Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens

Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens with Lens Bag Included.

The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens is a professional-grade ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, highly regarded for its optical performance and robust build quality.

Optical Design and Build

  • Lens Construction: The lens comprises 16 elements in 12 groups, including three aspherical elements. These elements help to minimize distortions and aberrations, ensuring high image quality with excellent sharpness and contrast across the zoom range².
  • Aperture: It features a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8, which allows for significant light intake, making it suitable for low-light conditions. The aperture is constructed with 7 rounded blades, contributing to a pleasing bokeh effect².
  • Coatings: Canon's Super Spectra coatings are applied to reduce ghosting and flare, ensuring high contrast and color fidelity even in challenging lighting conditions².

Autofocus and Manual Focus

  • Autofocus: The lens utilizes a Ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM) for fast, precise, and quiet autofocus. Full-time manual focus override is available, allowing for fine adjustments without switching out of AF mode³.
  • Internal Focusing: The internal focusing mechanism ensures that the lens does not change in length during focusing, which helps maintain balance and handling³.

Physical Characteristics

  • Dimensions and Weight: The lens measures approximately 3.5 inches in diameter and 4.4 inches in length, weighing around 1.4 pounds (635 grams). This makes it relatively compact and lightweight for an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens².
  • Weather Sealing: The lens is fully weather-sealed, making it resistant to dust and moisture. This ensures reliable performance in various environmental conditions³.
  • Filter Size: It uses an 82mm filter thread, allowing for easy attachment of filters².

Performance

  • Image Quality: The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens is renowned for its sharpness, even at the maximum aperture. It delivers high-resolution images with minimal chromatic aberration and distortion².
  • Bokeh: The combination of a wide aperture and ultra-wide focal length produces a shallow depth of field, resulting in a beautiful, creamy bokeh that isolates subjects from the background².

Use Cases

This lens is ideal for:
- Landscape Photography: Its ultra-wide focal length allows photographers to capture expansive scenes with great detail.
- Architecture Photography: The lens's ability to minimize distortions makes it perfect for capturing architectural details.
- Event Photography: The versatility of the zoom range makes it suitable for various events, from weddings to concerts.
- Astrophotography: The lens's ability to gather light and its sharpness make it suitable for photographing celestial objects.

Additional Features

  • Focus Preset: This feature allows photographers to preset a specific focus distance. By turning the playback ring, the lens can instantly return to this distance, which is particularly useful for capturing action shots².
  • Power Focus Mode: Designed for video shooting, this mode enables smooth focus transitions, enhancing the lens's versatility³.

In summary, the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens is a powerhouse of optical performance, combining advanced technology with robust construction to meet the demands of professional photographers.

New or Used: Used