Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8l III USM £1900/$2000
The third edition of this classic lens is easily the best
The Mk III version of Canon’s highly acclaimed, fast f/2.8 wide zoom has a lot to shout about. Up front, there’s a new GMO (Glass Moulded) aspherical element, while a ground aspherical element brings up the rear. In between, everything’s grouped in a completely revised layout that’s more resistant to shock and vibration – but image stabilization is still absent.
Further attractions include two UD elements and the application of both Advanced Air Sphere and Subwavelength coatings. Unlike the Canon 11-24mm lens, this comes with a separate hood and an 82mm attachment thread, making filters easier to use.
The diaphragm blade count increases from seven to nine, giving a more well-rounded aperture and better bokeh. It’s a worthwhile enhancement, as the relatively long 35mm maximum focal length and wide f/2.8 aperture enable a fairly tight depth of field at short focus distances. As you’d expect from a Canon L-series lens, build quality is superb.
Performance
When it comes to image quality, the biggest improvement over the Mk II is the superb sharpness retained right into the corners of the frame. Even so, the Tamron 15-30mm matches or even beats the Canon for this. Colour fringing is also noticeably reduced but, again, the Tamron does just as well. Compared to Canon’s 16-35mm f/4, which adds stabilization as well, you’re paying a big surcharge for one extra f/stop.