Anyone reccommend or have experience with the 35mm F/2.0 IS USM?

I'm currently on a 5D3 w/ 50mm 1.4, so the lens is my bottleneck at this point. I find myself often stepping farther back than i'd like to so I am thinking about purchasing a 35mm lens - i've used the 35L a lot before and just love it's performance but no so much it's price or weight. I am shooting landscape, portraits, doing some photojournalism (so 35mm is a lovely classic for me) and occasionally video.

I have read reviews saying the new 35mm f/2.0, while slower than the L, performs almost identical (except for center sharpness, build quality and color differences). Mainly, I am wondering how the autofocus on this thing is and how it may compare to a 50mm 1.4's pretty lackluster AF (though on the mark iii its superb) and if you guys think it would be worth the [Slight] upgrade. I lose a stop of light, but usually shoot at 2.0-2.8 anyway. Perhaps the IS will allow me to get a stop slower shutter speed to compensate?

Edit: also before anyone recommends the Sigma, id just prefer not to for now, thanks guys.

Get the 35mm 2.0 IS.. Seems like just the ticket.. I am thinking about it too..
but it might make my 16-35 redundant

Heya,

Autofocus is very fast. It's sharp wide open at F2. The IS performs wonderfully, 4 stops of coverage, the thing can operate in low light very well (I can hand hold for a 2 second exposure with it for example, real world). Build is very good. I went with the 35 F2 IS over the Sigmas, after having the Sigma, because I was just tired of dealing with the autofocus issues and calibrated with the dock and all that, and just got fed up having to do that with a lens that cost that much. Love the 35 F2 IS though. Nails it every time. It's my every day lens at this point.

Very best,

Great lens! Have you checked out the image thread?

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1264523

I have the EF28 IS USM.
As far as I know the newer IS versions of the 24, 28, and 35 lenses all have the same build.

The 28 is superb.
Fast AF, no hunting in low light, superb IQ from wide open.

PH68 wrote in post #16672052
I have the EF28 IS USM.
As far as I know the newer IS versions of the 24, 28, and 35 lenses all have the same build.

The 28 is superb.
Fast AF, no hunting in low light, superb IQ from wide open.

There is a 28mil IS.. ohh, I didn't know that.. MUST google for price

Around 400 british pounds. But its 2.8..
A prime has to be at least 1.8 unless its the 35 mil..

Thanks for the responses guys

I bought a 6D because I liked the EF 35 f/2 IS USM so much. Sharp wide open, IS, perfect focal length for FF, fast & accurate focus. At $849 I wasn't interested. I got if for $499 on sale at BB. "I call that a bargain. The best I ever had." Thanks to Pete Townshend.

Nick_Reading.UK wrote in post #16672133
There is a 28mil IS.. ohh, I didn't know that.. MUST google for price

Yes it's just over £400, a bit cheaper than the 24 or 35 versions.
Yes it's only f/2.8, but I'm more than happy with it.

Another advantage is the lens hood from the older version actually fits it too...

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I use or used the 35F2, 35F2IS, and Canon 50F1.4 on crop bodies. The older 35 has accurate AF, but it is a bit slower than the 50. all of these lenses are sharp at F2. On full frame, the reviews have the 35F2IS sharper in the corners. I was never unhappy with the older 35, and used it at F2. Corners were sharp stopped down, but I use crop bodies. The older lens has soft corners when you are shooting test photos of brick walls at the minimal distances, but I didn't buy the older 35 for copy work. It sits on a shelf now as backup.
However, the newer lens with IS has a number of advantages:
AF is faster than the other lenses.
It is very flare resistant. The older version was not resistant to flare and required the hood to reduce flare. You don't want to shoot into the sun with those older lens coatings on the 35F2.
The newer lens has better out of focus background blur.

In terms of FF speed, I would rank the lenses as 35IS>50F1.4>35F2
Contrast is good on both 35s, as long as you are not shooting into the sun for the older one.
If you want faster AF, then get the newer lens. The AF is great. I use the hood on it for protection, not flare reduction.