The Canon 28 135 IS USM lens is an mid to upper grade lens that can give quality photos at a very affordable price. One of the best features about this piece of equipment is that it has a great focal length range and it produces sharp images and IS. But if you want to road test it, it is still necessary that you consider some of its features so that you can be certain if it is the right fit for your needs.
When it comes to its performing, this product is pretty much in league with the other consumer zooms. However, when using the two-part extension of the plastic barrel, you should expect some slight play. You should also not be surprised if you discover that the focus and zoom rings are not that smooth.
The focus is pretty good as well as fairly fast. It can also vary without any noise as it utilizes a Ring Ultrasonic Motor AF. You can also control the focus ring so that it will not rotate during AF. You can do so if you will enable the Full Time manual or the FTM. Another great item to think about this is that you can also view some details about the focusing. The only problem is that the manual focus ring is very small and you might have a hard time in controlling it if you have large fingers or hands.
The Canon 28 135 IS USM lens can also control flares which vary from moderate to good. Specifically, it can control flares from 28mm to 135mm. This is very helpful especially when used outdoors during sun glare or midday light conditions
It also has a strong barrel distortion feature that can be noticed even at a 1.6x FOVCF body. On the other hand, the pincushion distortion effect is also good. It can go strong until it reaches 135mm. However, a balance can be reached between the distortion effects at 40mm.
As mentioned, the focal range is great up to 135mm. This can be very helpful if you want to have a wider field at a relatively short distance. But you should also know that this feature is rated depending on the infinity focus distance.
Furthermore, it also has a very impressive Image Stabilization feature which is very useful especially if your subject is not moving. This can be activated by just turning the IS switch on. Press the shutter and release half way.
The maximum magnification is rather low as it can only take about.195x at 135mm. Anyway, this is really not a big problem especially if your subject is medium-sized. You can also add some extension tubes so that you can shorten the closest focusing distance.
In general, the Canon 28 135 IS USM lens has a great focal length and impressive images and Image Stabilization (IS). With a very affordable selling price, this is certainly good for enthusiasts and part-time pros alike.