Head-to-head · Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II vs Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.8 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about Working pros and serious enthusiasts who want the definitive Sony wide-angle zoom and will use the full 16-35mm range for landscape, architecture, events and video. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II

4.8

$2,598as of May 29

Sony's second-generation 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master completes the pro f/2.8 zoom trinity for E-mount and sets the bar for the class. It is dramatically lighter than its predecessor, delivers some of the most consistent wide-angle sharpness reviewers have tested, and focuses almost instantly. The price and some flare-related ghosting are the only real reservations.

Strengths

— The most consistent wide-angle zoom optical performance reviewers have measured, sharp corner-to-corner from f/2.8
— About 20% lighter than the Mark I at 547g, the world's smallest and lightest full-frame f/2.8 wide zoom at launch
— Quad XD linear motors deliver essentially instantaneous, near-silent autofocus on Sony's better bodies

Watch-outs

— At $2,298 it is far pricier than the Tamron and Sigma f/2.8 alternatives
— Complex barrel distortion at 16mm needs a heavy correction profile (around +24)
— Ghosting and purple blobs can appear shooting toward bright light sources, even stopped down to f/8

$2,598 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #3 in Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G

4.7

$998as of Jun 7

The Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G is one of the best-value ultra-wide primes in the E-mount lineup, pairing excellent sharpness and fast autofocus with a notably light 373g body. The 20mm f/1.8 combination is well suited to astro and low-light work, and the standard 67mm filter thread adds practicality. Mild coma wide open and the fixed focal length are the only meaningful trade-offs.

Strengths

— One of the sharpest ultra-wide primes available, with few optical shortcomings
— Very light and compact at 373g for a fast full-frame ultra-wide
— Fast, accurate G-series autofocus suited to hybrid stills and video

Watch-outs

— Some visible coma at the widest apertures that improves on stopping down
— Fixed 20mm focal length limits framing flexibility versus a zoom
— No optical stabilization, relying on in-body IS

$998 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II

It is the sharpest and best-built option here, but at $2,298 it costs more than twice the Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD or Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary, which deliver most of the optical quality for far less. Unlike the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM and FE 20mm F1.8 G primes, it covers a flexible 16-35mm range in one lens.

Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G

It is the cheaper, more practical prime sibling to the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM, sharing the f/1.8 aperture and astro pedigree but with a 67mm front filter thread the 14mm lacks and a less extreme 20mm view. At $898 it sits at a similar price to the Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD and Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary zooms but trades their flexibility for a brighter aperture. It is far cheaper than the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II	Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G
Focal Length	16-35mm	20mm
Max Aperture	f/2.8 (constant)	f/1.8
Mount	Sony E (full-frame)	Sony E (full-frame)
Weight	547g	373g
Filter Thread	82mm	67mm
Stabilization	None (relies on in-body IS)	None (relies on in-body IS)
Minimum Focus	0.22m	0.18m (AF) / 0.19m (MF)
Aperture Blades	11	—
Dimensions	—	73.5 x 84.7mm

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