The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 12mm f2.0 and the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II 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. Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II is the longer of the two lenses at 112mm. The Samyang 12mm f2.0 with a length of 59mm, is 53mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II also has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Samyang 12mm f2.0's 73mm 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. Samyang 12mm f2.0 weighs 260g, which means it is 287g (52%) lighter than the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II which has a weight of 547g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang 12mm f2.0 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II has a 82mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang 12mm f2.0:
And these are the 82mm filters that we recommend for the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang 12mm f2.0 and the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony ZV-E10 II, Sony A6700 and Sony FX30.
Samyang 12mm f2.0 is also available in the Canon EF-M , Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang 12mm f2.0 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 12mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
18mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II 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.
