The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 16-35mm f4L IS USM and the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Canon 16-35mm f4L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 113mm. The Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX with a length of 89mm, is 24mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX has a larger diameter of 84mm compared to the Canon 16-35mm f4L IS USM's 83mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX weighs 560g, 8% (55g) lighter than the Canon 16-35mm f4L IS USM's weight of 615g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 16-35mm f4L IS USM and the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 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 11-16mm f2.8 DX is also available in Nikon F (DX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Canon 16-35mm f4L IS USM 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.
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX has a focal range of 11-16mm and 1.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 17.6-25.6mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.