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Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM 35mm Zoom

4.34/5 (167 Reviews)

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Focal Length : 28mm - 135mm | Max. Aperture : f/3.5-f/5.6  | Focus : Autofocus  


  • Camera Format35 mm SLR
    Lens TypeZoom Lens
    Focal Length28mm - 135mm
    Lens Max Aperturef/3.5-f/5.6
    Focus TypeAutofocus • Manual Focus
    Macro LensWithout Macro Lens
    MountCanon EF
    Closest Focusing Distance19.69 in
    Picture Angle18 - 75 degrees
    Attachment / Filter Size72 mm
    Groups / Elements16 Elements in 12 Groups
    Image StabilizationWith Image Stabilization
    Diameter3.1 in
    Length3.8 in
    Weight18.9 oz
    MPNCN28135
    Product ID27141263

Product Description

Standard zoom lens with an Image Stabilizer and high zoom ratio. With the Image Stabilizer turned on, you can obtain sharp, natural-looking pictures in dim lighting without using flash or a tripod. Very handy for places where flash is prohibited. Uses ring-type USM for swift, silent autofocus and full-time manual focus. Closest focusing distance is 20 in. (50 cm).


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Reviews 1 - 5 (167 Reviews Total) | Next 15

User Reviews

Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:4
Submitted by AFotographer a Intermediate

Date Reviewed: August 30, 2010

Strengths:    Price / performance ratio is pretty good
IS works well



Weaknesses:    AF can be a bit flaky
One-lens-fits-all design results in compromises that won't suit everybody


Bottom Line:   
It's not bad....but it's not great either, especially if you try and compare it to far more expensive lenses (which for some reason a lot of the reviewers here seem to be doing). But this is not an expensive lens. It looks, feels and performs like a reasonable walkabout lens.

If you're a professional photographer then you won't want one. If you're solely taking landscape photo's then you won't want one. If you spend your time on portrait photos, you won't want one. If you only do macro shots, then guess what? You won't want one.

But, if you're not a professional and need a general purpose zoom lens for around £300 (new, UK price) then this is a very attractive proposition.

Let's not also forget - the lens is only as good as the rest of the hardware you are using. If you have a £2000 body, £1000 printer and £800 monitor then of course you're going to see more defects in the photos, using a £300 lens!

I've got this lens on a Canon 500D body and am very happy with the combination.

So, with all this in mind, it gets 4 stars value rating and 2 stars Overall. Yes, there a re infinitely better lenses available, but not for the same money.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   6-10 years

Price Paid:    $200.00

Purchased At:   Ebay (used)

Similar Products Used:   Several

Type of photography:   People

Overall Rating:1
Value Rating:1
Submitted by Tristan Massey a Professional

Date Reviewed: July 31, 2010

Strengths:    Good at sucking the money out of your wallet for a piece of crap.

Weaknesses:    Just about everything.

Bottom Line:   
This lens is one of the worst lenses i have ever tried, in my entire 35 years of photography. End of story. Definitely NOT worth even the $100 i paid for it.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   21+ years

Price Paid:    $100.00

Purchased At:   Friend

Similar Products Used:   I have used many lenses, I own 24 myself. This is by far the worst.

Type of photography:   Other

Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by steve bailey a Intermediate

Date Reviewed: May 5, 2008

Strengths:    Good range, decent sharpness, can be used on film cameras, too.

Weaknesses:    Some zoom creep
Not super small
can pick up dust

Bottom Line:   
A strong lens for light but serious travel photography on crop digital. I match it with the Tokina 12-24 f4(an excellent lens) and get 19-200+ range on the digital Rebel, with IS on the upper end. Though it's a slow lens, that's not as bad on the digitals as the Canon CMOS makes great pictures at high ISO's. I also use it on my EOS 3 for film shots and it does a good job there, too. If you get a good copy, you'll be very pleased. (I shoot RAW any way and my shots are always a bit neutral until I post process; the lens provides good detail for that.)

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   11-20 years

Price Paid:    $350.00

Purchased At:   friend

Similar Products Used:   Canon 50 1.8, 35 2, 28-70 2.8L, 70-200 4L
Tokina 12-24 f4

Type of photography:   Outdoor

Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:1
Submitted by tim Geraghty-Groves a Expert

Date Reviewed: April 26, 2008

Strengths:    Build Quality

Weaknesses:    Everything else

Bottom Line:   
Crap. I've had this lens now for 18mths and I'm always questioning the quality of the images. I've taken it on 4 overseas trips as a walkaround lens and I have never been happy with the images when I have returned.
The fall out of quality towards the edges at any focal lenght is unaceptable for a lens of this price. I use this lens with a UV filter and a CR Pl filter and the brightness in the view finder on my 30D is so low. I have had it back to Canon twice for repairs over the time that I have had it, both times the AF would be incorrect at the full wide and full zoom. The IS would never settle upon focusing and the image would "jump" in the view finder.
I have now started to use the 70 to 300mm kit lens more often again as that lens seems to be more reliable in focasing and image results. (bad indictment for the AU$780 28-135mm lens)
If I had known that this lens was as bad as it was I would have sunk the money into a 70-200 f/4 L and done away with the loss in focal lenght from between my 10 to 22mm canon (which is a far more superior quality lens for the money compared to the 28 to 135mm) and the "L" series.

If I had paid AU$200 for this lens I wouldn't mind, but the premium price does not reflect the quality of the lens that you get.

Other Lens that I use and have done direct comparisons too are:
Canon 50mm f/1.8 macro
Canon 85mm f/1.8 Macro
Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro
Canon 10-22mm f/3.5
Canon 18-55mm f/3.5 Kit lens
Canon 70-300mm f/3.5 Kit lens

If you are interested I have comparitive Koren lens test files between the 28-135mm, 70-300mm and the 100mm for a true comparison.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   21+ years

Price Paid:    $780.00

Similar Products Used:   Canon 50mm f/1.8 macro
Canon 85mm f/1.8 Macro
Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro
Canon 10-22mm f/3.5
Canon 18-55mm f/3.5 Kit lens
Canon 70-300mm f/3.5 Kit lens


Type of photography:   Other

Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by tourtrophy a Intermediate

Date Reviewed: May 5, 2007

Strengths:    IS making indoor shooting quite convenient without using a flash.
Good value for its price.
Good zoom range
solidly built even though it 's plastic

Weaknesses:    FIlter for such lens size is expensive
Range not low enough to cover wide angle on 1.6x crop cameras

Bottom Line:   
THis lens has a decent zoom range which is actually quite good for portrait. IS works quite well in low light conditions, but still I would get occasional blurred pictures. However, it works much bettern than one without IS.

Picture quality is what I have expected. It 's not tack sharp but OK.
However, autofocus is fast and precise.

This is my walkaround lens replacing the 18-55mm kit lens

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   11-20 years

Price Paid:    $399.00

Purchased At:   Costco

Type of photography:   Outdoor


Reviews 1 - 5 (167 Reviews Total) | Next 15

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  • Camera Format35 mm SLR
    Lens TypeZoom Lens
    Focal Length28mm - 135mm
    Lens Max Aperturef/3.5-f/5.6
    Focus TypeAutofocus • Manual Focus
    Macro LensWithout Macro Lens
    MountCanon EF
    Closest Focusing Distance19.69 in
    Picture Angle18 - 75 degrees
    Attachment / Filter Size72 mm
    Groups / Elements16 Elements in 12 Groups
    Image StabilizationWith Image Stabilization
    Diameter3.1 in
    Length3.8 in
    Weight18.9 oz
    MPNCN28135
    Product ID27141263
    Attachment / Filter Size72 mm
    Camera FormatDigital SLR
    Closest Focusing Distance19.69 in
    Designed for Digital CameraYes
    Diameter3.1 in
    Diaphragm Blades6 Blades
    Focal Length28mm - 135mm
    Focus TypeAutofocus
    Groups / Elements16 Elements in 12 Groups
    Image StabilizationWith Image Stabilization
    Length3.8 in
    Lens Max Aperturef/3.5-f/5.6
    Lens TypeZoom Lens
    Macro LensWithout Macro Lens
    Min Aperturef/22
    MountCanon EF
    Picture Angle18 - 75 degrees
    Release Date6/11/2008
    Weight18.9 oz


 

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