeiss The unique style, in my opinion, is the most "high-end" lens. When I actually touch this machine, it feels good because it is made of metal. Domestic photography experts actually prefer this lens. It's a metallic thing that makes you feel at ease when you touch it. In terms of size, it is the smallest among the small Sanyuan devices I have seen. (According to the concept of lightness of a mirrorless camera, maybe non-metallic materials will make the whole thing lighter, but this is not in line with Zeiss’ precision workmanship style)

Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS The size is 78 x 98.5mm, the filter diameter is 72mm, and the size is calculated to match the Sony A7 very well. The weight is 518g. At this point, I can't say that it is lightweight. I can only say that it is a bit classy. When paired with the Sony A7, the lens is slightly heavier. It is best to operate it with both hands when shooting. (If you think about it, the workmanship of Zeiss lenses is excellent, and you will have no doubts)

The 72mm filter diameter is very versatile, and it is easy to find it when buying UV filters, but it is not too big The price to pay for the caliber also becomes expensive.

I won’t say much about the overall body of the Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS. Because it is made of metal, the texture is really good.

There is a Zeiss blue mark on the side of the lens. This mark is generally called the mark of a good lens - hahahahaha.

The bottom of the lens, which is the interface, is a metal interface. Metal is wear-resistant and reliable, and its stability is stronger than that of plastic interfaces.

After using the focus ring and zoom ring, their damping feels very smooth. By smooth, I don’t mean that they slide easily for no reason. Instead, the damping feels very tight, and the zoom mode uses an external zoom mode.

This lens also supports T* coating technology, which can effectively reduce flare and ghosting.

Summary: There is nothing to complain about in terms of appearance and workmanship. I personally feel that mirrorless lenses should be as lightweight as possible. Such a heavy lens may be a bit tiring for girls with smaller wrists when shooting handheld. For men, it may be a bit tiring. fine. The zoom ring is different from previous lens zooms. It extends out to wide angle, which is different from what many people are used to. It takes some time to get used to it.

Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 resolution test

The optical structure of Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS is 12 elements in 10 groups, including 5 aspherical lenses and 3 EDs The aspherical lens also includes a huge AA (advanced aspherical) lens, which not only ensures minimal deformation distortion and chromatic aberration, but also strives for good corner image quality. Therefore, in terms of resolution, the Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS has a strong performance on the screen.

Let’s test this lens in IT168’s standard evaluation room. In this resolution test, the Sony A7 body was used with the Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS lens (lens optimization turned off) to shoot the ISO 12233 resolution standard card. IMATEST software was used to run the scores later to obtain the final data. Let’s take a look at its resolution below.

16mm wide-angle end test results

▲16mm wide-angle end center test results

The best center resolution at the wide-angle end is at 3500 lines. The results in the reverse shots are at an excellent level. The best resolution in the center occurs at F5.6.

▲16mm wide-angle end edge test results

The best resolution of the wide-angle end edge test results appears at F5.6. Based on the above center resolution results, at the wide-angle end it is better to It is recommended to use F5.6 aperture to take the clearest photos. Under normal circumstances, the edge image quality will be reduced a lot, but judging from the test results here, there is no sense of degradation at all. Those with 2500 lines have excellent image quality. Try not to open the two apertures of F4 and F22 to take photos that require higher definition.

35mm telephoto end test results

▲35mm telephoto end center test results

In zoom lenses, the resolution at the telephoto end is generally not high. This is a common phenomenon in zoom lenses. The best resolution in the center at the telephoto end also occurs at F5.6. But this Zeiss lens is still the best among mirrorless lenses, with scores that are comparable to many prime lenses.

▲35mm telephoto end edge test results

As you can see in the histogram above, the best edge resolution at the telephoto end also occurs at F5.6.

From the test results, we found that the best resolution is at F5.6. At this aperture, we conducted shooting tests in real scenes, and 100% of the original film showed out the details for viewing. The red mark is the intercepted part.

Through the screenshots, we can see that the details in the central area of ??this lens are well preserved and the performance is remarkable.

Summary: The best resolution of the Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS appears at the aperture F5.6. When shooting high-definition pictures of landscapes or some Taobao store products, it is recommended to use the aperture F5.6. However, the wide-angle lens is not very suitable for Taobao merchants to shoot products. After all, the focal length can be used wider in the outside world, and it is also an excellent choice for shooting some magnificent buildings and interiors. Especially when traveling to European countries, the wide angle is simply a magical tool.

Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 distortion and vignetting test

Distortion is a problem that everyone is very concerned about in ultra-wide-angle lenses. Some people like ultra-wide-angle lenses with large distortion, so they can take some pictures like this The scene is very visually impactful; some people don’t like distortion and always think that distortion in the lens affects the image quality. In short, regardless of the distortion of the ultra-wide-angle lens, it will enter a state of "some people love it and some people hate it". According to my previous understanding of other Zeiss lenses, generally it is pretty good in terms of distortion control and vignetting control, but this kind of ultra-wide-angle lens is not. That’s for sure. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the distortion of Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4. Understanding it is always useful when shooting.

Test description: During the test, all optimization and correction functions of the lens were turned off. There is a certain difference between the distortion and what is seen during actual shooting

▲16mm wide-angle end Distortion test results

The distortion of the Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 at the 10mm focal length is -2.38%. Among all types of lenses, this result is a medium level of barrel distortion. Combined with the fact that it is a super wide angle, this The distortion is normal. And during the shooting process, I did not see obvious distortion in the LCD viewfinder or EVF. In actual samples, the distortion is not obvious.

▲35mm telephoto end distortion test results

The distortion score of Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 at the 35mm telephoto end is 1.61%, which is pincushion distortion. By the way, one thing I want to tell you here is that the Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 zoom is the opposite of the lens we usually use. When it is extended out, it is the wide-angle end, and when it is retracted, it is the telephoto end 35mm.

Summary: The barrel distortion of the Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 at the 16mm wide-angle end can be clearly seen in the test pictures, but this result is well controlled for the ultra-wide-angle focal length. There is no obvious distortion at the 35mm telephoto end. The Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 wide-angle zoom lens can take into account both landscape photography and humanities photography.

Vignetting disappears at F5.6

▲F4 vignetting real shot

16mm end vignetting test

35mm end vignetting test Angle test

Many ultra-wide-angle lenses will have obvious vignetting at large apertures, but Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 can control this aspect better. The vignetting is at the maximum aperture at the telephoto end and wide-angle end. It's not noticeable at F4 until it disappears completely at F5.6.

Excellent glare and ghosting control

Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 uses Zeiss T* coating technology in the lens to effectively suppress glare and ghosting. The ghosting seen in the test is basically negligible, showing a small colorful spot.

▲Excellent glare and ghost control in real-life shooting

It is recommended to avoid direct strong light sources when shooting. After all, a large amount of glare will reduce the image quality a lot, especially when shooting Pay special attention to the scenery. If glare and ghosting are well controlled, it will be helpful to improve the image quality, and it will also have an advantage when shooting the sunset.

Soft out-of-focus

The focal length of Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 is from 15mm to 36mm, covering humanistic focal lengths. When shooting some humanistic themes, you need to use the background blur function, so that Some of the more cluttered backgrounds are softened. It’s not surprising that the Zeiss FE 16-35mm F4 has outstanding performance in background blurring capabilities. Many lens designers will consider this and try to make the 35mm focal length of Xiaosanyuan possible for shooting humanistic themes. Therefore, this lens ranges from wide-angle landscapes to There is no problem with taking photos of people and nature.

▲Outdoor live shooting

Generally speaking, the effect of background blur is not very good for a small aperture like F4 and a wide-angle lens. From the perspective of this lens, Judging from the background blur effect, it can still be used in emergencies when shooting subjects like this in daily life.

Starburst sample

Test real-life sample