The Bottom Line: The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is well-deserving of the L-Series designation. The lens performs incredibly well and the focal length is just right for APS-C cameras.
soupcraze's Full Review: Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Lens
Growing more as a photographer, I realized what I was missing was a fast prime lens. I at one point owned the Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II Lens, which is also known as the "Nifty Fifty." I purchased the lens way back since this is what most beginners purchased due to the low price point of around $85. I sold mine way back since I wasn't using it too often. I was still not used to the idea of using prime lenses. I thought that prime lenses were less flexible than zooms (they are in terms of focal length), and therefore didn't use it often.
As I understood more concepts relating to photography, I knew that I needed a prime lens. Why? One main reason was ambient light photography. As my skills grew, I was able to gain a greater appreciation for ambient light shots. A prime lens therefore gives a great benefit over a zoom due to the far larger aperture allowing light. There are also other benefits associated with primes such as good portraiture abilities as well as better overall sharpness.
The one difficult thing is finding the "right" focal length. Using Canon Digital Rebel XTi bodies exclusively (APS-C sensor). I wanted a lens that I can walk around with. Back in the day, 50mm lenses were considered the ideal walk around lens. Therefore, I wanted to get as close to this as possible (I also looked through my EXIF data and I was shooting this often). I found that something around 30mm is the ideal length due to the 1.6x magnification factor caused by the smaller sensor size (results in 56mm, which is close enough). I wanted an L-Series lens, and the one that fit the criteria was the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM lens. I also looked at the Canon EF 24mm F1.4L USM II and Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM lenses.
I am extremely satisfied with the overall performance of the lens. In order to get a better idea about the EF 35mm F1.4L USM lens, I have divided the review into two parts. The first part is intended for people unfamiliar with the SLR format, while the second is for seasoned photographers familiar with the format.
--For Beginners Only- So you're wondering what goes into the name of the lens... Here is every aspect of the name dissected for your convenience.
Canon - This lens is made by Canon. It is designed for Canon EOS cameras.
EF - This lens uses the Canon EF mount. There are two types of mounts available for lenses. The standard EF, which has been around since the 1980's, and the much newer EF-S mount. So what's the difference? If you have an EF-S lens that means you can only use it on an APS-C camera, which ranges from the Canon Digital Rebel bodies up to the current Canon EOS 50D. It will therefore work on the consumer and prosumer bodies, but not with a semi-professional camera like an EOS 5D or professional Canon EOS 1D body. An EF-S lens will also not work with any film bodies. However, luckily, since this is an EF mount lens, it will work on any Canon EOS auto-focus camera body, whether it is an APS-C camera, film camera, or professional body. You have the ultimate versatility with this lens, as well as room to grow in the future.
35mm - The focal length of this lens is 35mm. There is not much more than that. The 35mm, however, makes this a unique lens depending on what camera you use. If you are using this on a full-frame camera such as an EOS #D, this is considered to be a wide-angle lens. If you are using this on an APS-C body, such as an EOS ##D or EOS ###/#D (Digital Rebels), this will be considered a standard lens. If you go on the Canon website, you will find this listed under wide-angle lenses. I find this to be a superb focal length for my Digital Rebel XTi, since it is extremely close to being a true walk around lens. The field-of-view ends up looking just like what your eyes see, but only a little bit longer. On an APS-C camera, this lens works extremely well as an event lens as well as a portrait lens, which requires a close working distance. For some occasions, I prefer this lens over my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens, which serves as my primary lens. Otherwise, a zoom is still more flexible for other types of occasions, and is more versatile overall assuming you have a lot of light or are using a flash. I have never used this on a full-frame camera, so I cannot comment on that versatility. You should look at your EXIF data and determine if you frequently use this focal length. I am assuming this would work well for event photographers that want a bit of a wider perspective. Nevertheless, this is for you to decide.
So how do you know if this focal length is for you? If you find yourself using it a lot (on a zoom), then the lens would be a good fit. On an APS-C, this lens resembles fairly closely, what your eyes would see. Therefore, I think that's easy enough. Otherwise, check your EXIF data and determine if this is the length, you want. There are other lenses nearby such as the 24mm and 50mm, which can serve you well too. There is no right or wrong answer to this; it just depends on what you shoot.
F1.4 - What exactly does this number mean? This is the maximum aperture of the lens. The aperture is the part of the lens that lets in light. The lower the number gets, the more light it lets in. This is where the prime lens really shines, both figuratively and literally. Some people wonder, why would I spend an extra grand on the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM when 35mm is already covered by my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens? Well the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM does have some advantages, with its largest (literally), being its much larger aperture. So, how much more light does this lens let in versus a zoom with an f2.8 maximum aperture? The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is two stops faster than the fastest zooms, and therefore lets in four times as much light! This can save you in many situations where it would be extremely difficult to use a zoom lens. Therefore, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is a wonderful lens to use at events that have lower levels of light. What you must remember though is that when you are using the lens wide-open at f1.4 or close to it, you will be working with a very shallow depth-of-field. This means that dead on focus will be necessary. Therefore, you may want to take more than one photo, because it is extremely easy to not focus where you intended. This extremely wide aperture also makes the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM a superb portrait lens. Shooting wide-open or at a wide aperture, the lens produces phenomenal bokeh while isolating the subject. I was astonished that a wide-angle lens could perform so well at isolating the subject. Alongside its curved aperture blades, the bokeh produced is extremely smooth, as good as you can expect from a Canon professional lens. A 35mm focal length range does require a close working distance though. The lens is best used for half or full-body portraits.
These are not the only benefits of having such a wide aperture. Another benefit is combining this excellent light gathering with flash. For example, something that I have done was to set a very high shutter speed of around 1/200 or so while having the lens stopped down to f2.0. The results at f2.0 are sharp and by using this with flash, I can completely stop action. I'm not quite sure what other photographers would think or do, but if I am adamant about freezing a subject, then I can shoot at a higher shutter, speed while leaving the aperture stopped down about one stop or so. I am still an amateur so I am learning techniques as I go along. This technique (at f2.0) gathers twice as much light as a zoom lens wide-open at f2.8, which is as far as my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens will go. Therefore, it is quite evident that when it comes down to low-light abilities, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM will have a massive advantage over Canon's fastest zoom lenses with a maximum aperture of f2.8. How does the lens compare to other primes? F1.4 is fast! The Canon EF 50mm f1.2L USM is half a stop faster, but besides that, f1.4 is as fast as prime lenses come. So yes, one of the things that you're paying for is two extra stops versus a zoom, and if you appreciate ambient light and understand its true benefits, then you will find this to be worth it.
L - This is part of Canon's L-Series of lenses. This stands for "Luxury." It has the red ring around the barrel to show for it. What exactly does this mean? Not only does this mean that the lens is very expensive, but it also means that you are getting superior optics inside. You'll understand what I mean by superior optics when you see the resulting images that you have taken! The build quality of the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is very good. While some users complain that it is made of (tough) plastic, it is still built extremely solidly. This is also not the lightest lens due to the massive aperture, and the heft adds to the feeling of solidness. Despite some not liking the plastic body, the lens is built extremely well, and it can probably withstand quite a bit of abuse. Sadly, the lens is not weather-sealed, so I would not use it in harsh outdoor conditions.
USM - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM utilizes the USM focusing technology. This stands for "ultrasonic motor." There are two types of USM, micro- and ring-USM. The ring-USM is silent and extremely fast. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM has the highest-end ring-USM focus motor. This motor is great for a couple of reasons. First of all, you are able to focus without disturbing subjects around you. Secondly, it focuses nearly instantaneously. In decent levels of light, the focus is still extremely fast. The lens does not hunt unless light is extremely low. The ring-USM mechanism is faster than the USM that is in the 50mm lenses, which are not rear-focusing lenses. Therefore, if you were required to focus on your targets quickly, then you would definitely benefit from the ring-USM. When the lens is stopped down, focusing on subjects, whether far or close to the minimum focus distance (MFD) is no problem. When the lens is being shot wide-open, the margin for error becomes razor-thin due to the extremely shallow depth-of-field. This is problematic when the subject is extremely close. Therefore, you will have an out-of-focus subject, and this will not be the fault of the lens. This isn't as big of a deal when shooting a few feet away. My half and full-body portraits turn out incredibly well shooting at a distance. Overall, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM focuses extremely well and provides excellent result. All focusing is done using only the center focus point for my work.
-Lens Misconceptions- Here are some issues you or others may encounter.
1. My zoom lens covers this focal length range... So why would I want this lens? There's no benefit. Sure, there are some people that use only prime lenses, and some that use only zooms (I was one of those for a while). However, seriously, these lenses are not competitors; they are meant to complement each other. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM does things that my zoom simply cannot due to its ability to gather four times more light wide-open! If you never intend to shoot with ambient light and rely on flash, you may not want this lens unless you really want the better sharpness at f2.8 and higher. However, if you shoot ambient light or need to shoot portraits at a close working distance, then you would benefit from this lens. Many photographers use both primes and zooms, but you really need to appreciate primes to get the benefit out of them.
2. So let me twist this ring to get a better shot...? If you are out with a friend and want someone to take a picture of you, you will find that many people have no idea how to use an SLR camera. If they don't know how to take a picture with a zoom lens, then they are bound to mess this up even more with a prime. Since the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM utilizes full-time manual focusing, your image can be very screwed up when someone starts turning the focus ring thinking that it will zoom the lens. I have had to throw away shots because people had no idea how to use this. So beware if you're asking other people to take your picture, especially with a prime lens. So be sure to explain that this lens does not zoom before taking the picture!
--Beginner's Conclusion- A prime lens is a different kind of animal compared to a zoom lens. It's more versatile in terms of its light-gathering abilities, but it's also constrained since you're limited to a single focal length. This might be a difficult concept to grasp if you're just coming from a point-and-shoot camera. So before you splurge over $1k on the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM, I would recommend something like the Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II Lens which will help you figure out if a prime lens is something you would want. It is better to get something very cheap and realize you don't like it than be stuck with something extremely expensive.
As far as the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM goes, it is a superb lens. If you want to get a prime, then this is an excellent choice. The 35mm focal length works very comfortably with an APS-C camera since it gives you nearly the same field-of-view that you have looking through your eyes. Honestly, I wished that the lens was a bit closer to the 30mm mark, but you're not going to find any L-Series lens in that range. The Canon EF 24mm F1.4L USM II is too wide, but then of course there's the Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM lens which is around $400. 30mm is the closest that you will get to the 50mm walk around distance on an APS-C camera since due to the 1.6x magnification factor, will end up at 48mm. While I haven't used the lens, I have heard good things about it, but I would rather stick with Canon. However, the Sigma is a good choice to try, especially since you will be paying hundreds less! Well, back to focal length... I have learned to live with the fact that this lens is a wee bit longer than the 50mm equivalent on a full-frame camera by 6mm. However, hey that's okay. I still find the lens very comfortable to use. So give it a test run, and see what you think!
In terms of optical performance, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM does not fail to impress. It provides a good level of sharpness wide-open, and then becomes very sharp when stopped down one f-stop to f2.0. When comparing it to my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is sharper at all comparable apertures at f2.8 and beyond. Colors and contrast are excellent, just as you would expect from a top-of-the-line Canon lens. I have no problems cranking up the saturation in DXO Optics Pro.
You can also look at other prime lenses that are fairly close in focal length. The two that I looked at were the Canon EF 24mm F1.4L USM II and Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM. While I haven't used them, I will try to compare some aspects of them later on.
Nonetheless, if you are happy with using a prime lens and 35mm fits the range you want to use, then the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM will deliver excellent results that will meet or exceed your expectations. Of course for less money you can try the Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM or Canon's in-house competition from the Canon EF 35mm f2.0 lens. But you should try what you like best, and keep it. There is no right or wrong answer.
--FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS FAMILIAR WITH THE SLR FORMAT- The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is one of Canon's finest prime lenses. You may be confused at first as to which is the perfect focal length lens. As I have said before, the 35mm focal length works well with an APC-S camera since it works well to give you a near walk around length, where the lens will almost see what your eyes see. Along with that, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM will provide you with superb low-light gathering ability with its f1.4 maximum aperture combined with excellent quality optics.
Who this lens is for... The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM works very well for event photographers who need a fairly wide lens (wide-angle on full-frame and standard on APS-C) to use in low-light conditions. I found the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM to work well at events where I can freely walk around and put some distance between myself and the subjects. For example, this would work well for weddings, restaurants, and other places where there is enough room to roam around. I would never consider taking this lens to a nightclub since subjects are going to be dancing extremely close together in most situations, and such an event would require a wider lens. Also, at nightclubs, many photographers use the "dragging the shutter" method that involves stopping down the lens, so the wide aperture will not be required. I use this lens at events both with and without flash. For instance, a restaurant like Cheesecake Factory during the day is a great place to use the lens under ambient light conditions. At a small table, the subjects are situated in perfect range to take a photo. You can also get up and walk around to take pictures of people if they are sitting at a far end of a large table. The ambient lighting at Cheesecake Factory and other restaurants looks quite neat. I also use the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM extensively with flash. I sometimes prefer the prime lens over my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens since the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is sharper and has created some great results where people are amazed with the levels of sharpness. Be careful though, since the lens will bring out blemishes!!!
Aside from low-light work, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM works as an excellent portrait lens. The lens excels at taking half and full-body portraits. Shooting wide-open brings out the subject while creating dreamy bokeh. The aperture blades are curved, so that the bokeh will be extremely smooth. If you opt for the cheaper Canon EF 35mm f2.0 lens, bokeh will be harsher due to the non-rounded blades, which create jagged polygonal bokeh instead of perfectly round circles. I didn't notice this when I first started photography, but when you get the eye for it, you can really see the difference. I have used this lens for headshots, but I like the results from the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Lens better for this purpose. Otherwise, wide-open sharpness is very good.
This lens is not good for sports or wildlife due to its wider focal length. If you plan to use this for an event, I would recommend coupling it with a longer lens such as the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Lens for telephoto coverage. If you prefer to use solely primes, I would recommend the Canon EF 85mm F1.2L USM II that would give you good coverage. Otherwise, a party where you can freely walk around and have enough room to get subjects to pose, you can probably get by using solely the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM (based on my experiences with an APS-C camera). I have had no trouble getting great shots assuming I had room to roam and was able to get close to the subjects. The focal length works extremely well for an APS-C camera.
If you feel like you're going to be constrained due to the inability to zoom, don't get a prime lens. If you feel that you can sometimes get benefit from such a lens, couple it together with a lens that already covers the focal length, such as the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens or Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L USM Lens, because the prime does bring massive advantages when it comes to ambient light photography.
-PRICE- The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is by no means a cheap lens. However, it is actually quite a bit cheaper than some other popular prime lenses such as the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM or Canon EF 85mm F1.8L USM II which will cost you a few hundred higher. Then the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is a bargain compared to super telephoto lenses, which will run you in the thousands. Okay... So I just mentioned a few lenses that will run you more money, but they are actually different focal lengths. So can you really compare a 35mm lens to a 50mm? I don't know, I guess it depends on how flexible you are... I know that I was looking at it but then decided that it was too long for what I needed. Well anyway, sorry for the sidetrack there! In regards to the quality that you get with the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM, it is well worth the price. It is as fast as many of the finest prime lenses go. It doesn't quite reach the f1.2 mark, but you will pay more for those lenses, and in fact the bad things I heard about the Canon EF 50mm f1.2L USM has turned me away from it. Compared to lenses that are actually in the ~30mm range, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is significantly more expensive. It's around $1,000 more expensive than the Canon EF 35mm f2.0. Is it worth the price difference? Well, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM features ring-USM, high build-quality, and most importantly, it lets in twice as much light since f1.4 is one stop faster than f2.0. So if you're extremely serious about low-light ambient light photography, then you will definitely benefit from the wider aperture. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM goes head to head with the Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM. I haven't used the Sigma, but like other Sigma lenses, it does sport the same high-quality matte finish. It also has the blazingly fast f1.4 aperture as the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM as well as a fast ultrasonic motor (HSM equals hypersonic motor). The Sigma is considerably cheaper since it comes in for less than $400. Is the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM worth the extra few thousand? Well take the Sigma out for a test ride. I would be interested in doing that. I am sure the Sigma is a fine lens, but I decided to stick this one out with Canon, since I know what to expect from an L-Series lens, and this one didn't disappoint.
Interestingly, this lens has been on backorder for the past few months at all retailers I have looked at, and currently I'm seeing it at about $1,249. When it becomes available, I don't know if the price will change. I managed to purchase a used copy for just under $1,000 in pretty satisfactory condition. The $1,249, if you were to reserve a copy now, is a reasonable price to pay for what the lens offers. My copy looks like it's taken a bit of abuse (I saw it dates to late 2005) since it has scratches and dents, yet it works like a charm. There are no issues with this lens. Focus is always dead on, and I haven't experienced any mis-focused images or other issues. Image quality is always excellent as expected for such an expensive lens. For a reliable and admirable performer, I'd say it's definitely worth the price tag.
-BUILD QUALITY- The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is a solid built lens. The lens is built out of very strong high quality plastic. Some users complain about this, but I have no issues with this. The lens is also fairly heavy, which gives it a more solid feel. I baby my equipment, and if you do too, it will remain in excellent condition. Unfortunately, this lens is not weather-sealed. This really does not matter since it must be used with a weather-sealed body, such as an EOS 1D in order to be fully sealed. Since I'm using it with a Digital Rebel XTi, this does not matter.
The focus ring is large and rubberized. It moves very smoothly.
Overall, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is built solidly. Sure, it's not a weather-sealed magnesium tank like the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Lens, but it will definitely withstand abuse. My copy has scratches and dents, yet the thing still works great! Once again, two thumbs up for a well-built L-Series lens.
-FEATURES- The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM has some features that make it an excellent lens that you should be aware of.
*Fast Maximum Aperture - The main selling point of the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is the extremely bright f1.4 maximum aperture. This fast prime lens gathers four times (!) as much light as the fastest Canon zoom lenses available, which have a maximum aperture of f2.8. This is extremely helpful if you're into ambient light photography. This works extremely well indoors where light could be limited, or it works well outdoors at dusk or even at nighttime (with ample artificial lighting). You should be aware of the extremely shallow depth-of-field at such a wide aperture. This makes focusing precisely on close objects difficult, since only a small part of the image will be in focus. Thus, your technique must be dead on, and this does require a bit of skill. So in some sense, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM can be a more difficult lens to master. Though, when you do get everything in focus, the sharpness wide-open is reasonably good and definitely usable. The lens becomes very sharp when stopped down one f-stop to f2.0.
The large aperture also works wonders for portrait work. I really enjoy using this lens for half and a full-body portrait when light is limited. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM isolates the subject extremely well, and then the bokeh generated is superb. It is perfectly smooth, which is helped by the fact that the lens has eight curved aperture blades. Therefore, there will be no jagged polygons and instead perfect circles when you zoom in close. So if you are particularly concerned about the quality of the background blur, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM will not fail to deliver.
There are of course some downsides to having such a large aperture. The lens becomes larger and heavier. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is by no means a heavy or uncomfortable package. It is smaller than my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens and weighs somewhat similarly. I am used to using heavy lenses on my extremely light Digital Rebel XTi, so therefore I am comfortable with it. Of course, I don't know if other photographers would find this comfortable. I find the balance to be good overall, but the lens is still quite noticeable. It's a far cry from a setup using the "Nifty Fifty," where you hardly notice that there is a lens attached at all! But this is a small price to pay for the benefits that the huge aperture gets you.
*Ultrasonic Motor - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM utilizes the ring-USM focusing mechanism. This is lighting quick and entirely silent. I find the focus performance on this lens to be extremely accurate and reliable. The rear focusing ring-USM is actually faster than micro-USM, which is found on other lenses, such as the 50mm and 85mm primes. I find ring-USM to be crucial for event photography, where I can lock on a target extremely quickly, and then take the photo. With the "Nifty Fifty," it would (loudly) take some time to lock on. Under low-light conditions, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM still focuses very well and doesn't tend to hunt unless I am completely pushing the boundaries of what the f1.4 aperture is capable of. I appreciate having nearly instant focusing; otherwise, I feel that I would lose some potential photos. This is one of the reasons why I chose the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM over the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM, which front-focuses with slower auto focus.
*72mm Filter Thread - I was disappointed at first to realize that the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM accepts smaller filters than the ones I use on my zooms. Then later, I realized that 72mm is the thread used on prime lenses. So, if you are using mostly prime lenses, then this will be beneficial for you since you can share expensive filters, such as circular polarizers, with your other primes. Also, 72mm filters are a bit cheaper than 77mm, so that's nice. As you would expect, the front element on this lens does not rotate when focusing, so you can of course use a circular polarizer. I currently use a B+W 72mm Kaesemann circular polarizer with this lens. I also have a B+W 72mm MRC 010 UV filter permanently mounted to this lens for protection. I would highly recommend keeping a filter on at all times since it provides good protection. Remember, it is cheaper to replace a broken filter than a broken front-element.
*EW-78C Lens Hood - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM comes with the Canon EW-78C lens hood. The lens hood helps to reduce flare, and all of the authentic Canon hoods have a felt material on the inside of it, which helps to reduce the impact of stray light. My favorite thing about the hood is that it is a flower-petal shaped hood, which I have on all my lenses. It looks much nicer than the cup-shaped hoods on lenses such as the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM. The lens hood also provides additional protection in case you drop your camera. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM doesn't appear to have any significant flare issues, but I always use a hood nonetheless.
*Lens Pouch - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM comes with a nice pouch for carrying it. I like this since I keep the lens in the top compartment of my camera bag, and this helps to prevent it from getting scratched.
-IMAGE QUALITY- --The Good Stuff- The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM produces nothing short of excellent images. The lens is geared for professional photographers, and performs its duties as expected.
*Color Rendition - The color rendition is excellent, and very similar to that of my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens and Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Lens. I shoot all images in RAW and then post-process in DXO Optics Pro v4.5. I use the Fuji S5 color profile for realistic skin tone rendition, and it produces excellent results. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM works extremely well with this. The colors tend to be a bit more pop-out and exciting, and a lot of people love this. Overall, colors are extremely vibrant with this lens, as you would expect from such an expensive piece of glass.
*Sharpness - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is an extremely sharp. Wide-open, the lens is decently sharp, assuming everything is focused properly. When shooting portraits wide-open at a few feet away, the level of sharpness is extremely good. As the lens is stopped down, it becomes incredibly sharp. When using this lens stopped down beyond f2.8, it produced images that were sharper than my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens at all apertures. Prime lenses are generally sharper than zooms, and this is no exception. When using the "dragging the shutter" technique indoors (I generally shoot at f4.5), I often get comments as to how unbelievably sharp the pictures are! There are complaints though that the lens does bring out blemishes. Center sharpness is very good, and so are the edges. When shooting people, I am concerned with a sharp center, and the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM produces excellent results in this regard. Overall, this lens is extremely sharp. It has very good results when shot wide-open, and the results become increasingly sharp as the lens is stopped down.
*Bokeh - When I saw the bokeh on this lens, I could not believe my eyes... I was amazed that a lens with wide focal length of 35mm could isolate the subject so well, and create such smooth background blur. I use the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM extensively as a portrait lens, and it works extremely well in this department. As I have mentioned before in this review, this lens excels at half and full-body portraits. The bokeh produced by this lens is buttery smooth. This is helped by having rounded aperture blades, which create perfectly rounded circles. Bad bokeh is characterized by having sharper jagged edges, which results in little polygons. So if you are into portraiture work, you will benefit by having a lens that can produce such smooth bokeh. This is also a major advantage of using the L-Series 35mm versus the consumer-grade Canon EF 35mm f2.0 lens, which will create polygons. Other L-Series lenses with longer focal lengths and wider apertures such as the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM and Canon EF 85mm F1.2L USM II can create more diffuse bokeh due to compression as well as wider apertures. However, to use those lenses, you will need a longer working distance. When I want head shots or have a lot of room to work, I actually prefer to use the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Lens wide-open at 200mm, which creates phenomenal results. Otherwise, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM creates excellent background blur.
*Macro - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is not designated as a macro lens. However, it does have a very close minimum focusing distance of 12". This is extremely close compared to other lenses that I use. For macro photography, it is easier to use a longer focal length in order to generate a longer working distance. So this wouldn't be my first choice for a macro lens. Though, the wide-aperture would probably go well with extension tubes (since they create a loss of light) and allow you to have good results, though you will have to keep the lens extremely close to the subject due to the wide focal length range. If you are looking for macro photography, consider a dedicated macro lens with a longer focal length, or add extension tubes to a telephoto lens.
--The Bad Stuff- No lens is perfect, and the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is no exception.
*Chromatic Aberration (CA) - This is the fringing of colors. This is a defect. CA makes images seem softer due to the color fringing. I test for CA by shooting JPEG and then looking very closely in areas to spot it. I found that when shooting at wide-apertures, the lens was prone to some chromatic aberration. It was quite noticeable actually... Though, since I shoot in RAW format only, I am able to correct much of this during post-processing in DXO Optics Pro. If you are shooting JPEG exclusively, this will be more of an issue. Another form of chromatic aberration is called purple fringing, and this is the worst type. Luckily, there was no such CA when I tested this lens in JPEG format. If you are shooting JPEG, you can help alleviate this issue by stopping down, or just shooting in RAW format and then post-processing.
*Distortion - In order to test for distortion, I looked at the image before and after in DXO Optics Pro v4.5. There was hardly any change when applying distortion correction. Overall, it appears that the lens has minimal barrel distortion, to the point where it was not noticeable.
*Vignetting - Vignetting is light fall-off at the edges of the image. This is apparent when shooting with a wide-aperture. I didn't notice any vignetting with the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM while using it on an APS-C camera. There would be vignetting when using a full-frame camera. But for my purposes, I was quite satisfied.
*Lens Flare - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM appears to be resistant to flare, even with the lens hood off. I have shot a bit of an event without the hood on. And despite there being many different light sources, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM was quite resistant to flare. The included EW-78C lens hood also helps to reduce flare.
-COMPARISON TO OTHER LENSES- Here's a comparison of the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM versus other lenses. I have not used some of these personally, and I will note that as necessary.
--VS Zoom Lenses- *VS Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L USM - The Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L USM is a highly-regarded wide-angle zoom meant for full-frame cameras. The lens comes off a bit short on an APS-C... Nonetheless, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM overlaps the 16-35mm at the zoom's longest point. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM has a major advantage since it is two f-stops faster, allowing in four times more light. While I have not used the zoom, I have heard that the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is sharper overall from other sources online. Since the purpose of the zoom is to be a wide-angle, I do not feel that the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM acts as a replacement since it will only cover the zoom's longest point. Both lenses would complement each other well, assuming that you generally shoot at wider focal lengths on a full-frame camera.
*VS Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM - The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens is probably the best standard zoom that you can use on an APS-C camera. Right now, I am using the zoom in conjunction with my Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM. The prime is by no means a replacement lens. The zoom goes wider and goes longer. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM excels in gathering light where the bright aperture allows four times more light wide-open than the zoom wide-open. The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens does have 3-Stop Image Stabilization. This can help in moderate light when shooting inanimate objects. Though, the wide focal length of the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM combined with bright aperture and higher ISO allows you to easily shoot faster than 1/FOCAL LENGTH (So 1/40 to be safe...) in order to get sharp shots. If you really prefer to use prime lenses and can complement the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM with a longer prime such as a Canon EF 85mm F1.2L USM II or even a wider prime, then the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM can actually replace the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens since 35mm is a very comfortable focal length to walk around with on an APS-C camera. I prefer to complement both lenses though, using the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM when I need sharper images (with flash) or to use without flash under darker lighting conditions.
*Zooms Conclusion - I can talk for a while comparing the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM to other lenses. But the moral of the story is that this lens has a major advantage when it comes to gathering light and overall sharpness. Zooms are obviously more flexible in terms of focal length. For photographers like me, zoom lenses are an invaluable tool that I simply can't dump. Of course, there are some photographers that prefer to use prime, sometimes using more than one camera body. For those photographers, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM would make a good choice, especially for APS-C camera users since the 35mm focal length is so comfortable to walk around with.
--VS Prime Lenses- The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM has some direct competition in the ~30mm from cheaper lenses, and also can be considered against other L-Series primes if you are a bit flexible when it comes to focal length range.
*VS Canon EF 35mm f2.0 - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM competes directly against this consumer grade lens. While the consumer grade lens costs about a grand less, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM still has quite a few advantages. The most obvious difference is that the L-Series lens is one f-stop faster, which means that it gathers twice as much light. If you are very serious about low-light photography, this will bring you far greater benefit. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM also has ring-USM that focuses significantly faster. I am not sure about the image quality from the f2.0 variant, but am assuming that the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM has better overall performance.
*VS Sigma 30mm EX DC HSM - The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM goes up against the Sigma 30mm EX DC HSM. A lot of people like this lens, and I would have actually preferred the slightly wider 30mm focal length of the Sigma versus 35mm of the Canon. 30mm is the closest you will get on an APS-C to the traditional 50mm walk around focal length that photographers have used for years. The Sigma has the same fast aperture as the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM, which makes it a far more formidable competitor against the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM versus the consumer grade in-house competition. Like the Canon, the Sigma has an ultrasonic focusing mechanism, which is HSM (hypersonic motor). The Sigma features a high quality finish, which is far better than that of plastic Canon consumer grade lenses. The Sigma is also a significantly cheaper lens than the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM since it can be purchased for under $400. I have not used it, but it may be worth your while to purchase both and send back the one you don't like as much. For other people, saving hundreds of dollars may seal the deal in purchasing the Sigma lens.
*VS Canon EF 24mm F1.4L USM II - This is supposed to be a very good lens with similar performance to the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM. I opted for the 35mm since I felt more comfortable with the focal length. Another big selling factor was that a DXO module was available for the 35mm but not the 24mm. If you are more comfortable going wider, then the 24mm lens should be a very good choice.
*VS Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM - I previously used the "Nifty Fifty," and it wasn't until I used the 35mm and really started paying attention to my EXIF data when I realized that 50mm was too long for me on an APS-C camera. While this serves as the perfect walk around focal length on a full-frame camera, it proves too be a bit long for APS-C. This makes it a bit more uncomfortable to use in tighter events, where you can't attain a long working distance. Well, the 15mm focal length increase isn't too bad though, and in many situations can be dealt with, especially when using a second body with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens attached for wider applications. So for quite a while, I drooled over the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM lens, that looks phenomenal on paper, and was willing to go for a longer lens to gain the benefit of an f1.2 versus f1.4 aperture. So you might say to yourself, what is an extra 0.2 going to do? Well, the difference between f1.0 and f1.4 is a full f-stop. So even though the 0.2 seems like a tiny number, it amounts to 50% more light! So you know that the larger the aperture, the better (and more expensive) it is, especially for low-light applications. So I felt that sticking to the slightly longer focal length was a good compromise for gaining that extra 50% of light wide-open. I did a lot of research on the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM online from numerous websites, and was not impressed with what I read. I want to note that I have not personally used this lens, and am citing information I have found. I would like to give it a test run though, but I will have to wait until I can find a lens to try out. Anyway, I generally gained the impression that the lens, while being sharper at its widest-aperture than any other 50mm lens, has no sharpness advantage at the cheap "Nifty Fifty" at narrower apertures. This was not impressive. I also compared the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM against the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM at The Digital Picture (an excellent source for reviews!) on the ISO 12233 performance charts, and the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM smoked the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM in terms of sharpness and overall optical quality. Aside from this, I have also heard that the focus was off-center slightly and that the lens had back focusing issues when used close to the minimum focusing distance. I did not want to risk having missed shots by having the lens misfocus. I also do not want to adapt my technique in order to compensate for off-center focus. For such an expensive lens, such characteristics are unacceptable. I have heard this time after time in forums, but of course, don't take my word for it, try your own copy and see if you like it. But at $1,400, I am not going to play games. At this point, the table has turned completely in the favor of the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM. I would give up the half f-stop advantage for a lens with sharper optics, supposedly more reliable optics, a more comfortable focal length on APS-C, and a lower price. Please do not take my word for it on the Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM. There are happy owners that would not trade it for the world; I am just stating what I found out after doing a considerable amount of research on the lens.
-THE VERDICT- The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM has become a permanent part of my lens collection. The extremely wide f1.4 maximum aperture has given me excellent low-light opportunities that I did not have before with my f2.8 zoon lenses. When using the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM, I find the overall performance to be spectacular with incredible sharpness that outperforms my zoom at all comparable apertures. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is also an excellent portrait lens where it is perfect for half and full-body portraits. For most part, the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM has excellent overall optical quality. The lens has a good level of sharpness wide-open, and gradually becomes incredibly sharp as it is stopped down. The color and contrast are also excellent. The one downside to the optics is the chromatic aberration that is present at very wide apertures. If you are shooting RAW images, you can remedy this problem when post-processing.
The build quality of the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is extremely good in my opinion, but leaves a bit to be desired by some users. Some people do not like the tough plastic barrel. I do not mind this, and think it is extremely solid and capable of withstanding abuse. For EOS 1D users, the lens unfortunately weather sealed. All else aside, the overall build quality of the Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is what you'd expect from a Canon L-Series lens.
The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM stands strong against other Canon prime lenses. It is better than its consumer-grade competition. When it comes to other L-Series prime lenses, it becomes dependent on focal length. Is there really a point to comparing a lens of one focal length to another? Well, if you're flexible enough, the Canon EF 24mm F1.4L USM II and Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM can be options. I found the 24mm to be wider than what I wanted, and then based on my research of the 50mm, there seemed to be too many issues with the lens that made it less desirable. The only direct competition from another manufacturer is from Sigma with the Sigma 30mm EX DC HSM. Sigma offers many features, such as matching the bright aperture and ultrasonic motor. It ultimately comes down to if you like the Sigma's image quality better, or if you'd rather save a few hundred. I don't have experience with this lens, but would be interested in trying it.
The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM proves itself a very solid performer. It boasts great build quality alongside incredibly fine optics combined with great features like ring-USM. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is well deserving of the red ring that designates L-Series lenses. I am extremely satisfied with the performance and it has already captured many important photos and memories, which are priceless. The Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM is brilliant... Absolutely brilliant.
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