Sample Images & Verdict

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Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 35.0mm Aperture: f/8.0 Exposure 1/500s	Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 16.0mm Aperture: f/4.0 Exposure 1/320s
Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 25.0mm Aperture: f/11.0 Exposure 1/400s	Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 16.0mm Aperture: f/11.0 Exposure 1/400s
Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 20.0mm Aperture: f/11.0 Exposure 1/400s	Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 18.0mm Aperture: f/11.0 Exposure 1/640s
Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 16.0mm Aperture: f/11.0 Exposure 1/320s	Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 35.0mm Aperture: f/11.0 Exposure 1/160s
Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 400 Focal Length 20.0mm Aperture: f/11.0 Exposure 1/250s	Make SONY Model ILCE-7R ISO Speed 200 Focal Length 23.0mm Aperture: f/11.0 Exposure 1/80s

Verdict

The Carl-Zeiss Vario Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 OSS ZA may not be able to convince completely but we actually like it quite a bit. It is capable of delivering sharp results at medium apertures. In fact, it's pretty much excellent around the 20mm mark especially considering the 36mp sensor of the test camera. The weakest spot is at 35mm where the corners could be better at f/4 and f/5.6 but beyond they are just fine actually. The field curvature is a bit on the high side at 16mm (at f/4 and f/5.6). Unsurprisingly there's quite a bit of vignetting at 16mm f/4. Stopping down helps, of course, although not as much as you might expect. Image distortions are typical for a lens in this class. The amount of lateral CAs is relatively good.

Typical for most Sony-made lenses the build quality is impressive. The tightly assembled, weather-sealed metal body feels reassuring and it's simply a joy to use it out there. While AF speed isn't really an important value proposition on such a lens, it is decent although not outstanding. The optical image stabilizer is also a nice value-add.

Thus all in all it is not a perfect lens but a desirable one.