Canon EF 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 user reviews

I'm using this lens on my 10D while I get my standard zoom repaired - I'd forgotten how much of a pain to use it is. Rotating front is annoying,but common. But what were canon playing at when they designed the front section of this lens? The filter thread recesses into the lens on zooming making it impossible to use step up rings and frequently ejecting the lens cap unexpectedly - idiots!

Optically its what you'd expect for a cheap standard zoom, and I'm missing my normal lens. Suffers flare on digital that doesnt appear on film, due to strongly coated rear element causing multiple reflect5ions with the sensor.

I use the this lens an my old analog Canon and for my opinion the AF is very fast, compared to all other lenses I own. E.g 50mm MkII 18-55mm
But Image quality is very bad. Also at f/8! and ghosting and CA is a real problem.
I would just buy the lens because of it's fast AF and it's price.

I bought this one as a real bargain, and tried it out on my 5d body. It has enormous CA wide open, more than I've seen anywhere, including a 15mm fisheye. If you stop it down to f/5.6 it becomes OK. At f/8 it is very sharp, but I wouldn't really use it wide open unless I aimed for CA as an artistic effect. :) Flare is poorly controlled, there's lots of ghosting which harms the overall contrast. There is visible vignetting, especially wide open, but improves when stopped down. Colors and contrast are not really good - they give an "80's" look, and if you need that, this lens can be an inexpensive tool. However, I need to stress that it is really usable stopped down, and I intend to use it as a light and inexpensive walkaround lens on my 5d. I already got some very nice family shots with it.
Build quality is not very good; it's plasticky but doesn't look like it'll fall apart. The front element rotates, so no CPL. Macro capability is decent, but I'd use an extension tube. AF is loud and on the slow side compared to USM lenses, but still works fine.