The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 20mm F1.8 and the Sony FE 16-35mm 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. Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS is the longer of the two lenses at 99mm. The Samyang 20mm F1.8 with a length of 88mm, is 11mm shorter. On the other hand, the Samyang 20mm F1.8 has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS's 78mm 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 20mm F1.8 weighs 497g, which means it is 21g (4%) lighter than the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS which has a weight of 518g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang 20mm F1.8 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang 20mm F1.8:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang 20mm F1.8 and the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V.
Samyang 20mm F1.8 is also available in the Canon EF , Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF, Samsung NX and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang 20mm F1.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 20mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
30mm.
On the other hand, the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS 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.
