I’ve been meaning to bring you this review for a while now, but between one thing and another, I haven’t been able to dedicate the time I would have liked. Fortunately, I’ve now had the chance to thoroughly test the Brightin Star 16mm F2.8 for Canon RF and share my thoughts with you.
Before we begin, I’d like to thank Brightin Star for sending me this unit to test. It’s always interesting to explore new options on the market, especially when it comes to budget-friendly lenses that can deliver solid results.
Plus, it’s a great excuse to try out my new Canon R5 with a native RF mount lens.
First Impressions of the Brightin Star 16mm F2.8
The Brightin Star 16mm comes in a simple yet well-protected box, without any unnecessary frills or over-the-top presentation. One thing that caught my eye was the design – the font and color combination gave me a strangely 80s vibe, almost as if I were handling an old VHS tape instead of a brand-new lens. Maybe it’s just me, fueled by nostalgia or my love for films from that era haha.
Upon opening the box, the lens is neatly nestled in a protective foam insert, along with front and rear caps and a removable lens hood. I’m not entirely sure if the hood is made of plastic or metal, but it feels solid enough and fits perfectly in place, doing its job just fine.
As soon as I held it, my first impression was very positive. It’s a compact and lightweight lens, yet it doesn’t feel flimsy at all. In fact, its metal construction adds a nice sense of durability that you don’t always find in budget lenses, making it an appealing option for those looking for a manageable ultra wide-angle for landscape, architecture, or even travel photography.
From what I’ve seen on Brightin Star’s website, my unit appears to be an updated version of this lens model.
Technical Specifications of the Brightin Star 16mm F2.8
I’m usually not a fan of spending too much time on technical specs you can easily find online. That said, here are some of the key features:
- Focal length: 16mm
- Maximum aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- Optical construction: 12 elements in 11 groups
- Angle of view: 105°
- Focus: Manual
- Aperture blades: 8
- Minimum focus distance: 0.3m
- Filter thread: 67mm (although the original version was 72mm)
- Weight: Around 460g (depending on mount)
- EXIF Data: Only transmits ISO and Shutter Speed
Real-World Use
Now the interesting part: How does it perform in real situations?
I’ve tested this lens in different lighting and weather conditions to get the most out of it.
A Very Portable Ultra Wide-Angle
The first thing you notice is how easy this lens is to carry and use. Its compact size and light weight make it perfect for keeping in your backpack without even noticing it’s there — which, in the end, is something to appreciate during long sessions or when you’re trying to keep your gear light.
Manual Focus
Manual focus is something to consider. It’s not a big deal for landscape or architectural photography, where we usually work slowly and often use hyperfocal distance. But if you’re not used to manual focus, it may take a bit of practice.
Hyperfocal Marks: Handy, With Some Nuance
The lens features engraved hyperfocal distance marks, which at first seem like a big plus — especially on a fully manual lens. I’ve seen similar designs in brands like Irix Lens or TTArtisan, and they’re generally helpful for judging depth of field quickly.
However, after testing at various apertures, I ran into a small issue. While foreground elements are usually quite sharp, the background — especially mid- to far-distance areas — tends to lose a bit of focus. I’m not sure if this is unique to my unit or a general trait of the lens, but it’s worth keeping in mind.
Possible Solutions
After some experimentation, I found two workarounds:
- Manually look for the sharpest overall focus point. In theory, this should be achieved by setting the focus ring to infinity, but in my case, the sweet spot was just before that. It helps keep most of the scene sharp, though you might sacrifice a bit of sharpness in the foreground.
- Take two shots and blend them in post-processing — one focused at the hyperfocal point and another at the midground or background. It’s more work, but you’ll get a tack-sharp image from front to back.
In any case, if you’re like me and don’t mind spending an extra five minutes on the computer perfecting a shot, the second option will probably be your go-to. Every lens has its own “quirks,” and it’s worth learning them to get the best results. Especially when you’re in the price range of something like the Brightin Star 16mm F2.8 — a lens with solid quality and real versatility, but with little details that deserve attention to get the most from it.
And what better way to show it than with an example:
Focus Stacking: Watch Out for Focus Breathing
While testing the Brightin Star 16mm, especially when doing focus stacking, I noticed a certain amount of focus breathing. For those unfamiliar with the term, focus breathing is an optical effect where the magnification or framing of the image shifts as you turn the focus ring. In other words, the composition may appear to “zoom in” or “zoom out” slightly as you focus at different distances.
This isn’t usually a big issue in landscape photography, but it’s something to be aware of if you plan on doing highly precise focus stacks, as it can make image alignment in post a bit trickier. That’s why it’s a good idea to leave some space around the edges of your compositions — you’ll likely need to crop slightly in the final stacked image.
Nothing unfixable, but definitely worth planning for.
A good example would be:
Chromatic Aberration: Halos
Chromatic aberration is an optical effect that occurs when a lens fails to bring all wavelengths of light to the same focus point. It typically shows up as unwanted colored fringes around the edges of objects, especially in high-contrast or high dynamic range scenes, like subjects silhouetted against the sky.
With the Brightin Star 16mm, I noticed a bluish halo around certain edges — particularly in areas with strong lighting differences between subject and background.
While it’s not overly dramatic or uncommon for lenses in this price range, it’s something to keep in mind if you plan to use it in high-dynamic-range situations.
That said, it’s not particularly worrying, and in most cases, it can be fixed during post-processing.
For example, in the image below, you can spot a slight blue halo where the vegetation meets the sky:
Sunstar: One of This Lens’s Strengths
One area where the Brightin Star 16mm truly shines is in the quality of its sunstars. Thanks to its 9-blade aperture, achieving that effect is quite easy, even without stopping down too much.
When shooting directly into light sources — like the sun or street lamps at night — the lens produces clean, well-defined starbursts with long spikes and minimal strange artifacts.
Here’s an example shot with the lens:
Turning Impressions into Images
Here’s a small selection of photos taken with the Brightin Star 16mm in different locations. Landscapes shot under various lighting and environmental conditions to put the lens to the test in real-world situations. As always, they’ve been edited using my usual workflow to reflect what this lens can deliver in actual use.
Final Thoughts: Is the Brightin Star 16mm Worth It?
After several weeks using the Brightin Star 16mm in different conditions, I feel I’ve got a clear sense of where it shines and where you might need to be cautious. It’s not a perfect lens, nor does it try to be. It’s an affordable tool with solid build quality that, if you take the time to understand its quirks, can produce some really nice results.
There are areas that could be improved — like chromatic aberration in certain scenarios, the hyperfocal markings, or focus breathing when stacking shots. But in return, you get a well-built lens, very pleasant sunstars, and a rewarding overall experience for landscape photography.
It’s not a lens for everyone, but if you know what you’re after and don’t mind a bit of extra work in post-processing, it can become a great travel companion.
Would I recommend it?
Yes — as long as you’re clear about the type of photography you do and what to expect from a lens in this price range. If you enjoy a slower approach to photography, if you love the process and aren’t looking for automation or speed, this lens might just surprise you. At its price, it’s a solid gateway into the world of ultra-wide angles.
Want to Know More?
Got questions? Want to see more examples or just geek out over lenses? You know where to find me. And if you’ve tried this lens or something similar, let me know! I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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