The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM and the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM 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 RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 127mm. The Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM with a length of 122mm, is 5mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 89mm.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM and Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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 FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM weighs 680g, 19% (160g) lighter than the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM's weight of 840g.
Filter Threads
Both the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM and the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM have the same Filter thread size of 82mm.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM has the Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon R100, Canon R8 and Canon R50 for the Canon RF Mount and Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR for the Sony E Mount.
Focal Range
Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM has a focal range of 15-35mm and
2.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
24 - 56mm.
On the other hand, the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM has a focal range of 16-35mm and 2.2X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 24 - 52.5mm.