The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX and the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L USM 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 16-35mm f2.8L USM is the longer of the two lenses at 103mm. The Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX with a length of 94mm, is 9mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L USM's 84mm 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.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Ultra-Wideangle Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L USM has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX and the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX has a focal range of 17-35mm and
2.1X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
27.2 - 56mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L USM has a focal range of 16-35mm and 2.2X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 25.6 - 56mm.