Canon EF 135mm f/2.8 w/Soft Focus Reviews

Rating
Reviewed by:

undieyatch
( Intermediate)

Review Date
November 9, 2006

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
2 votes

Review 1 of 18

Price Paid: $0.00 from Amazon

Summary:

Useful & versatile portrait lense.
A special lense, can be used as a fast prime but also incorporates a dial for
continuous soft focus effect, with engraved setting stops at zero for no soft effect; setting 1 is for half effect; and setting 2 is for full effect. Placement of a setting between the stops is also appropriate. Chosen setting soft focus intensity will also be mitagated by aperture and appears to be less conspicuous above f5.6.
Software can create soft focus in a reliable way and may be a better option for some, but this lense provides a on camera control which may have merit for some requirements.

Strengths:

Optional natural optical soft focus, subtle to strong; lightweight; economical; very good colour and contrast; very good prime lense sharpness at fast f2.8 max aperture, sharper at f4; superior bokeh.

Weaknesses:

Reliable autofocus but legacy style; prone to lens flare w/o shade; long minimum focus distance

Similar Products Used:

Canon EF 85mm F1.8

Customer Service:

n/a

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Rating
Reviewed by:

Skyman
( Expert)

Review Date
December 19, 2005

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
2 votes

Review 2 of 18

Price Paid: $900.00 from Blacktown Camera Hou

Summary:

This lens is far sharper than i thought it would be. in fact bench testing it against the canon 70-200 f4L it comes up trumps in the sharpness department. The soft focus takes a lot of getting used to and despite having 2 levels of softness the effective softness of a shot changes with the aperture (canon got it right when they said the best results will be achieved between f2.8 and f4). i have noticed that you get a more pleasing soft effect if there is a strong source of light somewhere in the image. the focusing system is a little sluggish at times but then this lens is not built for sports. overall i am happy and for a long time this lens was a favourite in my quiver.

Strengths:

sharp! not to soft when the soft focus is turned on.

Weaknesses:

af system is slow and i did eventually develop a problem where the manual focus ring slipped

Similar Products Used:

70-200mm f4L 200mm f2.8L

Customer Service:

never had a problem

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Rating
Reviewed by:

Lionheart
( Intermediate)

Review Date
December 15, 2004

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
2 votes

Review 3 of 18

Price Paid: $100.00 from Samy's Camera

Summary:

Great lens to pick up if you can find it cheap used. Easily a match for its big brother in the "L" gang, but not wide open. Very nice soft focus feature, razor sharp when off, dreamy effects when dialed in.

Strengths:

Small, light, razor sharp, although not edge to edge like the big brother "L".

Weaknesses:

Lens flare is very pronounced even with a hood against even slightly backlit subjects. Build is cheap. Not a lens I would take through a rough outing.

Similar Products Used:

135 f2L

Customer Service:

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Rating
Reviewed by:

ichiu
( Intermediate)

Review Date
March 11, 2004

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
1 votes

Review 4 of 18

Price Paid: $259.00 from B&H

Summary:

Great Value for a nice portrait lens. I spent couple days shooting a couple hundred pictures with this lens mounted on the Canon 10D. The images are sharp, the bokeh is smooth, what more do you want from a portrait lens. The 1.6X crop factor does make you stand a little farther from your subject. This lens has been over shadowed by it's 135mm f2"L" brother and the other midtelephoto USM lenses. But for less money you can get the same quality of pictures. Highly recommended lens, especially if you're on a tight budget... well, even if you're not.

Strengths:

Sharp wide open and stopped down! inexpensive, small filter size, metal hood mount, bokeh is silky smooth, great portrait and midtelephoto lens.

Weaknesses:

Plastic barrel, AF motor a little whiney and not as fast as USM, long minimum focus distance of 4 feet

Similar Products Used:

Canon 85 f1.8 Canon 135 f2 Tamron 90 f2.8

Customer Service:

Canon customer service has been okay in the past.

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Rating
Reviewed by: baldur
(Expert)

Review Date
January 10, 2004

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
2 votes

Review 5 of 18

Price Paid: $300.00

Summary:

In a summary, a sharp 135mm lens when you don't use the soft focus feature. To the soft focus, it's totally depend on your taste, someone love it so much and someone don't like the effect. It's better to judge it yourself. Built quality is average, focus speed is OK.

Strengths:

it's a cheap and cheerful 135mm lens. Quite sharp. F2.8 is good enough.

Weaknesses:

No weakness you can said in this price range.

Customer Service:

No Need for 10 years of service.

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