At almost ￡2000, this pricey L series optic puts in as good a performance as expected

Film and digital compatibility

Expensive

Canon makes a nice little 14/2.8L lens. It isn't really very useful most of the time. Its exposed half-dome front element will keep you in constant fear of water, grime, fingers, and the rest of the world. It costs $2,319.00 (B&H Photo, October 1995). I bought one. Why?

A full-frame 14mm f/2.8 has been an anchor of Canon's premier L-series lens line for a quarter-century. This new upgrade, Version II ($2,199, street), has a second aspheric element and two elements of ultra-low-dispersion glass.

Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM is currently the widest rectilinear prime lens manufactured by Canon. The EF-S 10-20mm f/3.5-4.5 USM offers an even wider angle of view, but is an EF-S lens that can be mounted only on APS-C cameras like Canon Digital Rebel seried, Canon 30D and Canon 40D.

The Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Lens is currently my favorite ultra-wide angle EF lens . For many years, my preferred full-frame-capable ultra-wide angle lens was the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM Lens and then its replacement, the even better (at the wide end at least) Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM...

The expansive coverage of a 14mm lens may be more than you think you need. But you'd be surprised to discover that it reveals a world of possibilities that might otherwise escape you. While it certainly is ideal when shooting in open country, a super-wide lens can do wonders in tight quarters.

The Canon EF 14mm f/2.8 USM L II is the widest full format lens in the Canon EOS lens lineup. Within its native format it covers a whopping field-of-view of 114 degrees. This is a bit beyond most ultra-wide applications for mainstream users but sometimes there's simply a need for such special effect...

best ultra wide angle you can buy, there is no competition.

Great color; sharp; also on a FF

non

Canon's EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens replaces an existing lens with similar specifications. Designed for professional photographers and usable on both 'full frame' DSLRs and models with smaller ('APS-C sized') image sensors, it has many of the same specifications as the lens it replaces.

I tested this lens on a full frame camera at every aperture under a variety of settings. The lens was not real sharp, even in the center, until around f/8 and showed a lot of distortion towards the edges regardless of the aperture setting.

Fast auto-focus; Superior build quality

Semi-sharp images