Sharp at all apertures. Controls flare very very well. Extremely quick to focus and almost perfectly silent.

Slight CA at f1.4-f1.8, nothing to worry about though.

What can I say, you get what you pay for, and this is so true with this lens.
Originally when I purchased it, the first two weeks I had front focussed images, so I took the Camera and Lens to Canon , and presto the beast came alive.

Similar Products Used:

35f2, 85 1.2L, 135L, etc

Build quality.
The lens hood.
Autofocus speed.
Colour rendition.

None so far...

This is one of my favourite lenses. I mostly use it with my EOS 1D MarkII N as a walkabout lens. It provides me with enough light to be used indoors without a flash. The depth of field can be kept to a minimum to let the focus of for examle the eye stand out in the picture. It is very well built and the autofocus i really smooth and responses instanly. The autofocus functions in extremely low light.
As I review my pictures both on screen and in prints I must admit that there is a difference between primes and zooms. I´m a prime nerd, and try to only use primes. If you have the money, buy it, use it and love it. I will never sell mine.
Not even if Canon made an EF 24-300/1,4 L IS USM (Ha ha ha...)

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EF 20/2,8
EF 50/1,4
EF 85/1,8
EF 100/2,8

Sharp, Fast, Robust.

None!

I enjoy street photography, so I was looking for something that would allow me to take shots without the need for a flash or tripod. Originally I was looking at a rangefinder, but wasn't keen on carry more equipment around, so I decided to use the existing body that I had, an EOS30. I heard people say that this lens was pretty sharp even wide open, but I had never seen any examples nor could a find a store that stocked it, so I bit the bullet and ordered it via the web. Man! Was I impressed!! This lens allows me to travel light and go un-noticed. With stealth I can move in, take the shot, and move out again. The speed of the lens also means I don't have to ask people to stand still for me, I can take their photo while they're doing their everyday things. Get this lens, you won't regret it.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

EF 16-35/2.8 EF 24-70/2.8

Image quality & speed

Expensive

It's short & sweet. Like this review! I do people & difficult situations & this is a very nice lens. I used to use a 28 1.8 for clubs & Jazz & crowds. this is equally as usefull but the quality is much superior.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

28 1.8 current cannon 1.8 is a bit "plasticky" so i don't use very much, but previous model was a nice lens.

Small, light, fast, sharp, versatile, quick focus

Expensive

Amazingly useful lens. Tack sharp, small, light, and handles low-light well. No distortion or vignetting with normal filters. I also have the 28-70L, a superb lens but literally twice as big and heavy as this one. The 35 1.4L handles most of the same shooting situations (you have to move around a bit), plus it's better at low-light. A great general-purpose lens. I leave it on one body at all times. If you have to take candids of individuals and small groups in a room full of people without flash, this is the one. If only it were a bit cheaper.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28 mm f2.8 prime, Canon 28-70 f2.8L

fast and sharp enough from f/1.4.

big, heavy, EXPENSIVE

If you shoot in low light situation very often, this is your choice.
The possible peoblem is, to some people, whether one stop faster is worth
the bucks.

... I often do candid shots at around/after sunset with ISO100~200 films,
and no other lens can beat this unless you prefer 24mm over 35mm.

I may want to add EF35/2 when I start to feel my bag is too heavy, though.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

EF28-70/2.8L, EF35/2 --- both were
candidates, went for the fastest.
Later I tried Pentax FA35/2AL, this is good for bucks; only if this were EF mount.

Fast, fast, fast. Razor sharp, with high edge definition Very good contrast. F1.4 and eos "L" finish. Autofocus very fast.

Expensive, heavy. However it balances very well on my eos 1V HS

Ok, this is a big, big, big and expensive, very expensive lens. Why does somebody spend around 1.700 US $ in a lens? Because this is one of the most wonderful lenses in the world and it makes beautiful photographs with high contrast and high optical quality.

Can you imagine a macro picture made with a 35 mm lens? with this lens you don't have to imagine: you can get it!. At f 1.4 and with a minimun focusing distance of 30 mm, you can get close enough to obtain macro photographs with a extraordinary "bokeh".

It's very sharp from wide open, so you can use it wide open! In many situations this lens speaks loud and clear: street photography, candid shots, without tripod at sunset...

Wonderful lens. For me this 35 mm lens covers the 90% of my pictures. So I was looking for a high quality lens, like this.

Similar Products Used:

eos 35 f2: less contrast and flare prone. Not very good wide open. Noisy autofocus. 28-70 2.8L: very heavy and expensive. Razor sharp.

Performance, build quality, smooth focusing feel

There's nothing weak about this lens.

This is an exceptional lens I bought for handheld, nighttime street photography and low-light, indoor photography with color filters. I also find it great for sunrises and sunsets.

In choosing between this and the 24mm f/1.4L, I chose this because it has no vignetting issues when using filters, and from what I have read, somewhat better performance.

At roughly 20 ounces, it's twice the weight as the 50mm f/1.4 USM but much lighter than the 30 ounces of the 28-70mm f/2.8L USM. I've carried it on an Elan 7E for hours in one hand and haven't found it a burden.

The construction is dense and the focusing ring feels far more smooth and precise than anything I've used outside of Canon's L line. It's ultra-fast and ultra-quiet. If you have experience with Canon's 50mm f/1.4 USM, images from this lens are about the same sharpness (which is extremely sharp) but seem to have a better overall color quality that I'm fairly sure has to do with the flourite glass and not just my imagination.

I rate it 4 stars for value because you can get the more useful 28-70mm f/2.8L USM for about the same price (or less). If you're undecided between a specialty lens like this and a more practical lens like the aforementioned zoom, be sensible and go for the zoom. Otherwise, I think this lens can satisfy anyone who knows how to get the most out of it, regardless of brand preference.

Customer Service

I don't know about Canon because I haven't had to use them, but B&H sold this as new and it was clearly a demo or a return (packaged incorrectly with some minor nicks on the filter threads.) To be fair, they charged the same as import for a USA warranty, but it's still misrepresentation. I've read of other similar experiences with purchases from B&H.

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I've owned various Canon lenses from cheap to top-of-the-line.

Excellent sharpness and great in low light situations. Very nice lens for weddings and other social events. worth the money...

None....

If you shoot a great deal of social events this the lens that you want....

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Canon F 2.0