The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM and the Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS 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 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS with a length of 75mm, is 13mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM also has a larger diameter of 82mm compared to the Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS's 67mm 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. Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS weighs 308g, 46% (267g) lighter than the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM's weight of 575g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS has a 55mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS:
Lens Mounts
The Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM has the Canon EF-S lens mount whereas the Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS has the Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount and Sony ZV-E10 II, Sony A6700 and Sony FX30 for the Sony E Mount.
Focal Range
Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM has a focal range of 15-85mm and
5.7X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-136mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS has a focal range of 16-70mm and 4.4X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-105mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
