The Canon EF16-35mm f/2.8L II lens is a super wideangle zoom lens that is favoured by many landscape photographers for its ability to capture a far-reaching vista.

Who is it for?

While this lens is most obviously targeted at landscape photographers looking to capture breath-taking scenes, it’s not just ‘landscapers’ who enjoy using this lens. It is also widely used by photojournalists for the versatility it offers in selecting not only the framing of what to include or leave out, but also the chance to change the perspective dramatically by either getting in close to the subject or standing back.

Key features

• L series construction and optics
• f/2.8 aperture throughout zoom range
• Fast, quiet autofocus
• Aspherical and UD lens elements
• Super Spectra coatings
• Circular aperture for excellent bokeh
• Passes distance information to E-TTL II
• Soft case and lens hood

This lens, an update of the EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM, features three high precision aspherical lens elements – one ground element, one glass mold (GMo) element and one replica element to provide uniform image sharpness across the frame, even at wideangle focal lengths.

 

Side view of the EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens. Note the autofocus (AF) to manual focus (MF) switch, but the lens also has full-time manual ability.

The constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range means that you can zoom and frame your subject without worrying about any change in aperture. It also allows complete control over the depth-of-field you capture in the image.

Two ultra-low dispersion (UD) elements are used to almost completely eliminate lens aberrations and ensure high quality images that exhibit excellent sharpness and contrast.

The lens also features a nearly circular diaphragm for the aperture. This creates very smooth and attractive bokeh in the out of focus area of the image.

The use of a ring-type USM autofocus motor provides fast, quiet and accurate focusing even in low light conditions. It has also been designed to be fully weather-sealed when used with any of the EOS-1 series cameras.

• USM autofocus

A ring-type USM autofocus motor means you can focus quickly, near-silently and with precision. It also provides full-time manual focus so that you can adjust the focus with the focus ring, without first having to switch the lens to manual focus. This allows you to adjust the focus accurately to ensure it is exactly where you want it to be for the most creative control possible.