Canon 28 105 usm ii review năm 2024

The Canon EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens often gets confused with the noticeably higher quality Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM Lens. It is, however, a vastly different lens.

If you take a Canon EF 28-90mm II USM Lens and stretch it to 28-105mm, you get the Canon EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens. They are similar on many accounts other than the obvious similar appearance.

Both have cheap build quality (plastic mounts, no distance window, wobbly objective ends ...). Both are light, small and inexpensive. However, the Canon EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens costs more additional than 15mm should in my opinion.

Both have a Micro-USM (Ultrasonic Motor) - decent, but not Ring USM. Neither has FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing. Both utilize a tiny MF (Manual Focus) ring on the end of the extending portion of the lens.

Using a decent (notch up from the 28-90mm II USM Lens) 6-blade aperture, the 28-105 shares the same lens's slow-for-28mm f/4 base aperture opening, moves to f/4.5 around 35mm, quickly to f/5 near 40mm and to f/5.6 around 60mm.

The 28-105 does not share the 28-90's good magnification spec - turning in a relatively poor .19x figure at 1.57'.

From left to right in the picture above are the Canon EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II Lens, the Canon EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 II USM Lens, the Canon EF 28-105mm f/4.0-5.6 USM Lens, the Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM Lens and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Lens. The same lenses are pictured below extended to their maximum length.

The Canon EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens is soft at all focal lengths with the aperture wide open. I would say the wide end is sharper, but figure on needing f/6.3 or f/8 to get decent sharpness. Corners are soft from 28-35mm until stopped down to f/8 or so.

Even on a 1.3x FOVCF body, barrel distortion is noticeable from 28-45mm or so. Slight pincushion distortion is present by 105mm. The Canon EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens controls vignetting reasonably well showing up primarily at 28mm with a wide open aperture.

The 28-105 has a nice focal length range that includes the normal, general purpose zoom range and more. But, I recommend, if possible, purchasing one of the lenses suggested on the Canon General Purpose Lens Recommendations page. Even the Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens and the Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM Lens are nice upgrades to the Canon EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens.

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I've had several of these over the years as I always end up buying another one after a while! Let me tell you why I like them so much: OK, so it isn't an L lens. It's not big, heavy or expensive - and it isn't an amazing optical performer wide-open, particularly at short and medium focal lengths. It doesn't have IS. But, guess what? It's really, really good stopped down a bit. A good example gives super-sharp consistent results across the frame at 5.6 and 8, and even right into the corners, ...

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This zoom debuted in 1992 as the kit lens for the EOS 5/A2E and was a popular lens for well over a decade. I used it from 1992 to 2005, taking thousands of images in rain forests, beaches, mountain tops and urban jungles. It proved to be a reliable walk-around lens.

Nak San Sa Temple Eave Detail | Korea | EOS 10S, EF28-105 3.5-4.5 USM, Sensia 100, Canon FS4000US film scanner

This review consists of my opinions and observations as a hobbyist. No scientific measurements, MFT charts or pixel peeking comparisons will be found here.

Compatibility

This lens works on all Canon EOS SLR and DSLR cameras. It will also work on EOS R and M series mirrorless cameras with a mount adapter. It does not fit non-Canon cameras such as Pentax, Nikon, Fuji, etc.

Construction

Small size (75mm L) and zoom range make it an excellent travel lens for film or full frame digital. Polycarbonate construction, but with a metal mount, keep it to a featherweight 375 g (13.1 oz). The twist action zoom is smooth and does not creep. Zooming is accomplished by expanding and contracting the nested barrels. Like most AF lenses, the manual focus ring is small and not as silky or fine turning as the manual lenses of yesteryear.

Canon EF 28-105 3.5-4.5 USM | Small, light, sharp and versatile

It sports a ring-type USM (Ultrasonic Motor) that drives an internal lens group and, thus, AF flies. Later versions (1999 onwards) of this lens sport a 7-blade diaphragm while older ones have 5-blades. Out of focus areas (bokeh) are slightly smoother with the 7-blade model. The front element doesn't rotate and the barrel remains stationary during focusing. However, the nested barrel extends considerably when zooming to 105 mm. USM focusing is silent. It has FTM, allowing you to manually focus without switching out of AF mode. If you prefocus manually, the distance window in meters and feet is useful. The filter size is a modest 58 mm, making filters affordable and easy to share with common Canon lenses. There is only one gotcha with this lens: the front element is extremely close to the filter threads and, thus, prone to accidental scratching when changing filters. A larger filter thread (e.g., 62 mm) would be safer and add the possibility of stacking filters without vignetting. Two standard filters vignette at 28 mm but are fine at 35 mm.

Under The Banyan | EOS A2E, EF 28-105 3.5-4.5 USM & Fujichrome 100

Image Quality

For a consumer zoom, the EF 28-105 USM serves up sharp and contrasty images. Although quality is decent wide open, the best image quality is at F8 or 11. The long end is slightly softer than the wide angle side, but still good enough for excellent 11 x 14 inch enlargements.

Like most zooms, the EF 28-105 USM suffers from a small amount of barrel distortion at the wide end and pincushion distortion at the long end. If you shoot lots of architecture, avoid zooms and embrace the superior correction of prime lenses. For general use, I haven't noticed distortion except in close-up subjects with lots of parallel lines (horizons look fine). Indeed, distortion increases considerably in the macro range, especially at 28 mm. Although flare is well controlled for a zoom, flare and ghosting occur if you shoot bright sunsets. Hazy sunsets come out nicely. I always keep the lens shade on to help keep flare in check (my hat works even better!).

Waikiki Beach Girl | EOS A2, EF28-105 3.5-4.5 USM, Sensia 100, LS-1000 scanner

Who Is This Lens For?

This is a nice lens for the Elan series, EOS 5/A2E, 6D and 5D series. Due to its light weight, it balances well on smaller cameras such as the Elan 7E. With a 28 mm short end, it may not be wide enough for APS-C cameras unless, of course, you prefer a 45-170 zoom range. I almost sold my EF 28-105 USM but found it makes a great walk around lens on an EOS 5D when I needed to travel light. Pair the EF 28-105 3.5-4.5 USM with the EF 100-300 4.5-5.6 USM and you have a fine two-lens kit at a bargain price.

Christmas Carousel | Honolulu City Lights Festival | Canon EOS A2, EF 28-105 3.5-4.5 USM, Manfrotto 190 Tripod, Sensia 100

Last Blurb

Canon released an upgraded version of this lens in 2000, the EF 28-105 3.5-4.5 USM II. The optical formula is identical but minor physical improvements were added: aluminum main barrel, metal gear train (the old version is plastic) and 7-blade diaphragm. They also moved production offshore. This design enjoyed an extremely long life for a zoom but ceased production in 2008.

Is Canon 28 105 good lens?

This is a wonderful lens, and possibly the best value of any lens Canon has ever made. Or most practical purposes the IQ is indistinguishable from 'L' zooms except at huge magnifications or zoomed in to 1:1 on the computer, and even then the differences are small. It is fine on APS-C cameras as well as full frame.

When did the Canon 28 105 come out?

The first model was the 28-105 USM, sold from 1992-2000, which was replaced in 2000 by the USM II reviewed here, and made through 2010. The two are the same optically and mechanically.

What does L USM mean in Canon lenses?

USM stands for Ultrasonic motor. It's a type of motor used in Canon EOS lenses. This is the motor which drives the autofocusing. Non-USM lenses often use an arc form drive (AFD) motor. This is good, but the USM is faster and quieter.

How sharp is Canon 24 105?

In our testing on a sub-frame camera, the 24-105 ranged from astonishingly good at 24mm to merely excellent at 105mm. At wide angle, this lens is exceptionally sharp from corner to corner, even wide open.