SAL-1635Z | Carl Zeiss® 16-35mm f/2.8 Wide Angle Lens

Telephoto prime

One Super ED glass element, one ED glass element, and three aspherical elements for superior image quality
Carl Zeiss T* coating effectively controls flare and glare
Constant F2.8 maximum aperture
Outstanding sharpness and contrast at all aperture settings
Quiet, responsive internal SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) autofocus drive
Focus mode switch and focus hold button offer precision focus control

Although it is a wide-angle zoom, and an ideal supplement to a highperformance mid-range zoom, the 16-35mm range of this lens will satisfy the core focal length requirements of many photographers who shoot primarily indoors or in the city. At the other end of the spectrum it can be a great choice for spacious landscapes as well. Regardless of where or how the SAL1635Z is used, its advanced coated optical path delivers exceedingly crisp images with striking contrast, without the aberration and peripheral light falloff that commonly plague wide-angle zooms. That same superlative quality is maintained throughout the zoom range, even at the maximum F2.8 aperture.

World-famous Carl Zeiss optics. Carl Zeiss lenses are prized by photographic professionals. The SAL1635Z features the classic Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar zoom lens design.

Super low distortion. The lens minimizes field curvature even at wide angle settings.

SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor). Large, wide-aperture zoom lenses tend to have larger, heavier elements that are harder to drive in Auto Focus. Sony achieves fast, smooth, near-silent automatic focusing with the Super Sonic wave Motor. It delivers high torque, high speed and rapid start/stop response.

Best-in-Class 0.24 Maximum Magnification. (Among super wide angle zoom full frame lenses as of September 2008).

Circular Aperture. Because the aperture blades form a near circle at the wide openings used for low-light shots, spot-light sources have a pleasing circular defocused effect. The lens features nine aperture blades.

Super Wide-Angle Zoom 16-35mm. Perfect for dramatic landscapes, interiors and unique perspectives on everyday objects. (35mm equivalent when used with APS-C format cameras: 24-52.5mm.)

Superb, corner-to-corner consistency. Resolution, contrast and image brightness are maintained not just at the image center, but also in the corners -- a hallmark of Carl Zeiss design.

Short Minimum Focusing Distance. With the ability to focus as closely as 11 inches (0.28 m), this wide angle zoom lens also lets you move in for dramatic perspectives on people, natural subjects and close-up details.

Focus Hold Button. For creative control a focus hold button conveniently located on the lens barrel lets you firmly lock in focus. Focus Hold also enables image preview with the α900 D-SLR.

Super Extra-low Dispersion (Super ED) and ED glass. Newton showed that different colors bend at different angles when they pass through glass. In lenses, this causes the problem of chromatic aberration. Sony solves the problem with a Super ED and an ED glass element. You get sharp, clear images with well defined colors.

Auto Clutch. For reliable operation, the manual focus ring does not rotate in auto-focus mode.

Fast, constant aperture f/2.8. While typical zoom lenses lose maximum aperture toward the telephoto end, the SAL1635Z maintains a very fast f/2.8 across the entire zoom range for the utmost flexibility in challenging light conditions.

Carl Zeiss T* (T-star) coatings. Internal reflections on the glass-to-air surfaces can create veiling glare, which reduces contrast and takes the life out of your pictures. The SAL1635Z overcomes this issue with the famous Carl Zeiss T* coatings.

In-Camera Image Stabilization. Because Sony builds SteadyShot® image stabilization into the α cameras, the SAL1635Z does what other lenses can't. This is the world's only large-aperture, full-frame capable wide-angle zoom with the benefit of image stabilization (as of Sept. 2008).

Multi-Element Design. The SAL1635Z incorporates 17 elements in 13 groups for superb sharpness, speed and edge-to-edge consistency.

Three aspherical elements. Fast lenses have a difficult time maintaining sharpness at maximum aperture. The SAL1635Z is amazingly fast for a 16-35mm zoom. Yet thanks to three aspherical elements, the lens achieves incredibly consistent, corner-to-corner sharpness at maximum aperture.

Supplied accessories. Carrying case, lens caps and petal shaped lens hood.

Product Specifications

Service and Warranty Information

Limited Warranty Term : 2 Years, Parts & Labour

Optics/Lens

Lens Type : Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
Aperture (Max.) : f/22
Filter Diameter : 77mm
Lens Groups-Elements : 17 elements, 13 groups
Minimum Focus Distance : 12" (0.3m)
Aspheric Elements : 3(3 surface)
Distance Encoder : Yes
Distance Scale : Yes
Non-rotating Focusing Ring : Yes
Aperture Blade : 9 blades
Focal Length (35mm equivalent) : 24-52.5mm
Focus-hold Button : Yes
Lens Weight : 1lb 14 oz (860g)
Magnification : x0.24

Weights and Measurements

Dimensions (Approx.) : 3-3/8x4-1/2 (83x114mm)
Weight (Approx.) : 1lb 14 oz (860g)

In the Box

Carrying case

Front and rear lens cap

ALC-SH106 Lens hood

Product Profile

Support

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Product Reviews

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( Rated 4.8 out of 5 Stars AVERAGE RATING | 5 REVIEWS Ratings Snapshot )

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5 of 5 (100%) customers would recommend this product to a friend

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Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot

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Reviewer: Snappy (Albuquerque, NM)

Date 17-Apr-2009

I've had this product for6-12 months

73of77 people found this helpful

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Fantastic Lens

Pros: Silent, quick, crystal clear.

Cons: None

Oh my goodness. This is a great lens. A wonderful lens. What can I say? Seriously. It snaps into crystal clear focus so quickly and silently you don't even know its done it, and takes pictures so sharp and clear you won't believe it. Bokeh is rich and buttery, and when you zoom down to the details in post, you're not going to believe your eyes. "Where are the chromatic abberations I expected? Where is the haloing?" you'll ask yourself in disbelief. Then, you'll smile and pat yourself on the back for buying such a fantastic lens.

Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot

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Reviewer: LonnieUtah (Utah)

Date 12-Dec-2011

I've had this product for2-5 years

11of14 people found this helpful

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Go to Landscaping Lens

Pros: Sharpness, Colors, Rendering

Cons: Weight

This is my go to landscaping lens. Paired with my A900, it has produced some outstanding images. I love the almost "3D" look this lens provides. I 100% recommend this lens if you are doing any sort of landscape work with the Sony's fullframe cameras. The downsides to this lens are it's size/weight and it's cost. But when I see the images it produces I can't help but think that it's worth every penny. For more images from this lens check out my site... http://www.landshapephotography.com/

Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot

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Reviewer: Ocular (Eustis, Florida)

Date 7-Apr-2011

I've had this product for1-2 years

17of18 people found this helpful

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Wonderful Wideangle

Pros: balance, crispness, performance

This is a wonderful lens. It is perfectly balanced with my A900 and provides quick, quiet and accurate performance making it a pleasure to use. I've used this lens along the rocky coasts of Okinawa, the humid swamps of Florida, the icy cold of winter in the Utah canyons and other extremes of environment and it performed flawlessly. I thought the weight would be an issue, and then I saw my pictures and decided the weight was a minuscule issue compared to the quality of the images I bring home. If you're serious about landscape or interior photography then this is a must have lens.

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Rated 4.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot

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Value

80%

Reviewer: ewizzle (Seattle, WA)

Date 23-Mar-2010

I've had this product forless than a month

13of57 people found this helpful

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Nice lens, wish it was a little bit less $$$.

Pros: Makes taking photos easy, constant f-stop @ 2.8

Cons: Big, on the heavy side

I don't actually don’t own this lens, but I did try it out at the Sony Style Store. This is a massive lens; diameter is 77mm and weights a lot more than the standard kit lens. Because the lens diameter is so big, it makes me worried if it will create a shadow when the pop-up flash is up (Just a thought that you might want to check out before purchasing). Construction of the lens feels solid with metal material, and the auto focus is virtually silent. You can see that it is focusing but you can’t hear it. When connected to my Alpha a300, I have to always have my hand holding onto the barrel of the lens – you cannot hold just the body of the camera because it’s so front heavy. I wish I either had more money or this lens was less expensive, but this lens makes you take incredible photos with ease. Attached photo was taken at 35mm, f/2.8, ISO-400 on a300.

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Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot

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Performance

100%

Design

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Reliability

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Value

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Reviewer: Twigger (Mt. Morris, NY)

Date 2-Aug-2011

I've had this product for1-2 years

17of17 people found this helpful

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Excellent Lens, No Doubt!

Pros: Everything, SSM, Focal Range, Build, Feel, Performance!

Cons: No Weather Sealing although not an issue to this point.

This lens is great with the A900. The balance is perfect with or without a battery grip. Focusing is spot on, zoom is smooth, photos are exceptional. Had the A700 with 16-80mm Zeiss, and although that was a great pair, the A900 and this lens (or the Zeiss 24-70mm) is just that much better. Sold the A700 and don't see me changing up anytime soon (although I still miss the A700 as I hate to part with quality items). All I could ask for in a lens, as is the A900 for a camera body. The Zeiss line is worth it if you shoot frequently and want to enjoy professional results. Happy capturing!