Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM review

The Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM is the final word on EF-S mount macro lenses

Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM
(Image: © Canon)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Canon’s original EF-S 60mm Macro lens for APS-C format SLRs was discontinued a while ago, making the newer 35mm the last EF-S Macro lens standing. As a sign of the mirrorless times, this one is also being phased out but there’s still some stock around if you look hard enough, and it makes a good second-hand buy. With an effective focal length of 56mm in full-frame terms, and a usefully wide aperture rating of f/2.8, it also works well as a ‘standard’ prime for general shooting.

Pros

  • +

    Hybrid image stabilizer

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    Built-in LED light

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    Compact and lightweight

Cons

  • -

    Not weather-sealed

  • -

    No lens hood supplied

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    Mediocre narrow-aperture sharpness

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With an effective focal length of 56mm, the Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM is arguably a little short for macro photography but fits well with Canon’s APS-C format DSLRs, for which it’s designed. Extreme close-up shooting benefits from hybrid image stabilization and a built-in LED Macro Lite, which is useful for both stills and video capture.

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.