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The following chart presents a comparison between basic parameters of the tested lens and those of other instruments designed for full frame mirrorless cameras. Limited physical weight of the new Sony becomes conspicuous immediately - it is definitely the lightest lens in the group, over 30% lighter than its predecessor. It is also notably shorter and offers a better minimum focusing distance.

In the photo below the Sony FE 16-35 mm f/4 G PZ is positioned between two 50 mm devices: the Sony FE version of the Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 2/50 on the left and the Sony A version of the Sony 50 mm f/1.4 on the right.

The new lens starts with a metal mount surrounding a black 34x24 mm frame made of plastics with embedded contacts. A rear element is about 29 mm in diameter; it doesn't move and is hidden about 1 cm deep inside the casing. Around it you can see a matt, ribbed, gray tube.

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The proper body of the lens starts with a black ring made of plastics which diameter increases as you move further from the mount. On the ring you can find a white dot, making an alignment with a camera easier, the mount type (E-mount), the lens's logotype, its serial number, and information that it was produced in China.

Then you see an aperture ring, as wide as 9 mm, partially ribbed, with focal lengths markings, and an A value that allows the camera body to choose the aperture automatically. The ring can move up the scale every 1/3 EV or work in a clickless mode, depending on the position of a special CLICK ON/OFF toggle. Connected to that toggle is another button called IRIS LOCK that allows you to either lock the ring in the A position or limit it to a range from f/4 to f/22.

Further on, you find an immobile part of the barrel that features an inscription with the name and parameters of the lens, along with a G series mark, and a whole array of different buttons and toggles.

Looking from above and moving to the right you see IRIS LOCK and CLICK ON/OFF toggles we've already mentioned; on the left, behind the capital letter G, you find a W-T toggle (from Wide to Tele) that switches on a powerzoom mechanism controlling electronic settings of focal length. Then you see a round Focus Lock button and then an AF/MF toggle allowing you to choose a focusing mechanism mode.

Then you see a zoom ring, 16 mm wide and ribbed. It is a focus-by-wire construction and it comes without any focal markings. If you want to check what focal length is currently set you have to look at the screen or consult the viewfinder; still it often happens that the focal length, displayed on the screen, differs by 0.5 mm from the real one. We noticed that many photos taken by us, especially those at 16 mm, featured a value of 16.5 mm in EXIF files.

Then you get a ribbed manual focus ring, 12 mm wide, also a focus-by-wire mechanism. It moves without any noticeable resistance but still its movement remains within a comfort zone. Its focus throw amounts to an angle of about 140 degrees and it is a significant value, allowing you very precise settings, especially taking the parameters of the tested lens into account.

The lens ends with an immobile part of the barrel which turns into a hood mount for a dedicated, petal-type hood.

The front element is convex, 39 mm in diameter. It is surrounded by a part of the casing with an inscription stating the basic parameters of the lens, and a non-rotating filter theard, 72 mm in diameter.

The lens doesn't change its dimensions either during zooming or during focusing so it remains properly sealed and doesn't suck the dust inside. What's more, even though the movement of elements is limited to the interior of the construction, the lens remains rather small, compact, and handy, especially if you take its parameters into account.

When it comes to optical construction you deal here with 13 elements positioned in 12 groups; among them you can find two AA (Aspherical Advanced) elements, a standard aspherical element, one Super ED (very low dispersion), ED, and ED aspherical. Inside there is also a round aperture with seven diaphragm blades.

Buyers get in the box with the lens: both caps, a petal-type hood and a soft pouch of sensible quality.