Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM - Review / Test Report

The optical construction is made of 10 elements in 9 groups with one aspherical element. Its minimum focus distance is 0.25m resulting in a max. object magnification of 1:5.5. The aperture mechanism has 7 aperture blades. The filter size is 58mm.

Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Lens Review

Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM is one of the two (the other one being EF 28mm f/2.8) 28mm lenses in Canon's modern lineup. The lens was introduced back in 1995, and currently remains the fastest consumer oriented (read non L) wide angle offered by the company.

Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Lens

The Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 lens was evaluated for use in wide field astrophotography. The following information on resolution and 50% MTF is applicable to all photographic uses of the lens.

Canon EF 28 mm f/1.8 USM

One of the oldest lenses in the Canon's current line-up is an EF 28 mm f/1.8 USM model, as it was launched on the market in September 1995. Why the company doesn't see any need to introduce its successor

good build quality; very good image quality in the frame centre (apart from the maximum aperture); slight distortion; low level of vignetting on APS-C; silent and quick autofocus

weak image quality at the maximum relative aperture; low resolution at the frame edge of an APS-C and full frame sensor alike; quite significant chromatic aberration; huge coma; unsatisfactory accuracy of the focusing mechanism

Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Review

The Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM ($509.99 direct) is impressively compact when you consider its wide-angle field of view and fast aperture, but there are some optical compromises that you should be aware of. It is compatible with both APS-C and full-frame Canon D-SLR cameras. It's a relative bargain—Canon also offers an EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM lens with image stabilization that sells for $800, even though it captures less light at its maximum aperture. The lens isn't as sharp as Nikon's take on the design, the AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G($696.95 at Amazon), which impressed us enough to earn our Editors' Choice award. The EF 28mm measures just 2.2 by 2.9 inches (HD) and weighs about 10.9 ounces. It can focus on objects as close as 0.8-foot from the front of the lens. It is by no means a macro optic, but keeping the aperture wide open and focusing at the minimum distance allow you to capture images with a shallow depth of field. Standard 58mm filters are supported, and there's no movement at a...

The EF 28mm f/1.8 USM is a fast wide-angle optic for use with Canon D-SLRs, but it isn't sharp at its maximum aperture and is prone to color fringing.

Compact; Fast aperture; Minimal distortion; Sharp when stopped down a bit

Not sharp at maximum aperture; Prone to color fringing; No image stabilization; Hood not included