The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM is a type of lens that will appear to both full-frame and APC-C SLR users alike. When paired with a full-frame camera, it covers the expected wide-angled field of view. When attached to a crop-sensor camera, it still covers a pretty decent standard-angle field of view. It serves as a nice complement to have with the standard Canon kit lens, especially when low-light shooting is in order. It is an overall solid performer, but it is just shy of becoming highly recommended as there are rivals that can focus closer and is a bit stronger in terms of optical stabilization performance.
The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM is Great for Full-Frame and APS-C Use
For its design, the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM is a fairly compact lens. It has a height and depth of 2.5 x 3.1-inches, and weighs 11.8-ounces. It is able to support 67-millimeter front filters, and its lens barrel is made out of a touch composite plastic material. While still on the lens barrel, it has a textured finish. The manual focus ring, which is found just behind the front element, is covered entirely out of rubber.
You can find a window at the top of the barrel which allows you to set the focus distance. Since this is a prime lens, you will have to use your feet if you want to get closer to your subject. There are two toggle switches that are found on the left side of the lens. These switches are for changing the focus mode and to enable or disable the image stabilization.
Out of the box, you will get the lens but Canon did not include a lens hood for this particular unit. The EF 35mm f/2 IS USM has a minimal focusing distance of 9.5-inches, which is pretty typical for a 35-millimeter prime lens.
Pictures come out sharp, especially when paired with a high-end Canon camera like the Canon EOS 6D. Even though it is a wide-angle lens, distortion is not much of a concern. It shows 0.3-percent barrel distortion, which is not a big factor when looking at it for real-world use.
Even though the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM does perform admirably, there are some rivals that can do better such as the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD. Nonetheless, it is still a pretty strong lens to add to any photographer’s line of lens, especially those who are Canon-enthusiasts.