Prime 35mm lens
Why is the 35mm Lens so Popular? Benefits & Uses
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You might be contemplating buying a 35mm lens as your first prime or simply looking for a more versatile addition to your kit – either way, it’s helpful to know what a 35mm lens is good for and why they’re so popular.
Words and Photography by Urth HQ
The 35mm lens is much-loved by many photographers. It’s a versatile piece of equipment that can be great for travel, street photography, film and more. This guide shines a light on the best use cases and multiple benefits of the 35mm camera lens, whether you’re an established photographer or a first-time buyer.
A Canon EOS 5D camera body connected to a
Why is the 35mm lens called a “standard lens”?
A 35mm lens is one of the most popular “standard” lenses used in film and photography, the other being the “nifty-fifty” 50mm lens. Standard lenses are popular choices between amateur and professional image makers as they are considered to be ideal focal lengths that aren’t too “zoomed in” or “zoomed out”. Shorter lenses are most often called wide angle lenses whilst longer lenses are typically called zoom lenses.
Many new photographers go for a 35mm f/2 lens as their first purchase after they’ve had time to experiment with their kit lens. 35mm as a focal length is quite versatile and generally produces a comfortably wide image with a pleasing field of view. There are plenty of vintage and modern options to suit various full frame and crop sensor camera bodies.
Why is the 35mm lens so popular?
One important aspect is the slightly wider than “normal” angle of view which results in more opportunities to include elements of the background along with your main focus to create images with more context and narrative. Paired with accessories, the creative boundaries are limitless. For inspiration, check out this beautifully visual article by James Caswell on how to experiment with an ND filter and a 35mm lens.
35mm lenses can often get closer than basic 50mm lenses, allowing more flexibility and freedom of movement overall. Larger sensors now make for easy crop-ins during post-production at a relatively negligible cost to overall clarity and image quality.
What is the 35mm lens good for?
Most people find the 35mm focal length to be particularly easy to use with a natural feel for framing and focus. It takes experts years to instantly recognize focal lengths used in shots on sight but chances are you’ve seen many photographs and scenes in films shot at the 35mm focal length given its ubiquitous appeal.
Aside from the familiar point-of-view, 35mm lenses (with the 35mm prime lens options in particular) make for versatile, portable and accessible workhorses with good low-light performance that suit a wide range of applications.
A DEEPER DEPTH OF FIELD
Focus is controlled by a lens’ focal length and aperture setting as well as the subject’s distance from the camera.
50mm lenses can often look “overly zoomed in” especially when used with a crop sensor camera, making for difficult situations indoors or in tight spaces. 35mm lenses can allow for closer focusing distances, and paired with the wider field of view, they provide a deeper depth of field overall.
Depth of field refers to a set distance between the closest and farthest objects in a photo that appears acceptably sharp. Focusing at 50mm lens to 10-feet at f/2.0 results in 17 inches of focus, whereas a 35mm lens focused 10-feet away at f/2.0 results in over 35 inches of focus, allowing you to get more of your subject sharp.
MORE VERSATILE
This versatile focal length is perfect for almost any situation, whether you’re out in nature capturing landscapes, exploring the city creating street photography or getting up close to your subject with portrait photography. The 35mm lens provides a wider field of view than a 50mm lens without nearly as much distortion as a 24mm lens. This allows 35mm lenses to perform as a wide angle lens when desired and also a standard lens if needed.
The 35mm lens’ versatility was recognized early on, and many earlier makes and models of analog cameras had fixed 35mm prime lenses. If you’re into old school bodies and film photography you might find our guide to the best lenses for recreating a film aesthetic using digital cameras useful.
COMPOSITION & BOKEH
The recognizable perspective allows for a very human, natural framing with enough separation to create intrigue in a photo without losing too much of the available context. If you decide to go for a 35mm prime lens over maybe a slower zoom lens you also get the benefit of shallow depths-of-field and generally nice bokeh. This may be more apparent on a crop sensor versus a full frame camera, but you will likely see the benefits either way!
Why choose a 35mm lens?
The nifty-fifty (A fast 50mm lens) is the tried-and-true option that most photographers will default to… But it doesn’t create amazing results for anything specific.
This can make for ‘predictable’ photos due to how common and accessible lenses are now, with second-hand Canon EF 50mm options sometimes coming in at less than the cost of a restaurant meal.
Whilst a bit more expensive, a 35mm lens on a full-frame body does pretty much anything a 50mm lens can do with some added benefits.
FIELD OF VIEW
Most 35mm lenses manage to address many of the distortion issues found in wider focal lengths while still capturing images with a shallow depth of field. Even though human vision is more technically aligned with a 50mm lens, a 35mm lens allows for a close-to but not exactly-like perspective. It’s an instantly relatable appeal with a great balance of focal point and context.
Shooting on a full frame or mirrorless camera will often allow for cropping in later on as well so there’s no need to worry about shooting too wide either!
OPTICAL ATTRIBUTES
The 35mm focal length isn’t wide enough to be overly problematic and most decent lenses will have been designed to correct any common aberrations. Many lenses produced in this focal length are also relatively quite fast, with most manufacturers producing f/1.4 and f/2.
0 options. Most camera bodies will have sensors that will allow you to get a lot of versatility from a 35mm lens while shooting and in retouching. Their apertures are fast enough to get shallow depths of field and adequate performance in low-light environments.
VALUE
There are 50mm lens options that are available for less than most 35mm prime lens options since they are generally simpler in terms of design. That said if you’re in the market for high-quality lenses you will probably get more out of a good 35mm than a cheap 50mm. Have a look at vintage or second-hand gear, you will likely find one that suits your budget and more often than not it will be well worth the cost.
EASE OF USE
The 35mm lenses on the market may not necessarily be the tiniest options out there but they often come quite close, although the size and weight do noticeably increase as you start looking around at faster lenses with wider apertures. That being said, these options are usually prime lenses which result in a lighter weight overall compared to big heavy professional zoom lenses.
Is the 35mm lens good for filmmaking?
35mm prime lenses are popular picks for filmmakers, often for many of the same reasons they are loved by photographers. The natural framing, great balance between the focal point and background separation and the overall versatility of the 35mm focal length are just some of the reasons why this lens is so great. If you’re looking to buy a 35mm lens for filmmaking you should check out our article on the 5 best cameras for filmmaking on a budget.
Photography lenses can be used either directly on some video camera bodies or otherwise adapted using speed rings, but video lenses are designed with key differences that make them even better suited for filming. Photography lenses can cause issues with constant refocusing and poor sound quality.
Why are 35mm lenses so expensive?
There are many options available on the market to fit most budgets, but high end glass direct from manufacturers will often cost more. That being said, this is true for all lenses in general.
They say you always get what you pay for and in this circumstance, it’s often worth the investment when it comes to optical equipment. Good quality lenses retain their value well and can last a lifetime, especially if you use a UV lens filter for protection.
Should I buy a 35mm camera lens?
35mm lenses are amongst the most popular out there, considered to be standard lenses with an ideal focal length that covers multiple applications. They’re accessible, easy to use and fun to shoot with which is why many photographers include them in their kit.
Whether you’re new to photography or just starting out, the 35mm lens is a great option that you should consider. Broaden your options even further and check out our range of reliable lens adapters so you can use pretty much any lens you want on your camera body.
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What is a 35mm Lens Good For? 4 Reasons You Need One
What is a 35mm lens good for
What does 35mm lens mean
There’s a lot of talk about what a “standard” lens is.
Most would argue that title belongs to the winner of the 35mm vs 50mm lens debate.
But, the term 35mm camera lens is meaningless to someone who knows nothing about cameras, so before we get too crazy, let’s cover some basics.
35mm Camera Lens Definition
What does 35mm lens mean?
A 35mm lens is a lens with a focal length of 35mm (millimeters). Focal length is the length from the optical center of the lens to the camera’s sensor, but that’s not super important to remember. What's important is what is a 35mm lens good for and what are the visual characteristics we often associate with it.
The 35mm is an extremely popular lens choice and a crucial tool for any photographer/cinematographer.
Why 35mm?
- Semi-wide, but still a familiar, comfortable image
- One of the “standard” lenses used in film and photography
- Very versatile
For a complete breakdown of the various camera lenses out there, take a second to download our FREE Ebook: The Ultimate Guide to Camera Lenses.
When you have a grasp on the wide range of characteristics for each lens, you'll be better prepared to choose the right lens for the right shot.
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Let's look at some examples in context with other lenses. Here are a few visual cues to understand both focal length and the look of 35mm lens photography.
35mm lens photography
The shorter the focal length (the lower the mm), the wider the image. In the first example, the photographer is standing a fair distance from the house, but is more akin to photography.
If you want to know more about photography lenses, see where the 35mm camera lens ranks among the best lenses for portrait photography.
35mm lens photography
But with photos like the two above, it’s easy to see how this translates well to film! There is a naturalism to the imagery that eschews any stylistic attributes for more grounded and relatable portraits.
What is a 35mm lens good for
The 35 lens in film
It can take a pretty savvy eye to see a shot and know the focal length, but chances are… you’re used to seeing a 35mm prime lens in action.
The film Call Me By Your Name (2017) was shot entirely on a 35mm prime lens. Here is that film's director, Luca Guadagnino, and the co-writer and editor Walter Fasano discussing the decision to use a single lens in the film.
Why 35mm • Call Me By Your Name
In a story grounded in a relationship, it makes sense for the camera to feel invisible. Flashy lens choices and excess camera movement could take us out of the story at the core of the film.
Here’s a clip to see the lens in action during Call Me By Your Name.
35mm Lens Example
There are several shot types in the above clip. Wide shots, inserts shots, two-shots… all captured on a 35. All working seamlessly.
35mm prime lens
4 Reasons to use the 35mm lens
So you have an idea of what the 35mm lens looks like and understand that it’s a very common lens, but what are the main advantages of the 35mm?
Well, I’d say there are 4:
- Familiarity
- Versatility
- Portability
- Low-light performance
This video details these advantages and a whole lot more by testing the lens in the field, as well as providing some tips on using the 35mm.
What is a 35mm Lens Good For
You can see why this lens is such a valuable tool. However, the 35mm vs 50mm lens debate is another discussion.
What is the 35mm lens best for? .
1. Familiarity
It’s not the closest thing to the human eye, but it’s not far off. Most people give the 50mm that crown, but the anamorphic 40mm lens is also referred to as a “human lens.
”
Generally speaking, anything from 35mm — 50mm can be called a “Standard lens.” We’ve seen these lenses in so many films and photos, there is a comfortability built-in. It feels right.
What is a 35mm lens good for
2. Versatility
The 35mm lens is extremely versatile. The 35mm is a lens that allows you to capture many different types of camera shots and angles. It’s wide enough to capture background elements, but close enough to shoot more intimate shots like coverage and portraits.
Lenses with high mm levels (longer focal lengths) are for very specific uses. Often when far from your subject. Lenses with low mm levels (shorter focal lengths) help when you need an ultra-wide shot. These are nice luxuries to have but are by no means essential.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 35MM AND 50MM LENS?
3. Portability
Even though a smaller mm gives you a wider image… in terms of size, a smaller mm corresponds to a smaller lens. Remember mm = millimeters.
This makes a 35mm lens very easy to transport and great for travel photography or guerilla-style film shoots when you need to travel light and get shots quickly.
WHAT IS A 35MM LENS GOOD FOR
4. Good in low light
The 35mm lens has a relatively big aperture. A larger aperture allows more light into the camera, so when light is limited, it can maximize its potential.
This is HUGE. The sun sets at 5pm in the fall/winter months, and anyone who works production knows… extra time never hurts.
Lighting, especially outdoor lighting, can make or break any shot. It’s tremendously important and it’s nice to have every tool at your disposal to combat it.
Here’s some night footage on 35mm for reference.
What is the 35mm lens best for?
That footage is shot on a Nikon D750 camera (about $1500) and a 35mm 1.8 AF-S Lens (about $200).
I’ll let you be the judge, but that’s pretty good value to me.
35mm camera lens
Where to buy a 35mm lens
If I’ve sold you on this lens, maybe it’s time to crack open that checkbook! However, I’m sure you have more questions…
What’s the best 35mm for Sony? Canon? Nikon? Do you want a Carl Zeiss Lens? What’s a good starter lens? Cheap but still good?
What about an 18mm - 50mm variable lense? Here are my words of wisdom:
- Every camera is going to have a 35 lens option.
And ones at various price ranges. Know what you want to spend and read the reviews. - Buy a Prime Lens. Don’t buy a variable zoom. The variable zoom may seem tempting (especially financially) but any veteran cinematographer will tell you that you sacrifice image quality with variable lenses. Prime all the way, baby!
- If you’re filmmaking, buy a lens designed for video. The first prime lens I bought was extremely well-reviewed, I brought it out to shoot and the image was constantly refocusing and making a ticking sound. It was a photography lens. Double-check this.
The best sites to buy lenses are Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama. You can always check your local camera store or meet-swap but selection can be very limited.
Find a lens in your price range, do a little research, and don’t get too cheap. Remember, with a camera, the lens is just as important as the body.
UP NEXTDifferent types of lenses
The 35 lens is a great place to start, but if you wanna learn more about Lenses, better believe, we’ve got you covered.
Check out our go-to guide to all the photography and video lenses you can think of. We cover standard, wide-angle, long focus, fisheye, telephoto, macro, parfocal…. you name it.
Up Next: Different type of lenses →
Universal fix for everything: 35mm | Articles | Photo, video, optics
Many photographers want to have in their arsenal of equipment one convenient lens for everything, in order to sometimes go light, without a heavy backpack, or completely abandon all lenses in favor of some one. The first thing that comes to mind is some kind of general purpose zoom, like the Nikkor 24-120 f/4 or the Canon 24-105 f/4 L, the lenses cover all the usable range, from wide angle to telephoto, but they're big, heavy, and most of all most importantly, not luminous. There are, of course, traditional 24-70 f/2.8 reportage zooms, but they are often even heavier and, most importantly, more expensive. But what if you look in the direction of fixes?
Versatile zoom lenses look massive in any system
Non-zoom lenses are lighter, faster, sharper and cheaper.
But then we lose some universality. But is it really that important? After all, if we don’t have the ability to change the focal length on the go, we start to move away further, come closer, look for interesting angles, and think more about the composition of the frame. As a result, photos often turn out more interesting. Let's add here also a smaller depth of field due to the larger aperture. But which focal length is the most convenient? Here we come to what is written in the title of this article - 35mm.
A bit of history. The 35mm focal length is rooted in the early days of photography. This is one of the best lenses ever made, with a brilliant focal length that can be applied to any photograph. But where did the 35mm figure come from?
The era of these lenses began when cameras with traditional film type 135 - 35 mm wide came into use. The pioneer was the famous Leica in the late 1930s. It was with this film width that a lens with a focal length of 3.5 centimeters gave an angle of view of 63 degrees. This was wider than the then available "normal" lenses with a focal length of 50 mm and an angle of view of approximately 45 degrees. Since then wide-angle lenses with a focal length of 35 mm have become internationally recognized. Indeed, they are suitable for any genre of photography. For example, the entire World War II was captured by frontline photojournalists on narrow 35mm film with 35mm lenses.
So what was the reason for such a great popularity of "thirty-five" in those days? In what this article began with - with convenience, as well as a number of special properties. Let's start in order.
The optical design of a lens with this angle of view can be very compact and simple, and therefore cheap. For example, the Canon EF 35mm f/2 lens weighs just 155 grams and is just under six centimeters long. With such a light lens, the camera will take up very little space, and it will be convenient to walk around with it. And the Sony A7 camera with a 120-gram Zeiss Sonnar 35mm f/2.
8 lens will fit in any pocket.
Modern Canon 35mm lens with built-in image stabilization
Carl Zeiss fast lens for Sony A-series cameras Fujifilm x100s
Unlike the traditional fifty dollars, you can shoot not only portraits at 35mm, the angle is already enough for landscape photography, the lens is more convenient in street shooting, which is why one of the founders of street photography, the famous photographer Cartier-Bresson. Roughly speaking, the lens is in the middle ground between traditional 50mm portrait lenses and wide-angle lenses with already quite large perspective distortions.
The author of this article is also in love with this lens, and on his last trip to Canada, he never parted with his Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 lens, shooting the streets of Toronto, Quebec and Vancouver:
Another feature of the "thirty-five" optical scheme: all lenses have a very small minimum focusing distance - much less than on the same "fifty dollars".
And in combination with a high aperture, you can blur the background almost into “milk”, like on long-focus lenses, but with a more familiar perspective for the eyes:
But one of the nicest features is the very nice, deep perspective when shooting portraits. It is the entourage that allows you to show in the frame the atmosphere of events taking place around the person being filmed. A frame shot with such a lens creates a story that is much more interesting for the viewer to watch in its entirety in one frame than just to see a portrait limited by the frames of the frame.
When shooting at wide apertures, even a cinematic setting is created, separating the model from the background and at the same time leaving the details of this background readable.
Of course, this lens is not suitable for classic portrait shooting, distortion and distortion are too pronounced, especially when shooting close-up faces. But this advantage can also be used for good, for example, in reporting and in any genre where, in addition to the hero, the atmosphere around is important to you.
Now on the market 35mm lenses are available in absolutely every system and in several options - from compact models for travel, to massive fast lenses with apertures of f/1.4 and even f/1.2! And macro lenses, and with stabilization for shooting video. This fix occupies such a wide bottom.
In conclusion, I would like to ask you to definitely try shooting with such a focal length, if you have not tried it yet. Someone may not like it (you might think that 35mm is “neither fish nor fowl”, and as a wide-angle lens, it is not wide enough, and there is too much distortion for a portrait lens), but someone will fall in love, and will no longer remove the lens from the camera.
Overview of Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM and Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM
Wide Angle Lenses
After fifty dollars (lenses with a focal length of 50 mm), 35 mm medium wide-angle optical instruments have long been considered the most popular and common. Canon has always paid special attention to this type of optics, and its Canon 35mm f/1.
4L USM has long been considered one of the best for full-frame SLR cameras. He also has a "younger brother" with a smaller aperture and a more affordable price. We will talk about these two relatives today.
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | wide angle fixed lens | fixed wide-angle lens with optical stabilization |
| Announcement date | August 27, 2015 | November 6, 2012 |
| Manufacturer information | canon.ru/lenses/ef-35mm-f-1-4l-ii-usm-lens/ | canon.ru/lenses/ef-35mm-f-2-is-usm-lens/ |
| Price in Russia | Widget Yandex Market | Widget Yandex Market |
Contents
- Specifications
- Design
- Laboratory test
- Practical photography
- Results
Canon EF 35mm f/1.
4L II USM's ultra-fast "big brother" was announced later and costs three times as much, while Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM's smaller aperture is equipped with an optical stabilizer, which in standard shooting situations more than compensates for the lack of aperture. Let's take a closer look at the specifications.
Specifications
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| Bayonet | Canon EF | |
| Focal length | 35 mm | |
| Maximum aperture value | F1.4 | F2 |
| Minimum aperture value | F22 | |
| Number of aperture blades | 9 | 8 |
| Optical design | 14 elements in 11 groups | 10 elements in 8 groups |
| Minimum focusing distance | 0.28 m | 0.24 m |
| Viewing angle | 63° | |
| Maximum magnification | 0. 21× | 0.23× |
| Autofocus | internal | |
| Autofocus motor | ultrasonic motor (USM) | |
| Stabilization | no | optical (IS), up to 4 EV |
| Dust and moisture protection | yes | no |
| Filter thread | ∅72 mm | ∅67 mm |
| Dimensions (diameter and length) | ∅80/106 mm | ∅78/63 mm |
| Weight | 760 g | 335 g |
Why do we need aperture
Why do we need optical image stabilization, everyone understands. And when asked why a wide-angle lens needs ultra-high aperture, they usually answer: to photograph in low light conditions at faster shutter speeds, when objects are moving and “blur” needs to be avoided. This is very true, but not the whole truth.
An essential “appendage” is that only at a very high aperture a lens with a focal length of 35 mm can provide a sufficiently shallow depth of field and, accordingly, background blur adequate to the artistic concept.
Of course, when using such optics for their traditional purpose - for shooting landscapes and interiors - the depth of field should, on the contrary, be the greatest, so the aperture is covered up to F8-F11. And if we are talking about a reportage, multi-figure staged shooting or a group portrait? Then you should provide a wider coverage of the scene, so use a lens with a focal length of 35 mm, and not a typical "portrait lens" 75-90 mm. On the other hand, I want to blur the background more strongly so that, firstly, it “does not argue” with the plot center, and secondly, so that faces and figures move further away from it forward, towards the viewer, emphasizing the volume in the frame. To do this with a 35mm optical instrument, if it has a maximum aperture of F2.8 or even F2, is very difficult; ultra-high aperture in this case will not be replaced by either additional light or optical stabilizer - this is all for something else (to shorten shutter speeds), and we want to turn the side effect of ultra-high aperture into the main effect and use it.
However, this is not all - here is an addition.
Digital SLR cameras (CZKs) have been used to produce professional video products for a long time - let's recall the TV series House M.D., many seasons of which were filmed using the Canon EOS 5D mark II. Filmmakers will not let you lie: the lack of light is fatal for them. Therefore, it is usually hot on the set not only because of nervous tension: tens of kilowatts of electrical power turn huge spotlights into light and heat. After all, an adequate exposure can be provided either by a light source, or by a lens aperture, or by raising the ISO, because lengthening the equivalent of shutter speed in cinema and on video is a decrease in frame rate, which quickly reaches degrees when the movement on the video loses its smoothness, turns into ragged, reproducible by jerks. So, we have nothing to rely on the spotlight, we do not touch ISO and frame rate, what remains? - only luminosity.
We hope that our arguments have added clarity to the question of why every +1 EV provided by opening the aperture has to pay - sometimes just a lot, and sometimes a lot.
Construction
The workmanship of both lenses is very high. The Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM confirms its belonging to the line of professional optics (L) not only with greater aperture, weight, size and price, but also with guaranteed sealing (when using the corresponding Canon CZK models).
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM |
|---|---|
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| "Big brother" has only one switch - focus mode (automatic / manual), and the "younger" is also equipped with an optical stabilization system switch. | |
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Optical design: ASP (Aspherical) - aspherical elements; UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) - an element with ultra-low dispersion; SWC (Sub-Wavelength Coating) - subwavelength coating; BR (Blue spectrum Refractive) - an element with increased refraction for the blue part of the spectrum; IS is an element of the optical stabilization system. | |
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| Side view. Closer to the front lenses are rubberized manual focus control rings. Distance scale in feet (green) and meters (white). | |
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| Rear view. Bayonet fittings are carefully polished. In the "big brother" this provides adequate sealing to protect against penetration of dust and moisture into the chamber. | |
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| Front view. The Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM has a front lens seal. | |
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| MTF charts (manufacturer's data): black - F2, blue - F8; thick lines - 10 lines/mm, thin lines - 30 lines/mm; solid curves are for sagittal structures, dashed curves are for tangential ones. Overall, the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM's MTF pattern is less impressive. | |
The Canon EF 35mm f/1.
4L II USM has received a number of advances in optical technology. Firstly, this is a new antireflection coating SWC, which consists of nanoparticles smaller than the half-wavelength of visible light. They are supposed to filter spurious reflections more effectively.
SWC (Sub-Wavelength Coating)
fighting chromatic aberrations.
The effect of using BR-optics
"Younger brother" is deprived of all these innovations; it has only one aspherical element.
Laboratory test
Let's compare our wards in the course of "target shooting".
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM |
|---|---|
| Approval | |
| Frame center | |
| Frame edge | |
| Distortion, chromatic aberration | |
| Frame center | |
| Frame edge | |
| Resolution curves | |
Poster shots have traditionally been taken in RAW and developed using the latest Adobe profiles.
The profile for the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM is set up well, so there is virtually no chromatic aberration in the center of the frame. In the case of his "big brother" the situation is slightly worse, but the aberrations are still barely noticeable. All this cannot but rejoice, because sometimes profiles do not cope well enough with such defects without manual fine-tuning. The edge of the frame brings out the chromaticity more and thus makes the difference in lenses more noticeable: the EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM does not win here, despite the high-tech optics. However, in the "camera" JPEG, both "brothers" look quite good, although such a comparison is not entirely fair. Distortion is about the same for both, probably due to aspherical elements. At open apertures, both lenses exhibit noticeable vignetting, which greatly darkens the corners of the frame, and the light transmission estimate in both cases gives the same values within the measurement error. In terms of resolution, both lenses demonstrate high performance.
The EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM is very stable across most of the aperture range, with average resolution quite high both in the center of the frame and at the edge. The EF 35mm f/2 IS USM, however, is almost as good as the more expensive version: it is slightly less stable, loses a little on average in the center of the frame, but wins a little on the edge.
The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM is equipped with an Image Stabilizer that the manufacturer claims to be effective in four stops. Testing according to our method gives an efficiency estimate of 3⅓, which is quite close to the declared one.
Hands-on photography
We tested the lenses in the field with the Canon EOS 5D mark IV. In this case, the following parameters were used:
- aperture priority,
- center-weighted exposure meter,
- single-frame autofocus,
- center focus,
- automatic white balance (ABB).
Captured frames were saved to the media as uncompressed RAW files, which were subsequently converted to JPEG with minimal compression.
In situations with complex and mixed lighting, the white balance was adjusted manually. In some cases, in the interests of the composition, they resorted to cropping the frame.
The primary use of 35mm lenses is for landscape photography. Let's start with him. Below is a view of the Holy Bogolyubsky Mother of God-Nativity Monastery near Vladimir. The first pair of shots were taken by both of our subjects at F4, the second - at apertures up to F8. Equivalent ISO was ISO 100.
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| F4 | 1/1000 c | 1/1250 c |
| F8 | 1/200 c | 1/320 c |
We were unable to detect any difference between the lenses in terms of sharpness and detail. Frames taken with the "little sibling" appear underexposed by about ½ EV and colder in color tone.
Now let's take a "deep dig" in a comparative aspect.
We will try to identify what is happening in a wide aperture range and go to the reserved Bogolyubsky meadow, which is near Vladimir. Here almost 9A beautiful white church has been standing for 00 years, which has long been considered one of the symbols of Russia - this is the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. According to the Life of Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky, the Church of the Intercession was built in 1165 in memory of his dead son Izyaslav. It was repeatedly rebuilt (and generally miraculously survived), but even in the form that has come down to us, it is an undeniable perfection.
For each aperture value, here are four photographs: the first pair is the result of “developing” without correction using standard lens profiles, the second pair is using such profiles.
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| F2 | 1/3200 c, ISO 100 | 1/6400 c, ISO 100 |
| 1/3200 c, ISO 100, with profile | 1/6400 c, ISO 100, with profile | |
F2. 8 | 1/1600 s, ISO 100 | 1/3200 c, ISO 100 |
| 1/1600 s, ISO 100, with profile | 1/3200 c, ISO 100, with profile | |
| F4 | 1/800 s, ISO 100 | 1/1600 s, ISO 100 |
| 1/800 c, ISO 100, with profile | 1/1600 s, ISO 100, with profile | |
| F5.6 | 1/400 s, ISO 100 | 1/800 s, ISO 100 |
| 1/400 s, ISO 100, profile | 1/800 s, ISO 100, with profile | |
| F8 | 1/200 s, ISO 100 | 1/400 s, ISO 100 |
| 1/200 c, ISO 100, with profile | 1/400 s, ISO 100, with profile | |
| F11 | 1/100 s, ISO 100 | 1/200 s, ISO 100 |
| 1/100 s, ISO 100, with profile | 1/200 s, ISO 100, profile | |
| F16 | 1/60 c, ISO 100 | 1/100 s, ISO 100 |
| 1/60 c, ISO 100, with profile | 1/100 s, ISO 100, with profile | |
| F22 | 1/40 c, ISO 125 | 1/50 c, ISO 125 |
| 1/40 c, ISO 125, with profile | 1/50 c, ISO 125, with profile |
In all pairs of shots without profiles, underexposure again attracts attention, but not by half, but by a whole exposure step, which for some reason is allowed by automatics when working with the "little brother".
There is very noticeable vignetting (down to -2 EV) that both lenses show at maximum aperture. It persists down to F2.8 on the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM and down to F4 on the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM. The application of profiles during development in Adobe Camera RAW eliminates this drawback almost completely, and the allowed underexposure is either completely leveled, then reduced by half, or remains almost unchanged, and the degree of this correction does not depend on the initial aperture.
The specificity of ABB with a drift to warm colors in the "older" subject is retained. The sharpness in the center of the frames is almost the same for both lenses at all comparable aperture ratios. At the periphery of the frame, the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM is slightly less sharp wide open, but slightly outperforms the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM at F16-F22.
In order to deal less with vignetting, which, fortunately, is not badly corrected during post-processing, for the next series we specially chose a scene in which this very vignetting emphasizes (rather, even imitates) the specifics of lighting a harvested field near Suzdal near Kideksha, the former estate of the prince Yuri Dolgoruky.
Again, the first pairs of shots were obtained during “developing” without correction, and the second pairs were obtained with the application of the corresponding profiles. Equivalent ISO was ISO 100.
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| F1.4 | 1/4000 c | |
| 1/3200 c, with profile | ||
| F2 | 1/2000 c | 1/3200 c |
| 1/2000 c, with profile | 1/3200 c, with profile | |
| F2.8 | 1/1600 c | 1/1600 c |
| 1/1600 c, with profile | 1/1600 c, with profile | |
| F4 | 1/800 c | 1/800 c |
| 1/800 c, with profile | 1/800 c, with profile | |
F5. 6 | 1/400 c | 1/400 c |
| 1/400 c, with profile | 1/400 c, with profile | |
| F8 | 1/200 c | 1/200 c |
| 1/200 c, with profile | 1/200 c, with profile | |
| F11 | 1/100 c | 1/100 c |
| 1/100 c, with profile | 1/100 c, with profile |
Same results as first series: warmer image tone with Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM, −1 EV underexposure in all shots taken with Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM, noticeable vignetting (which we decided not to analyze anymore). When opening F2-F4, the "big brother" is sharper both in the center and on the periphery of the frame; at F5.6-F8, this difference is almost leveled. At F11, the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM shows the best results.
Now let's explore what kind of pictures our wards can get under artificial lighting, and in conditions of its shortage.
The photos below were taken in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery in Suzdal. It was built in 1594 years old and painted by masters under the direction of Gury Nikitin and Sila Savin. Today, the cathedral is part of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve and, together with the monastery, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The frescoes in the cathedral are illuminated by LED lamps, which eliminated the need for additional white balance adjustments.
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| F1.4 | 1/30 c, ISO 500 | |
| F2 | 1/30 s, ISO 1000 | 1/40 c, ISO 800 |
| F2.8 | 1/30 c, ISO 2000 | 1/40 c, ISO 1600 |
In this series, the differences in color in the pictures are not determined: both lenses work almost the same, without drifting into warm or cold tones.
The “little brother” is a little less sharp, especially at maximum aperture. The level of noise has almost no effect on the perception of the image.
The sun in the frame
In our opinion, when shooting with a wide-angle lens, an important illustration of its capabilities is the ability to draw beautiful rays from light sources, especially the sun, since with a large field of view it often falls into the frame.
The pictures below were taken in Suzdal, in the gardens between the Kamenka River and the walls of the Intercession Monastery at ISO 100. s, respectively), so we corrected the allowed overexposure in Adobe Camera RAW. This correction does not affect the detail that is significant for us - the pattern of the sun and its rays.
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| F1.4 | 1/8000 c, ISO 100 | |
| F2 | 1/8000 c, ISO 100 | 1/8000 c, ISO 100 |
F2. 8 | 1/8000 c, ISO 100 | 1/8000 c, ISO 100 |
| F4 | 1/5000 s, ISO 100 | 1/6400 c, ISO 100 |
| F5.6 | 1/2500 c, ISO 100 | 1/3200 c, ISO 100 |
| F8 | 1/1250 c, ISO 100 | 1/1600 s, ISO 100 |
| F11 | 1/500 s, ISO 100 | 1/800 s, ISO 100 |
| F16 | 1/250 s, ISO 100 | 1/400 s, ISO 100 |
| F22 | 1/125 c, ISO 100 | 1/200 s, ISO 100 |
As you can see, due to the specifics of various technological tricks, with full disclosure and aperture up to F8, the sun resembles the planet Saturn with its rings, which is interesting as an optical phenomenon, but lacks aesthetic value. When shooting with both of our wards, distinct rays appear only when aperture is up to F8, and their pattern becomes completely correct at F11 for the “younger” and F16 for the “big brother”, and the latter is more attractive, since its rays are thin, elegant and are drawn in abundance (the lens has an odd number of aperture blades, and one more than the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM).
At F5.6, however, the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM starts to "shoot with hares", that is, spurious reflections from lens surfaces appear in the frames, located diagonally from the sun to the lower left corner of the frame. Starting with F11 and with a stronger aperture, the images taken with the "big brother" also show bright spots of internal reflections around the solar disk. Canon EF 35mm f / 2 IS USM does not allow the formation of "hares" located along the axis of the lens, but it also draws spots around the sun - however, at apertures F16-F22.
Background blur
Even the best 35mm lenses usually don't have highly artistic background blur (boke), and traditionally it's best not to judge this quality. But at the beginning of this material, we explained why an ultra-high aperture might be needed, and the first to mention was the artistic value of blur. Therefore, we will be right in trying to find out to what extent it is inherent in our wards.
All images in the series below were taken in the morning sun in the fields of the Vladimir region with a minimum ISO equivalent (ISO 100).
The background is about 7 m away, and the object in focus is about 40 cm away from the front lenses of both lenses.
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| F1.4 | 1/5000 c | |
| F2 | 1/2500 c | 1/3200 c |
| F2.8 | 1/1250 c | 1/1600 c |
Both "brothers" show that they are able to "draw" us a pretty nice bokeh. In any case, it works better than many other 35 mm optical instruments, and we are quite satisfied with the results. At the same time, let's appreciate the significant increase in the degree of blur that the Canon EF 35mm F1,4L II USM allows you to get thanks to the extra EV step in aperture ratio.
Due to perspective distortion, the 35mm lens is not recommended for portraits, but it is still the tool of choice for reportage. We will evaluate how our wards will cope with a half-length portrait in the open air.
We filmed this story in the Suzdal Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery (at ISO 100).
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM | Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| F1.4 | 1/1000 c | |
| F2 | 1/640 c | 1/1250 c |
In our opinion, the results are quite decent for both subjects. Again, thanks to the faster aperture of the Canon EF 35mm F1,4L II USM, the background is blurred more, but the scene itself limits the possibilities of both lenses in this regard, since the face in the focus zone in both cases is too far from the front lens and the blur does not reach the desired degree.
The rest of the photos taken in the course of practical photography, we have collected in the gallery without comments.
Summary
The Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM and the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM are high-end optical instruments that deliver excellent image quality in a variety of shooting situations.
The Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM belongs to the line of professional optics and differs from its "little brother" in the technical excellence of the design, which presents advanced optical solutions. Its aperture ratio is a whole step larger, but at the same time it is three times more expensive, one and a half times longer and weighs twice as much. This lens is indispensable for highly artistic tasks, when the pattern of background blur becomes an important part of the photographer's intention, as well as for video shooting in low light conditions. We recommend this lens to professional photographers and videographers, as well as those enthusiasts who value artistic intent.
The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM is significantly lighter, more compact and easier to handle. The lack of aperture compared to the "big brother" in it is compensated by an optical image stabilizer, which allows you to shoot as if this lens had a maximum aperture of F0.5. However, it does not allow you to get an equally impressive background blur.
