Cameras Ranked

14–35 Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM vs 16–28 Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM

Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM vs Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM: our pick for most people is the Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM. Pick the Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM if you want more reach at the long end, or you want a wider view at the short end (focal length: 14-35 mm vs 16-28 mm). Pick the Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM if you carry it all day or travel light, you shoot in low light or want a blurrier background, or you want cheaper filters (weight: 540 g vs 445 g; widest aperture: f/4 vs f/2.8; filter thread: 77 mm vs 67 mm).

To one scale. Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM: length 99.8 mm, diameter 84.1 mm, filter thread 77 mm; Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM: length 91 mm, diameter 76.5 mm, filter thread 67 mm.99.8 mmCanon 14–35540 g91 mmCanon 16–28445 g
Both to one scale, from each maker's length and diameter, the filter thread in yellow. The rings are drawn, not measured.
To one scale. Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM: length 99.8 mm, diameter 84.1 mm, filter thread 77 mm; Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM: length 91 mm, diameter 76.5 mm, filter thread 67 mm.99.8 mmCanon 14–35540 g91 mmCanon 16–28445 g
Both to one scale, from each maker's length and diameter, the filter thread in yellow. The rings are drawn, not measured.

The pick, in points

Lead for a pick: 1

Canon 14–35

4points

Wins on focal length (longest) and focal length (widest).

Canon 16–28

5.5points

Wins on weight, widest aperture and filter thread.

Each real difference scores its importance for the side that wins it; a lead under 1 is “it depends”. How the weights work

The Canon 16–28 on its ownThe Canon 14–35 on its ownAll Canon RF lenses

Where they differ

6 of 19 specs

Each bar is the gap as a share of the smaller value, on one scale from 0 to 100%; an arrow end is a gap past 100%. The dashed tick marks where a gap starts to count.

  1. Widest aperture

    Importance 3

    Canon 14–35f/41Canon 16–28f/2.82

    1.2 apart (42.9%), to the Canon 16–28

    3points

  2. Weight

    Importance 2

    Canon 14–35540 g3Canon 16–28445 g4

    95 g apart (21.3%), to the Canon 16–28

    2points

  3. Focal length (longest)

    Importance 2

    Canon 14–3535 mm5Canon 16–2828 mm6

    7 mm apart (25%), to the Canon 14–35

    2points

  4. Focal length (widest)

    Importance 2

    Canon 14–3514 mm5Canon 16–2816 mm6

    2 mm apart (14.3%), to the Canon 14–35

    2points

  5. Filter thread

    Importance 0.5

    Canon 14–3577 mm3Canon 16–2867 mm4

    10 mm apart (14.9%), to the Canon 16–28

    0.5points

  6. Closest focus, wide end

    Importance 1

    Canon 14–350.2 m3Canon 16–280.25 m4at 16 mm

    0.05 m apart (25%), not counted: compared only between lenses of the same focal length (widest)

    0points

Also different, no weight reads them5

  1. Length

    Canon 14–3599.8 mm3Canon 16–2891 mm4retracted

    8.8 mm apart (9.7%)

    Not weighted

  2. Diameter

    Canon 14–3584.1 mm3Canon 16–2876.5 mm4

    7.6 mm apart (9.9%)

    Not weighted

  3. Maximum magnification, wide end

    Canon 14–350.15x3at 14 mmCanon 16–280.11x4at 16 mm

    0.04 apart (36.4%)

    Not weighted

  4. Maximum magnification, long end

    Canon 14–350.38x3at 35 mmCanon 16–280.26x4at 28 mm

    0.12 apart (46.2%)

    Not weighted

  5. Groups

    Canon 14–35123Canon 16–28134

    1 apart (8.3%)

    Not weighted

Side by side, to scale

Focal length on one log scale

Focal length on one log scale: Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM: 14 to 35 mm; Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM: 16 to 28 mm.Canon 14–35Canon 16–28+7 mm−2 mm1016243550
The focal lengths each maker states.

Specifications

SpecificationsCanon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USMCanon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM
Focal length14-35 mm516-28 mm6
Widest aperturef/41f/2.82
Closest focus0.2 m30.25 m at 16 mm, 0.2 m at 28 mm4
Maximum magnification0.15x at 14 mm, 0.38x at 35 mm30.11x at 16 mm, 0.26x at 28 mm4
Stabilization5.5 stops35.5 stops (lens only)4
Weight540 g3445 g4
Length99.8 mm391 mm (retracted)4
Diameter84.1 mm376.5 mm4
Filter thread77 mm367 mm4
On sale fromSep 20217Not stated
Groups123134
Focus motorNano USM3Leadscrew-type STM4
HoodEW-83P3EW-73E (sold separately)4

Same on both

  • Mount Canon RF3
  • Covers Full frame
  • Type Zoom
  • Elements 163
  • Aperture blades 93
  • Weather sealed Yes3

Full specifications, side by side†

Show all 8 rows
Full specifications, side by sideCanon 14–353Canon 16–284
Diagonal angle of view114°00′ - 63°00′ (Diagonal)108°10′ to 75°00′ (Diagonal)
Horizontal angle of view104°00′ - 54°00′ (Horizontal)98°00′ to 65°00′ (Horizontal)
Vertical angle of view81°00′ - 38°00′ (Vertical)74°10′ to 46°00′ (Vertical)
Drive systemNano USMLeadscrew-type STM
Filter size7767
Minimum aperture2222
Diaphragm blades99
Weight540 (Approx.)445
Rows only one maker lists: 19

Also on the Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM spec page3

Closest focusing distance0.2 / 0.66
Lens construction12,16 (Groups Elements)
Diameter and length84.1 × 99.8 (Approx.)
Max magnification at 35mm0.38 (at 35 mm)
Max magnification at 14mm0.15 (at 14 mm)
Dust and moisture resistanceSupported
Lens cap modelE-77 II (Lens Cap)
Lens hood modelEW-83P (Lens Hood)
Lens bag modelLP1219 (Lens Bag)

Also on the Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM spec page4

Closest focusing distance0.25/0.82 (f=16mm)
Closest focusing distance0.2/0.66 (f=28mm)
Lens construction13, 16
Diameter and length76.5 × 91.0 (Retracted)
Max magnification0.11x (f=16mm)
Max magnification0.26x (f=28mm)
Anti-dust and moistureAvailable
Included lens capLens Cap E-67II & Lens Dust Cap RF (included)
Lens hoodEW-73E (sold separately)
Lens bagLP1116 (sold separately)

How the pick works

  1. Widest aperture3

    Lower wins once they are 0.3 apart.

  2. Weight2

    Lower wins from a 12% gap.

  3. Focal length (longest)2

    Higher wins from a 15% gap.

  4. Focal length (widest)2

    Lower wins once they are 2 mm apart.

  5. Optical stabilization1

    Having it wins.

  6. Closest focus, wide end1

    Lower wins from a 15% gap. Compared only between lenses of the same focal length (widest).

  7. Filter thread0.5

    Lower wins once they are 5 mm apart.

  8. Lead for a pick1

Our pick or our take adds up the importance of each real difference, with these importances and thresholds: a gap smaller than its row's threshold is too close to call and counts as the same. They are our editorial choice, not a measurement, the same on every page, and they never read prices, sales or who sells it.

Paid placements0

How we rank, in full

Sources

  1. Wikidata: Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM, checked Oct 9, 2026 (CC0 1.0)
  2. www.canon.de, cited by Wikidata for Widest aperture (Wikidata checked Oct 9, 2026; we didn't read this page)
  3. Canon product specifications: Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM, checked Oct 6, 2026
  4. Canon product specifications: Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM, checked Oct 6, 2026
  5. www.canon.at, cited by Wikidata for Focal length (Wikidata checked Oct 9, 2026; we didn't read this page)
  6. Wikidata: Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM, checked Oct 9, 2026 (CC0 1.0)
  7. global.canon, cited by Wikidata for On sale from (Wikidata checked Oct 9, 2026; we didn't read this page)

Worked out by code, not stated by a source

  • Read from the lens name: each maker marks the sensor size a lens covers (Sony FE/E, Canon RF/RF-S, Nikon DX, Tamron Di III/Di III-A, Sigma DG/DC); every Fujifilm X lens is APS-C and every Micro Four Thirds lens is Four Thirds.
  • Prime or zoom, read from the focal length in the lens name.

Each value is checked automatically against the source it links, on the date shown. How we build these pages

† The makers' own tables, row by row, with labels in our plain words (translated where the maker's page isn't in English); each row's numbers are checked against the page it links.

What we don't know yet

  • On sale from for the Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM: our sources don't state it yet.

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