The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS and the Samyang 12mm f2.0 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 12mm f2.0 with a length of 59mm, is 40mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS also has a larger diameter of 78mm 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, 49% (258g) lighter than the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS's weight of 518g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Samyang 12mm f2.0 has a 67mm 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 Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 12mm f2.0:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS and the Samyang 12mm f2.0 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 12mm f2.0 is also available in Canon EF-M , Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
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.
On the other hand, the 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.
