privatebydesign said:
GMCPhotographics said:
mclaren777 said:
The 16-35mm II had shameful image quality in the corners so I hope this mk3 version is significantly better.
There's plenty worse wide lenses out there.
When the 16-35IIL was launched it was the best in it's class bu quite some margin. I think you are exaggerating the corner sharpness issue far more than it really is. Not many people use this lens wide open. For landscape work, stopped down to f8 and the corners are very good. For group shots, no one places people on the far edges, so that's not an issue either. So for most uses, the current model is more than adequate...certainly better performing than many of the photographers who are complaining about it.
Not true, the Nikon 14-24 f2.8 and 16-35 f2.8 both beat the S___ out of the Canon 16-35 f2.8 MkII. The Canon did best its sibling prime 14mm f2.8 but that was another complete dog too. The 14mm f2.8 MkII put the 16-35 f2.8 MkII back in its place as the most expensive and poorest performing ultra wide angle out there.
One of the most amazing turnarounds from Canon lenses has been their wide and ultrawide lenses. The 8-15 fisheye was the first shots across all others bows, the TS-E 24 MkII and TS-E17 cemented the notion that they had turned it around (Nikon are still years behind with their mere and unreleased as yet 19PC-E). The 16-35 f4 IS is an unbelievably good lens and great value, the 35 f2 IS is loved by all who use it, the 11-24 broke all the molds and the 35 f1.4 MkII has set yet another benchmark.
The various 16-35 f2.8's have all been weak performers and the sooner a MkIII is released we will see how bad they have all been by their pathetic resale value.
Firstly, the TS-e 24L and TS-e 17L were released before the 8-15L fish. A long time before. Secondly, the 16-35IIL was released before the Nikon 14-24, which is a completely different lens class to the 16-35mm. Nikon already had a 17-35 f2.8 variant and the 14-24 f2.8 didn't replace it. I know many Nikon wedding photographers who rushed out...bought one and then sold it soon after, preferring the 17-35 for venue shots and group shots, which says a lot considering how old the 17-35mm f2.8 lens is. The 14-24 is in the same genre as the Sigma 12-24 and the new Canon 11-24L. It's a completely different type of lens and it shouldn't be compared. A 16-35 is way way way more versatile than a 14-24 any day. A 14-24mm lens is an evolution of the 14mm architecture lens, which is why they are generally so heavily corrected for straight lines. Which is why it's SO good for shoot brick walls. But conversely, they are rubbish for anything with circles...like faces. Filters...weight, elongated faces, bulbous front element to name just a few. So...yes sir...yes true.
Yes Canon have come a long way with their wide lenses. The original 16-35L wasn't great at all...but that was a pre-digital lens. Canon now have a lot of great wide lenses, (I have copies of most of them) to Nikon's 1 great wide lens, the 14-24. Their 16-35 f4 VR looks pretty bad in the corners...worse than the 16-35IIL. Before that, you had to get a lens that was really old, 1st gen USM, the 17-35mm f2.8 IF ED, which was last used by Noah in the ark.