With the large maximum aperture, excellent background Blur is possible even with a fast shutter speed. The Aspherical lens element makes the lens compact and corrects spherical aberrations. The image is sharp even at the edges.
Hard to take a bad picture, Thursday, 04 June 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
This lens is *beautiful*. The quality of shots taken vs the lens that shipped with my camera (even though its a totally different lens) is huge. Very impressed.
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Good Focal Length for Crop Sensors, Saturday, 18 April 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
i have had this lens for well over a year since i bought it from here. i still use it about 70% of the time along with my 85mm f1.8 and 135mm f2. its a great length for indoors and the 1.8 aperture helps with indoor shutter speeds. has a short minimum focus distance, lets you take close ups of food and small objects.
few cons i can think of are the edge sharpness is a little soft and it tends to back focus sometimes.
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Decent lens but not much more than that, Monday, 23 March 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
3.0
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
2.0
Value for Money
4.0
The Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 lens focuses quickly and accurately, and can produce nice pictures as long as you either stop it down or keep your subjects away from the edges of the frame. The center of the frame is sharp, but even with an APS-C (cropped frame) sensor, the edges are quite soft at f/1.8 and remain noticeably softer than the center no matter how far you stop it down. The lens also shows strong Chromatic aberration around high-Contrast edges; for example, one shot I took of the street outside my house on a sunny day had very noticeable purple fringing around the highlights on parked cars. Stopping down does not reduce the CA significantly, but I have not noticed it to be a problem on indoor shots as long as sunny windows and unshaded lamps are kept out of the frame.
My goal in purchasing this lens was to improve my indoor sports (mostly martial arts) photography, and I think it will do a good job at that. But I can't give more than three stars to a lens with the flaws that this one has. Canon lenses, especially primes, are usually better than this.
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Excellent Lens on a 1.6 Crop D-SLR, Thursday, 05 March 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
3.5
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
I bought mine in August for use with my Canon EOS Digital Rebel 300D (as a complement - and emergency backup - for the Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras I'd been using as my standard lens). I read many reviews on Amazon and elsewhere before buying, and I had my concerns about this lens because of reports it was soft around the edges. I assumed, however, that any soft parts would be effectively cropped by the smaller sensor in my camera, and this does appear to have been correct.
Focus is fast and quiet, and the lens is very sharp except when opened as wide as it will go, but this is the tradeoff you get with almost every fast prime. At f/8 the results are hard to beat. Field of view on a 1.6x crop camera (like mine) is equivalent to about a 45mm lens on a full-frame SLR, and since the smaller sensor crops out the edges for you there's little distortion to worry about.
My concerns with this lens are the reported edge softness (which I have no way of testing, since I don't own a full-frame Canon body - film or digital) and the external lens barrel, which like the 50mm 1.4 protrudes from the front of the lens and makes it susceptible to shock. Having had to send my 50mm for repair I opted for the lens hood when I bought the 28mm. For image quality alone on my camera I'd rate this a five-star lens, but since I have these concerns I'm knocking a star off.
I have no complaint with focus accuracy, but the Depth of field can be hard to manage in full program mode. Shooting indoors in low light I generally bump the ISO up to about 400 and shoot in aperture priority mode to give myself a better chance of getting the shot I think I'm getting. Otherwise with moving subjects (people), at close range (likely when indoors), and with a wide aperture (low light indoors) I find that even a small shift is enough to result in front- or back-focus and a lost shot.
If you're outdoors or have very good light this is an excellent lens for candid shots of friends or family, and in low light it's still quite a good lens for candids, just as long as you pay attention to the aperture. The Angle of view is adequate for scenic photos when traveling, but since a true wide angle lens on an APS-sensor camera is prohibitively expensive, 'adequate' is good enough for me. If you grew up with a film SLR and a 50mm fixed lens (as I did) this lens will come very close to the same utility you remember, and I recommend it highly.
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A great wide angle lens for your Canon EOS Rebel, Thursday, 11 December 2008
Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I have a Canon EOS Rebel XT, and I have a number of lenses for it, but I use my 28mm f/1.8 mostly for low light conditions! It works great in low light without flash, as long as there is no quick movement! I recently attended a banquet and went around the room and took candid shots of everyone, without flash, and they all turned out great. I took a group shot of everyone and had to stitch the two shots together, and even that worked fairly well. I recommend this lens highly, but you can expect a shallow depth of field in low light, so your focus has to be right on.
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Good 50mm Equivalent Lens , Friday, 05 December 2008
Overall rating (weighted)
4.3
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I purchased this lens very soon after buying a rebel Xsi (1.6x crop factor with the APS-C sensor). I bought it because I wanted a fast, 50mm equivalent focal length lens. I was displeased with my kit lens (17-55 f/3.5-5.6) because it was not nearly fast enough to take pictures of people indoors (the majority of my phototaking subjects).
When this lens first arrived, I tested it at night with most of my incandescent lights dimmed to 50%. I was very impressed with its speed; I could shoot perfectly-exposed photos at around 1/60 or 1/30. Since then, I have mostly shot photographs indoors with moderate to dim lighting, and I have rarely been let down by it's performance. During one of my vocal concerts, my dad was able to take some amazing shots of my group and I from the audience (the stage was illuminated and the house dark). When I tried this a week later at the same venue with my kit lens (I was sitting much further away, and thus needed a longer lens) I was unable to do so because the f/3.5 was not fast enough.
When fully open, the bokeh is pleasing, allowing for sharp DOF contrasts between subject and background
I will admit that I can see sharpness differences with this lens between wide open and stopped down (f/5.6 or so). The differences will vary in significance from photographer to photographer, but in my case, the sharpness decrease was a very small price to pay for being able to shoot flashless indoors at night with available lighting.
I also noticed some minor chromatic aberrations when shooting outdoors at f/5.6 and below. Again, for my desired application, this was not a significant issue.
I would like to note that so far, I have only viewed my images using two media: a calibrated computer LCD and my Epson 280 printer (using premium Borderless 4x6 photopaper).
Overall, I really enjoy using this lens. For me, speed is a very important factor and this lens delivers. I have been shooting with it for 3 months now, and I have only detached it once (when I failed at capturing some pictures at the performance venue mentioned earlier). I would recommend this lens for photographers who anticipate a lot of low-light situations where they want a natural field of view (on a 1.6x crop body). I find it to be a great lens for taking pictures of people doing fun things indoors.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Good prime for daily/indoor use, Wednesday, 03 September 2008
Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
This is a good prime lens for daily indoor use.
Pros: - Fast at f/1.8 although soft - Reasonably sharp from f/2.0, gets better from f/2.2 - Rugged - Good 'normal' lens for APS-C sensor with 1.6 multiplier (mine is the 450d)
Cons: - Very soft at f/1.8 - My copy has a front-focus problem at times
Overall, happy with the lens since I can take available light pictures indoors where my 50mm f/1.4 prime (must have!) is too narrow. I can see the front-focus issue on some shots when compared to my 24-105mm f/4L in a reasonably contolled test. Also, from shot to shot taken indoors, the focus is slightly off at times. On a second test indoors, the focus was spot on.
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28mm, Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I love this lens. I'm a professional photographer, and during photoshoots I never take it off my camera. the 28 on a full frame sensor is amazing. it works great, i love it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Another marvelous Canon prime lens, Tuesday, 22 April 2008
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
As much as I love the 50mm f/1.4 lens there were times when it just was not wide enough. So I started an detailed search to find, for me, the perfect wide angle fixed focus lens.
As this lens will not get used a whole lot I immediately eliminated the 'L' lenses as too costly for the return. I was looking for something in the 20-30mm range. It needed to be a USM as non-USM lenses make too much noise while focusing and this lens will be used at plays & concerts. (I have the 35mm f/2 and it is way too noisy to use at these events.)
To make a long story short I selected the 28mm f/1.8 USM. This lens approaches the 'standard' 50mm lens length that shoots pretty much what you see with your eye. It excells in dimly lit interiors, such as auditoriums, for instance. Use it wide open with confidence, but focus carefully - DOF is narrow even with a 28 at 1.8.
Cons: my only complaint is the same as with all non L lenses, that I have to pay extra for the hood.
Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
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Not all that impressed..., Sunday, 20 April 2008
Overall rating (weighted)
1.8
Sharpness
1.0
Build Quality
2.0
AF Speed
2.0
Value for Money
2.0
So, I couldn't wait to get this lens. I finally bought it, and was so excited to put it to use. I quickly found that the focus at 1.8 is very soft.
In my opinion, the value just isn't there. I mean if your paying double the price of the 28 2.8, you'd think it would keep sharp focus at the 1.8 setting, but it didn't. I'm just gonna buy the 2.8(which ive rented in the past, and loved) and be happy with my purchase.
Needless to say I returned the lens a couple days later
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Good Lens, Sunday, 06 April 2008
Overall rating (weighted)
3.8
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I tried this lens on a Canon 5D and while the images had great color and Resolution, there were soft areas at the sides. I suspect this lens is much better on a camera that is not a full frame sensor.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
The No-Flash Answer To Everything, Friday, 08 February 2008
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I've owned this lens for just over a year now, and it's on my camera almost all the time - despite the fact that I've bought two other lenses.
I'm a fan of shooting candid shots, mostly indoors, and flash is just NOT an option if you really want great pics that don't interfere with (or annoy) your subjects. I came to this lens because the EF50mm f/1.8 was just a Bit *too* tight/long for candid pics without stepping back all the time, or settling for face shots only. This 28mm approaches the 'standard' 50mm lens length that shoots pretty much what you see with your eye.
I thought the lens was a bit soft at first, but over time, I've gotten to know it inside and out, and my photos are close to tack-sharp most of the time - even though I rarely shoot above f/2.5 with this. I'll take shooting with this at f/1.8 or f/2.0 over a lens with image stabilization any time. And of course, being a prime (non-zoom) lens means that your pictures are going to be sharper than a zoom lens with IS anyways.
This is a lens that will spoil you forever. You'll be able to capture photos in virtually any lighting conditions. I love shooting with it, and ISO 1600 shots at f/2.0 are just spectacular - exactly what I need for shooting in *extremely* low light. With a bit of post-processing, I'm making incredible photos that were simply not possible in the days before digital.
Build quality is excellent, and the USM auto-focus does a great job in bright-light and low-light situations with ease, silently.
If you want sharp low-light photos in a compact and lightweight lens, this is your saviour.
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Defective right out of the box!!!, Thursday, 27 December 2007
Overall rating (weighted)
1.0
Sharpness
1.0
Build Quality
1.0
AF Speed
1.0
Value for Money
1.0
The focusing mechanism is not functioning right out of the box. When the focusing ring is moved by hand nothing is happening (no internal elements are moving). When the camera is attempting to auto-focus, the lens produces two slight thumps with the same negative result. This says a lot about Canon's quality control practices. I am socked. I have been using Canon products professionally for a long time now and I had never seen anything like that. Needless to say that I wanted that lens for a New Year's present and had paid for Next Day shipping.
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Great Lens!, Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I recently purchased this lens and it is a fantastic lens. I currently own the Canon Rebel XTi and with this lens it makes a great 'normal' lens. The focus is fast and very quiet as a USM lens. I love the f/1.8 for low light situations or for a different look with portraits. I love prime lenses and recommend it to anyone!
Cons: None that I found so far.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Fast lens for 1.6x SLR cameras, Monday, 23 July 2007
Overall rating (weighted)
3.8
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
This lens is almost a perfect 50mm equivalent for my 1.6x SLR. The large aperture is incredibly fast and allows great indoor shooting in low light. Beware that using a UV Haze Filter causes glare across the lens. It's almost unusable with the filter on.
