Name: Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Image Stabilized AutoFocus Wide Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens - Grey Market
Brand: Canon
SKU: CA28135IS
Price: 479.00 USD
Availability: Discontinued
Rating: 4.1 (285 reviews)

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Image Stabilized AutoFocus Wide Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens - Grey Market

Canon 28-135mm

Canon

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens, Gray Market

Adorama

Photography

Lenses

SLR Lenses

Canon SLR Lenses

Canon 28-135mm 

Buy: Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Image Stabilized AutoFocus Wide Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens - Grey Market Compatibility: Canon EOS 6D Mark II, Canon EOS-1D X Mark III

Standard zoom lens with an Image Stabilizer and high zoom ratio. With the Image Stabilizer turned on, you can obtain sharp, natural-looking pictures in dim lighting without using flash or a tripod. Very handy for places where flash is prohibited. Uses ring-type USM for swift, silent autofocus and full-time manual focus. Closest focusing distance is 20 in. (50 cm).

Have owned two of them since 2001. I have used them within my photo studio for all types of images from commercial, wedding and portrait since 2001 on full frame and crop sensor digitzal EOS bodies as well as Rebel XSI bodies. This is a good all around range for location portrait and wedding work and having two allowed me to mount one on each of my two bodies. I have used these lenses on my EOS-1n, EOS -1Ds, EOS 10d, EOS 40d, 5d Mk II, and my current EOS 7d and all perform well with this lens. It is a reasonable cost lens that lasts under heavy use and produces great images..

Great overall lens

I purchased this lens in 2005 and I have used it ever since.  Still works as well as it did on the 1st day I bought it.  Used it with the 1st iteration of Canon Digital Cameras and now on the T6 for travel.  Great choice for an enthusiast.

Built for Longevity

Same focal length for standard Canon 60D lens and now waiting for Canon to add this lens to the “L” series lenses

Perfect all around lens especially during travel.

I bought this lens when it first was introduced. It has seen many rolls of film on an "A2E" and "3" bodies. Now it proves its worth on a 40D body. It is by far one of the finest lenses made buy Canon!

Many years of use

This is a good lens and is sharp throughout it's range. The only problem I have with it is that it sucks up more dust that I have ever seen on any zoom lens I've owned over 40 years of being a photographer. Luckily It's easy to take off the front element where the dust problem is and clean it which I do every 6 months.
It's also not weather sealed and I have had it fog up after being out in the rain with it. If your looking for and affordable lens that is sharp and has a great range,buy it. Just watch the weather.

Good lens but has a problem with dust

when you point the lens down it zooms out by itself, very annoying!!!!!!

zoom creep

I really like the lens however when shooting at a gallery (no flash allowed) in low light I am limited to very shallow depth of fields and even then slow shutter speeds.

Like the lens. Wish it was a 2.8 f   Low light is difficult withou a flash

This lens was released in 1998 but ever today it basiclly has the same dxomark as my nikon kit lenes this lens introduced IS to the marked and it works great however it is noises and so is the focus so not a great choice for video work but the $ price I paid was a steal  cracked filter thread but stay works perfectly. You can even still use a filter so don't overlook F rated gear. It can be a great deal!

Kit len quality but theirs nothing wrong with that

I shoot video professionally with my 5D Mlll. This lens is light and good for personal travel. If it got beat up or dinged its not a heartbreak.
Great for use in industrial dirty areas or the beach.
I let my teenagers use this too. I have Great Canon 2.8 lenses for most of my work.
I wish this came in 2.8!

Good for travel and risky environments.

Have been using g this lens off and on now for 6 months.
it's a nice lens for the money
pros: price is right, light to carry on trials auto Fucus is fast enough for people and pets. Nice to use in landscape shooting
cons: the lens creeps down when shooting down. Not a problem when you learn how to use both hands to work it

4 stars

Had to be send back to be repaired under warranty, outofocus didn't work.
Now after one year, and very little use lens zoom is so loose that has to be hold by hand. when camera is left hanging in the shoulder strap lens opens all the way by itself.

poor quality

All my friends told me this lens was very big and that they like it
they wanted to have one like this.

Big good lens

I have been using this lens soon after it came out around the turn of the century. It was purchased with the film SLR Rebel 2000 and since 2010 on T2i. In addition to this 28-135, I also own a 50mm F1.8, a recent purchased 70-200mm f/4L IS USM, and the EF-S18-55mm IS kit lens that came with T2i. It is the primary general-use lens attached to my T2i. The other lenses are the alternates only used when the occasions demand their applications.

I have taken thousands of shot with this lens on travel, in-door and out-door events such as orchid show, wedding, air shows and have been very happy with the results. I have also been shooting wildlife with it and have high quantity of superior results.

Every lens has its own character. Knowing its strength is the way to take good pictures. I set the aperture at around 8 on T2i's AV mode and use this mode frequently when I ask for sharpness from this lens. It's excellent macro capability is often more convenient than the 70-200mm L for close-up shots.

It's true this is not a perfect lens like some other reviews picked on it -- it's not wide enough (I found myself pulling out my smart phone often these days instead of changing lens for wide angle shots, and not long enough for some bird shots, etc. However, the 28-135mm handles most situations very respectfully and dependably. It's going to be as my prime go-to lens as it has been for the past 15 years.

My trust Versatile Go-To Lens

I bought this Canon EF 28-135 IS lens used and it is excellent for photo walking / travel photography with my Canon 5D Classic (which I also bought used).  Both this EF 28-135 IS Lens and my Canon 5D classic were purchased used grade E from Adorama.  I am really enjoying my full-frame photography experience with the lens-camera combination.

Great Lens for Photo Walking with my 5D

I have used a mid-range zoom lens as a primary lens for over 40 years. When I made the transition from film to digital I knew exactly the Canon lens I wanted, and haven't been disappointed in my choice of another mid-range zoom. In fact, the Canon EF 28-135mm offers me much greater latitude than my earlier film zoom lenses that didn't have new features and slightly broader focal range. The lens' range is all most photographers need 75% of the time. I watch all the show-offs with their phallic symbols, who don't know how to use them, and all I'm using is a utilitarian zoom lens (but, a Canon). For the serious-amateur, at least, if you are going to buy and use Canon, this is all the lens you will need most of the time. The pro, maybe not. I don't need to 'push' my lenses like a pro yet still come up with award-winning photographs using my Canon EF 28-135mm. My interests are in landscape competition, press/feature, and stock photography. I use a Canon 40D, primarily, with a select array of Canon lenses. I also own and use other Canon cameras depending on need, especially my G-12.

The Best All-Around Lens

I am an advanced beginner in photography, shooting digital for the last 5 years. This lens is a good overall walk around lens, with sharpness being an issue only at the widest angle. The lens does zoom itself put, especially when carrying it on your shoulder or pointing it downwards. It tends to be a bit annoying because almost every time you need to take a shot, the lens is fully zoomed in. Aside from that, it does take pretty decent macro shots, and the bokeh is pretty good when you are zoomed in all the way. The only downsides are the not fast aperture, and lack of rounded aperture blades. Barrel distortion also comes into play at the widest angle, along with chromatic aberration unless you stop the lens down to around f6.3 or 7.1

Decent all around lens

When I purchased my EOS 7D, I chose a package which contained the EF 28-135 IS USM lens because I figured it would be better than the EF-S option and because I wanted to be able to use it when I upgrade to a full-frame camera. Fortunately, it wasn't too costly a mistake.

The good:
The image stablization system works very well. Focus speed, as a result of the USM, is also fast and reliably accurate. The large-ish rubber zooming grip is also quite comfortable to use.

The bad:
Lens "drift" is not descriptive enough. I barely flick my wrist and the lens flies fo the telephoto end.

Dust? Likely as a result of the looseness and general lack of build quality, the lens has dust particles inside and on multiple elements. This doesn't affect the image quailty too much, unless there's a light source in the frame.

Images are soft, even when stopped down to f/8, color is muted and requires a rather large saturation bump in post processing, and contrast (yes, I have a lens hood) is lacking.

I suggest that anyone thinking about purchasing this lens as a package consider purchasing the body only and applying the cost difference toward a higher-quality lens.

Disappointing

I shoot landscape, animal and grandkids with this lens. It is easy to focus, takes very clear pictures and gives the extra power needed for the photos taken within 30ft.

easy clear pictures

I bought this lens for the 28-135mm feature and it image stabilization.  It is definitely a heavier lens than the 28-85mm lens, but it takes a better picture with the image stabilization.  Again, consumers can trust Adorama's assessment of lenses.  My lens was ranked as "E" but looks brand new.  Amazing.

A heavier lens but a great product!

This lens is a great travel lens. It works wonderfully with my 40d and 5d. While not the sharpest lens in my bag it is more than adequate for travel and snap shots. The image stabilization does it jobs and I can shoot hand held with out issue--I do bump up the ISO when necessary just because I like fast shutter speeds. I have not experienced the lens slippage mentioned so much in the other reviews. However, having read about the lens slippage issue several years ago--I do not push and pull on the barrel at all (as I don't want the lens to start slipping). The build quality to me is very good and the quality of contrast/sharpness is acceptable. The best way to tell if this lens will meet your needs is to head your local camera store for some test shots with your camera and review/pixel peak if you like at home. Also, if slippage is a concern inspect the lens at the store --turn it facing down--that will tell you a story. I really like my 28-135mm and based on my experience--I can recommend this as a very good travel lens.

After over 7 years of Use

At first the lens challenged the areas that I wanted to shoot in. After a few minutes of toying with the lens and my settings in the camera I was able to learn to fully manipulate the lens to my advantage as well as my cameras advantage. The image quality in low light seemed to be an issue but proved to be user error and was easily overcome after a few shots and setting adjustments. The images are sharp and far far from soft as some have said but that is my experience with the lens and my experience shooting as well. Facial features on tight and close ups are absolutely amazing, super sharp and super tight. It has proven to be a great buy and I would not only suggest it as a great weapon in the arsenal in your bag but as a must have the macro and well as it being a great all around 18-135. Just amazing It would have been perfect if the lens did not slide with the downward angling of the camera to adjust to that you have to learn to hold it to keep the focus not a big deal only when you don't remember and it slides and the shot is off

Excellent add to cabag

I bought this EF 28-135mm last year as a general purpose lens for my 5D. it turned out to be a bad sample and the right side of the frame was soft, yet the center and left were sharp. I sold it and tried another one at a camera shop(made in Taiwan) this was uniform but the edges were low resolution and dark. The sales person took one off of a used 7D kit, this one was Made in Japan and it was much better (sharp right to the edges) and no falloff,I bought it.
It turns out that it was serviced and aligned by Canon. Unless yours was serviced by Canon-Who knows..

much sample variation

My comment is specifically addressing an issue I have with the Canon 28-135mm lens with Image Stabilizer, AF/MF, and Macro functions. I have been a Professional Photographer for over 20 years and I am happy with the image quality in the photo's I've taken, however when taking pictures on even the slightest downward angle the barrel starts sliding causing the image to be out of focus. This is very frustrating to say the very least, especially when I'm hired to take pictures at a Live Event where I may only get one shot at a high point moment and I find the picture out of focus because of the barrel slide issue. At the end of the day when I sort through pictures for the most exciting shots and have to delete many because the lens barrel was sliding, I feel that I let the client down because I didn't give them a complete set of pictures that represented the entire event. I had checked comment posting reviews about this lens and the number one main issue that kept reappearing again and again was the "barrel sliding" issue. As far as recommending this specific lens, I can't do so with a clear conscience because I wouldn't want someone else to end up disappointed because of the barrel slide issue. I do hope that Canon will address and correct the barrel slide problem. All of my camera's and many of my lens's are Canon and I am very happy and satisfied with their performance. I have and will continue to recommend Canon products.

Barrel Slide

I've used this lens for around 2 years now and find it to be adequate at best. Haven't experienced the sloppy lens extension drop that others have but I am VERY disappointed in the focus quality in the 28 to 50 mm ranges. Once I zoom in beyond 50 mm or so the detail is very good. I've tried it on other photog's cameras with the same results. I realize most lenses are most accurate around their mid range focal lengths but the poor quality in the shorter ranges is a real pain.

Close but no cigar

I use this lens for portraits in interior spaces. Focus is sharp and stable. I am able to use this in low light and still get great results. I love the range and its not too heavy to keep with me at all times.

Great lens and honestly rated

Ever since I got the 7D with this lens 28-135mm lens the barrel has been very loose when trying to shoot in a downward position. This very unusual for a lens barrel to be this loose. I have had some cheapskate lens before and they never lost their positions when in a downward position. Why is this lens so horribly bad at this one thing that is an annoyance to me and hundreds of thousands of people? Fix the problem so I can take my hand off the lens?

Why is the barrel so loose

This kit lens has a nice range. Which makes it a nice walk around lens. But it has issues. It is built so sloppily, the barrel is loose and floppy. It was like this brand new. It lets dust in, so you will have specs inside the lens very soon. If you let the camera hang from your shoulder it will zoom out to full length. In spite of all this, I find that having this lens and my 10-22 I have pretty much all I need for vacations or anything else, other than the rare wish for a long lens. If you are doing professional work this is not the lens for you. Get an L.
But for everyday it works, just be sure you know how to photoshop out the the specs that will be in your pictures.

Mixed Blessing Lens

This is very good starter lens. I use it with my Canon 5D mkII. I use it primarily for video. Everything is as you would expect from those specs. I got it used from Adorama for a great price. My only complaint is that the zoom is a little bit loose. When I tilt it down (very down) it kind of pulls the zoom a little bit. This might be because its used and worn out a bit. It really doesn't affect anything anyway.

Solid Lens

Contrary to what others have reported, I don't have this problem of the lens zoom slippage. In fact, the lens is solidly constructed and handles quite nicely. Images are sharp enough for everyday shooting. It has excellent range, especially on a full frame 6D. It does exhibit slight chromatic aberration but can be minimized in processing.

Nice lense for the money

I used the lens immediately to shoot a sweet sixteen. The lens performed well and the results were very good. I've been shooting events for many years and find it bothersome to change lenses because an important picture could be missed during the change.

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Image Stabilized AutoFocus Wide Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens - Grey Market

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