Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM vs Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD
Both are Sony E lenses for full frame. Here is what actually differs.
Pick the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM if
- You want a wider view: 16mm vs 28mm at the wide end
- Our notes say it suits: Landscape and astro, architecture, wedding and event wide shots
Pick the Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD if
- You want the lighter lens to carry: 104 g lighter (576 g vs 680 g)
- You need more reach: 200mm vs 35mm at the long end
- You shoot close-ups: it focuses down to 0.19 m vs 0.28 m
- You want bigger close-ups: 0.32× vs 0.19× maximum magnification
- You prefer a newer design: released 2020 vs 2017
- Our notes say it suits: Travel when you want one lens, casual video, street and walkabout shooting
Spec differences
14 differences| Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM | Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand |
Sony
|
Tamron
|
| Type |
Wide Zoom
|
Zoom
|
| Focal length |
16-35mm
|
28-200mm
|
| Weight |
680 g
|
576 g
lighter
|
| Length |
121.6 mm
|
117 mm
shorter
|
| Diameter |
88.5 mm
|
74 mm
slimmer
|
| Filter thread |
82 mm
|
67 mm
|
| Min focus distance |
0.28 m
|
0.19 m
closer
|
| Max magnification |
0.19×
|
0.32×
larger
|
| Aperture blades |
not listed
|
7
|
| Optical design |
not listed
|
18 elements / 14 groups
|
| Autofocus motor |
not listed
|
RXD
|
| Weather sealing |
not listed
|
Yes
|
| Released |
2017
|
2020
|
4 identical specs hidden: mount, format, max aperture, image stabilization. Show all
- Mount
- Sony E both
- Format
- Full frame both
- Max aperture
- f/2.8 both
- Image stabilization
- No both
Our notes
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM
Sony's first f/2.8 ultra-wide zoom for full-frame E-mount, covering 16-35mm at a constant aperture. It takes 82mm front filters.
Pros
- Constant f/2.8 aperture
- 82mm screw-in filter thread
- Dust and moisture resistant design
Cons
- Weighs about 680 g, heavier than the GM II
- No stabilization in the lens
Our notes
Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD
Full-frame superzoom for Sony E-mount that opens to f/2.8 at 28mm and covers 28-200mm. It uses an RXD stepping motor and has no built-in stabilization.
Pros
- f/2.8 at the wide end is unusual for a superzoom
- Compact at about 576 g
- Close focus to 0.19 m
Cons
- No vibration compensation, so it relies on body stabilization
- Aperture narrows to f/5.6 at 200mm
More comparisons
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM vs Tamron 11-20mm F/2.8 Di III-A RXD
more reach (35mm) vs 345 g lighter
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM vs Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD
wider (24mm) vs 310 g lighter
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM vs Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
wider (16mm) vs 155 g lighter
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM vs Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary 023
more reach (35mm) vs 425 g lighter
Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD vs Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary 021
more reach (200mm) vs 286 g lighter
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM vs Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN | Art 019
115 g lighter vs wider (14mm)