Cameras Ranked

16–35 Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM vs 17–28 Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM vs Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD: no overall pick, it depends on what you need. Pick the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM if you want more reach at the long end (focal length: 16-35 mm vs 17-28 mm). Pick the Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD if you carry it all day or travel light, or you want cheaper filters (weight: 680 g vs 420 g; filter thread: 82 mm vs 67 mm).

To one scale. Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM: length 121.6 mm, diameter 88.5 mm, filter thread 82 mm; Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD: length 99 mm, diameter 73 mm, filter thread 67 mm.121.6 mmSony 16–35680 g99 mmTamron 17–28420 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. Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM: length 121.6 mm, diameter 88.5 mm, filter thread 82 mm; Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD: length 99 mm, diameter 73 mm, filter thread 67 mm.121.6 mmSony 16–35680 g99 mmTamron 17–28420 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

Sony 16–35

2points

Wins on focal length (longest).

Tamron 17–28

2.5points

Wins on weight 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 Sony 16–35 on its ownThe Tamron 17–28 on its ownAll Sony E-mount lenses

Where they differ

5 of 18 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. Weight

    Importance 2

    Sony 16–35680 g1Tamron 17–28420 g2

    260 g apart (61.9%), to the Tamron 17–28

    2points

  2. Focal length (longest)

    Importance 2

    Sony 16–3535 mm3Tamron 17–2828 mm

    7 mm apart (25%), to the Sony 16–35

    2points

  3. Filter thread

    Importance 0.5

    Sony 16–3582 mm1Tamron 17–2867 mm2

    15 mm apart (22.4%), to the Tamron 17–28

    0.5points

  4. Focal length (widest)

    Importance 2

    Sony 16–3516 mm3Tamron 17–2817 mm4

    1 mm apart (6.2%), under the 2 mm bar

    0points

  5. Closest focus, wide end

    Importance 1

    Sony 16–350.28 m1Tamron 17–280.19 m2

    0.09 m apart (47.4%), not counted: compared only between lenses of the same focal length (widest)

    0points

Also different, no weight reads them6

  1. Length

    Sony 16–35121.6 mm1Tamron 17–2899 mm2

    22.6 mm apart (22.8%)

    Not weighted

  2. Diameter

    Sony 16–3588.5 mm1Tamron 17–2873 mm2

    15.5 mm apart (21.2%)

    Not weighted

  3. Maximum magnification, wide end

    Sony 16–350.19x1Tamron 17–280.1923x2

    0.002 apart (1.2%)

    Not weighted

  4. Elements

    Sony 16–35161Tamron 17–28132

    3 apart (23.1%)

    Not weighted

  5. Groups

    Sony 16–35131Tamron 17–28112

    2 apart (18.2%)

    Not weighted

  6. Aperture blades

    Sony 16–35111Tamron 17–2892

    2 apart (22.2%)

    Not weighted

Side by side, to scale

Focal length on one log scale

Focal length on one log scale: Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM: 16 to 35 mm; Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD: 17 to 28 mm.Sony 16–35Tamron 17–28+7 mm−1 mm1016243550
The focal lengths each maker states.

Specifications

SpecificationsSony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GMTamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
Focal length16-35 mm317-28 mm4
Closest focus0.28 m10.19 m at 17 mm, 0.26 m at 28 mm2
Maximum magnification0.19x10.1923x at 17 mm, 0.1667x at 28 mm2
Weight680 g1420 g2
Length121.6 mm199 mm2
Diameter88.5 mm173 mm2
Filter thread82 mm167 mm2
On sale fromNot statedJul 25, 20192
Elements161132
Groups131112
Aperture blades11192
HoodALC-SH1491Flower-shaped hood2
AnnouncedMay 17, 20173Not stated

Same on both

  • Widest aperture f/2.83
  • Stabilization No
  • Mount Sony E-mount1
  • Covers Full frame
  • Type Zoom

Full specifications, side by side†

Show all 2 rows
Full specifications, side by sideSony 16–351Tamron 17–282
Lens mountLens mount: Sony E-mountLens mount type: SONY E Mount
WeightWeight: 680 gLens weight: 420g (14.8 oz)
Rows only one maker lists: 34

Also on the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM spec page1

Product nameFE 16-35 mm F2.8 GM
Model numberSEL1635GM
Compatible sensor size35mm full size
Focal length16-35 mm
Equivalent focal length24-52.5 mm (APS-C sensor)
Lens construction13 groups, 16 elements
Angle of view83°-44° (APS-C format)
Angle of view107°-63° (35mm format)
Maximum apertureF2.8
Minimum apertureF22
Diaphragm blades11
Circular diaphragmyes
Minimum focusing distance0.28 m
Maximum magnification ratio0.19
Filter size82 mm
Teleconverter compatibilityno (1.4x teleconverter)
Teleconverter compatibilityno (2.0x teleconverter)
Hood typepetal-shaped bayonet type
Dimensions88.5 x 121.6 mm
Included hoodALC-SH149
Included front capALC-F82S
Included rear capALC-R1EM
Included casesoft carrying case

Also on the Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD spec page2

Diagonal angle of view103°41'-75°23' (for full-frame mirrorless format)
Optical element and group count13 elements in 11 groups
Minimum object distance wide0.19m (7.5 in) (WIDE)
Minimum object distance tele0.26m (10.2 in) (TELE)
Maximum magnification wide1:5.2 (WIDE)
Maximum magnification tele1:6 (TELE)
Smallest aperture settingF22
Filter thread diameterΦ67mm
Maximum lens diameterΦ73mm
Lens length99mm (3.9 in)
Number of aperture blades9 (circular diaphragm)

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. Sony Japan lens specifications (sony.jp), checked Oct 6, 2026
  2. Tamron product specifications, checked Oct 6, 2026
  3. Wikidata: Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM, checked Oct 9, 2026 (CC0 1.0)
  4. Wikidata: Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD, checked Oct 9, 2026 (CC0 1.0)

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.
  • Read from the lens name: Sony marks optically stabilized lenses OSS, Canon IS, Nikon VR, Fujifilm OIS, Panasonic O.I.S., Tamron VC and Sigma OS; a lens from these makers without the mark has no optical stabilization.
  • Prime or zoom, read from the focal length in the lens name.
  • Focal length and widest aperture as the lens's own name states them.

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 Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM: our sources don't state it yet.
  • Announced for the Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD: our sources don't state it yet.

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