Product ReviewsCanon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM Lens

Most affordable wide angle Lens in the market

The lens history is that it was developed for production in 1993 for SLR’s. It was noted to be popular lens in its heyday but is discontinued. There are still parts available to fix the les if required. However Canon’s continual approach for upward compatibility made it a good lens for DSLR as well. I bought this lens because I wanted a day-to-day type of lens. I found that this lens does fit my Canon EOS T2i (550D) like a charm in the APS-C format. Actually it would work better on a full 35 mm frame format since it was designed to meet that format. However, this lens will fit both EFS and EF DSLR cameras in all formats.
The lens uses the old school ring-type USM which focuses fast and quietly. This is a better USM than most modern type USM. The build quality is very decent encased in Metal and some good plastic making it highly more durable but not as good as the L lens. It feels light but solid like a L type lens – 12 oz (340g). The optical construction is made of 12 elements in 11 groups without any special elements. Its aperture mechanism features just 5 aperture blades so a pleasing bokeh was probably not on the design priority list nor is it really needed for the majority of applications of such a lens. Since this lens is no longer in production, you can only find these lenses in the used market arena in which I found mine. The pictures are nice and clear. I am very pleased with the pictures produced.
Initially I used a Zeiko or Bower UV filter, the pictures were good but when I changed them to the Hoya Super HMC UV 90) filter, the pictures were much better. You pay for what you get. Great filters do make a lot of difference. The front element does not rotate so using a polarizer remains easily possible. The rubberized zoom control ring operates pretty smooth and reasonably well damped. I have taken many pictures so far with this lens and all the pictures turned out in good quality provided your white balance and exposures are set correctly to the environment you are in. You will find some vignetting as you zoom and have your apertures open wide like most wide angle lens but this is hardly noticeable. The lens are huge though, a whopping 77mm size.
I have used this lens mainly in doors and love this lens better than my EFS 18-135mm lens. The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens performs reasonably well when compared to the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens or the Canon EF 17-40mm L USM Lens. I find it great for group portraits as well as couple portraits. It is also does well for single portraits. This lens has a limited zoom range but it would have been better to have the zoom up to 55mm at least but whose complaining. I find the clarity is slightly better on this than the EFS 18-135mm lens. In the market for a good set of this quality lens will normally sell for $150 to $250. May be a bit pricey for an old school type lens but worth the price. This USM Lens is a decent value in a short focal length range wide angle zoom lens. It is very difficult to find a negative verdict on this lens and performs well according to its classification. The lens is capable to deliver a very high resolution which surely originates in the rather conservative zoom ratio. For the price paid, you will not regret it and will have lots of fun with it.Read full review...

Most affordable wide angle Lens in the market

The lens history is that it was developed for production in 1993 for SLR’s. It was noted to be popular lens in its heyday but is discontinued. There are still parts available to fix the les if required. However Canon’s continual approach for upward compatibility made it a good lens for DSLR as well. I bought this lens because I wanted a day-to-day type of lens. I found that this lens does fit my Canon EOS T2i (550D) like a charm in the APS-C format. Actually it would work better on a full 35 mm frame format since it was designed to meet that format. However, this lens will fit both EFS and EF DSLR cameras in all formats.
The lens uses the old school ring-type USM which focuses fast and quietly. This is a better USM than most modern type USM. The build quality is very decent encased in Metal and some good plastic making it highly more durable but not as good as the L lens. It feels light but solid like a L type lens – 12 oz (340g). The optical construction is made of 12 elements in 11 groups without any special elements. Its aperture mechanism features just 5 aperture blades so a pleasing bokeh was probably not on the design priority list nor is it really needed for the majority of applications of such a lens. Since this lens is no longer in production, you can only find these lenses in the used market arena in which I found mine. The pictures are nice and clear. I am very pleased with the pictures produced.
Initially I used a Zeiko or Bower UV filter, the pictures were good but when I changed them to the Hoya Super HMC UV 90) filter, the pictures were much better. You pay for what you get. Great filters do make a lot of difference. The front element does not rotate so using a polarizer remains easily possible. The rubberized zoom control ring operates pretty smooth and reasonably well damped. I have taken many pictures so far with this lens and all the pictures turned out in good quality provided your white balance and exposures are set correctly to the environment you are in. You will find some vignetting as you zoom and have your apertures open wide like most wide angle lens but this is hardly noticeable. The lens are huge though, a whopping 77mm size.
I have used this lens mainly in doors and love this lens better than my EFS 18-135mm lens. The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens performs reasonably well when compared to the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens or the Canon EF 17-40mm L USM Lens. I find it great for group portraits as well as couple portraits. It is also does well for single portraits. This lens has a limited zoom range but it would have been better to have the zoom up to 55mm at least but whose complaining. I find the clarity is slightly better on this than the EFS 18-135mm lens. In the market for a good set of this quality lens will normally sell for $150 to $250. May be a bit pricey for an old school type lens but worth the price. This USM Lens is a decent value in a short focal length range wide angle zoom lens. It is very difficult to find a negative verdict on this lens and performs well according to its classification. The lens is capable to deliver a very high resolution which surely originates in the rather conservative zoom ratio. For the price paid, you will not regret it and will have lots of fun with it.Read full review...

Canon 20-35mm f3.5/4.5

I needed a wide angle lens for my Full Frame Canon 5D and after owning the Canon 28-105mm f3.5/4.5 which I hold in very high esteem, I figured this would be a good match for travel. Like I expected the lens is compact and very light. It is not as sharp as any of my 'L' series lenses, or even as sharp as my canon 10-22mm Super wide angle lens, but sharp enough. Unfortunately I can't use the 10-22mm crop sensor lens on a full frame camera like my 5D.

Tweaking the in-camera sharpening by a couple of notches does help a bit an brings it up to par some what. So far I have no complaints, the USM is fast, quiet and reliable and the lens focuses about as fast in low light as my 28-105mm which is not blazing fast, but fast enough. The colors are good, but not as contrasty as other lenses I own such as the 50mm f1.8, but this is expected in a zoom. At the shorter focal lengths there is moderate to objectional distortion which improves as you move to the longer lengths. Wide open the lens is soft, but improves greately as you stop down. The only thing I don't like about this lens is the huge bulky hood, so I will probably replace it with a collapsible. I recomend this lens for people who want a compact, light and reliable lens for casual use, or for travel.

Sales experience: Shipping was fast, moderate in price and the item was described accurately.Read full review...

Canon 20-35mm f3.5/4.5

I needed a wide angle lens for my Full Frame Canon 5D and after owning the Canon 28-105mm f3.5/4.5 which I hold in very high esteem, I figured this would be a good match for travel. Like I expected the lens is compact and very light. It is not as sharp as any of my 'L' series lenses, or even as sharp as my canon 10-22mm Super wide angle lens, but sharp enough. Unfortunately I can't use the 10-22mm crop sensor lens on a full frame camera like my 5D.

Tweaking the in-camera sharpening by a couple of notches does help a bit an brings it up to par some what. So far I have no complaints, the USM is fast, quiet and reliable and the lens focuses about as fast in low light as my 28-105mm which is not blazing fast, but fast enough. The colors are good, but not as contrasty as other lenses I own such as the 50mm f1.8, but this is expected in a zoom. At the shorter focal lengths there is moderate to objectional distortion which improves as you move to the longer lengths. Wide open the lens is soft, but improves greately as you stop down. The only thing I don't like about this lens is the huge bulky hood, so I will probably replace it with a collapsible. I recomend this lens for people who want a compact, light and reliable lens for casual use, or for travel.

Sales experience: Shipping was fast, moderate in price and the item was described accurately.Read full review...

The Best "AFFORDABLE" alternative to the EF 17-40mm "L"

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is a compact Ultra-Wide to Wide Angle zoom, ideal for travel, landscapes, group portraits, artistic shots, adventure photography and much more.

This is an affordable alternative to the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 "L" professional lens. Unlike the 17-40 L, this one can be used with your camera's built-in flash. The "L" lens causes an annoying shadow in your pictures, unless you use an auxiliary flash. It can't quite match the "L", but for about half the price it comes incredibly close!

This lens is threaded for 77mm filters and accessories. It has the HEAVY DUTY STAINLESS STEEL METAL LENS MOUNT that professionals demand and amateurs really appreciate.

This beauty features a true super-wide angle range, with an angle of view of 94° to 63°. It has a very useful close minimum focus distance of only 13.2 inches. There are 12 lens elements in 11 groups, the rear group performs all focusing functions. This lens is a pleasure to carry around, it weighs just 12 ounces and is only 2.7 inches long.

This lens employs Canon's "top-of-the-line" ultra fast and quiet Ring Type Ultrasonic Auto-Focus design, just like the "L" models. Manual focusing and zooming are performed buy two easy to grip rings that are well positioned for fast adjustments. Auto or Manual focusing is selected by an "AF-M" switch, which is conveniently located to make switching very fast and easy.

THIS IS AN FTM LENS, which stands for "Full-Time Manual" focus. This allows you to make focus adjustments WHILE THE AF SYSTEM IS ENGAGED! This is a very useful feature that I use all the time. The front lens group does not rotate while focusing or zooming, making it very convenient to use polarizing and special effects filters. The rear element "Internal Focus" design means that the lens does not change in length during zooming or focusing. These professional grade features insure that focusing will always be lightning fast, very precise and dead silent.

Image quality is really good! Sharpness and contrast are very impressive throughout the zoom range. Flare is extremely very well controlled, thanks to an ingenious "Flare Cutting Diaphragm". That feature makes it an excellent choice for sunrise and sunset photography.

Distortion is well controlled past about 25mm or so. In this regard, I think the EF 20-35mm USM is as good as the EF 17-40mm L. Distortion looks even better controlled in many shots that I have taken with the EF 20-35mm USM! Pictures produced through this lens are quite sharp with good contrast and are very rich in color saturation. Some reviewers have even used phrases like "three dimensional" and "vibrant" to describe the images that it produces.

On EOS "Full Frame" cameras, it is wonderful for interior photography. This is an ideal "group portrait" lens. It's great for everything from interiors to landscapes and scenic nature photography. This lens can be used to create some of the most artistic wide angle images you have ever seen. On my Elan 7e it produced some very interesting pictures with a uniquely artistic perspective.

When it is used on a Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 20D, 30D or 40D the "FOV" is equivalent to a 32-55mm zoom lens, due to the 1.6 X "crop factor". That makes it more of a "Wide to Normal Zoom" on these cameras. If you are looking for an affordable, high quality normal zoom lens to use with your Digital EOS camera, THIS IS THE PERFECT "COST EFFECTIVE" ALTERNATIVE to the $700.00 "L" lens.

Copyright © 2006Read full review...

Extremely good value

The only down side for this lens is the slow max aperture at the 35mm focal length, but that's what helps you save so many coins so that's the trade off. It's sharp and has good color saturation, minimal distortion. It's good for candids and street photography as well and landscapes. Sharpness is actually on par with many of the wide angle L zooms. It's quite impressive for the price, and how overlooked this lens is.Read full review...

Verified purchase: No

Ultra Wide Angle

It is an excelent lens for specific effects and occasions. I like the lens' zoom speed and quietness. It has a metal mount, which will last and it feels solid to the hand, even if it is only 12 ounces or so. On 20mm it reaches things beyond what you would have expected. On 35mm it becomes a more or less normal lens. But it becomes a little slow, f/4.5. On f/3.5 it is sharp as a tack. Overall I love the chromatic aberration that this lens produces at 20mm. It brings a nice effect to my pictures. Even so, this distortion is not that present, so it's subtleness is what catches my eye. (These mm's are for a full frame camera; 35mm or digital full frame.) I got this little piece of gold on $200 on ebay and I think it was completely worth it.
JLRead full review...

The Best "AFFORDABLE" alternative to the EF 17-40mm "L"

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is a compact Ultra-Wide to Wide Angle zoom, ideal for travel, landscapes, group portraits, artistic shots, adventure photography and much more.

This is an affordable alternative to the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 "L" professional lens. Unlike the 17-40 L, this one can be used with your camera's built-in flash. The "L" lens causes an annoying shadow in your pictures, unless you use an auxiliary flash. It can't quite match the "L", but for about half the price it comes incredibly close!

This lens is threaded for 77mm filters and accessories. It has the HEAVY DUTY STAINLESS STEEL METAL LENS MOUNT that professionals demand and amateurs really appreciate.

This beauty features a true super-wide angle range, with an angle of view of 94° to 63°. It has a very useful close minimum focus distance of only 13.2 inches. There are 12 lens elements in 11 groups, the rear group performs all focusing functions. This lens is a pleasure to carry around, it weighs just 12 ounces and is only 2.7 inches long.

This lens employs Canon's "top-of-the-line" ultra fast and quiet Ring Type Ultrasonic Auto-Focus design, just like the "L" models. Manual focusing and zooming are performed buy two easy to grip rings that are well positioned for fast adjustments. Auto or Manual focusing is selected by an "AF-M" switch, which is conveniently located to make switching very fast and easy.

THIS IS AN FTM LENS, which stands for "Full-Time Manual" focus. This allows you to make focus adjustments WHILE THE AF SYSTEM IS ENGAGED! This is a very useful feature that I use all the time. The front lens group does not rotate while focusing or zooming, making it very convenient to use polarizing and special effects filters. The rear element "Internal Focus" design means that the lens does not change in length during zooming or focusing. These professional grade features insure that focusing will always be lightning fast, very precise and dead silent.

Image quality is really good! Sharpness and contrast are very impressive throughout the zoom range. Flare is extremely very well controlled, thanks to an ingenious "Flare Cutting Diaphragm". That feature makes it an excellent choice for sunrise and sunset photography.

Distortion is well controlled past about 25mm or so. In this regard, I think the EF 20-35mm USM is as good as the EF 17-40mm L. Distortion looks even better controlled in many shots that I have taken with the EF 20-35mm USM! Pictures produced through this lens are quite sharp with good contrast and are very rich in color saturation. Some reviewers have even used phrases like "three dimensional" and "vibrant" to describe the images that it produces.

On EOS "Full Frame" cameras, it is wonderful for interior photography. This is an ideal "group portrait" lens. It's great for everything from interiors to landscapes and scenic nature photography. This lens can be used to create some of the most artistic wide angle images you have ever seen. On my Elan 7e it produced some very interesting pictures with a uniquely artistic perspective.

When it is used on a Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 20D, 30D or 40D the "FOV" is equivalent to a 32-55mm zoom lens, due to the 1.6 X "crop factor". That makes it more of a "Wide to Normal Zoom" on these cameras. If you are looking for an affordable, high quality normal zoom lens to use with your Digital EOS camera, THIS IS THE PERFECT "COST EFFECTIVE" ALTERNATIVE to the $700.00 "L" lens.

Copyright © 2006Read full review...

Good lens for the cost

I purchased this lens about a month ago, It really produces good images, although you will get a shadow cast on the pictures when using the built in flash, so always make sure to use a shoe mount flash/studio lighting. I use the Canon 40D and also the Canon XT350, I would probably prefer the 10-22mm for a wide angle lens, although for the difference in cost it is well worth it. Make sure to also buy the pedal hood for it though!Read full review...

Good lens for the cost

I purchased this lens about a month ago, It really produces good images, although you will get a shadow cast on the pictures when using the built in flash, so always make sure to use a shoe mount flash/studio lighting. I use the Canon 40D and also the Canon XT350, I would probably prefer the 10-22mm for a wide angle lens, although for the difference in cost it is well worth it. Make sure to also buy the pedal hood for it though!Read full review...