Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM review

The Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM literally shines a light on close-up photography

Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM
(Image: © Canon)

Digital Camera World Verdict

This is Canon’s one and only dedicated EF-M macro lens for EOS M cameras, and it has a surprisingly short focal length, equivalent to shooting with a 45mm lens on a full-frame camera. Typical of EF-M lenses, it’s wonderfully compact and lightweight, tipping the scales at just 130g and featuring a retractable design to reduce stowage size. Even so, it gives a mighty 1.2x macro magnification factor and has a built-in LED light to illuminate the subject.

Pros

  • +

    1.2x ‘Super Macro’ mode

  • +

    Built-in LED light

  • +

    Hybrid image stabilization

Cons

  • -

    Very short macro working distance

  • -

    No lens hood supplied

  • -

    Lacks weather-seals

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The Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM fills a macro-sized hole in the range of native mount lenses for Canon’s APS-C format EOS M system cameras. With an effective focal length of 45mm in full-frame terms, it also works well as a ‘standard prime’ for general shooting, while also delivering full 1.0x macro magnification for extreme close-ups, boosted to 1.2x in Super Macro mode.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.