Canon G 16. Comparison of Canon PowerShot G16 and PowerShot S120

Canon PowerShot G16 is the next model in the series, created especially for people who value both high ergonomics, a fast lens and the ability to use the latest technology... This camera is the successor to the highly acclaimed G15 build. The new model adds functional Wi-fi and a new sensor along with the latest Digic 6 processor - which as a result (according to the manufacturer) has made the camera faster. Taking into account that the rest of the assembly has not changed, we can consider the Canon G16 as a slightly improved model of the G15.

We must remind you that at the premiere of Canon's G16, the camera was received rather coldly among photographers and journalists. They expected revolutionary changes in details that were criticized in the G15. They were counting, in particular, on a flip-down display or an electronic viewfinder, or something that could significantly improve the comfortable use of the camera.

Was the Canon G15 really bad enough to be replaced so quickly? On the contrary, the previous model received generally high marks in all categories with the exception of the quality of the used optics.

The G16 is the first G-series camera to take full advantage of BSI technology. The new processor really speeds up the camera, and the Wi-fi interface makes it more enjoyable to use.

Build quality.

The Canon PowerShot G16 is a slightly larger camera than other compact models designed for advanced users. Its dimensions are dictated by a large number of controls located on its body, as well as an optical viewfinder. Despite the fact that its body is made of magnesium alloy, the camera is relatively heavy: together with the battery and memory card - 354 g (313 g weighs only the camera body), which puts it on a par with heavy compact cameras.

Compared to its predecessor, that is, the G15 model, the only noticeable change in the design of the device is the reorganization of the rear control panel.

There can be no objection to the quality of performance. The body elements are perfectly matched to each other, and overall the device makes a good impression.

Main properties Canon camera G16:

• sensor BSI CMOS, size 1 / 1.7 ″ and resolution 12 Mpix
• sensitivity range ISO 80-12800
• f / 1.8 – f / 2.8 lens with an equivalent focal length of 28–140 mm
• Neutral gray filter (3 steps)
• Shooting speed 12 frames / sec.
• LCD screen 3 ″ with a resolution of 920 thousand pixels
• Hot shoe
• Optical viewfinder
• Built-in Wi-fi

Lens

Just like its predecessor, our hero is equipped with a lens with a focusing range of 6.1-30.5 mm (28-140 mm in 35-mm film equivalent), or 5x optical zoom. The lens construction consists of 11 lenses, divided into 9 groups (2 aspherical double-sided lenses, 1 UD lens, 1 single-sided aspherical lens). The aperture of this lens is f / 1.8 – f / 2.8.

Let's see how the aperture value changes depending on the focus used.

We can clearly see that the design of the lens was conceived in such a way as to hold the lens for as long as possible. large aperture... One can only wish competitors to take this design feature as a reference. Bravo!

Let's take a look at how the G16 stands against the background of competing models in relation to lens parameters.

Model	Focal length range	Diaphragm
Canon G16	28-140 mm	f / 1.8-f / 2.8
Panasonic DMC-LX7

The lens has a thread that allows you to attach the LA-DC58L attachment, which allows you to use filters with a size of 58 mm, or accessories such as, for example, the TC-DC58E tele-converter. To protect the lens during transport, the front lens is protected by a shutter that automatically opens when the camera starts up.

For those who would like to achieve greater zoom, the manufacturer foresaw the option of additional digital enlargement of the picture. And while we can afford 20x magnification (or the equivalent of 560mm for 35mm film), when using it, we have to forget about RAW and accept the loss of picture quality.

In macro mode, the device is able to get a clear picture already at a distance of 1 cm from the front edge of the lens.

Control elements

On the front panel, in addition to the lens, we can also find a viewfinder peephole, an autofocus and self-timer indicator, a front wheel and a button to unlock the ring that protects the thread for attaching accessories to the lens.

On the rear panel there is an LCD screen surrounded by it: a viewfinder with a diopter adjustment along with an indicator consisting of two LEDs (whose functions are to indicate the device's power, ready for shooting, AF ready and also flash), the PLAY button and the control panel. The top of the panel serves as a support for the thumb, right there on the side at the very edge, there is a video recording button, as well as shortcut key S. Below we see two buttons: the choice of ISO sensitivity, as well as a button marked with an asterisk, the main function of which is to block AE / AF, as well as filtering images in preview mode. Next, there is a four-position switch surrounded by a ring, which performs the following functions:

- Right - flash modes

- Down - DISP button

- Left - autofocusing modes

- Up - MF mode

The middle switch button brings up the FUNC menu and confirms the selection of options.

At the very bottom we will find 2 additional keys:

- AF field selection (in photo mode) / WI-fi activation (in photo view mode)

The AE lock key can also be used to quickly select exposure settings when the unit is in mode M (setting takes exposure compensation settings into account).

The upper panel is reserved for the flash and the lever for launching it, a standard hot shoe, on the sides of which are stereo microphones, a double control wheel (the upper wheel is responsible for shooting modes, and the lower one for exposure compensation). Nearby is the shutter release, surrounded by a focus change lever, and below is a small switch with an indicator.

On the bottom panel we find the battery cover and memory card slot. There is a tripod thread nearby. Unfortunately, its location leads to the fact that after installing the tripod disk, we have no way to open the battery compartment.

The side panels are used for communication ports (right panel) as well as a loudspeaker (left panel).

Power and connectivity

The camera is powered by a battery with the NB-10L designation and parameters 7.4 V and 920 mAh. The battery, according to the manufacturer, is enough for 350 shots (or even 770, provided that the user does not use the LCD screen). During the tests, we were unable to achieve the stated amount - the battery required charging after 280 photos (with the LCD screen on). Non-linear operating speed and high sensitivity to voltage surges can be an additional problem. After the red battery icon flashes, indicating a complete discharge, it is enough to turn off and then turn on the device in order to see the half-charged battery again. After several shots, the situation repeats itself.

The battery slot is protected against accidental attempts to insert the battery incorrectly. Charging is carried out in a special charger CB-2LCE and lasts about 1.5 hours. The manufacturer does not allow charging via the USB port.

Another way to power the unit is by using the optional ACK-DC80 external power supply. The battery compartment also provides space for a Secure Digital (SD, SDHC and SDXC) memory card.

On the right side of the device, under a protective cover, there are HDMI class C ports, as well as a universal communication port that allows you to send audio / video signals to your TV using the supplied cable. This port also acts as a USB port. By connecting the camera to the TV via HDMI, we can control the opening of pictures using the remote control. Next to the named ports is the remote control socket.

Screen

The device uses a 3-inch TFT screen with a resolution of 921 thousand pixels. To ensure the best display of colors in different lighting conditions, we can adjust the brightness of the screen in a range of 5 levels.

The image has good image contrast. Anti-reflective coatings do their job perfectly - even with strong reflection of sunlight, everything is visible and the reflections of the light do not burden the shooting process. Of course, you can complain about the lack of a flip-down option or the inaccessible touchscreen interface.

Viewfinder.

The device has an optical viewfinder, the field of view of which changes with a change in the focus of the lens. As in previous models of this series, the viewfinder has one problem - the position of the picture in the viewfinder may differ slightly from the captured frame. The viewfinder is equipped with diopter adjustment, but lacks a proximity sensor that would turn off the main screen.

It turns out that photographing using only the optical viewfinder does not make it possible to use autofocus in face detection mode. Also, when filming a video, the device requires the LCD to be turned on.

Usage and ergonomics

The G16 fits well in the hand, but the front grip is not well-matched. The shutter release button does not always work well - it takes force to take the picture, but the two-stage resistance does not work well enough.

In order to make the use of the camera convenient, the manufacturer has equipped it with a roller and an additional control ring, thereby giving users more freedom when working with aperture and shutter speed at the same time. We also have an exposure compensation ring that works in M ​​mode, but is useless in AUTO modes.

An interesting feature is the transfer of the zoom control to the front control ring. In this case, each rotation of the lens will move the lens position to the next preset value. Here is their complete list: 28, 35, 50, 85, 100, 140 mm.

The Cannon G16 allows the use of a remote release cable. This is very convenient for users who are taking long exposure photography, which can go up to 240 sec. Another solution is to use the self-timer. In this case, we have standard delay periods of 10 and 2 seconds, as well as a special mode in which we can afford to set the number of shots (max. 10), as well as the duration between them (max. 30 sec.). The G16 also offers the ability to start shooting when a new face is detected in the frame (by default: the photographer's face), a blink, or a smile.

During studio shooting, we can not only connect external power supply to the device, but also to fire external flashes with the built-in flash, operating in manual mode using photocells. Unfortunately, the device does not offer the user a function to turn off exposure simulation on the LCD screen.

A unique feature of the device is the hybrid automatic shooting mode, which we have known from the previous model. His characteristic feature is the ability to automatically record 2-4 second clips before pressing the shutter button. The device compiles a film from these clips, which will include a video selection of the events of the day.

Shooting modes

On the camera's mode selector, we will find the following options:

• Auto
• Auto Hybrid Mode (Movie Mode)
• P-semiautomatic mode
• Tv - shutter priority mode.
• Av - Aperture Priority Mode
• M - manual mode
• C1-C2- custom settings
• Video Mode
• Creative filter mode
• SCN - Special Scene Mode

Menu

The G16 has a menu that is organized in a typical compact cameras by Canon in the way; it is quite clear and functional. It is divided into several groups, which are presented in the form of horizontal tabs. To get to a specific option, we have to scroll through the screen until we find the element we need. Unfortunately, in order to switch to another tab, we have to patiently scroll to the beginning or the end of the list - there is no possibility of instant transition. Admittedly, this is not an obstacle, given that by default the device has only one tab with options such as shooting.

To have quick access to "My Menu", the camera allows you to change the key properties of the MENU button, so that when you press it, not the main menu opens, but only your own personal one.

The next handy tool is the FUNC menu, which we can activate by pressing the middle key of the four-way selector (labeled Func / Set). After pressing, a menu appears on the left of the screen, where, in the form of displayed icons, certain parameters become available for this shooting mode. Navigation in this menu is possible with a four-way selector:

Down / Up - select an element to change

Left / Right - selection of element value

Further pressing the FUNC / SET button turns off the menu and returns to the selected shooting mode.

During shooting, the DISP button serves to turn on and off the information available on the screen, or also to completely turn off the screen. It should be said that from this point of view, the camera appears in a rather bad light. From additional elements displayed on the screen, we have the option of including a digital grid and a histogram.

In the photo view mode, we have the ability to display additional information in three ways. Display of basic information on top of the photo itself, mode with thumbnails adjacent to short blocks of EXIF ​​information and through the histogram, including through the RGBY histogram. The playback mode also works during photographing, where we can see a preview of the executed picture, if in the preview configuration menu we change the settings from "fast" to 2.4.8 seconds or to infinity.

In the case of films, with the exception of the clarity control screen, the same views and summaries of information are available to us. We also launch the video display, during which we can activate the additional panel (by pressing the SET key). We use this panel to enable pause, fast forward and rewind, and video editing. When you select editing, another panel will appear, where we can find the options for extracting a fragment of the video and recording it as a new clip or saving it with replacing the original video.

While previewing images, you can edit them. Available options:

• Change of size
• Cropping
• Color adjustment
• Contrast Correction
• Red eye correction

In the case of video, it is possible not only to open, but also to rewind forward and backward, move one frame, delete and shorten a clip, by deleting fragments from the beginning and end of the movie.

Naturally, the camera offers the possibility of enlarging image fragments, as well as switching to thumbnail mode - there is a choice of 3x2, 4x3, 6x6 and 10x10 views.

An interesting feature is the animated plane on which thumbnails of the photo are displayed when a large number of images are selected at the same time. The effect is reminiscent of the way the credits were displayed at the beginning of each part of the Star Wars saga. A mode for organizing pictures into categories is also available.

As well as in G15, the described camera has a function of automatic search for similar images (the condition for this is at least 50 images on the memory card). In short, for each photo shown, the camera adds and shows about 4 sentences of similar photos. With the help of a four-position selector, we move from the main photo to the specified one, and the camera will once again suggest additions to the specified photo.

Work speed

The camera does not show slowdown during long work, both during menu operation and during photo viewing. The time it takes for the camera to change the focal length between the extreme values ​​is also not lagging behind what we expected. You should pay attention to the speed of the autofocus. In this situation, it is really not bad - the camera focuses very quickly.

Burst shooting

The camera has 2 burst modes:

• Multiple shots (focus and exposure on first frame)
• AF burst

Other shutter release modes are:

Sequence of sharpness (for MF mode) - the camera takes 3 shots: the first one with the sharpness set manually, and the subsequent ones with a sharpness shift to the far and near positions, relative to the first shot.

Self-timer with a delay of 2 and 10 seconds, as well as the program mode, which makes it possible to determine the delay (0-30 sec.) And the number of shots (1-10).

Continuous shooting is only available in P, Tv, Av, M, C modes

Autofocus

The autofocus system in the Canon G16 is based on contrast identification. We have the following focusing modes:

• Single frame
• Continuous
• Servo AF
• Manual

We can choose the focus area:

• Intelligent face search - the camera detects and sharpens faces and sets the exposure, as well as the white balance, it is possible to select a face if there are more than one in the frame.
• FlexiZOne - allows you to freely move around the frame and set the exposure.
• Follower

The G16 can also detect smiles (with automatic shutter release).

The G16's focusing is really fast and accurate. The use of the new processor has successfully reduced the focusing time. Suffice it to say that during test shooting, we had no problems in either single mode or continuous AF. In low light, autofocus was assisted by an LED indicator. However, it must be borne in mind that the beam of light that it delivers is not so strong, so it will help us only in case of focusing on closely spaced objects.

In manual focus mode, the up / down keys on the 4-way selector or the selector ring must be used to focus on. A special scale will be displayed on the right side of the screen in this mode, showing the focusing distance. We also have a magnifying glass at our disposal that enlarges the part of the picture that we want to focus on. Whether the magnifying glass will be active, we can determine this in the settings menu.

Exposure metering

The Canon G16 has the following metering modes:

• Evaluative
• Center-weighted
• Spot (can be linked to AF area)

A significant addition is the built-in ND filter, which we can only use in P, Tv, Av, M and video modes. The power of this filter corresponds to 3 degrees of aperture and allows you to take pictures in situations where the amount of light is so great that even using the slowest shutter speed will overexpose.

In practice, the evaluative mode (default) in most cases works properly and correctly exposes the photo.

Flash

The built-in flash has a range of 50cm to 5m for wide-angle and up to 4.5m for maximum focal length (ISO Auto). Flash compensation can be adjusted from -2 to 2 EV, in 1/3 EV steps.

Below the right guide button we will find the settings related to the flash mode.

• Auto flash
• Forced flash
• Slow sync
• Flash off

The Canon G16 has a flash lock function that we can turn on with a button marked with an asterisk symbol. In addition, in the camera settings, we can choose whether the flash will be synchronized with the 1st or 2nd curtain, as well as whether the flash will remove the red-eye effect.

Creative modes

The G16 has a set of several digital filters:

• antiquity effect - a shot with pale colors
• fish-eye effect (the strength of the effect is presented in the form of a 3-step scale)
• miniature effect
• toy camera effect
• defocusing of the background (the strength of the effect is presented in the form of a 4-step scale, and there is also an automatic adjustment)
• soft focus (the strength of the effect is presented as a 3-step scale)
• black and white
• super bright
• poster effect

Video recording

The Canon G16 is capable of recording video clips in 2 modes: instant, available in each camera mode, and a separate one, which we select on the mode dial. The difference between them is in the number of available options. We start and end the video recording process using a special button on the device.

Canon G16 offers video recording in the following resolutions:

1920 × 1080 at 60 or 30 fps

1280 × 720 at 30 fps

640 × 480 at 30 or 120 fps

320 × 240 at 240 fps

During video recording, the camera allows you to reduce audio noise, use image stabilization, ND filter and white balance settings.

Video recording is straightforward and the quality of the footage is very good thanks to the 1080 / 60p mode. The image is detailed thanks to moderate compression of the material. A frame rate of 60 frames at the highest resolution ensures that fast-moving subjects are captured without blurry edges. We must be reminded of the possibility of using various digital filters to help create. An interesting detail allows you to create slow motion movies. The quality of the noise reduction filter leaves a lot to be desired, in contrast to image stabilization, which works excellently.

Wi-fi connection

The Canon G16 is the first model in the G series to include Wi-fi, which allows you to:

• Internet / Social Media Connection (via CANON iMAGE GATEWAY)
• Connecting to a computer, smartphone or tablet so that you can view the captured images (when using the CANON CameraWindow app)
• Connecting to other cameras

It can be seen from this that the above actions refer to already taken pictures. And in fact - as usual, we do not have the ability to remotely control the camera. It's a pity.

To turn on Wi-fi, you need to enter the image viewing mode, and then press the Wi-fi activation button on the camera (select the focus point).

No problems were found when connecting the camera to the smartphone. In this mode, the camera acts as an access point to which the phone connects. Using the CANON Camera Window application, we can view images (it is more reasonable in this case to use a tablet instead of a smartphone) and set our geographic position. The last process should be interpreted as a very weak replacement option for the GPS module in the camera itself (the application on the smartphone must be constantly active, which leads to a relatively fast discharge of the phone's battery).

By connecting the camera to a Wi-fi network, we can also upload pictures using the service www.canon.com/cig (CANON iMAGE GATEWAY). You must register in advance on this page and provide your model details. Then the camera exchanges identification codes with the website (the camera generates keyword, which we enter in the browser, and then confirm on the camera whether the generated code is identical to the one we see on the computer). If so, then we next determine how we want to upload our photos (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr). After this rather complicated procedure, the camera should already upload the taken photos to the corresponding social networks... We have to admit that apart from going through the full procedure with the settings, we were unable to get the Canon G16 to send the photo on the first try. Software the cameras resisted this, showing a message that some (unspecified) services were not configured. Soon after a few days, all of a sudden, for no specific reason, everything worked.

Remembering a face

The C16 offers the ability to memorize 5 faces with their name and date of birth. Recorded faces information can be used to prioritize sharpness and exposure. As soon as we enter the dates of birth, the camera will focus on the younger person on its own.

Hybrid auto

One of the most interesting functions is the hybrid mode, which allows, in addition to the usual photographing in auto mode, to record 2-4 second video clips sequentially before each press of the shutter button. The footage recorded in this way will be combined into one iFrame file for each day we took the photo. Thus, this clip will be a short recording of the events that made us take the photo. Note that audio is also recorded, which means that using this mode will drain the battery faster.

It should be remembered that in order to get an interesting video, we must work with the camera appropriately before taking a picture. Otherwise, instead of the history of our events, we will get a chaotic video selection.

Image quality

The G16 provides the ability to save photos in the following base resolutions:

• L, or 4000x3000,
• М1, or 2816х2112,
• M2, or 1600x1200,
• S, or 640x480

And also in the following formats:

• JPEG,
• RAW (CR2),
• RAW + JPEG.

Pictures in this resolution can be saved in two quality options: good and normal, as well as in several formats with aspect ratios: 4: 3, 16: 9, 3: 2, 4: 5 and 1: 1.

We can modify JPEG files using the "My Colors" option:

• Bright
• Neutral
• Sepia
• Simulate a slide
• Lighten skin tone
• Darken skin tone
• Bright blue
• Bright green
• Bright red
• Manual setting

The latter option allows you to manually add color settings by setting the level of contrast, sharpness and color saturation, the intensity of red, green and blue, as well as skin tones. All of these parameters can be set in the range 1-5. The above settings are not available if we want to save pictures in both formats at the same time (JPEG + RAW).

Changing the strength of noise reduction leads to an even greater blurring of the picture, which follows from this - a loss in the detail of the photo. We must admit that after this the photo takes on a pastel and pleasing look to the eye, of course, if the user is satisfied with the significant loss of detail in the photo.

White balance

The G16 allows you to set white balance using the following modes:

• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Incandescent lamp
• Fluorescent lighting
• Fluorescent lighting H
• Flash
• Under the water
• Manual mode 1
• Manual mode 2

In each of the above modes, we have the ability to fine-tune the white balance with accent A-B (orange-blue) and G-M (green-purple) in a multistep range.

Outcomes

Here we have reached the end of a detailed review of the Canon PowerShot G16. Now is the time to take stock and give the camera a final assessment.

Build and functionality

The design of the camera is compact and sturdy. As in other G series cameras, it is worth appreciating the high ergonomics. The menu - typical for cameras from this line - is characterized by a fairly clear interface. However, the long rewinding of the entire list of settings in order to get to the desired position is a little hindered - especially when we are not sure which group of settings it is in. "My Menu", which allows you to select several of the most frequently used parameters, is very good idea... However, it is a pity that it offers to select only 5 positions. The speed of the camera is at a very high level, using the menu and the photo view mode does not take much time. The available animations (clock, thumbnail highlighting and smart photo selection) show that the built-in microprocessor is working with a bang. The only pity is that this potential was not used for the possibility of high-quality panoramic shooting, as well as photos in 3D.

Autofocus is fast and sharp, so we can take photos quickly. High shutter speed and a large number of shots, allows you to shoot dynamic scenes. This is a big advance for the G15, where burst shooting was downright awful. The device has a set of interesting filters that we can use not only during photography, but also during video filming. The videos are of good quality, and the creation of slow motion clips can be used creatively. The only pity is that the sound filter does not work effectively.

New to this model is wireless connectivity. We got the impression that your function is not fully thought out. Of course, we can send our photo to social media. Net. To do this, the camera needs access to WIFI network(shared access point or via smartphone connection) and the configured Canon iMage Gateway service. It lacks the ability to control the camera using a smartphone or tablet. Of course, we mean the shooting process itself, viewing photos on a tablet works great.

Once again, we have doubts about the optical viewfinder. At a time when the quality of electronic viewfinders is already at a high level, using a small tunnel viewfinder is inconvenient.

Optics

The conclusions will be short, and there is nothing to talk about. The camera has the same lens that was on the G15. Its characteristics are: poor angular resolution, high distortion, visual vignettes and chromatic aberration. It would be nice if a revised design appears in the next model. The quality itself is too low for today's standards.

Matrix

Although BSI technology was used, presented to us as an advantage, during the operation of the matrix it was rather a disadvantage. Moreover, this matrix is ​​even more noisy than in the G15. On the other hand, the data conversion algorithm that compresses JPEG works perfectly and creates an image that will seem to many to be excellent in quality, so that we get the quality that is not worse than in the G15.

The build and ergonomics of the camera are the same as in the predecessor model. Is the calculation made for the usual buyer or is it a desire to limit the costs of the camera design? We got the impression that we are talking about the second. We see the addition of the WIFi function as something completely common at the moment. New processor and matrix? As far as the processor brings a fresh stream, the matrix also shows how excellent it is possible not to work on BSI technology. Thinking it over again, we see the G16 as a good proposition (the same is the previous model, that is, the G15) for people buying their first camera. Should I change the G15 to the described model? Our opinion is not.

At the end, here is a list of the most important advantages and disadvantages of the camera:

Dignity

• Convenient focal length range
• Good image resolution in JPEG
• Slight vignetting and coma for long focal lengths
• The ability to record photos in RAW format
• Convenient and intuitive control
• Large LCD screen
• Sharp and fast autofocus
• FULL HD video
• Interesting digital filters
• Easy-to-use functional menu
• HDMI port
• Robust case
• The ability to descend from a distance
• The ability to use an external flash

Flaws:

• Intense Noise in JPEG at Highest Sensitivity
• Relatively high distortion and chromatic aberration at short focal lengths
• Poor lens resolution
• Noticeable vignetting for a wide angle
• Noticeable glare when working in direct sunlight
• Lack of proximity sensor in viewfinder
• Lack of panoramic shooting
• Lack of 3D mode
• Lack of remote control capability when connected to WIFI

This lens is not new. It has been on the market for several years now and has managed to become a truly famous model, and not only among Canon camera owners. The fact is that there are not so many full-frame ultra-wide-angle lenses in the world. Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM has been in our test studio more than once, complete with different cameras. However, we decided to devote a separate detailed test to it.

Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM is participating in a promotion from Canon. When purchasing this model, the refund amount is 10,000 rubles.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 100, F16, 20 sec

They are met, as you know, by their clothes. So let's get started with the Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM with appearance... It is definitely impossible to call this lens small. It will increase the size of the camera by more than 11 cm. The filter thread diameter is 82 mm. Filters like these are expensive, especially when you consider the need to buy a thin rim filter, otherwise the image will appear darkened around the edges. Yet we are dealing with a wide angle. But the very fact of the possibility of installing a filter is a huge advantage of this model. Not all wide-angle lenses allow their use.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 2000, F5.6, 1/30 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 500, F2.8, 1/40 sec

There is another undeniable plus in using the filter with the Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM. The fact is that when zooming, the dimensions of the lens do not change, nevertheless, the front group of lenses still moves about one centimeter forward and backward within the barrel of the body. After installing the filter, this place is literally fenced off from the entire outside world with glass, which further improves the dust and moisture protection already implemented in this model. On the side of the mount, the lens is protected from dust and moisture by a rubber gasket.

The lens barrel, like many of its L-series counterparts, has both plastic and metal parts that are completely indistinguishable in appearance. Despite the limited use of metal in the construction, the weight of the Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM turned out to be quite solid - about 640 grams. Even the most demanding critic is unlikely to pick on the build quality. Even after long-term use, the lens has been a guest in our editorial office more than once over the past few years. The travel of the focus and zoom rings is surprisingly light, yet uniform and smooth. By the way, the easy move of the zoom came in handy in practice when shooting offhand, with outstretched arms: you can change the focal length with just one touch of your finger.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 320, F2.8, 1/60 sec

The Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM has no stabilizer (does the wide-angle really need one?), No focusing distance limiter. Of the controls on the body, there are only the aforementioned zoom and focus rings, as well as the autofocus switch. As the name suggests, this lens is equipped with a USM drive. Automatic focusing is carried out very quickly, in a split second. However, when using the side AF points when shooting low-contrast subjects, there may be some slowdown in speed. However, in this matter, a lot depends on the camera.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 800, F2.8, 1/40 sec

The minimum focusing distance is 28 cm from the plane of the matrix or about 12 cm from the front lens. For an ultra-wide angle, this is really a very small distance, allowing you to work with almost any subject, including close-ups.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 200, F8, 1/40 sec

What is the Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM for? Landscape photography immediately comes to mind. Yes, it is very good for such shots due to its purely landscape focal range. But this is not the end of it. Despite the presence of geometric distortion (barrel distortion at 16 mm and light pincushion at 35 mm), this wide-angle can be successfully used for indoor photography. Geometric distortions are easily corrected in post-processing. Reportage and genre photography - also yes. It is better to refuse only from shooting portraits (including group ones) due to strong perspective distortions.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 800, F7.1, 1/30 sec

Above we talked about using with full frame cameras. But Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM gets along well with APS-C format cameras, acting as a moderate-wide-angle lens for them, a lens for every day and for any task. Here the high aperture and fast autofocus come in handy. For example, I used this lens with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II for reportage photography. The 26-56mm equivalent focal length range makes it very easy to use.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 2000, F2.8, 1/125 sec.

Canon EF 16-35 f / 2.8L II USM is still a zoom. And you shouldn't expect a truly impeccable image quality from it. There are always drawbacks. This is the price to pay for the convenience of variable focal lengths. For example, the lens has noticeable vignetting around the edges of the frame at wide-angle at f / 2.8 and f / 4. This should be remembered first of all for fans of shooting panoramas. However, many photographers may simply not notice this. Vignetting is easily corrected by the camera itself. In our optics tests, we turn off all aberration correction to give you the most objective information... But chromatic aberrations in the pictures are practically absent even with the correction turned off.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 100, F5.6, 1/30 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 200, F8, 1/30 sec

Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 200, F3.5, 1/80 sec

Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 2500, F4.5, 1/125 sec.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 100, F13, 20 sec

What about sharpness? With a focal length of 16 mm, already at an open aperture, sharpness is high in the center of the frame, but noticeably decreases along the periphery. Vignetting is also very noticeable. At f / 4, the sharpness is slightly increased, but the vignetting still remains. High-quality results at the edges of the frame are achieved at f / 5.6-f / 8.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 100, F2.8, 1/125 sec.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 100, F4, 1/60 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 125, F5.6, 1/40 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 250, F8, 1/40 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L II SETTINGS: ISO 500, F11, 1/40 sec

With a focal length of 35mm wide open, center sharpness is excellent. The lens is a little soft around the edge, but much sharper than in the wide-angle position. Already at f / 4, the sharpness across the entire field of the frame can be called high. Best results are obtained at f / 8-f / 11.

The super-fast PowerShot G16 offers the control and performance that professionals demand with high-speed AF, 9.3fps, f / 1.8-2.8 5x zoom lens, HS DIGIC system 6 and Full HD 60fps shooting mode.

28mm lens and 5x zoom

Canon's f / 1.8-2.8 lens and the ability to maintain a wide maximum aperture even at full zoom allows you to shoot in very low light conditions and at slow shutter speeds. Flexible 28mm lens with 5x optical zoom and 10x magnification with ZoomPlus.

HS system

The HS System is unmatched in low light conditions, allowing you to capture the true atmosphere of the moment without using flash or a tripod. The advanced DIGIC 6 processor and the highly sensitive 12.1MP (1 / 1.7 type) CMOS sensor ensure superior image quality in all conditions up to ISO 12,800.

Intelligent IS

Intelligent IS adjusts OIS for detail and clarity, even at full zoom and in low light conditions. Advanced Dynamic IS effectively compensates for 5-axis wobble for flawless movies.

Super high-speed shooting at 9.3 fps

High-speed continuous shooting in full resolution with very fast response including 9.3 fps * continuous continuous shooting with 0.1 sec AF speed.

7.5cm (3.0-) LCD, optical viewfinder

Large 922,000-dot PureColor II G LCD for superior tracking. The optical viewfinder allows you to compose shots in traditional style with improved image stabilization.

Manual control

Front control dial provides easy access to important settings during shooting. Full manual RAW shooting with variable aspect ratios gives you maximum control over composition and allows you to edit images with the included DPP software. Improved ergonomics and customizable FUNC. (FUNCTIONS) allows you to adapt the camera to your shooting style.

Full HD 60fps

Shoot smooth Full HD videos on professional level 60fps with stereo audio and optical zoom in MP4 format, using advanced features such as High Detail Movie Processing (60p), Peaking Peaking, In-Camera Movie Transcoding and Wind Noise Filter.

Wi-Fi and GPS via mobile phone

Wi-Fi makes it easy to connect to home wireless networks, compatible printers and PCs, and smart devices for easy online posting and GPS tagging of shooting locations. Image sync makes it easy to create backups on your computer and the Internet via CANON iMAGE GATEWAY or Flickr.

Star mode, handheld HDR shooting

Capture stunning starry nightscapes, star trails, or time-lapse stars in Star mode. Use HDR to shoot high contrast scenes without a tripod, or defocus the background for beautiful SLR-style background blur effects.

Optional accessories

Accessories include an adapter for 58mm lens filters, Canon Speedlites and a waterproof case for underwater shooting at depths of up to 40m.

Canon has released a fresh camera under the name PowerShot G16. It replaced the PowerShot G15, but was not well received by photographers. We have already mentioned the PowerShot G16 earlier on the pages of 24Gadget, and now it's time to look at the new product and the reasons for its lack of great success in more detail.

Appearance

The model stands out a little from the line of compact cameras with its slightly larger dimensions. This is due to the large set of manual controls, as well as the optical rather than digital viewfinder. The body is made of magnesium alloy. Its dimensions are 108.8 x 75.9 x 40.3 mm. The fully assembled weight reaches 354 grams, which seems quite hefty in relation to the size. The layout and controls are pretty standard. All necessary settings are available for adjustment with the fingers of the right hand. On the back is a 3-inch TFT screen. Contrary to likely expectations, it is not reclining, not pivoting, or even touch-sensitive.

There is a standard connector on the top of the case. additional equipment... Directly below them is an optical viewfinder with a diopter adjustment wheel. All other tuning wheels have a fairly aggressive faceted notch for better control. The grip handle has a rubber-like finish. Unfortunately, its ergonomics may not seem very comfortable to many. The shutter button has a two-stage travel, which, alas, is not very smooth. The standard lens is equipped with a thread for attaching the LA-DC58L attachment, which in turn makes it possible to use a variety of light filters or accessories. The optics are protected by built-in shutters that open automatically when the camera is turned on. In the presence of a built-in spring-loaded flash, which is hidden in a recess of the body. Overall quality assembly at a high level.

Technical equipment

The camera is equipped with a new sensor with BSI backlight technology. It has a resolution of 12.1 megapixels and a sensitivity in the range of ISO 80 - 12800. The manufacturer positions the innovation as the main advantage, however, according to the test results, it turned out that the new matrix has a higher noise level at high sensitivity than the G15 model. The lens remains the same. It has f / 1.8 – f / 2.8 and a focus of 28–140mm in 35mm equivalent. PowerShot G16 has a built-in WiFi module. It can be used to view footage remotely using a tablet or smartphone. The camera is identified as a regular access point. But the ability to remotely control the shooting is missing. There is also an HDMI port for connection to a TV, protected by a hinged cover, and another universal communication port that is used for the same purpose, or as USB. An SD, SDHC or SDXC card is used to store the footage.

The optical viewfinder changes its field of view along with the focusing of the lens. The optical viewfinder does not work when recording video. It also cannot be used in conjunction with autofocus in face detection mode. Video modes are supported: 1920 × 1080 at 60/30 fps, 1280 × 720 at 30 fps, 640 × 480 at 30/120 fps, and 320 × 240 at 240 fps. Autofocus works quickly and clearly. Burst photo option is supported. The menu interface is similar to other Canon models. There is a standard set of modes and effects. You can customize your own submenu for quick access to the options you want.

Display

The diagonal of the TFT screen is 3 inches, the total resolution is 921,000 pixels. There is a possibility of five-step brightness adjustment. There is no touch input.

Autonomy

The battery capacity is 920 mAh. According to the manufacturer, this is enough for 350 shots in a row. And if you do not turn on the display, then by as much as 770 frames. A full charge takes 1.5 hours. It is also possible to connect an external battery.

Sample pictures

pros

Fast focusing
- excellent video quality
- convenient manual control

Minuses

Relatively large in its class
- noise at high sensitivity
- no remote control

Verdict

The Canon PowerShot G16 is not far behind its predecessor, the PowerShot G15, gaining little in video quality, and lost in stills. The presence of a WiFi interface, without full-fledged remote control, is not particularly necessary. You can safely recognize the project as unsuccessful and consider other options.

Sometimes you test equipment "on duty": if you have to do a test, then you do it. But more often it happens that we ourselves are interested in what will turn out as a result of the tests. It is especially interesting to compare models with similar characteristics, but with different prices.

So, we have before us two new models, Canon wide-angle zoom 16-35 mm. The fast third-generation Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM is brand new and very expensive. Another model was released three years ago, but by the standards of lenses, this is not a very long time. It is relatively fast, costs half the price, and offers to compensate for the lack of aperture with the help of an optical stabilizer. Here is the initial alignment. Now let's take a closer look at the performance characteristics - maybe we can catch something else at the initial inspection stage.

Specifications

Lens		Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
Bayonet	Canon EF compatible with Canon EF-S mount, can be used with APS-C cameras
Focal length	16 - 35 mm for full frame 25.6 - 56mm for APS-C format
Maximum aperture	f / 2.8	f / 4.0
Minimum aperture	f / 22
Aperture blades	9 (round aperture hole)
Optical design	16 elements in 11 groups	16 elements in 12 groups
Closest focusing distance	0.28 m
Viewing angle	98 ° - 54 ° horizontal 74 ° 10 ′ - 38 ° vertical (for full frame)
Maximum magnification	0.25x full frame	0.23x full frame
Autofocus	internal
Autofocus drive	Ring Ultrasonic Actuator (USM)
Stabilization	No	Optical (IS), efficiency up to 4 EV steps
Dust and moisture protection	there is
Filter thread	∅82 mm	∅77 mm
Dimensions (diameter × length)	∅89 × 128	∅83 × 113
Weight	790 g	615 g
Peculiarities	metal case	metal case constant aperture throughout the entire focal length range minimum focusing distance - 0.28 m optical stabilizer with an efficiency of 4 stops

The table of performance characteristics of the lenses is small, it is easy to look carefully and understand ... technical specifications more attractive is the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM lens. It is half the price, it has a powerful stabilizer, it is lighter and more compact. It also does not change the maximum aperture when zooming. The only thing that he loses in is the luminosity. In general, it is a known fact that aperture is expensive. Let's determine how much faster the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM is than the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM.

Historically, the performance characteristics of photographic lenses do not mention such a valuable characteristic as the effective aperture ratio - which takes into account not only the geometric parameters of the lens, but also the degree of transparency of the lenses. For cinema lenses, instead of the familiar F numbers (geometric aperture), more accurate T numbers (taking into account transparency) are often used. But with photographic lenses, the difference between the F and T numbers is considered insignificant, a "trifle". Instead of giving a correspondence table, manufacturers write about "magic subwavelength antireflection coatings."

They know better, we will not teach them how to live. But we have to figure out what gives the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM “magic subwavelength AR coating”. Otherwise, it's hard to see why this lens is twice as expensive as the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
16 mm; f / 4.0; 1/13 s; ISO 100 Max Lightness = 94	16 mm; f / 4.0; 1/8 s; ISO 100 Max Lightness = 97

During the lens test, we received the following data: under the same shooting conditions Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III sets shutter speed 1/3 - 2/3 EV faster than Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM... If the camera's exposure meter decided to set the shutter speed 2/3 EV shorter, we would get a slightly higher brightness of the white square in the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM test shot. Consequently, the efficiency of the more perfect coverage is just below 2/3 EV. We are not much wrong if we estimate it at half EV. This is in addition to the geometric aperture ratio.

And the geometric aperture gives the lens 1 EV stop (the maximum aperture of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III is f / 2.8 versus f / 4 of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM). The total is 1.5 steps, which is a very solid win. But it comes at a price: the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III is more expensive and heavier. Although, perhaps, the heavier construction is partly due to the increased reliability of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III - according to the manufacturer.

Construction, design, management

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III

Of course, both lenses are made not just to the conscience, but to a particularly reverent conscience. This can be both understood and explained. No manufacturer, let alone Canon, can produce very expensive equipment and not provide it with very high quality. If suddenly this happens, the reputation of the company will sag, sales will fall, etc. Therefore, it is very, very difficult to find fault with how the lenses are made.

	We managed to find an unfolded optical scheme that consists of 16 elements in 11 groups and indicates where which elements are located, as well as where the various coatings are applied. Here's a quick explanation of this circuit: SWC and ASC - see next slides. UD - ultra-low dispersion lenses. GMo is a technology for making aspherical lenses in molds. Fluorine coating is a fluorine coating that makes it much easier to clean the front and rear objective lenses.
	SWC (SubWavelength Structure Coating) is a coating with a structure whose elements are less than the wavelength of the light range. The effectiveness of such an antireflection coating is much higher than that of a traditional multilayer coating.
	ASC (Air Sphere Coating) is a multi-layer anti-reflective coating. The top layer with spherical "bubbles" is especially effective here.
	The red ring is a sign of belonging to the elite L series. The nearest rubberized ring is the focusing ring. Manual focus can be used at any time without switching to M. The far rubberized ring is the zoom ring.
	The lens mount is compatible with EF-S mount. That is, the lens can be used with APS-C cameras. We took several measurements to compare the lens performance with a Full Frame camera and with an APS-C camera. The general conclusion that we can draw: when working with an APS-C camera, the performance of the lens drops, but not much. The resolution is slightly reduced, the level of "chromaticity" is slightly increased. But still, in our humble opinion, there is no point in buying a very expensive EF lens to use with an APS-C camera - its “expensive” features become less “expensive”. True, the lens retains a high aperture ratio. Perhaps we will make a separate material on this topic with a detailed analysis.
	Lens control is simple: two rings (zoom and focus) and one switch (auto / manual focus). In addition, the lens is equipped with a focusing scale. This tool can be useful at times.

Brief summary:

• The lens is quite massive: it weighs almost 800 grams.
• The optical scheme explains to us where the additional half-step of the lens aperture comes from: its lenses are covered with the most modern views antireflection coatings.
• According to the manufacturer, the lens has not only moisture and dust protection, but also increased reliability and durability.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM

Now let's look at the second lens. His Canon website page also has a lot of good words - though not as loud as about the first lens. This is understandable: the price of the second is almost twice as low. And its main trump card is the 4-stop stabilizer. In particular, good words are based on it, as well as on aspherical and UD lenses, a 9-blade diaphragm, etc.

	The optical design of 16 elements in 12 groups uses three aspherical lenses and two ED glass lenses, which (quote) "almost completely eliminate chromatic aberration." The stabilizer lenses are highlighted in the red rectangle.
	This lens also belongs to the elite L series, also equipped with two rings (focusing and zooming) and a focusing scale.
	The Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM mount is also EF-S compatible, and the aperture also features 9 blades for an almost perfectly circular aperture.
	Only the gimbal on / off switch is added to the controls. Note that this lens also allows manual focusing at any time, without having to switch to M mode.

Brief summary:

• Outwardly, it is impossible to determine which lens is better and which is worse - both lenses look solid, reliable, “expensive”.
• That being said, the presence of a stabilizer on the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM is an attractive factor.
• But the fact that the first lens is "faster" by 1.5 stops must be kept in mind. This is a very significant advantage.

Resolution, aberration (laboratory test)

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III, FR = 16mm

With a focal length of 16mm, this is an ultra-wide angle - the picture will never be perfect in terms of distortion. Even if you try to straighten it completely, that is, bring the displayed space to a perfect rectangle, the picture will turn out to be unnatural. The picture becomes more natural with a noticeable negative distortion ("barrel"). This is exactly what we see in the case of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III: vertical distortion - 2.85, horizontal distortion - 0.75.

Permission		Chromatic aberration
Center of the frame	Frame edge	Center of the frame	Frame edge

At the same time, the resolution in the center and at the edge of the frame remains high and very high from the widest aperture to the relatively narrow f / 14. At f / 16, the edge resolution drops below 0.8 lines per pixel, and then the center of the frame begins to "lather".

"Chromatic" is very pleasing in the center of the frame - there it is almost invisible, and at the edge of the frame it is noticeable moderately, at the level of 5-7 percent.

If you carefully examine the enlarged frame of the test bench (see the frame next to the graph "Resolution, level of chromatic aberration" above), you can easily see that the "barrel" horizontally straightened more than vertically, and this led to the fact that smooth the lines at the edge of the frame become "snakes". It is possible that Canon optics engineers did their best, but they did not get the perfect picture. If any rectilinear object hits the edge of the frame (for example, when shooting architecture), it will also bend like a snake.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III, FR = 24mm

Increasing the focal length to 24mm, this is not an ultra-wide angle, just a wide one. Here we see an almost completely corrected distortion - a "pillow" with parameters of the order of 0.5 both horizontally and vertically. The work of the optics is filigree, although the straight lines at the edge of the frame also bend like a "snake", but not as noticeable as at a focal length of 16 mm.

Permission		Chromatic aberration
Center of the frame	Frame edge	Center of the frame	Frame edge
In all screenshots, top row: f / 2.8 - f / 5.0 - f / 8.0, bottom row: f / 11 - f / 16 - f / 22

Resolutions in the center of the frame and at the edge remain very high up to f / 16. Even at f / 18 it remains high, and only at the narrowest aperture the picture "lathers".

But the "chromatic" at a focal length of 24 mm is almost invisible: neither in the center of the frame, nor at the edge. And (this is a very rare case) in the center of the frame the "chromatic" is slightly more noticeable than on the edge.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III, FR = 35mm

We increase the focal length even more - up to 35 mm. This is the boundary at which a lens is still considered wide angle. And here we can also see that at any aperture up to f / 18, the resolution remains very high both in the center of the frame and at the edge.

Permission		Chromatic aberration
Center of the frame	Frame edge	Center of the frame	Frame edge
In all screenshots, top row: f / 2.8 - f / 5.0 - f / 8.0, bottom row: f / 11 - f / 16 - f / 22

The "pillow" becomes a little more pronounced than at a focal length of 24 mm, but remains moderate: 1.37 vertically and 0.78 horizontally. But the "snake" in the corner of the frame is almost invisible.

But chromatic aberrations become noticeable again: in the center of the frame about 4-5 percent, at the edge - about 2-3 percent. This is not a high level of "chromaticity" for a wide-angle lens, and in general the manufacturer's statement that "ED glass lenses almost completely eliminate chromatic aberration" is true.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM, FR = 16mm

We now take a look at how the second lens, the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM, handles chromatic and geometric aberrations, and how much a high resolution he holds.

Resolution is kept at a very high level from the widest f / 4 aperture to the relatively narrow f / 14. Then the resolution drops very noticeably at the edge of the frame, and after f / 18 - and in the center. We consider 0.8 lines per pixel as the high-resolution threshold for L-series lenses. Increased demands can and should be made to this technique.

Permission		Chromatic aberration
Center of the frame	Frame edge	Center of the frame	Frame edge

Lens distortion is 16mm corrected in the same way as Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III. This is a moderate "barrel", elongated vertically (D BEP = −2.89, D HOR = −0.82). Chromatic aberrations are very pleasing in the center of the frame, but too noticeable at the edges - here their level is about 7-9 percent.

If we look at how the distortion is corrected, we see the already familiar picture: at the edges of the frame, vertical straight lines turn into snakes, the same as in the case of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III. This is most likely a necessary evil that distortion-corrected ultra-wide-angle lenses suffer from. Optics manufacturers have to choose: either the horizontal picture will be barrel-shaped (with a very noticeable distortion), or straight lines will become "snakes".

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM, FR = 24mm

We pass to the average value of the focal length - 24 mm. And we see an almost perfect picture: a very high resolution is kept up to f / 16, and the resolution at the edge of the frame almost does not lag behind the resolution in the center. Chromatic aberrations are hardly noticeable, their level is almost zero.

Permission		Chromatic aberration
Center of the frame	Frame edge	Center of the frame	Frame edge
In all screenshots, top row: f / 4.0 - f / 5.6 - f / 8.0, bottom row: f / 11 - f / 16 - f / 22

As for the geometric distortions, they are completely straightened, the distortion values ​​both vertically and horizontally are close to zero. Despite this, the horizontal lines at the edge of the frame bend like snakes almost as much as at the 16mm focal length.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM, FR = 35mm

And so we got to the "narrowest" focal length of 35 mm. Here we see a familiar picture: very high resolution at all apertures up to f / 16. Further, the resolution drops and becomes not very high at the narrowest aperture. Although here again it's worth noting that at f / 22, the resolution drops to 0.7 lines per pixel in the center of the frame and to 0.65 lines at the edge. For a budget lens, this is good performance, but for an elite expensive optics, such a resolution is better considered "soapy".

Permission		Chromatic aberration
Center of the frame	Frame edge	Center of the frame	Frame edge
In all screenshots, top row: f / 4.0 - f / 5.6 - f / 8.0, bottom row: f / 11 - f / 16 - f / 22

Geometric distortions at this focal length take the form of a "pillow", elongated horizontally: D HOR = 1.11, D BEP = 0.6. They are not very pronounced, they are quite acceptable for a focal length of 35 mm.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM, stabilizer

The last part of our laboratory work- Determination of the effectiveness of the stabilizer Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM. Usually in this test we set the focal length to 50 mm and shoot the "target" from a distance of 5 meters (our method of testing the stabilizer is described in detail). But for the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM we had to make an exception: we tested the stabilizer at 35mm with a full frame camera.

In principle, this does not change much: we are starting from the rule "there will be no shake if the shutter speed is inversely proportional to the focal length." That is, at a shutter speed of 1/35 s, we should consistently receive clear frames. And since the stabilizer gives us an extra four EV stops, we should get sharp shots at 1/18 second, 1/9 second, 1/4 second and 1/2 second as well.

According to our measurements, we will get a clear shot with a probability of 0.7 at a shutter speed slightly shorter than 1 / 2.5 of a second. That is, the effectiveness of the stabilizer, according to our method, is equal to 4 stops. This is exactly how much the manufacturer indicates.

Laboratory test results

So, we have tested two lenses and we can confidently say that in terms of resolution, level of geometric and chromatic aberrations, the more expensive Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM has no noticeable advantages over the relatively inexpensive Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM.

Specifications	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
16 mm - resolution *	f / 16 in the center; f / 13 on the edge	f / 18 in the center; f / 11 on the edge
16 mm - "chromatic"	0% in the center; 5% at the edge	2% in the center; 5-7% at the edge
16 mm - distortion	D BEP = −2.85; D HOR = −0.75	D BEP = −2.89; D HOR = −0.82
24 mm - resolution *	f / 16 in the center; f / 16 at the edge	f / 16 in the center; f / 14 on the edge
24 mm - "chromatic"	2% in the center; 0% at the edge	0% in the center; 1% at the edge
24 mm - distortion	D BEP = 0.42; D HOR = 0.51	D BEP = 0.34; D HOR = 0.32
35 mm - resolution *	f / 16 in the center; f / 16 at the edge	f / 16 in the center; f / 11 on the edge
35 mm - "chromatic"	4% in the center; 2% at the edge	0% in the center; 0% at the edge
35 mm - distortion	D BEP = 1.37; D HOR = 0.78	D BEP = 1.11; D HOR = 0.6
* This column indicates the minimum aperture at which the resolution remains high or very high (above 0.8 lines per pixel), the picture does not "lather"

If we carefully look at the table with the results of test measurements, we will see:

• In both lenses, distortion is corrected in a similar way, small differences do not play a noticeable role.
• Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM has a slight advantage in resolution, but it is small, and only at the edge of the frame.
• The "chromatics" of both lenses are approximately at the same level. At some focal lengths, the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM suffers from greater "chromaticity", at others - the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM. The average temperature in the hospital is low.

This means that the advantages of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM are reduced to a higher aperture, and nothing more. Although this "only" is very, very expensive - both literally and figuratively. After all, both lenses are designed for professional shooting, and professionals are well aware of how sometimes just one EV stop is not enough to pull out difficult shooting. Moreover, the stabilizer cannot be considered an ideal tool - it allows you to make the shutter speed slower, but at the same time the photographer may encounter a “mud” (when a dynamic object in the frame is blurred due to its movement, it cannot be “frozen” with a short shutter speed). Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM gives the photographer an additional one and a half stops - one due to the wider aperture and another half due to the more advanced anti-reflective coating.

The advantages of both lenses, of course, can be attributed to the fact that at the widest aperture they maintain high or very high resolution. The disadvantage is that at f / 16 they start to wash out the picture.

Practical photography

We carried out field tests of the lenses in conjunction with Canon camera EOS 5D Mark IV. In this case, the following parameters were used:

• aperture priority
• center-weighted metering,
• single frame auto focus,
• focusing on the center point,
• automatic white balance (ABB).

The captured frames were saved on the storage medium as uncompressed RAW files, which were subsequently converted to JPEG with minimal compression. In situations with complex and mixed lighting, the white balance was adjusted manually. In some cases, in the interests of composition, they resorted to cropping the frame.

The first test series consists of paired shots of a scene with good lighting (sunlight). The scene is quite contrasting, but contains many zones with smooth tonal transitions and is replete with small details both in the center and on the periphery. All photos were taken with an average focal length of the zoom range - 19 mm Canon lens EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM and 18mm for Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM; the difference of 1 mm is caused by the complexity of manual installation with the required accuracy.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
19 mm; f / 2.8; 1/3200 s; ISO 100
19 mm; f / 4; 1/1600 s; ISO 100	18 mm; f / 4; 1/1250 s; ISO 100
19 mm; f / 5.6; 1/800 s; ISO 100	18 mm; f / 5.6; 1/640 s; ISO 100
19 mm; f / 8; 1/400 s; ISO 100	18 mm; f / 8; 1/320 s; ISO 100
19 mm; f / 11; 1/200 s; ISO 100	18 mm; f / 11; 1/160 s; ISO 100
19 mm; f / 16; 1/100 s; ISO 100	18 mm; f / 16; 1/80 s; ISO 100

When comparing paired shots, we can see that all shots taken with the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM are underexposed. The underexposure is about 1/3 of an exposure stop, and for some reason the camera's automation allows this, despite the used shutter speed by 1/3 stop in the case of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM at the same aperture value. The time difference between the series of shooting with one and the other lenses was no more than 20 s. It turns out that for some reason the exposure meter worked the same scene in different ways. But this is an unprincipled moment, easily corrected in post-processing and not at the expense of image quality. Obviously, these are the consequences of the loss of a less high-aperture optical instrument to a more high-aperture in light transmission (transmission, T), described in detail above, when analyzing the results obtained in our laboratory.

The maximum vignetting is noted, of course, at the maximum aperture of the lenses. The Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM achieves more than -2EV at f / 2.8. Then, for all comparable apertures, this lens vignette much stronger than its less aperture counterpart up to f / 5.6, and with further aperture, the vignette is no longer visually identified in the images taken with both tools. The gradient vignetting pattern is, in principle, in favor of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM: it has less darkening of the corners in the diagonal length and area. However, this sometimes does not affect the picture in the best way, and it is more difficult to correct the consequences of such a phenomenon, which is very distant to the far corners, during post-processing than even more pronounced, but smoother darkening.

At all apertures, the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM draws a picture with a higher contrast, which in this scene has a beneficial effect on the notorious "drawing", which is distinguished by vividness and richness of colors, as well as high definition due to excellent study of the smallest details ... The Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM lags behind in micro contrast, and this is especially noticeable in shadow detail, where it paints less expressively.

Sharpness and detail when shooting with both lenses is very high from f / 4 to f / 8. They are weakly dependent on the degree of aperture, which means a very high stability of the result, which does not require "pinching the hole" to ensure good sharpness, as is traditionally done with wide-angle optics. However, aperture down to f / 16 already leads to a decrease in sharpness, almost equally pronounced in both lenses.

Of the minimally significant differences, it should be noted that the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM has a very definite tendency to reproduce images in warmer tones, and the Canon EF 16-35mm D4L IS USM - in colder ones.

In the second series of paired shots, we examine how our subjects behave when shooting an urban landscape in a scene with very high contrast. This is a view of the Kremlin (left bank) and Sofia (right bank) embankments of the Moskva River from the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge in the early morning, a few minutes before the sun appears above the horizon (at 3:32). All pictures were taken at a focal length of 16 mm. White balance and ISO setting worked in automatic mode.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
16 mm; f / 2.8; 1/250 s; ISO 100
16 mm; f / 4; 1/125 s; ISO 100	16 mm; f / 4; 1/125 s; ISO 100
	16 mm; f / 5.6; 1/60 s; ISO 100
16 mm; f / 8; 1/30 s; ISO 100	16 mm; f / 8; 1/30 s; ISO 100

All comparable pairs of frames are exposed equally correctly, without the error that we noticed in the previous series.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM vignette more than its competitor; this is noticeable even at f / 8, and at f / 4-f / 5.6 it can give the impression of a little underexposure (but it is not).

Sharpness and detail are very high, especially in the center of the frame, and are almost independent of the degree of aperture of both lenses.

In all frames, in the center, you can observe a fairly pronounced red-violet "fringing", which can be mistaken for chromatic aberration. In fact, it is, rather, hyperexcitation of those photodetectors of the camera sensor, which are adjacent to the zones of maximum brightness. Therefore, this effect cannot be weakened in any way when the lenses are apertured even up to f / 8.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM draws a picture with a slightly lower contrast, as a result of which it is better to work out the details in the shadows.

The Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM has a subtle shift towards warmer tones.

In a couple of pictures below, we will take a look in the early morning at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior from the B. Kamenny Bridge, which carries vehicles across the Moskva River from Borovitskaya Square to Zamoskvorechye. When filming, we stood on its left side, facing the Kremlin, facing away from the sun, which was about to appear over the horizon. Focal length 32 mm; aperture f / 5.6; ISO 320 (recall that the settings for the equivalent sensitivity value, as well as the white balance, were left to the mercy of the automation).

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
32 mm; f / 5.6; 1/30 s; ISO 320	32 mm; f / 5.6; 1/40 s; ISO 320

Of the notable differences in this pair of shots, we note an underexposure of about 1/3 of the exposure stops in the right photo taken with the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM. This is confirmed by the shutter speed values ​​recorded in Exif (1/40 s versus 1/30 s).

In both cases, the "pincushion" distortion is clearly visible (see the solid line curved by an arc), and we find it difficult to determine in which case it is more pronounced.

In the picture taken with the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM, detail is higher, both in the center and at the periphery. And it is very important that this was achieved, on the one hand, with a more pronounced sharpness, and on the other hand, with a more pronounced micro-contrast in a more advanced optical instrument. By the way, the macro contrast of the less bright Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM is slightly lower, and the overall image tone is slightly colder. And if the second feature is a matter of taste, and besides, it is easily corrected during post-processing, then contrast is a fundamental quality. Users consider this a particularly valuable property of optics, and manufacturers in every possible way strive to bring them to the maximum possible in their products. But in photographic practice with this quality, everything is not so unambiguous, and a little later we will be convinced of this, returning to the analysis of the differences in the pictures taken by our two current subjects.

The second pair of shots proposed for evaluation was taken on a different day, but almost at the same hour - at the last minute before dawn on the Krylatsky Hills overlooking Mnyovniki, the red arch of the Zhivopisny Bridge decorative arch and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Focal length 28 mm; aperture f / 5.6; ISO 100.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
28 mm; f / 5.6; 1/30 s; ISO 100	28 mm; f / 5.6; 1/40 s; ISO 100

The feature we identified earlier is confirmed again: when shooting with the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM, the automation for some reason allows underexposure in 1/3 of the exposure stop. Because of this, in the selected scene, the color saturation becomes higher. Our other hero, the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM, exhibits warmer tones in ABB conditions, as well as less vignetting of the frame.

Sharpness in the center, even when viewed at a scale of 1: 1, does not allow us to speak about the superiority of one or another lens. Another thing is interesting: the very contrast of the image, which, as we have already found out, is noticeably higher in the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM, plays a cruel joke in this scene: in the predawn darkness, trees and grass in the middle ground merge into a slightly structured black mass, the details of which are difficult to distinguish even when magnified. At the same time, the right picture showed valuable quality Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM to soften contrasts, similar to the effect of leveling developers of the film era, which allows us to see rows of trees in the dark, glades on hillsides and generally significantly enrich the image with details in the shadows.

Now let's see what happens to the pictures at the maximum aperture value attainable on both lenses, that is, at the minimum relative aperture. The reason for this may be, for example, the desire to lengthen the exposure and "smear" moving objects - the same jets of water. Of course, it is more correct to use a neutral gray filter for this purpose, which reduces the light transmission of the optical system by the required number of exposure stops, but such filters are not always at hand. Therefore, aperture to the maximum can help in the most significant way, especially if this very maximum is f / 22, as in both of our subjects.

The couple of shots below were taken in Tsaritsyno estate park (Moscow) with the minimum focal length (16 mm) and the maximum closed aperture (f / 22).

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
16 mm; f / 22; 1/50 s; ISO 100	16 mm; f / 22; 1/50 s; ISO 100

The automatics set the shutter speed precisely (1/50 s in both cases), but the picture taken with the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM looks a little underexposed. But these are trifles, and something else is important: on a completely closed diaphragm, the loss of sharpness is more pronounced, and not only on the periphery, but also in the center. If the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM is still tolerant, then the competitor is already unpleasant. However, the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM has a more pronounced effect of "smearing" of water jets - obviously for the same reason.

Shooting in backlight

It is known that shooting against the sun is best avoided. Renowned camera reviewer Ken Rockwell traditionally uses this phrase about this: "if you are crazy enough to look directly into the disk of the sun ..." This phrase refers to this material, because we believe that for ultra-wide-angle lenses, resistance to direct sunlight is a mandatory requirement, because due to the wide angle of view it is not always possible to exclude the sun from the frame. Therefore, we will evaluate how our subjects behave in such situations ...

This is what happens at dawn when the sun is very low.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
16 mm; f / 8; 1/100 s; ISO 100	16 mm; f / 8; 1/80 s; ISO 100

The right image is clearly underexposed (–2/3 EV), but this does not allow hiding the reflexes from the lens surfaces (that is, "hares", as they say in photojargon). In both cases, they are multiple, represented not only by small bright dots, but also by rather large spots. We tend to rate such work on breeding "hares" as "C", not higher.

If the sun is already high enough, then the picture becomes completely different.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
16 mm; f / 8; 1/500 s; ISO 100	16 mm; f / 8; 1/800 s; ISO 100

This is also morning, but on a different day and much later (about 10 hours). As you can see, there is no trace of what we saw in the two photos above in the pictures. Moreover, the shape of the aperture blades in both cases made it possible to obtain numerous well-defined rays around the solar disk. Both subjects performed the scenes perfectly. Note that there is no contradiction between this and the previous estimates: the "awkwardness" of the optics very strongly depends on the angle of incidence of the straight lines sun rays, and the larger it (angle), the easier it is for lenses to cope with this disadvantage.

Blurring the foreground and background

We will not open America by saying that wide-angle (and even more so, ultra-wide-angle) lenses are not designed to show a beautiful blur (boke) pattern. This is complicated, firstly, by the very significant depth of field (even with the aperture open), and, secondly, by the high requirements for sharpness in those scenes that are filmed using such optics. However, this does not mean that acceptable boke cannot be obtained.

First, let's see what happens to the foreground if it is out of focus with a strong aperture of the lens.

If the foreground is located at a distance of 15-30 cm from the front lens, and the focus is on the background "to infinity", then even at f / 8, objects in the foreground cannot be sharpened. However, in this case, they play a secondary role, serving only as a natural framing of the building from behind. Therefore, we wanted to evaluate whether the frontal blur (front bokeh) picture is good. To say that we see something very pleasant, of course, is impossible. That is, the degree of blur itself is not great; preserved (albeit fuzzy) motley structure of objects, which still pretty much interfere with the perception of what should attract attention in the first place - the colonnade in the background.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM

35 mm; f / 2.8; 1/80 s; ISO 100

16 mm; f / 2.8; 1/800 s; ISO 100

Both at maximum (35 mm) and at minimum (16 mm) focal lengths with full aperture, the rear bokeh looks as poor as the front. Here, obviously, more should not be expected, since the background objects are not far enough away from the focus point. This applies not only to a faster and more expensive lens, but also to its competitor. By the way, what about the competitor?

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM

35 mm; f / 4; 1/1000 s; ISO 100

The Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM is almost the same in terms of blur. In the photo above, the plot helps out, not the optical properties of this lens. However, in this photo we wanted to illustrate that with a focal length of 35 mm and an aperture value of f / 4, in principle, you can get an acceptable bokeh ( acceptable, but no more).

Now, here are some illustrations of why an ultra wide-angle zoom is needed at all. The three photos below show how we worked on the frame. Shooting parameters: f / 8; 1/100 s; ISO 100.

At the second stage, it was decided to lower the horizon so that the line of the embankment parapet turns into a gray plane. It got a little better, but still something was missing.

25 mm; f / 8; 1/100 s; ISO 100

Eureka! As soon as the focal length was increased to 25 mm (and, accordingly, the image scale), the clearly interfering bridge and the annoyingly bright wall of the building at the right edge of the frame disappeared. If it were not for the zoom lens, it would be necessary to either replace it with another, or crop the picture during post-processing.

The rest of the photos obtained in the course of practical photography, we collected in the gallery without comments.

Total for practical shooting

The Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM and Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM are not only interesting and useful, but often absolutely essential optical tools. V practical work a faster one is, of course, less convenient, since it is much heavier and larger. At the same time, being more perfect from the point of view of technologies of design and manufacture of optics, it allows you to get sharper and more contrasting images than an evolutionarily less new and less aperture competitor.

Both lenses work well against the sun and allow you to draw multiple beautiful rays from light sources minus one "but": in difficult conditions, with the dawn sun, when its height above the horizon is small, both lenses allow the formation of "hares", that is, reflexes with lens surfaces.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM is slightly inferior to its faster competitor in terms of sharpness and detail in the f / 4 – f / 8 aperture range, but at maximum aperture (f / 22) it shows a clear superiority.

The main advantage of the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM is its aperture, which is a full stop more. However, the optical stabilizer of a less aperture competitor allows it to gain 4 stops, as if we were dealing with a maximum aperture of f / 1.0. True, very often, to prevent blurring of moving objects, you have to choose a faster shutter speed than the one that becomes available with the stabilizer, and in this case, even the maximum aperture of f / 4 will not be able to save.

The last factor (aperture versus stabilizer) is perhaps the determining factor when choosing a lens. If you really need aperture (about a stop and a half), then the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM is your choice. If you compensate for these one and a half stops with a stabilizer (for example, do not shoot dynamic objects with wide-angle), then it is quite possible to get by with the not so expensive and massive Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM.

Gallery photo: Mikhail Rybakov