sculpture

TODAY I USED A SONY FE 16-35MM F2.8 GM II LENS

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I visited the Botanic Gardens today because I wanted to test my new Sony 16-35mm lens but unfortunately I am still waiting for the Sony A1 II camera body to arrive so I used an FX30. I paid for the A1 in full well before Christmas 2024 and this weekend I was told that it may not arrive until June or July,

I have photographed this sculpture many times as it is one of my favourites.

It’s worth noting that I have encountered another copy of this sculpture in City West. Unfortunately, the last time I tried to photograph the one in City West, I was informed by security, who shadowed me for about fifteen minutes, that I was on private property and that photography was prohibited. I was asked to leave immediately, and my policy is not to argue.

Born in 1948, Bob Quinn enjoyed a long career in the Irish advertising business as a commercial artist, designer, and the head of a successful design and production company. He now works full time as a sculptor in Blackrock, Co Dublin, where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

The Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II has been described as a truly magnificent piece of glass! It is considered to be a top-tier wide-angle zoom known for its incredible sharpness, beautiful bokeh (for wide-angle!), and robust build quality. It’s a lens that many full-frame Sony shooters dream of.

Now, let’s talk about pairing it with a Sony FX30, which, as you may already know, has an APS-C (crop) sensor. While one can certainly use the 16-35mm GM II on an FX30, you’re not experiencing its full potential, particularly when it comes to achieving that wide-angle perspective and some of the other characteristics it’s designed for.

1. Loss of the Ultra-Wide Angle of View:

The most significant impact is the crop factor. The FX30 has a crop factor of approximately 1.5x. This means that the 16-35mm lens will behave like a 24-52.5mm lens in terms of its angle of view.

You’re losing that valuable ultra-wide perspective that the 16mm end offers on a full-frame camera. That expansive view, perfect for landscapes, architecture, and creating a sense of immersion, is significantly narrowed.

While 24mm is still a useful wide-angle, it’s not the same as the dramatic perspective you’d get at 16mm on a full-frame body.

2. Different Depth of Field Characteristics:

While the f/2.8 aperture remains the same, the effective depth of field will be slightly deeper on the FX30 compared to a full-frame camera at the same aperture and equivalent focal length. This means it might be a little harder to achieve that very shallow depth of field and strong subject isolation that the f/2.8 aperture is capable of on a full-frame sensor, especially at the wider end.

3. Utilizing Only the Central Portion of the Lens:

The 16-35mm GM II is designed to project an image circle large enough to cover a full-frame sensor. When used on the smaller APS-C sensor of the FX30, only the central portion of that image circle is being utilised. While the centre of a lens is often its sharpest part, you’re not taking advantage of the lens’s overall design and how it performs across the entire frame.

4. Cost Efficiency:

The FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II is a premium lens with a price tag to match. For stills photography specifically on an APS-C system, there are excellent and often more cost-effective wide-angle lenses designed specifically for that sensor size. These lenses would offer a similar (or wider) field of view without the added cost and size associated with a full-frame lens.

Why Professional Reviewers Might Not Recommend it for FX30 Stills:

Field of View Limitations: For many stills photographers, especially those specialising in landscapes or architecture, the ultra-wide perspective is crucial. The cropped field of view on the FX30 negates this key advantage of the 16-35mm.

Ergonomics and Balance: While the 16-35mm GM II isn’t excessively large, it’s designed for full-frame bodies. On the more compact FX30, it might feel slightly front-heavy and less balanced than a lens designed for APS-C.

Overkill for the Sensor Size: The advanced optical design and build quality of the GM II series are often aimed at extracting the maximum performance from a high-resolution full-frame sensor. While the FX30 has a capable sensor, it might not fully resolve the subtle nuances that the GM II is capable of delivering across a full frame.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom! There are reasons why you might be using this lens on your FX30:

Future Full-Frame Upgrade: If you plan to move to a full-frame Sony camera in the future, investing in high-quality full-frame lenses like the 16-35mm GM II now makes perfect sense. It’s a future-proof investment.

Video Work: The 16-35mm GM II is an exceptional lens for video, offering a versatile wide-to-standard zoom range and a constant f/2.8 aperture, which is invaluable for maintaining consistent exposure during filming. The stabilisation and autofocus performance are also top-notch for video. Since the FX30 is primarily a cinema camera, this lens is a fantastic match for its video capabilities.

Specific Shooting Style: Perhaps your stills work on the FX30 benefits from the 24-52.5mm equivalent range. For certain types of portraiture, street photography, or event coverage, this range can be very useful.

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