Lens Summary
Brand: Canon
Also Known As: Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Lens Type: Zoom Lens
Format: Full Frame / FX
Focus: Autofocus
Lens Mount: Canon EF, Canon EF-S
Release Date: 1992-01-01
MSRP Price: N/A
Made in: Japan
Production Status: Discontinued
Lens Description: The Canon EF 28-105 mm f/ 3.5-4.5 USM is one of the best low-end zoom lenses for Canon EOS film and SRL cameras. rnrnIt allows you to shoot close-up portraits and take close-ups of subjects from a distance of 50 cm. rnrnThe lenses come black, equipped with multilayer coating to provide high contrast and nice color rendering.rnrnThe lens features good sharpness at maximum aperture settings, and from f/7.1 onward it is very sharp.rnrnThe Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is useful for the most types of photography.
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Specifications
| Lens Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lens Type | Zoom Lens |
| Focal Length | 28-105mm |
| Mount Type | Canon EF, Canon EF-S |
| Format | Full Frame / FX |
| Compatible Format(s) | 35mm SLR |
| Compatible with Teleconverters | No |
| Zoom Ratio | 3.75x |
| Image Stabilizer (Image Stabilization) | No |
| Aperture Information | |
| Aperture Ring | No |
| Maximim Aperture | f/3.5-f/4.5 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 |
| Optical Information | |
| Lens Elements | 15 |
| Lens Groups | 12 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 5 |
| Focus Information | |
| Focus | Autofocus |
| Built-in Focus Motor | Yes |
| UltraSonic Motor (USM) | Yes |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.5m |
| Distance Information | Yes |
| Filter Information | |
| Filter Size | 58mm |
| Accepts Filter Type | Screw-on |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weather / Dust Sealing | No |
| Mount Material | Metal |
| Weight | 375g |
| Other Information | |
| Available in Colors | Black |
There are several versions of this lens – the one to avoid is the plastic and slightly slower F/4-5.6 (pictured).
Ken Rockwell goes into great detail on this lens, and reviews elsewhere show it as a middling to good performer. I echo the many opinions out there – if you are comparing this to L lens equivalents, there is no real comparison – the 24-105 L and descendants crush this lens. IS and half a stop of light at the far end while maintaining sharpness mean the 24-105 L is a much better lens overall. But it is heavy in comparison.
The EF 28-135 IS 3.5-5.6 is another competitor, and the zoom range and IS make it useful for getting shots, even if optically it is somewhat mundane at best. The 28-105 lens outperforms it optically, however – it is a sharper lens, with better bokeh at the far end. It has significantly less distortion at the near end, and focuses faster. The build quality is better on the 28-105, and it is smaller too. It handles bright light better, although it is still poor in that regard.
I suppose money talks – this lens has held its value well, while the 28-135 has gradually dropped in price. This is a good everyday lens that delivers the goods. There’s not a lot more to it.