| Field-test of the Canon EF 28-90mm
f/4-5.6 USM zoom lens. Standard zoom lenses having focal lengths like 24-50mm, 24-85mm, 28-70mm, 28-80mm, 28-105mm, 35-70mm, 35-80mm and 35-105mm are nothing new these days. Canon has introduced a new lens in this category with the EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 USM zoom. There is also the non-USM version, the EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6, which utilizes a DC Motor and even more affordable. In this issue, only the USM version was tested. The 28-90mm focal lengths came from an idea that is used in the new Canon Prima Super 90 Wide AF compact camera, which utilized a built-in 28-90 zoom lens. Many people have thought this lens, when it was announced by Canon, was to have replaced the EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 IV and V lenses respectively. That wasn't to be. The two 28-80mm lenses will continue to be offered, especially in kit forms with the Canon EOS 300 (Rebel 2000), depending on the countries the camera is being sold in. The EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 USM will be offered as the standard zoom lens to be packaged with the new EOS 30/33 (Elan 7/7e) AF 35mm SLR cameras in kit form, again, depending on the respective countries where they are sold. The EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 USM is a lightweight (190 grams) and compact standard zoom lens. In fact, the whole lens is even lighter than a can of soda. It balances perfectly on any EOS camera it is mounted into. Its overall length is only slightly longer than the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM standard lens. However, this lens is more at home when it is used with most entry-level to mid-range EOS models than the pro series like the original EOS-1 and the EOS-1N/1N RS bodies.
Reason being that the said 1-series EOS cameras uses cross BASIS AF sensors, which are optimized for EF lenses with maximum apertures of f/2.8 or larger. The EOS-1 only has one central BASIS AF sensor, making autofocus with the EF 28-90mm zoom lens in low contrast and low light conditions a problem. With the EOS-1N/1N RS, you will have better luck using the other four non-BASIS AF sensors that are optimized for EF lenses having maximum apertures of f/5.6 or larger. Then again, these 1-series EOS are widely used by professional photographers, which means that very few of them will even consider investing in the EF 28-90mm zoom lens except for those occasions when they might be curious to try it out. And such an opportunity may present itself, like in photo trade shows or loaning one if the photographer's own L-series standard zoom lens encounters a problem during an assignment. << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 . |
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