Canon 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM - small, light, good?
There are already quite a few standard zooms on the market - and actually from every manufacturer. The choice is therefore quite large. However, almost all standard zooms with a continuous aperture of f/2.8 can be found in the manufacturers' high-end lines, which also puts these lenses in the "premium" category in terms of price.
With the new 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM, Canon now wants to change exactly that. Find out how the Lens compares to the alternatives in this blog post with video.
The focal length range
Many standard zooms with this open aperture of f/2.8 have a focal length range of 24-70mm. However, the omission of 4mm in the lower focal length range makes a significant difference in size and weight. This is shown above all by the direct size comparison of the new Lens with the possible alternatives:
This small size makes the Lens an ideal companion for many different Canon R cameras, making it a perfect match for the EOS R8, for example, which is a super all-rounder with plenty of power.
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Canon 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM
- Standard zoom
- high constant light intensity of 1:2.8
- quiet and fast STM autofocus
- ideal for photos and videos
- compact and lightweight
- optical 5.5-stop image stabilizer
- Sealing against weather influences
- Connection: Canon RF
Image quality and image errors
Chromatic aberrations are kept absolutely within limits with this lens and occur only slightly, which in our view should be relatively easy to correct.
The Vignetting at aperture 2.8 is noticeable, but almost gone at f/4, which is quite common with such Lens.
Flaring is largely eliminated, but present in some situations. To prevent this, a lens hood helps, but this would have to be purchased separately, as Canon's old adage also applies here: Without an L, without a lens hood.
As the new 28-70mm f/2.8 uses a stepping motor (STM for short), the focus behavior of the lens is ideal for videographers, as the focus approaches the subject cleanly and smoothly. The image stabilizer with 5 stops also brings a smooth movement to the film.
In the video area, however, there are a few more image errors that can creep in - and of course we have also tested these.
Focus Breathing is not completely gone with the Lens, but - as you can also see in our video - it is not completely gone. However, we suspect that this would not be very noticeable in a film application; especially considering the price of the lens.
Parfocal, however, the lens is not corrected. This means that the focal plane shifts when the focal length is changed, which was to be expected given the price of the lens.
Sharpness
But now we come to the really central aspect of a Lens: sharpness. If you were to launch an out-of-focus Lens on the market these days, you could probably just as easily kill it off. Canon is of course aware of this and has made sure that the new 28-70mm is really sharp. At the edges, the image is not quite perfect at open aperture, but from our point of view it is still absolutely sufficient for such a standard zoom.
As this is not an Lens from the L-series, the 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM is not completely sealed. Although all rings have been sealed so that dust should not get in when the lens is extended, the seal around the switches is missing, which could allow moisture to get in during heavy rain. You should definitely bear this in mind when using the Lens.
Conclusion
To summarize: Canon's new 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM is small, lightweight and well suited for both photo and video recording. With an RRP of €1299, the lens also has its price (especially if you include lenses from Sigma or Tamron). However, Canon has to admit that this lens is really well corrected and should also take into account that this is Canon's first and most important step towards opening up a mid-price range for lenses that offer high quality at a moderate price.
