Fast focussing Wide angle is more. Sharper (my film scanner still gave me a blur scan) Solidly built

Expensive. $$$ heavy, my tripod wouldnt hold it in vertical direction Not entirely dust proof.

I dont agree with the seal for dust. Dust got into mine in one week at the rear element. Its heavy. If you havnt seen it then its beyond your imagination. It certainly attract attention. I had every one staring at it and that frightened me cause I feared of being robbed. Its fast in focussing. I am not sure it this is a great portrait lens. Its sharp, dint have to adjust much of color or sharpness after scanning when compared to my 28-105. I still dont know for am amature like me needs one lens like this. I can work around by spending more time on some graphic software like photoshop. Personally I think this will be a great lens for digital guys. For film guys Ahhhh. Maybe for slides.

Similar Products Used:

canon 28-105mm usm

Only type of zoom ranging from wide to tele, combined with image quality and fast apperture. Very sharp, very good color reproduction, nice background blure!!!, AF fast enough for sports & action. Nice close up ability (even nicer with the EF 12 Extension Tube). Designed for digital - here you can see a huge diference to older lenses.

Big and heavy, barrel extends when zooming. Attracts attention

I had some doubt if it would be reasonble to buy such an expensive lens covering such an "ordinary" range. After only a few days this lens has become my standard. I only put the 16-35 or the 70-200 on if I really have to.

Customer Service

not needed for that lens

Similar Products Used:

EF 16-35. 28-105 (a nice lens, but once you have this one you won't be happy again), 70-200. 1.4/50, 100-400 and a lot of nikons

- Very sharp @ wide open aperture - Background blur is fantastic (for wide zoom)

- Weight - Price - Big size (attracting)

one of the best zoom lens for 35 mm / Digital SLR. No doubt to have & use it !

Customer Service

none

Similar Products Used:

- EF 17-40 mm f/2.8L (sold)

- Super sharp even wide open. - Amazing contrast. - Great colour saturation (nicely on the warm side). - Large constant aperture. - Very good close focusing distance. - Quick auto focusing even under low light situations. - No vignetting at 24mm even when a polarising filter is attached (Hoya Super HMC Pro1).

- Weight. - Attracts attention (especially when the lens hood is attached). - Slight pincushion distortion around the outside edges at 70mm. However, this will be less of a problem if you use a digital body with a sensor smaller than 24x36mm (such as the EOS 10D).

This is definitely one of the best standard zoom lenses currently available for the 35mm film format. I use Fuji Provia 100F and 400F slide film and this lens is capable of producing images with stunning quality. The only significant weakeness is the slight pincushion distortion.

Customer Service

Hopefully will not have to use them.

Similar Products Used:

EF 28-105USM 3.5-4.5, EF 28-135IS.

F 2.8 Canon "L" sharpness Value for the qualit 24MM wide

None

I had the 28-70L and do not think it was any better than this lens is. This lens works better with my digital cameara bodys and is a bit faster performer in A/F. Also it is tack sharp and good at F2.8 I also like the fact that the lens is seled so dust and stuff cant get in. Canon did a great job and I like the 4MM extra.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-70 L which is not any sharper.

sharp, quite and fast focus

size and weight

Purchased this lense 1 week after receiving my EOS 10D. This is outstanding lense. Tack sharp @2.8 and gets better in higher f-stops (as expected). This is my first l lense and im worried now that I am tainted and will not turn back

Great sharpness and contrast, no distortion.

Avoid mechanical shocks, DON'T DROP IT!

As the figure in full-face helmet and body armor rounded the red flag ahead of the rider on the blue course, I was glad to be using Canon's EF 24-70mm f/2.8L from just far enough away to avoid tire tracks on my forehead. I've used this lens on a Canon 1D for commercial work of people, industrial machinery, pet animals, temperate rain forest landscapes on Vancouver Island and pro mountain bike races. It performs admirably with high contrast, great sharpness and no detectable distortion on the 1D camera. (The 1D uses the center 77% of the lens coverage.) I've found the lens to be less robust than some of reviewers. The lens needed a $600 repair after falling off the camera onto asphalt. It took 4 months for parts to arrive from Japan and the repair estimate was revissd upwards twice. If you're used to Nikon D1H button locations, be careful switching to Canon! While the 24-70mm was in the shop, I used the EF 24-85mm instead. Not quite as sharp or undistorted, but a good stand-in.

Customer Service

Canon USA required 4 months for repair. Estimate revised upwards twice.

Similar Products Used:

Tamron 28-105mm f/2.8 ASP, Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, Leica Tri-Elmar 28mm-35mm-50mm f/4 ASPH

Contrast, sharpens, overall quality.

Heavy and expensive.

This is my favourite lens. Contrast is excellent. Really Sharp. I use it with a film camera (Eos 30) and negative film (Kodak PORTRA) I think it gives best result with short focal length (from 24 to 50mm ) because of a presence of a little image distortion after 50mm: not relevant if you take picture to people or landscape. Auto focus is very fast and silent. Close focus are very useful in many situation. In my opinion, same prime lens can be substituted by this zoom. Price is very high but built, material and image quality can justify it. Hood is very big and sometime fastidious (people reaction) but I suggests to use it in order to prevent occasional collision. Conclusion: buy it.

Similar Products Used:

EF28-135is

Sharp. Quick focusing. Good colour saturation. Great lens hood. Better sealing than most other lenses. Good clare control.

A bit flimsy compared to the 28-70L. First my lens hood mounting came loose, so i was shooting with a cock-eyed hood until I got it fixed. Then two weeks later a screw in the mount fell off so I must remember which way to twist the lens when I mount it- yep, I can twist it the wrong way ont to the body now. Very scary, and yet another trip to Canon service centre ;-(

I replaced my 28-70L with this. Image quality is better than my previous lens, which was already terrific. The extra 4mm at the wide end is extremely useful, reducing the need to switch lenses when using film bodies. The sealing is OK, however please don't assume no air is going to get in. It is a zoom and its internal capacity changes when you zoom, meaning it is going to still suck air in and out via the zoom ring. The sealing merely stops dust being pushed at the camera sensor or film plane.

Customer Service

Very good. However I am seeing them too frequently.

Similar Products Used:

Many

Tack sharp. Great contrast. Fast AF. Bright glass. And did I say tack sharp yet?

Heavy. Big. Expensive.

This is one heck of a lens. Tack sharp! Contrast is excellent. 24mm is a plus. Portrait shot is awesome at 70mm f2.8(bokeh is smooth). This is a great lens for everybody(if you can afford it). I have many primes and zooms.This is up there or better than most primes and better than any zoom I had ever used. I think I have found a new best friend(my others are 100usm macro+70-200f4). This is a heavy lens, big and expensive. But, I just think of it as five lens in one(24,28,35,50 &70). I think my collection is complete, for now. I will have to look for a third job to buy the 1ds to go with this amazing lens.

Customer Service

Never had problem yet(knock on wood).

Similar Products Used:

28f2.8,35f2,50f1.8both,80f1.8,100f2,100macro(both),28-70f3.5,28-70f2.8 & 70-200f4, nothing but Canon