The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX and the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 112mm. The Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX with a length of 89mm, is 23mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II USM also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX's 84mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX weighs 560g, which means it is 75g (11%) lighter than the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II USM which has a weight of 635g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX and the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3.
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX is also available in Nikon F (DX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX has a focal range of 11-16mm and 1.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 17.6-25.6mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera. Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II 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.