When the eagerly anticipated Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master was first introduced to the Sony lens lineup, it wasn’t surprising to see just how excited everyone was about it. And that excitement hasn’t waned, as the G Master zoom still rounds out the Holy Trinity of f/2.8 lenses in the G Master line. It’s been ranked #1 by DxOMark, called a lens of greatness by LensRentals, and named an excellent lens for astrophotography by Lonely Speck. Below we take a look at some of the imagery Sony shooters have created using the sharp zoom along with the reasons why they always include it in their photography kits.

The Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master is a classic favorite in the lens lineup. See why these pro photographers don’t leave home without it.

A Top Choice For Landscape, Astro…& Just About Everything Else

Physicist and photographer Stefan Liebermann travels the world capturing mesmerizing travel photos both day and night. He always includes the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master in his travel kit. “This lens is my all-rounder and must-have lens. Zoom wide angle lens with F/2.8 - you can use it for everything and it definitely belongs in the travel backpack!” Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Sony Alpha Kit For Mesmerizing Astro-Landscapes & Beyond.

Photo by Stefan Liebermann. Sony Alpha 7C. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 4-sec., f/22, ISO 100

Backcountry landscape photographer David Dinette doesn’t go on an adventure without the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. “Every photographer has a favorite lens, and for me, this is it! The versatility of this lens is unmatched. When backpacking into the backcountry, I often will limit the amount of gear that I carry. However, I have never set out on an adventure without this lens. This is the lens that is always on my camera.” Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Wide-Angle And Tele-Zoom Kit For Landscape Photography.

Photo by David Dinette. Sony Alpha 7R II. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/6-sec., f/9, ISO 100

Photographer Sapna Reddy of the Alpha Collective was in Iceland for one of her workshops and chose the 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master to capture this incredible scene. "Some factors that went into that decision were: 1. I wanted to get both a wide angle perspective as well as one at 27 mm. 2. Given the low light, I needed to shoot with a wide aperture. 3. To get this shot, I was standing in flowing water. I was using a long exposure, so it was critical to have a stable setup." Read more in Behind The Shot: A Northern Lights Moonbow.

Photo by Sapna Reddy. Sony Alpha 7R IV. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 10-secs. f/2.8, ISO 1000

You’ll also find the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master in Alpha Collective member Ivan Wong’s kit for his portrait work. “I use the 16-35mm for wider angle portraits where I want to maintain a wider background-to-subject ratio. But with this lens I can quickly switch between the wider portraits and closer head to waist portraits. This is perfect for when I’m traveling and memorializing the environment is just as important to me as the subject.” Read more in What’s In My Bag: A G Master Lens Kit For Cyberpunk Portraiture. 

Photo by Ivan Wong. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/20-sec., f/2.8, ISO 640

Sony Artisan Thibault Roland likes to use the lens for his fine art photography. He combined it with his IR-converted Sony Alpha 7R IV to create this long exposure black and white image.  “As for capturing wide angle shots, I love to use the 16-35mm GM,” he says. “Its image quality makes it the best lens out there, be it for architecture or like here for landscape photography.” Read more in Behind The Shot: A Long Exposure Black & White Landscape With An Infrared Alpha 7R IV.

Photo by Thibault Roland. Sony Alpha 7R IV (IR-converted). Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 237-sec., f/11, ISO 100

Photographer Harry Dinnen used the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master combined with his Sony Alpha 7R III to create this beautiful composite. “I love shooting wide,” he says, “the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master is one of my favorite lenses to use. The low distortion and corner-to-corner sharpness makes it one of the best lenses out there for landscape and astrophotography.” Read more in Behind The Shot: Lighting A Dune For An Astro-Landscape Composite.

Photo by Harry Dinnen. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 16-35mm‌ ‌f/2.8 G Master. Foreground: 30-sec., f/8, ISO 3200. Sky: 257-sec., f/2.8, ISO 400

Photographer Elliot Simpson used the lens to create this eye-catching image. "The gear I used for this was my Sony Alpha 7 III with the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. The wide angle and fast aperture helped me capture the surrounding landscape without being too far away from my subject. The relatively fast aperture allowed me to shoot in the darkness without inviting too much noise from high ISOs in the image." Read more in Photo Of The Day: Why It Pays Not To Rush Off After You Get A Shot.

Photo by Elliot Simpson. Sony Alpha 7 III. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 15-secs., f/2.8, ISO 6400

Outdoor lifestyle photographer and Alpha Collective member Stevin Tuchiwsky was happy to have the lens when he was surprised with a dancing light show overhead in the Canadian Rockies. “The faster lens allowed me to shoot at a quicker shutter speed to capture the definition of the aurora. Along with the great low light capabilities of the Sony Alpha series cameras, this allows me to push my ISO when needed with little worry about noise.” Read more in Behind The Shot: Capturing A Surprise Aurora With A Fast Zoom.

Photo by Stevin Tuchiwsky. Sony Alpha 7 II. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 15-sec., f/2.8, ISO 1600

Landscape and adventure photographer Rebecca Simrose switched to the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master and hasn’t looked back. “I couldn’t believe the difference in shooting with this lens after using my old Canon lens with a metabones adaptor for a couple years. This lens is incredibly sharp, the autofocus is accurate. This lens is always on my camera.” Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Lightweight Two Zoom Kit Lets This Photographer Go To The Extremes.

Photo by Rebecca Simrose. Sony Alpha 7R IV. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/30-sec., f/11, ISO 50

Photographer Ashlee Jansen, who has a deep love of the ocean, created this half underwater, half above "over-under" photo with her camera and the classic Sony zoom in a housing. “This lens is perfect for this style of photography, allowing for a clean, crisp image corner to corner, as well as easy focusing both above and below the surface.” Read more in Behind The Shot: A Sunset & Coral Reef "Over-Under".

Photo by Ashlee Jansen. Sony Alpha 7R II. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/250-sec., f/14, ISO 500

Adventure and landscape photographer Ryan Canty always has the lens ready to capture the fleeting moments of magic in the mountains. “This lens almost lives on my mount,” he says. “This zoom is so handy for capturing both ultra wide dramatic landscapes and punching in a little for a closer view or wide portrait. The f/2.8 aperture really comes in handy for everything low light and the bokeh is so smooth.” Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Pair Of Zooms And A Fast Prime To Capture Sweeping Landscapes.

Photo by Ryan Canty. Sony Alpha 7 III. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/400-sec., f/2.8, ISO 80

Learn more about the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master HERE.