Lightweight and smaller comparing to a zoom 70-200/2:8. And 2:0 is one stop better, which is important if You (like me) are heading for the dark forest.

Very sharp.

I could have bought the 28-135 zoom with the IS-thing. But comparing 5:6 to 2:0 it gives me 3 stops faster shutter speed instead of IS, so instead of be at 1/15 I can hold the camera 'myself' at 1/125! It is better to have the speed if the animal is moving.

You can use the Canon extenders which give You 2x135=270mm/4:0 if You can't take the long lens with You.

There could have been an option with a tripod mount to put on when needed.

I like this lens very much. When moving in the forest and carrying most of the equipment in the backpack, this lens is excellent to have on the camera for fast action.

For landscape photography the 135/2:0L combined with the old 20-35/2:8L an good alternative. Don't weight to much and both need 72mm filters.

I have also used it for portraits, it is very good even if I sometimes missed the alternative to zoom.

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Cheaper Canon zooms at this range.

Great great great lens! Very sharp! The f2 is quite sharp as well. I can shoot wide open at f2 and still be able to sell my pictures to publishers. The 135mm length is great for in-door sports in highschool gyms. Great for portraits....if you have the space. This lens is well made and quick to man. focus and super quick to autofocus especially with the focus limiter. Easy to hand hold and weight makes for a steady lens.

people who don't give 5 stars to this lens who use minolta equipment :-( They must be pullin' my leg!

I have come across situations where the f2 was needed. I have shot highschool gym sports and swimming where the lighting can be like a checkers board. The f2 made it possible to get shots that were not a blurry mess. I prefer to use a prime lens when ever I can. I use to shoot these things with my old but trusty 80-200 L lens but have turned in work that was a mess from these assignments for example 125th @ f2.8 with 3200 ISO film pushed to 6400. The f2 wide has made for a 250th with the same everything else which can stop actionlike basketball and vollyball much better. I try to get at least a 500th for these types of sports though but would rather settle for 250th over a 125th. This is also a great lens to use for portraits. I use it tthese days over my 80-200L. It has a nice close focus distance that can make for some great head shots. My 80-200L can't do that. It also blurs out backgrounds nicer wide open or at close focus distances even stoped down to f5.6 as well. Again, this is a great great great lens!

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80-200 L 85mm f1.8

Solid Build
Fast focusing
Very Sharp

The manual focusing ring can be easily moved unintentionally

I heard so much praises from friends and reviews but never trust them until I saw the results for myself. It is expensive but the quality remain long after the price is forgotten. Try it out for yourself. This is no marketing.

Customer Service

I always go back to the camera shop if I have any issue but none so far from Canon.

Similar Products Used:

Canon 100 f2.8 macro
Canon 200 f2.8
Canon 300 f4L
Tokina 28-70 f2.8
Sigma 80-200 f2.8

The best lens in my bag. A must-have for portraits. I use it mostly wide open or at f/2.8. Extremely sharp, beautiful character.

None that I have discovered.

If you're serious about portraits, this is the lens to have.

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None

„h Simply fabulous optics;
„h Fast ¡V nice blurred backgrounds for portraiture;
„h Beautifully constructed;
„h Ideal focal length ¡V for portraits;
„h Excellent (included) lens hood; and,
„h A lot of kudos from the red stripe ¡V it¡¦s the only ¡§L¡¨ lens I own.

„h Not the cheapest 135 mm you can buy.

I thought long and hard before buying this lens. To spend USD820 on any lens was a significant outlay.

I do a lot of portraiture and find a 100 mm just a little too short, with 200 mm just too long and difficult to handhold. The Canon EF 200 mm f1.8 L would be wonderful, but $$$. For many the new Canon EF 100mm f2 could be an attractive option for less than USD500. However, I am more than happy with my choice of the 135 f2. I frequently shoot wide open and the results are breathtaking.

Perhaps in time my own abilities will catch up with those of the lens - it makes me happy even when it¡¦s just sitting in the camera bag. Five stars all the way.

Customer Service

No experience.

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[1] I use a range of fixed focal length lenses.
„h 14mm - 10%
„h 28mm ¡V 10%
„h 50mm ¡V 15%
„h 135mm ¡V 35%
„h 300mm ¡V 20%
„h 100mm macro ¡V 10%
[2] Various ¡V notably 100 mm f2.8 and 150 mm f4 SMC Pentax.

Very sharp, large aperture, rugged, fast focus, compatible with 1.4 and 2x teleconverters

No collar for tripod mounting when using TCs as on the 200 f/2.8.

THE lens I use for portraits. Wide open it has sharpness where desired and soft focus in the background. For some portraiture this lens is too sharp. The USM provides a very fast focus, which could be an asset for sports. This lens (mine was used) cost more than the 70-200 f/4 L zoom. With a 2x TC, the 135 will boast 270 mm @ f/4 and the edge-to-edge sharpness is excellent when stopped down 2 stops. It is less versatile than the zoom but is a supreme quality special purpose lens. The only feature lacking is IS. However, it’s as much as 3 stops faster than the 28-135 IS (5.6@135) and is therefore better in low light with non-stationary subjects where IS will buy you nothing. Filter size is 72mm (same as 28-135 IS).

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

FD 50mm 1.4 SSC, FD 85mm 1.8 SSC, EF 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

1.Large apeture
2.Ultrasharp image quality
3.Compatible with 1.4x and 2x
4.Fast focus speed

None

I buy this lense because of its large apeture and image quality.After using it,I think it is the best lens I've been used.Even wide open has excellent image quility.Ouch !!

Customer Service

Never Used

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50/1.4

1. very sharp even at f2.
2. very well built
3. very fast and silent AF
4. very good colour
5. light

none

I have several L lenses and all of them are very good. However, this lens produces the best image among them. It is not expansive compared to other L lenses.

Customer Service

no need

Similar Products Used:

None

Super-sharp and very wide aperture. Gives a very nice out of focus background effect.

None

Terrific portrait lens, very useful focal length.

Similar Products Used:

Loads of lenses from Canon