A Traveler's Review: Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens

Quick Summary of Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens

If you are short on time, here is a quick summary of the pros and cons of using the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens for travel, and a link to check the recent discount on the lens below.

What to Look For In A Travel Landscape & Architecture Lens?

Wide Focal Lengths: One of the most important factors in picking up a travel lens for landscape and architecture is to determine whether the focal length of the lens is wide enough to capture all the details that the landscape and architecture have to offer.

For full-frame cameras, having around 16mm (or 11mm for APS-C) at its widest focal length is a good indication that the lens is wide enough to capture most types of landscape and architecture in their finest detail without creating strange distortions around the edges of the photos, such as fish-eye lenses.

Also, since you are going to use this lens for travel, having a versatile zoom range instead of a fixed focal length is a huge plus. The zoom range will allow you to be more flexible in spontaneous situations, which happen quite often when you travel.

All in all, when picking up a landscape/architecture travel lens, make sure that the focal length is wide enough for the type of subject you want to shoot when you travel. I would say the wider the focal length, the better.

Image Quality: Another important factor to consider is lens sharpness, especially when talking about a wide-angle lens that is prone to distortion and softness.

When testing out a landscape/architecture lens, try shooting sample shots at its widest focal length and fastest aperture, and zoom in to see how sharp your images are, especially around the edges of your photos.

With a high-quality lens, images produced are often sharp from edge to edge throughout its focal lengths and aperture, whereas cheaper lenses tend to fall apart at their most extreme range. So, when you are picking up a lens, be sure that you are okay with the image quality the lens produces.

Fast Aperture: When it comes to landscape photography, having a fast aperture might not be a big deal. However, for architectural photography, especially indoors, having a fast aperture will allow you to maintain all the details and keep your images sharp even in the poorest lighting conditions.

I found that having a maximum aperture of F2.8 is good enough for most situations. With the F2.8 aperture, the lens should be able to let enough light in to keep the ISO level low and the shutter speed fast enough to produce tack-sharp images without losing details to noise.

An F2.8 lens will also come in handy when you find yourself in a dimly lit European church and want to capture all the beautiful murals often found inside.

Combine that with a wide-angle focal length and a good low-light camera like the Sony a7IV and Sony a7C II, and you have yourself one hell of a low-light photography machine for landscape and architecture.

What I Love Most About the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens

Compact and Lightweight Build

One of my favorite features of this lens, and the most improvement Sony made to its already great predecessor, is its amazing compact and lightweight build. In my review of the previous version, I talked about how it is lighter than other F2.8 zoom lenses, but even that is nothing compared to what they have accomplished here.

Considering all the new technologies inside, such as the new linear focusing motors, all of its glass elements, and the 11-blade aperture, it still blows my mind how Sony was able to cut down its weight from 680 g (24 oz) to 547 g (19.3 oz). That's almost a 20% weight reduction.

As a traveler, having to carry so many lenses in our bags all day, a weight reduction, even by as little as 100 grams, is definitely a welcome change. You will also feel the improvement right away when you mount the lens to your camera.

With this lens mounted on my Sony a7RV, you can just feel how well-balanced it is compared to its predecessor. The handling was also delightful with an aperture ring, several focus buttons, and more. If you are a weight-watcher like me (I mean, I'm not getting any younger 😂), you are going to find this lens delightful to use.

Extremely Fast Autofocus

I was using the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 lens for about a year before I switched to the new GM II lens. Although the Sigma did its job well during my 6-month trip in Europe, I often found my photos out of focus for no reason, even when shooting a static subject.

With the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens, combined with the AI focus capability of the Sony a7RV, it no longer suffers from the same autofocusing problems I had with the Sigma lens. The lens utilizes its new linear focusing motor to its maximum potential, allowing me to significantly increase my hit rate when shooting with this lens.

If you are looking for a wide-angle lens that can utilize the fast AI autofocus system and keep up with the maximum tracking speed of advanced Sony cameras like the Sony a1 and the Sony a9III, you might want to give this lens a try.

Incredible Sharpness

When it comes to sharpness, Sony has itself a top performer here with its ability to create stunningly sharp images and deliver excellent detail regardless of what focal length I used, even on the 61-megapixel sensor on my Sony a7RV.

I can easily shoot at f/2.8 at all focal lengths throughout the day, and I would still find the images to be extremely sharp. I often crop quite heavily with my 61-megapixel photos, and I can get away with many mis-framed shots, thanks to the sensor size of my camera and the incredible glass on this lens.

It doesn't matter whether you have a 24-megapixel camera or a 61-megapixel one; you will still experience the benefits of having such a sharp lens. If you are a landscape photographer who prioritizes sharpness, you are going to love this lens.

Stunning Sunstars

One of the first things I noticed when I was shooting with this lens is how incredible the sunstar looks in my photos, especially when I shoot at 16mm, F14. The sunstar rendition from this lens is probably my favorite out of all the lenses I tested, thanks to its 11-blade aperture and excellent multi-coating technology.

If you often find yourself shooting landscapes in bright sunlight and you are looking for a lens that can handle such difficult conditions while also allowing you to add beautiful sunstars to your photos, you might want to check out this lens.

What I Hate Most About the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens

Expensive

Of course, one of the complaints I have with this lens, and most GM lenses for that matter, is its price. It's definitely an expensive piece of gear that not everyone needs. For example, if you often shoot landscapes, having an F2.8 lens might not be something you need as you often find yourself shooting at F4 or above.

You might be better off with lenses like the Sony 20-70mm F4 lens which cover more range and eliminate the need to carry another 24-70mm lens or other third-party alternatives like the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 lens with its internal zoom and an even lighter and more compact body.

The quality improvement from choosing the cheaper alternative is barely noticeable unless you pixel peep or shoot with a high-resolution camera like the Sony a7RV. It might be more reasonable for you to opt for the cheaper alternatives and invest in other lenses instead.

Vignetting and Distortion

Vignetting and distortion are quite common in wide focal lengths, and even the most expensive lenses are prone to them. The barrel distortion on the wide end and pincushion distortions on the narrow end are quite noticeable, especially when shooting horizontal lines, but that is to be expected with such a lens.

These problems can mostly be automatically corrected in-camera or with programs like Adobe Lightroom, but I think it is still worth noting.

Sample Photos From the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens

A photo is worth a thousand words, so here are some of my favorite shots I took with the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens paired with the Sony a7R V camera.

The Verdict: A Perfect Travel Companion

All in all, if you can justify the price, there is no better and more versatile travel lens to get than the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II lens. This lens is one of the lightest F2.8 wide-angle lenses you can get right now, and if you can afford it, you are going to love this lens.

I bought mine in Japan when the yen was weak, and combining it with the 15% tax-free shopping offered by shops like Bic Camera and Yodobashi, I was able to get a pretty great deal there. If you are heading to Japan soon or you can find a great deal online, and the price is still in your budget range, go for it. You will love the lens!

For cheaper alternatives, you might want to check out the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 lens if you don't mind the slower autofocus speed or the old Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens if you can handle the weight.

For those who do not need F2.8, you might want to consider the Sony 20-70mm F4 lens, which is even more versatile, with the lens covering both wide and tight focal lengths. This lens is way better adapted to travel than the 16-35mm focal range.

To check the latest price and discounts on the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lens, click the link below:

Check Price

Want to take your photography game to the next level? Here are some resources to help you upgrade your work and photography gear:

Lightroom Presets: If you are looking for a quick way to make your travel photos look like mine, you should check out my newly released Lightroom Preset Collections.

Camera: Sony a7R V, the highest resolution full-frame camera out there, is my go-to camera when I travel. All of my recent photos and videos are all from this beast.

All-Around Travel Lens: Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens is the lens I mounted on my camera the most. The lens covers most of the ranges I need for travel from wide to telephoto. If I have to take only one lens with me on my travel, it would be this lens.

Ultra-Wide Lens: Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lnes: An ultra-wide lens I often use to shoot expansive landscapes and capture massive architecture I stumble upon while traveling.

Telephoto Lens: Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is one of the most versatile lenses to have. It is great for picking out details in landscapes and capturing wildlife when combined with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter.

Portrait Lens: Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Lens is the most compact and lightweight 85mm F1.4 lens out there. It's sharp and produces stunning bokeh for subject separation, perfect for portraits and street photography.

Drone: DJI Mavic Mini 2, a perfect drone for those who travel light. It weighs less than 250g and smaller than an iPhone when folded and can capture 4K video as well as 12 megapixels RAW photos. More than enough for its size.

Bag: Langly Alpha Globetrotter is a camera bag I use to carry all these lenses as well as other essentials when I'm traveling.

Further Reading for Photography

Looking for more photography articles like this? Here are some collections of articles you might like:

• For a complete list of travel lenses to buy for Sony Full-Frame cameras, check out: The Best Travel Lenses For Sony Full-Frame Cameras.
• Looking for the very best travel full-frame camera to buy for your next trip? How about the Sony a7C, the smallest full-frame camera with an EVF in the world? Check out my review: A Traveler's Review: The Sony a7C Camera
• The king of travel lenses has arrived. The Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM II lens is hands down the best travel all-purpose zoom lens I have ever owned. Here's why: A Traveler's Review: Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens.
• For the best landscape/architecture travel lens, you just can't beat the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens.
• Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS lens is, hands down, the best telephoto lens to get for your Sony cameras but with an extremely high price tag. Here is a complete traveler's review of the lens: A Traveler's Review: Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS Lens.
• Looking for a lightweight and affordable landscape/architecture travel lens that is also extremely capable? Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Lens.
• Looking for the best travel portrait lens to buy for your next trip? You can't beat the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art Lens.
• Looking for a compact and lightweight travel telephoto lens for wildlife and landscapes? You are going to love this lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Tamron 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 lens.
• Wondering which Sony mirrorless camera is right for you? The Best Sony Travel Cameras to Buy in 2025.
• For more photography resources like this, visit my Photography page.