Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS

The Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16–35mm F4 ZA OSS is a wide-angle zoom with ZEISS optics for full-frame E-mount cameras. The F4 aperture holds across the entire zoom range, and built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation helps when shooting handheld. At 518 g it suits travel, landscape and interior photography.

A wide view with ZEISS rendering

Landscape, architecture and interiors in a single 16–35 mm range. ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating holds contrast even in backlight.

CONSTANT F4OPTICAL STEADYSHOT72 mm FILTER518 g

Sharp from centre to corners

Five aspherical elements, including a large AA element, and ED glass keep distortion and colour aberration low across the whole frame. That makes it a good fit for architecture and interiors, where corner detail matters.

Stabilised for handheld nights

Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation built into the lens compensates for camera shake. Night scenes and low-light interiors work without a tripod.

F4 across the entire zoom range

From 16 to 35 mm neither the aperture nor the depth of field changes. The exposure you set holds across the range, which pays off above all when shooting video.

Dust and moisture resistant

The construction resists dust and moisture, although it is not guaranteed to be 100% proof.

Full frame and APS-C

A 107°–63° angle of view on full-frame bodies; on APS-C it corresponds to 24–52.5 mm.

Focuses from just 28 cm

A 0.28 m minimum focus distance and 0.19× magnification let the foreground sit right by the lens.

518 g for travel

78 × 98.5 mm and a 72 mm filter — the lens fits a light travel kit.

Vario-Tessar T* FE 16–35mm F4 ZA OSS

The 16–35 mm range is built for landscape, architecture, interiors, group shots and environmental portraits. It suits travellers and photographers who want one light lens to cover the whole wide end of their kit for an E-mount body. The aperture does not change as you zoom, so exposure and depth of field stay put — something anyone shooting video or working in quick succession will appreciate.

The optical design has 12 elements in 10 groups, including five aspherical elements, one of them a large advanced aspherical (AA) element, plus low-dispersion ED glass elements. Rendering stays sharp from the centre into the corners of the frame, with low distortion and low colour aberration. ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating suppresses flare and ghosting, so contrast and colour hold even in backlight.

On full-frame bodies the lens has an angle of view of 107°–63°. On E-mount bodies with an APS-C sensor it corresponds to 24–52.5 mm, with an angle of view of 83°–44°.

Built-in Optical SteadyShot (OSS) image stabilisation compensates for camera shake when shooting handheld, which helps with night scenes and low-light interiors. The aperture has 7 blades and a circular opening. The lens focuses from 0.28 m with a maximum magnification of 0.19×, so the foreground can sit close to the lens.

The lens measures 78 × 98.5 mm and weighs 518 g; the filter diameter is 72 mm. The construction is dust and moisture resistant, although it is not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof.