Good Canon EF lens?

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Hi folks

I need a good zoom lens for my Canon EOS 1DS mkII N.

No plastic junk like the EF 1.8/50.

No poorly built wobbly crap like most of the later EF lenses.

Better IQ than the mediocre EF 24-85.

L lenses are out of my budget.

The earlier EF lenses with metal mounts have acceptable build quality but are there any that are good optically?

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Good to see you here again Ian!

Maybe useful is Canon Lens Work books, in many editions over the years. I might have a pdf someplace; these used to be online, but I can't find any quickly. The many editions of the book are available. Which one for earlier metal lenses? Dunno.

I'm watching topic 'cause I want to know too. Thanks for post!

EDIT: maybe here https://www.scribd.com/doc/6610645/Canon-EF-Lens-Work-III-The-Eyes-of-EOS-Sept

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Cheers, been a bit ill for a while, but finally feeling better and rekindling my love of photography.

I'll share my experiences trying to find a good EF lens for my 1d mkII N at a price I can afford. I am currently playing with an old EF 24-85 that I was never happy with on my old 450D.

One thing I am wondering is that with the APS-H sensor with 1.3x crop factor in the 1d mkII N, will APS-C EF-S lenses work?

Thank you!

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

A few boring very low light (just before sundown) samples from the EF 24-85 on the EOS 1d mkII N. The lens isn't awful, but not great either, sharp enough stopped down. However, you really get the feeling that such a nice camera deserves a better lens.

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visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Is AF a requirement? There are plenty of faster better MF zoom lenses easy to adapt. Adapters available less than $10 with focus confirmation chip. BTW the first verdion EF 50/1.8 has metal mount, les plastic than falls apart later version.

kansalliskala · Expire: 2016-12-30

kansalliskala · Expire: 2016-12-30

Left is EF 28-80, right is EF-S 18-55.
Angles are actually something like 90 and 60.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Yes, I think they won't mount either, I don't have an ef-s lens on hand to test it.

I sold all my manual zooms apart from my Konicas, which won't fit, and some of the more mundane Zuikos, I know I have the 70-150 and I think 35-105, there is a 65-200 in my collection somewhere I think too.

I'm much more of a manual prime sorta guy, but the AF system on this 1d mkII N is so fantastic I thought of investing in just one good AF zoom for it.

I do really like the Tokina 20-35 I have for Sony A mount, I might find one of those for EOS at a decent price maybe.

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

The Sigma 30/1.4 bought for aps-c Canon 350D mounted fine on Canon 5D classic, with AF, aperture, etc., working fine, but image circle did not cover FF senso, not even close -- entire image circle fit in FF.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Ooh, glad to know that as that particular lens was one I was interested in, cheers.

One last set of Canon EF 24-85 samples.

This isn't a bad lens, it has it's strengths, but the contrast is poor, it definitely needs a hood, the brightness of the sky often results in a bleeding type of flare. It's not bad stopped down, wide open is only for closeups really, and it's kinda sharp, all of which is to be expected from a consumer zoom, but to someone used to old primes, it's not great. Usable though, especially if I enable the auto correction parameters in Raw Therapee and boost the contrast a bit. The USM focus is very fast and almost silent, I like that aspect.

I'm awaiting the arrival of some EOS adapters before I can try some of my manual lens collection, until then this 24-85 will do the job okay.

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kansalliskala · Expire: 2016-12-30

lumens pixel · Expire: 2021-06-25

Maybe the sleeper EF 28 70 3,5 4,5. Very cheap, very good.

Are you sure your 24 85 glass is clear, no haze?

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Looks like great camera Ian.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

I don't think this 24-85 has any haze, at least, I can't see any.

I've bought a Canon EF 35-135 cheap, should be good according to reviews.

Still not tried a manual lens of the EOS 1d mkII N, they don't work, I think you need to use an adapter with an af confirm chip, so I have ordered some. Fingers crossed.

SkedAddled · Expire: 2021-08-12

I'm on my second copy of a Canon 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, and they're very good.
My first did not fail; it was sold due to financial difficulties.
Both have a metal mount bayonet and are well-built.
It's a rather good zoom range to use as an all-purpose lens.

Both my copies were purchased many years apart, and each for ~$150 USD.

They perform equally well on APS-C and FF sensors.

From the 40D:

From the 5D Mk IV:

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Hearing (and now seeing) it holds up well on the 5D IV I'll second the Canon 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, bought for APS-C 350D and used later on FF 5D I. There must be a reason this particular lens has been in Canon lineup since introduced.

I have heard older copies may have zoom creep -- a push-pull zoom -- when pointed down -- iirc easy to fix.

Metal mount but a plasticy lens imho. Nevertheless a performer.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

That 28-135 does look good, cheers for sharing. Hopefully the 35-135 I just bought is somewhat similar.

Zoom creep - the 24-85 is awful for that - point the camera downwards and the barrel flops forward to the 85mm point.

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

SkedAddled · Expire: 2021-08-12

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

My best EF lens isn't a Canon. It's a Tamron -- a 24-70 I bought back in 1994. I chose the Tamron because 1) I'd had good luck with Tamron in the past and 2) it was a lot cheaper than Canon's approximate equivalent, a 20-35. I don't believe Canon made a 24- zoom back then.

I took the Tamron with me on a trip to Taiwan later that year, shooting slides with an EOS 650. Both the camera and the lens performed flawlessly. I was quite impressed with the results the lens provided. In the past 26 years, this has been my go-to EOS lens and I've used it both with film and digital cameras.

If you don't want a Tamron, then I'd recommend you look for a Canon equivalent. 24-70, 24-85, 24-105. Both USM and L series.