Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 L IS USM Lens Review

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 L IS USM Handling and Features

The design and build of this lens is typical of Canon's L series, with tough black finished metal and plastics used throughout its construction. The lens is designed to take the rigours of daily professional use, so it is sealed against dust and moisture, as you might expect. Even with the excellent build quality, thanks in part to the constant f/4 maximum aperture, this lens only weighs 615g, and it balances perfectly with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III used for testing.

Autofocus is powered by an Ultrasonic motor, that allows manual focus adjustments to be made at any time, and AF speeds are very fast as a result. Applying manual focus adjustments is a pleasure, thanks to the smooth, precise and well damped focus ring. Closest focus is 28cm throughout the zoom range, which is great for the occasional wide-angle close up image, or for shooting in claustrophobic environments.

As focusing is performed internally, the 77mm filter ring does not rotate, which makes the lens ideal for use with graduated and polarising filters. A petal-shaped hood is supplied with the lens, which attaches via a bayonet fitting. The button on the hood that releases the lock is quite easy to engage accidentally when removing the lens from a case or bag, so care may need to be taken not to lose the hood.

The image stabilisation system fitted to this lens promises to allow sharp images to be taken at shutter speeds four stops slower than would be possible without the system enabled. Sharp images can be produced around half the time with shutters speeds as low as 1/2sec at 35mm, which is roughly four stops slower than the usual rule of thumb would allow for hand held shooting.

Add your message