The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Venus 12mm f2.8 AF and the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM 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 is the longer of the two lenses at 122mm. The Venus 12mm f2.8 AF with a length of 78mm, is 44mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Venus 12mm f2.8 AF's 77mm 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. Venus 12mm f2.8 AF weighs 377g, which means it is 303g (44%) lighter than the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM which has a weight of 680g.
Filter Threads
The Venus 12mm f2.8 AF has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM 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 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Venus 12mm f2.8 AF:
And these are the 82mm filters that we recommend for the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Venus 12mm f2.8 AF and the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM 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.
Venus 12mm f2.8 AF is also available in the Nikon Z mount.
Focal Range
Venus 12mm f2.8 AF is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 12mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
18mm.
On the other hand, the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM 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.
