The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III and the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III is the longer of the two lenses at 128mm. The Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX with a length of 78mm, is 50mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX's 84mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX weighs 610g, 22% (180g) lighter than the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III's weight of 790g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III and the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX is also available in Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III has a focal range of 16-35mm and
2.2X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
25.6 - 56mm.
On the other hand, the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX has a focal range of 17-135mm and 7.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27.2-216mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.