Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens Review
With the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens, the Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens and Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens now have another sibling. While I do not yet have a Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens in my hands, I feel like I already know this lens well as it shares design with these nearly-identical siblings I have just-prior reviewed. Based on the similarity of these three lenses, allow me to conjecture.
The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens should deliver fast and accurate AF, great image quality and image stabilization in a light, compact and moderately-priced package.
The 24mm f/2.8 IS, 28mm f/2.8 IS and 35mm f/2 IS will differ primarily by their focal lengths, though the 35, with its f/2 max aperture, can allow twice as much light into the camera as the f/2.8 max aperture lenses. While the angle of view afforded by each lens is not dramatically different than the next-in-line sibling, the difference between 24mm and 35mm becomes more substantial.
Replacing the 22-year-old Canon EF 35mm f/2 Lens, the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens will deliver improved image quality, adds image stabilization and Ring-type USM AF and has a much improved build quality - including a much better MF ring than the replaced 1990-era design. The 35 f/2 IS is modestly heavier and larger (but still small and light) than the non-IS 35 f/2. A significantly higher price tag is the big downside.
The 35mm focal length is an extremely popular one. It has long been a go-to focal length for photojournalists, wedding and event photographers, portrait photographers (don't frame portraits too tightly with this lens), landscape photographers ... and the list goes on and on.
Mount a 35mm lens on an APS-C format DSLR and the 35mm focal length delivers an angle of view similar to what a near-normal 56mm lens delivers on a full frame sensor format body. While a prime lens does not have the versatility of a zoom, the 56mm angle of view is very general purpose for a prime lens. 50mm lenses have been even more popular than 35mm lenses in the full frame format world (including film).
I typically consider f/2.8 the minimum aperture I want for capturing action indoors or in very low light outdoors, so this lens' f/2 aperture is very well-suited for this use.
Following its sibling 24mm and 28mm f/2.8 IS Lenses, the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens becomes the third Canon prime lens wider than 100mm to have image stabilization. Perhaps even more interesting is that this is Canon's first f/2 max aperture lens wider than 200mm to have IS.
The combination of an f/2 aperture, 35mm focal length and 4-stop IS makes the 35 IS, at review time, arguably the most low-light-handholdable full frame format Canon lens available (just ahead of the 24 f/2.8 IS). And the 35 f/2 perhaps equals the most handholdable Canon lens available.
Lenses being introduced with image stabilization far outnumber those coming without it. Image stabilization has matured nicely since it was first introduced, and I expect the IS system in the 35 f/2 IS to be another example of this maturity.
The IS sound from this lens should be barely audible. I expect to need my ear practically against the lens to hear a light IS shhhhhhh that is mixed with light clicks when the lens is moved. The viewfinder should show no evidence of image stabilization going into effect (jumping/shaking/etc.) - aside from the stabilized view in the viewfinder.
With good technique and a stable, standing shooting position, I expect between 3 and 4 (or slightly more) stops of benefit from IS in this lens. I'll of course test this with a production lens to provide a more accurate estimation of IS benefit.
Image stabilization does not stop subject motion blur. You need a still subject for long exposures (unless, of course, motion blur is desired). This IS system will auto-detect panning motion and turn off one axis of stabilization.
Canon's Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens MTF chart became available at announcement time. Here is a comparison between the old and new 35mm lenses.
The original Canon EF 35mm f/2 Lens delivered very sharp frame centers, but performed poorly in the peripheral areas of the image circle until significantly stopped down. I expect the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens to again be very sharp in the frame center at f/2 and to be noticeably improved in the corners. Stopping down the aperture one or two stops should deliver razor sharp images across the entire frame. There will likely be no need to stop down any further for better image sharpness.
Peripheral shading in full frame corners should be in the neighborhood of 3.5 stops at f/2 (moderately strong, but not unusual) and about 2 stops at f/2.8. Stopping down to f/4 will improve vignetting slightly on a full frame DSLR with perhaps 1 stop of corner shading remaining at f/11.
APS-C DSLR users should expect to see slightly over 1 stop of corner shading at f/2 - enough to be visible, but not strong.
The 35 IS and its 8-blade (up from 6) rounded aperture will deliver nice background blur quality (often referred to as bokeh). The difference from the 35 f/2 non-IS should be very noticeable - especially in out-of-focus specular highlights along with a smoother rendering of out of focus areas. And the background blur the 35 f/2 IS can create should be noticeably stronger than what the 28 f/2.8 IS can create.
Utilizing Canon's Ring-type USM (Ultrasonic Motor), the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens should internally focus quickly, quietly and accurately. AI Servo performance promises to be very good.
In a quiet environment, you should expect to hear the shuffling of elements inside the lens while autofocusing, but ... this should be one of the quieter-focusing lenses available. FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing is available, and filters do not rotate during focusing.
The EF 35 f/2 IS lens' autofocus system is a major upgrade from the older EF 35 f/2. And the manual focus system will be at least as much improved.
The 35 IS has a modestly-sized manual focus ring that will be smooth and nicely damped. Expect a nice amount of rotation and no play. You will likely see subject sizes change somewhat as this lens is focus-distance-adjusted, but the framed image should remain smoothly centered.
A focus-related improvement this lens' siblings enjoys over their predecessors is a shorter MFD (Minimum Focus Distance) and higher MM (Maximum Magnification). The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens breaks this little tradition by sharing the same MM as its predecessor.
Adding extension tubes to a wide angle lens generally makes a dramatic difference in that lens' abilities to focus closer. With the Canon EF 12mm Extension Tube II behind it, the 35 IS has a 0.60-0.36x MM spec. Use the Canon EF 25mm Extension Tube II and MM goes to 1.04-0.79x.
This lens is not compatible with Canon Extenders. The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens has a clean, smooth, fixed-size design that will be comfortable to carry and use. While slightly larger than both its predecessor and its siblings, the 35 f/2 IS is still quite small and light. Expect the 35 IS to feel solidly built.
The made-of-engineering-plastic lens barrel should have a nice quality feel to it. Plastic is light - light is an often-desired lens characteristic. Smaller max apertures require less glass which also means less weight - and less size.
For many more comparisons, review the complete Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens Specifications using the site's Lens Spec tool.
The 35 IS accepts medium-sized and rather-common 67mm filters.
The optional release-lock-equipped Canon EW-72 Lens Hood will be useful to have, but it will likely be overpriced. Expect this lens hood to be nicely made, to look nice and to work well for flare protection.
The 28 IS does not come with a case. Also note that the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens is not weather sealed.
Like the 24mm f/2.8 IS and 28mm f/2.8 IS lenses, I expect the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens to be a very good option for anyone able to utilize a 35mm focal length. Though it has a moderately high price tag, the 35mm f/2 IS image quality will likely rival that from the higher-priced Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM Lens. The 35 L of course retains a 1 stop aperture advantage (along with L lens treatment) - but it lacks image stabilization.
I think a lot of people will be happy with the addition of the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens to their kits. This lens is expected to be available in December 2012. Watch the site's news page for the full Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens review to be posted.
