Canon EF 28-80mm f/2.8-4L USM

I thought I'd write my first review on this site about the best investment I ever did as far as lenses go. At the time (the end of the 1990s), I was getting a lot of requests to shoot people and events and looking for a good standard zoom that would allow me to respond quickly to changing circumstances. Money was tight so I couldn't splash out for the latest (then) Canon 28-70/2.8L. When the opportunity arose to pick up the 28-80/2.8-4L cheaply, I didn't hesitate for a second, having read reviews of it in the press. Okay, what's so great about it then? Well, it is very very sharp, sharper than all other lenses I've used, right from the largest aperture and delivers very good colors. In the past I've come across various lenses that produced a certain color bias (a Canon FD 35/2.0 that had a distinct preference for yellow comes to mind), but this one's pretty much neutral, yet saturated. The zoom range is also very nice on a 35mm film or full-frame digital camera, allowing bith true wide angles and an 80mm (just) portrait. I have used it for portraiture because at f/4 the bokeh is pretty nice, but it's not a true portrait lense like the 85/1.8 I used to have. That one's bokeh is much nicer still, but it is also a lot softer. The 28-80 is a first-generation USM lens, which means you hardly hear it focus. The amount of glass that has to be moved and/or the torque of the motor can definitely be felt as it focuses though! And it's also a lot slower than newer USM lenses in the same class. Oh, in case you're wondering, I've used it on most of the EOS film bodies except 1V and 3, and the Eos 10D.
Light falloff is just noticeable on slides at 2.8, but not at f/4. Maybe age shows in just one respect with this lense though: distortion. At 35mm it's almost perfect, but otherwise the distortion is quite noticeable if you have straight lines near the edge of your frame. If you're looking for a standard zoom to do architecture with (and are using a fullframe sensor or film), you may want to look at the latest Canon L lenses instead and save yourself from some Photoshop time. One obvious drawback is its focal range if you mount it on bodies that have a crop factor of 1.6 (like the 10D-30D): it becomes a 45-128. Gone's the wideangle, which means it's no good as a standard zoom anymore. I may face that problem in the near future when I go digital, but I'll never sell this lense :)

Sharpness, with all apertures producing quality that no customer has ever complained about. Zoom range includes the possibility to 'snap' a portrait without changing lenses or bodies. Build quality is excellent: I've been using mine for years without a problem.

It does suffer from a bit of distortion, which is probably an issue if you shoot architecture. Otherwise: you hardly notice it. Slow-ish autofocus, especially if it starts to 'hunt' in low-light situations. Inertia may play a role in this. Weight may be an issue for some users: it's almost a kilo. Then again, the competition is no lighter either.

No standard zooms, but as far as EOS lenses go:
EF 20/2.8
EF 28/2.8
EF 50/1.8
EF 50/2.5 Marco
EF 85/1.8
EF 200/2.8L
EF 300/4.0L IS
EF 100-300/4.5-5.6 USM
EF 70-200/2.8L USM

Otherwise: Canon FD gear, Pentax 67 for weddings and landscapes, and lately a Contax Aria: oldskool baby!

Canon Netherlands for another lense (300/4L IS): very good. They rang me on the phone when they couldn't find the fault I was having it repaired for, and we sorted it out over the phone. Had the lense back in no time at all.

This lens is a great poor man's "L" series lens at a fraction of the price. It is not as nice as the 24-70L, but is very sharp with excellent color. Actually I like the colors better on this lens to the 24-70L. In terms of sharpness, the 24-70L has this lens beat! Prefer to my 28-135IS. I use it with my 10D and am quite pleased with the results. Recommend.

Very sharp Nice color well built

At weddings, I wish I had the 2.8/F when I zoomed.

24-70L (the best, but too expensive) 28-135IS 80-200L (awesome lens) 20-35L 75-300IS 50 Mk1

None

I bought this lens from a Canon dealer here in Malaysia second hand for the equivalent of US$ 630. It is clear to me that this is an exceptional lens, one of the best in the L series. Quite heavy though.

Very sharp lens, excellent color rendering, high contrast, very smooth USM operation, a masterpiece of engineering and I agree that the 10 mm extra is a big plus in certain situations. A must have.

I don't see any yet... but I'm watching. Will say so if any.

None in fact.

Yes there is but parts are only found at Canon Japan.

I had two of this lenses, and both were exceptional. It's built like a tank; the electronic focusing is very smooth. Actually I use it with my 1D and the results are very good: sharp and contrasty. I' ve had also a canon 28-70 L and there's no difference in image quality. For me the extra 10mm in the long side are very useful. Second hand this lens is an incredible value.

Sharp, very sharp from 2.8. The contrast is so good. Smooth manual focusing. built like a tank: It will last forever (I hope)

A bit heavy (almost 1 kg).

Canon 28-70 2.8 L ; Tokina 28-70 2.8

This is an outstanding lens in terms of optical quality. It is very sharp at all apertures and focal lengths, contrasty an faithful in colour rendition. It is almost as sharp as Minolta 28-70 (which is simply outstanding), but no match, obviously, to Carl Zeiss new 24-85 zoom. It is built to withstand any surprizes that professional use may deliver. I am shooting reversal film mostly, and, contrary to some people's experience, have never had problems with light fall-off even at 28mm. I also think that extra 10mm on a longer end is more important than weight and one stop loss in maximum aperture.

Optical quality Built to last Very quiet USM

Rotating front element requires messing with a polarizer more often than I would want. Clip-on hood is not the best invention Canon came up with.

Minolta 28-70/2.8 G Carl Zeiss VS 28-85 MM Carl Zeiss VS 24-85 AF

Canon pro support rocks!