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

The Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM from comes as the premier L-series ultra-wide lens featuring image stabilization. This Canon camera is superb selection for architecture photography and landscape.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM features two Ultra-low UD dispersion elements, fluorine coatings on both rear and front elements for preventing water together with dust drops sticking onto each element. The camera also counts with Super Spectra coatings for reducing flare and ghosting, resistance to water and dust, ultrasonic focus motor, silent high-speed AF performance, nine-blade circular aperture, full-time manual focusing plus image stabilization providing claimed 4-stop advantage.

For professional L-series, having ultra-wide-angle zooming capacity, this camera pack is not excessively bulky, neither at 615g too heavy. You could use it on smaller APS-C body for 24-52mm equivalent viewing angle, though it will not attain superb balancing. However, it is much better comparison for a full-range professional camera such as 5D Mark III.

Quality of build is outstanding and up certainly to “L” moniker denoting premium lenses of Canon. Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM feels quite solid when held in hand, even when outer barrel plus filter thread appear plastic-made. Focusing ring is wide to generous degree, having ridged and rubberized grip band. It features no aperture ring and this does not affect much, except if using it on very old body of film. As well, the lens exhibits distance scale.

Your EF 16-35mm from Canon boasts having Image Stabilization carrying the manufacturer’s claim of offering significant advantage reaching 4 over-lens stops without stabilizer. It gets activated via “On” / “Off” switch located to the lens-side. If body of camera offer support to it, Canon IS technology as well detects intentional panning motion, automatically switching from Normal to Panning IS mode.

Focus mode switch marks the final lens-barrel control, coming with usual AF/MF settings. The f/4L IS USM significantly provides full-time manual focusing even if AF gets selected. The EF 16-35mm lens comes with slender petal-shaped EW-82 lens hood, plus drawstring lens case for protection. This camera exhibits viewing angle of 108°10' degrees at 16mm focal length and 63 degrees at 35mm. Its USM lens features wide focus ring. Hard stops are present at either end of range, which makes it easier setting focus at infinity. Users of polarizer will very likely be impressed with the filter of 77mm which does not rotate on focus.

Zoom function of Canon EF f/4L IS USM is quite fast in performance. It only takes 0.15 seconds for unlocking onto subject when mounted on the EOS 5D Mark III from by same manufacturer. Not much “hunting” is evident in either bad or good light, with lens focusing accurately nearly all time. As well, it also is a fairly quiet performer, owing to built-in Ultra Sonic Motor, USM that suits the lens well to recording of video. Chromatic aberrations are visible typically as blue or purple fringes along contrast-prone edges. These get controlled excellently by this lens kit however.