Opinions on Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Shima

Wondering about input on this lens, it's one I'm looking into... we'll be getting one where I work soon so I'll be able to play with it most likely... want to see what others think. Reviews online seem to agree that it's a good replacement for the kit lens, makes a nice travel lens, etc...

thoughts? agree? disagree? sample photos? value for the money?

Just a thought, still working on paying off my rebel xti... not going to be buying anything until I get that paid off a bit more first...

pathfinder

Not a bad lens at all.

Convenient range, but not the optical image quality equal of the 24-105 F4 IS L.

24mm is significantly wider than 28mm. 105mm is long enough for portraits on an APS sensored camera.

How about the 17-85f4-5.6 IS EF-S lens too?? Cheaper than the 28-135, but wider and Image quality is probably compareable.

Poseidon

That was my primary lens for a couple of years. I like it, it worked well for me, but like already mentioned it is not as sharp as the 24-105, and it focuses a little slower too. The variable F-stop can be a PITA but the IS makes up for some of that.

The lens is capable of taking beautiful pictures, I have lots from when I shot film on my EOS3!

Don't know if this will help much, but here is picture from a couple years ago with that lens:

Red Bull

My friend has it, and I've played with it. It seems like a decent lens. I'm not too big on the build quality as well as the "double tube" extending front element because it sucks in dust. I have seen some great photos with it though.

Here are 2 photos, completely untouched in photoshop or anything else, of me testing the IS in my friend's 28-135. It works pretty good.

No IS:




With IS:



Both shot at 1/8th of a second at 135mm.

jdryan3

Very good lens. I just replaced it afteraseveral years with the 24-70 L because I wanted something faster for low light and the shallower DOF at all focal lengths. But it is a very good lens.

JWright

I bought on back in 1999 and I'm still using it... It's been used on five different bodies, including two digitals (D60 and 20D). Sure, the 24-105 is a better lens (it's an L...) but the 28-135 is significantly less expensive to buy, by about 2/3. I'm sure budgetary considerations have to enter into any purchase as well.

XHawkeye

Was on my Elan IIe 90% of the time but when I went digital it wasn't wide enough for indoor snaps. Need to sell it.

Shima

Yeah budget reasons are the main reason I'm not looking at L glass... I had to buy my dslr on credit just to afford it... won't be buying my first lens until I pay off the camera...

...one of the reasons I'm looking at this lens is because my work place carries it, therefore = employee discount.

pathfinder

Good reason.

The 28-135 is my wife'f walkaround glass - I wish she would let me borrow it sometimes. Used with care it will serve you well.

CarnalSigh

28-135mm
I use this lens with my xti and it works very well. I don't have any problems with soft/slow focus or anything else I can think of. I use mine for portrait work. It is big tho. Mounted on my xti it looks huge. But it's not really heavy or awkward. Until I can afford the 24-105 F4 IS L it will do nicely. The photo quality is very good and crisp, and it does really well in less than ideal lighting. A good investment for use with your xti. Hope this helps.

evoryware

I like it and don't regret it being my first lens choice. There had been complaints about dust, but I haven't had a dust problem since I switched from the XT to the XTi and I switch this lens out all the time. I think it searches faster on the XTI than the XT. I've been using it for a while now. I've used it from New York beaches to African beaches and next week I'm taking it to beaches in Cancun.
These two shots were my first night with it. You can tell the difference between IS on and IS off. IS won't save all, but for the price of this lens it's definitely worth it. I do wish it was a little faster (not f3.5-5.6), but I'll have to pay more for that.





I just printed out a nice 16 x 24 of this through Smugmug for a customer.

J-B

Shima wrote:

Wondering about input on this lens, it's one I'm looking into... we'll be getting one where I work soon so I'll be able to play with it most likely... want to see what others think. Reviews online seem to agree that it's a good replacement for the kit lens, makes a nice travel lens, etc...

thoughts? agree? disagree? sample photos? value for the money?

Just a thought, still working on paying off my rebel xti... not going to be buying anything until I get that paid off a bit more first...

I had this lens for a year or two. Never really liked it much......seemed soft even when I knew I had gotten the focus right.

schmoo

J-B wrote:

I had this lens for a year or two. Never really liked it much......seemed soft even when I knew I had gotten the focus right.

I'll second the softness issue. This was my primary lens for two years and it served its purpose very well. I learned a lot and was able to do a lot, but I did notice a huge difference when I finally upgraded to L glass. That said I think it would be the perfect lens for your current needs and your budget, so go for it!

salazar

I'm looking for an update to this thread as Canon Canada is probably going to bundle Canon’s EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens with the new 40D, or so they stated in the Press Release:

"The Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR is scheduled for early September delivery and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated selling price of $1,399.99i. It will additionally be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens at an estimated selling price of $1,649.00i.

iPricing subject to change at any time. Actual prices are determined by individual dealers and may vary."

http://canon.ca/english/index-pressrelease.asp?lng=en&cat=1&id=615&arc=0

I hope to be purchasing a 40D and probably this lens soon after they become available in Canada. $250.00 Canadian dollars for this lens seems like a steal.

Any further thoughts on this lens?

My current equipment is my wife's Canon PowerShot A430 and my old EOS 620 (film) (1989) w/zoom EF 35-105/F3.5-4.5 (also 1989). I realise the 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 isn't very different in range than my 35-105 but the old zoom is 18 years old and has been getting a good workout on a friend's Rebel XT in England this summer. It won't last forever and IS seems like a real plus.

wesleyt

salazar wrote:

I'm looking for an update to this thread as Canon Canada is probably going to bundle Canon’s EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens with the new 40D, or so they stated in the Press Release:

"The Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR is scheduled for early September delivery and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated selling price of $1,399.99i. It will additionally be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens at an estimated selling price of $1,649.00i.

iPricing subject to change at any time. Actual prices are determined by individual dealers and may vary."

http://canon.ca/english/index-pressrelease.asp?lng=en&cat=1&id=615&arc=0


I hope to be purchasing a 40D and probably this lens soon after they become available in Canada. $250.00 Canadian dollars for this lens seems like a steal. Any further thoughts on this lens? My current equipment is my wife's Canon PowerShot A430 and my old EOS 620 (film) (1989) w/zoom EF 35-105/F3.5-4.5 (also 1989).

Salazar,

Have you had a look at this thread?

Looking for input on Canon 28-135 IS lens - Digital Grin Photography Forum
http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=69682

- Wes

salazar

wesleyt wrote:

Salazar,

Have you had a look at this thread?

Looking for input on Canon 28-135 IS lens - Digital Grin Photography Forum
http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=69682

- Wes

Oops, missed that searching somehow. I had too many search terms perhaps?