Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Review

January 17, 2013 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Sharpness

Sharpness at 35mm

The sharpness tests for this review were carried out using a real-world subject rather than a test chart. The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM lens was attached to a Canon EOS 6D body, which in turn was mounted on a sturdy tripod. Self-timer mode was activated. Slight tonal changes are due to slight changes in natural light during the session.

The full frameThe full frame at 35mm

Centre sharpness remains high through from f2.8 to f/11, with f/16 and f/22 being adversely affected by diffraction. The edges aren't nearly as sharp as the centre, with f/4-5.6 producing the sharpest results. The edge sharpness falls away quite quickly from f/8 onwards due to diffraction.

Aperture Centre Crop Edge Crop
f/2
f/2.8
f/4
f/5.6
f/8
f/11
f/16
f/22