Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM vs Canon EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS III USM
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CanonEF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM | CanonEF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS III USM | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | 2007 | September 2018 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Zoom | Zoom |
| Focal length | 16–35 mm | 70–200 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/2.8 | f/2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22 | f/32 |
| Optical construction | Sixteen elements in twelve groups | 23 elements in 19 groups; retains the optical layout of the EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS II USM |
| Special elements | Three aspherical elements of different types and two UD elements | One fluorite and five UD elements |
| Coatings | Super Spectra coating | Air Sphere Coating and revised optical coatings; fluorine coating on front and rear element surfaces |
| Diaphragm | Seven circular blades | Eight blades with a circular aperture |
| Angle of view | Horizontal 98°–54°; vertical 74°10′–38°; diagonal 108°10′–63° | Diagonal 34°–12°; vertical 19°30′–7°; horizontal 29°–10° |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Canon EF | Canon EF |
| Image circle | Full frame | Full frame |
| Compatibility | Canon EF cameras with full-frame or APS-C sensors | Canon EF mount full-frame and APS-C cameras |
| Teleconverter support | Canon EF1.4× II and EF2× II are incompatible; the manual also excludes 250D and 500D close-up lenses | EF1.4X III gives 98–280 mm f/4 and 0.30× maximum magnification; EF2X III gives 140–400 mm f/5.6 and 0.44×; autofocus remains available but is slower |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 0.28 m | 1.2 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.22× | 0.21× |
| Optical stabilisation | No | Yes |
| Autofocus detail | Ring USM with mechanical full-time manual focusing; after One Shot AF, keep the shutter half-pressed while turning the focus ring | Ring-type USM; full-time manual override after One-Shot autofocus while holding the shutter button halfway |
| Focus distance detail | – | Internal focusing; maximum 0.21× magnification at 200 mm |
| Stabilisation detail | – | Up to 3.5 stops under CIPA testing at 200 mm on an EOS-1D X Mark II; Mode 1 for still subjects and Mode 2 for panning; Canon notes tripod results depend on the tripod and shooting conditions |
| Magnification detail | At 35 mm, EF12 II gives 0.62×–0.36× and EF25 II gives 1.11×–0.80×; both tubes are incompatible at 16 mm | – |
| Design | ||
| Dust and moisture resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Filter diameter | 82 mm | 77 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 88.5 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Length | 111.6 mm | 199 mm |
| Weight | 640 g (better) | 1,480 g |
| Controls | Separate zoom and focus rings, AF/MF switch and distance window | AF/MF, IS on/off and IS mode switches; focus limiter selects 1.2 m–infinity or 2.5 m–infinity |
| Zoom design | Constant exterior length with movement of the inner front tube according to both reviews | Internal zooming maintains physical length (Digital Camera World) |
| Filter detail | 82 mm front thread; the manual permits one filter and specifies an 82 mm Canon circular polarising filter | – |
| Weather resistance | The manual requires a separately sold Canon PROTECT filter for dust and water resistance because the front element moves during zooming; without it the lens is not dust or water resistant. Rubber mount seal | Dust- and moisture-resistant construction with a rubber gasket at the mount |
| Dimensions detail | Length measured from the mount to the front; caps add 21.5 mm with E-82U or 24 mm with E-82 II | 88.8 mm maximum diameter × 199 mm length, measured from the mount to the lens front; add 24.2 mm for front and rear caps |
| Weight detail | UK specifications and Camera Museum publish 640 g; Canon's version 1.2 instruction manual publishes 635 g for the lens alone, without explaining the difference | Approximately 1,480 g lens only according to Canon's instruction manual, UK store and Camera Museum; a Canon USA one-page specification chart instead lists approximately 1,440 g |
| Tripod mount | – | Included removable rotating B (W II) tripod mount ring; detach the lens from the camera before removing the collar |
| Lens hood | Reversible EW-88 hood | ET-87, with release button and reversible mounting for storage |
| In the box | Lens, hood and soft case according to Canon UK | ET-87 hood and LZ1326 lens case according to the UK store; tripod mount ring included according to Canon's instruction manual |
| Release detail | Camera Museum's exact-model table records April 2007 marketing, whereas its III-generation history calls the II a March 2007 release; neither identifies a regional distinction, so the headline retains the year | Marketed in September 2018 according to Canon Camera Museum; Canon USA's 7 June announcement had scheduled US shipping for August 2018 |
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