Product Description

The L-series professional f/1.4 wide-angle lens comes with an aspherical lens element to correct aberrations. The floating system enables high picture quality to be obtained over the entire focusing range. Autofocusing is quick and quiet with rear focusing and ring USM. Full-time manual focusing is also possible.

Product Details

• Brand: Canon
• Model: 2512A002
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, 1.90 pounds

Features

• EF mount; wide-angle lens
• Inner focusing; floating system; aspherical lens; full-time manual focus
• 35mm focal length
• f/1.4 maximum aperture
• Ring-type UltraSonic Motor (USM)

Amazon.com Product Description
The Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L wide-angle lens is a terrific standard lens for casual photographers and photojournalists who value low-light capability and high performance. The lens--which hails from Canon's L series--is equipped with an aspherical lens element that helps correct aberrations and improve contrast and sharpness. The lens's floating focusing system, meanwhile, lets you enjoy sharp images throughout the entire focus range. Other details include a ring Ultra Sonic Motor (USM) that ensures quick and quiet autofocusing, a manual focusing option, and a 1-foot close focusing distance.

Specifications

• Focal length: 35mm
• Maximum aperture: f/1.4L
• Lens construction: 11 elements in 9 groups
• Angle of view: 63 degrees
• Focus adjustment: Rear focusing system with USM
• Closest focusing distance: 1 foot
• Filter size: 72mm
• Dimensions: 3.1 inches in diameter and 3.4 inches long
• Weight: 20.5 ounces
• Warranty: 1 year

From the Manufacturer
Long requested by professionals, it’s the standard lens for many photojournalists and others who value its low-light capability and performance. With the help of an Aspheric lens element, its contrast and sharpness are stunning, even wide-open at f/1.4. Solid construction, a powerful ring-type USM for smooth and fast AF, and fulltime manual focusing make this a great lens for film or digital shooters.

Wide and Fast
If you need an ultra-wide angle and a large aperture, one of the following lenses will fit the bill. Ultra-wide-angle lenses can capture scenes beyond your natural field of vision. The EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye, the widest of them all, has a 180° angle of view. For more normal-looking wide-angle shots, there are longer wide-angle lenses up to 35mm with the maximum aperture you need.

Customer Reviews

Razor sharp and fast, but shows light falloff.
I am going start by saying that I rate this lens as five stars _except_ for vignetting on full frame digital sensors at wide open apertures. I use this lens as my standard lens on a 5d. I find this angle of view to be perfect for general all around photography where I will "step in" to the subject to get the shot. This lens requires more interaction with the subject, but I think it results in more dynamic pictures. This lens is razor sharp, visibly sharper than my mainstay 24-70 f2.8 L zoom. On the 5d, I can shoot at f1.4 ISO 400 indoors without a flash which is pretty cool.

Now the downside. All wide angles at wide open aperture have light falloff and even this lens demonstrates this tendency. You may not even notice this on many shots, but under some conditions it is very obvious and this condition is more noticeable on digital than film. You can fix this using the distortion filter in PhotoshopCS. If you shoot at f4 or better, the light falloff is not noticeable even under the worse of conditions. The falloff is not visible when you use this lens on an APS digital sensor like the 20d where it has a "normal" angle of view.

L primes rule!
It is as expensive as a 24-70L, and costs 4 times more than a 35/2. It is fixed length and "only" 2 stops faster. It is not noticably sharper at f4 and higher.

But I find I fall in love with it. I used a 85/1.8 and 135/2L for portrait. I also have a 24-70L, 50/1.8II and a 18-55 kit lens. But I found that I need a wide and FAST lens to shoot my kid/baby. I prefer to shoot with natural indoor light. I read reviews and browsed pictures and decided that 35/1.4L is the one I need. Based on reviews and my experience with 50/1.8II, 35/2 is NOT usable untill you stop it to f4. That is too slow.

I made the right decision. At f/1.4 it is soft, but at f2.0, picture is pretty sharp. And most importantly, it maintains very good and natural color saturation which you won't get from Photoshop, as well good contrast ratio. It is not very shart at f2.0, but color and contrast make pictures beautiful. Set ISO200 and 1/40th shutter speed, I can shoot without flash at f2.0. Wider angle also means you can shoot in about 4~5 feet away so you can have eye contact with your kids or babies. You won't worry they are not looking at you/lens. This is priceless to me.

Originally I thought this would be a indoor lens as I have a 24-70L. But now I also find it is a very good outdoor portrait/landscape lens. It captures very good details and color for shadow area and takes very nice portrait pictures even with back light. After a trip with this lens, I decide to use 24-70L for indoor studio light shoot only (with flexible zoom/frame).

It is not a great anti-flare performer, but still better than most other lenses. Bokeh is very good with no sign of distraction at all. It may not be as beautiful as a 135/2L but much better than I expected.

It is expensive, but it is a prime L. I cannot say it worth more than a grand, but if you need a fast lens, with good color and saturation at wide open, wide angle and still with beautiful bokeh. It is the one for you. It also provides good shadow details with no sign of wash out. No need to say DOV control. If you have the money, I highly recommend this lens.

Body used: Canon Rebel.
Lenses used: 18-55mm, 24-70L, 50/1.8II, 85/1.8, 135/2L.

Cons:
Expensive. Cost as much as a 16-35L, a 24-70L or a 70-200/2.8L.
Back focus for 0.5 inch at f/1.4 with Rebel/300D boday but I can live with it.
Anti-flare is not the best.

Pros:
FAST with very usable f2.
Very shallow DOV.
Very beautiful bokeh.
Very good color saturation and good contrast even at wide open.
Good shadow detail with good color/contrast (good for back light).
Beautiful L color.
Fast focus speed as expected from a L lens with Ring USM.
L build quality.

Canon 35mm f/1.4L
The 35mm f/1.4L lens has slight back focus at the beginning so I sent it to Canon Factory Service for focus calibration. After that, the lens is just perfect! Sharpness, saturation, contrast are brilliant and in line with other Canon L-class prime lens. Even at f/1.4, image quality is far better than the 16-35mm at f/2.8. At f/2.8, image quality is way better than the 16-35mm at f/2.8. This lens is thus one of the legendary lens from Canon, besides the 85mm f/1.2L and 135mm f/2L. Even though I alredy have the 16-35mm f/2.8L, I'm very happy to purchase the 35mm f/1.4L.

Highly recommended lens, espcially for 1.6X crop body (such as 20D, 30D, 350D, 400D).

:)