My 3 USM lenses: 50mm f1.4, 70-300 f4, and our lens, EF 28-135 IS USM
The range of the lens is its most attractive attribute. The 28mm is wide enough(even on my crop) for most of my needs. The length of the zoom is also useful, as the 135mm reaches a fair amount. The lens performs very well in the middle of the range.
From 50mm to 100mm, this lens shines. The tack sharp images are produced fast and accurately. Color and skin tones are reproduced beautifully. Turn and focus speed is awesome, and allows for quick photos. The depth of field and bokeh results are, if not gorgeous, very nice and buttery smooth.
The 28-135mm struggles a bit at the extremes. At the wide(sort of) angle 28mm, barrel distortion is present. Focus efficiency and Auto Focus(AF) are slower here, but is generally sharper than longer angles. Color is produced nicely, and at times is stunning. Wide angles of architecture in good light can be gorgeous, especially at peak sharpness.
Range of the aperture is decent at f3.5 at 28mm to f5.6 at 135mm. Performance is even, with not much variance in focus. The depth of field effects are good, and bokeh is reasonable, even pleasant.
Extended barrel focusing is the worst trait of this lens. Telephoto out to 135mm and the lens struggles with sharpness and AF speed. After shooting at this range, the 135mm produced some very nice images, but too many were not tack sharp. A plus of the EF 28-135 is the Macro aspect of this lens, and the 20 inch focus distance.
The biggest aperture on the lens is f3.5, and moves quickly to 4 and 4.5, and so on... Because of the "slow" low-light capabilities, this lens struggles in dark conditions. But most do, and I have the 50mm f1.4 for that.(Another review?)
The build quality of the EF 28-135 is solid. The body feels heavy and tank-like, and the mount is metal. The lens has Full-time Manual Focus, which is awesome for manipulating depth of field. A plastic body with super ergonomic feel, as the focus ring turns nicely, and the controls are handily located for quick adjustments. A window on the top of the lens shows "subject distance", and is a nice tool as well.
At around $200 used, it is a decent addition to the lens arsenal. The focal range is awesome for many applications. The USM and IS are great attributes for any lens, and make the EF 28-135mm a must have. The AF is very good, but not awesome. Images are better than average, and tack sharp images look beautiful.Overall, the lens gets a "B+" grade, for its capabilities and its savvy gadgets like Image Stabilization. At $200 used, the EF 28-135mm IS USM is a great buy.
Photos can be scrolled by clicking any shot:
More photos at RonaldBorstJournalism on Flickr.
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