Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II vs Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 547 g | 414 g |
| Weather sealed | true | false |
| Min focal | 16 mm | 40 mm |
| Max focal | 35 mm | 40 mm |
Between the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II and Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE, the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II comes out ahead in weather sealed, while the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE wins on weight / min focal. Overall, the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II scores 62.8 and the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE scores 68.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE edges ahead on the Mars Score (62.8 vs 68.5), but the 5.7-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II if you care most about weather sealed. The biggest gaps in its favor are weather sealed. The single most decisive one: Has Weather sealed.
Pick the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight, min focal, max focal. The single most decisive one: Weight — 133.00 g less. 414 vs 547.
Both ship with comparable optical stabilization, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II or Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE?
Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE leads the current Mars Score by 5.7 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare min focal, max focal, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II if…
Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II has the measurable edge on weather sealed.
Choose Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE if…
Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE has the measurable edge on weight g, focal min mm, focal max mm.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II wins
- ▲Has Weather sealed.
Why Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE wins
- ▲Weight — 133.00 g less. 414 vs 547.
- ▲Min focal: 40 (vs 16).
- ▲Max focal: 40 (vs 35).
Spec comparison
Optics
| Spec | Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Min focal | 16 mm | 40 mmlead |
| Max focal | 35 mm | 40 mmlead |
| Max aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.2 |
| Min aperture | f/22 | f/16 |
Build
| Spec | Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 547 g | 414 glead |
| Weather sealedⓘ | truelead | false |
| Optical stabilizationⓘ | false | false |
Mount
| Spec | Sony - FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Lens mount | Sony E | Sony E |