APERTURE NOTES

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Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II review: a lighter f/2.8 wide zoom

Sony's second-generation f/2.8 G Master wide zoom, from 2023. Launched at $2,299.99 (US). Who it suits: landscape, event and video shooters on Sony E.

October 23, 2026 · Lens · Review

Related on site: Choosing a lens by what you shoot: our Lenses by Purpose guide.

The Sony 16-35mm GM II standing upright with its petal hood on a grey background
The Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II with its hood.
Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

HIGHLIGHTS

Why it exists. Yang Cheng of Sony Electronics said "The newest FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II answers the call for all creators who want the highest performance lens in the lightest body" (Sony release).

It weighs 547 g, uses four XD linear motors and takes 82mm filters.

Who should buy it? Sony E landscape and event shooters who want f/2.8 in a light wide zoom.

The story

Sony Electronics announced the lens on August 29, 2023, at $2,299.99 (Sony).

It uses 15 elements in 12 groups and an 11-blade aperture, and focuses to 0.22 m.

Specifications

Key specs for the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II, from Sony. Source for each row in brackets.

Format / rangeFull-frame E mount, 16–35mm, f/2.8 [Sony]
Optics15 elements in 12 groups [Sony]
Aperture11 blades; minimum f/22 [Sony]
Autofocus4 XD linear motors [Sony]
Close focus0.22 m; 0.32x [Sony]
Filters82mm [Sony]
Size / weight87.8 × 111.5 mm; 547 g [Sony]
Announced / priceAugust 29, 2023; $2,299.99 (US) [Sony release]

Sample photos

Six photos taken with the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II, shared on Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licenses. Select a photo to enlarge it.

A wide frozen lake with snowy banks and a wooded hillside under a grey sky
A frozen lake at Auensee, Joditz, in winter (on a Sony a7R V).
Photo: PantheraLeo1359531 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Bare trees on a small island in a frozen lake under an overcast sky
A small wooded island on the frozen Auensee (on a Sony a7R V).
Photo: PantheraLeo1359531 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
A yellow half-timbered building with a bare tree beside it on a grey winter day
A guesthouse in Joditz in winter (on a Sony a7R V).
Photo: PantheraLeo1359531 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Two purple daisies among bright green leaves with a curled leaf in the foreground
Purple daisies in the sun (on a Sony a7R V).
Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)
The sun bursting into a star between red steel beams above a brick walkway
A sunstar under a red steel structure by a harbor (on a Sony a7R V).
Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)
The white bow of a moored boat seen low from the quay, with a coiled rope in the foreground
A moored boat in a harbor, shot wide (on a Sony a7R V).
Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

Sony: Launched at $2,299.99 in 2023 (US).

Verdict

Who it's for: Sony E landscape, event and video shooters who want a light f/2.8 wide zoom.

Comparing wide zooms? See our Lenses by purpose guide.

Strengths

  • 547 g
  • Four XD linear motors
  • 11-blade aperture
  • 82mm filter thread

Trade-offs

  • Launched at $2,299.99
  • Starts at 16mm, not 14mm
Check price: Amazon (new)

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Further discussion

Sources