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The EF 35 2.0 IS USM is the long-awaited redesign of the 1990 EF 35 2.0. I loved the sharpness and portability of the original, but the new design one-ups it in nearly every way: durability, AF speed and accuracy, edge-to-edge sharpness, and manual focus precision.

Hawaii Theatre | EOS Rebel SL1, EF 35 2.0 IS USM

This review consists of my opinions and observations as a hobbyist. No scientific measurements, MFT charts or pixel peeking comparisons will be found here.

Compatibility

The EF 35 2.0 IS USM lens is compatible with all Canon EOS SLR and DSLR cameras, both full frame and APS-C (1.6X), e.g., EOS 1N, EOS 5 MK IV and Rebel SL3. With a mount adapter, it may be used on EOS R and M series mirrorless cameras. It does not fit non-Canon cameras such as Pentax, Nikon, Fuji, etc. 

Construction

This handsome lens is larger and heavier than the old EF 35 2.0—335g vs 210g—but still petite and easy to carry. Barrel plastics and switches feel sturdy. Finish work is excellent, and the textured matte finish is attractive and fingerprint-resistant. The 67 mm filter threads are shared with popular lenses such as the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM and EF 70-300 4.0-5.6L IS USM. A basic DOF scale for hyperfocal focusing is adjacent to the distance scale, but only displays markings at F11 and 22. 

EF 35 2.0 IS USM | Sharp, steady and sturdy (image courtesy Canon)

Image Quality

Wide open, the EF 35 2.0 IS USM delivers sharp edge-to-edge images with smooth bokeh and round defocused highlights. It becomes razor sharp by closing down another stop. It is significantly sharper along the periphery compared to the old EF 35 2.0 lens, making it a better choice for landscapes and other edge-critical usage. Sharpness is in the same ballpark as the RF 35 1.8 IS Macro STM. 

There is virtually no flare or ghosting in images of sunsets or streetlights. Distortion is well corrected, making it a good optic for architecture or artwork.

Under most shooting conditions, chromatic aberration (CA) is not noticeable. In high-contrast situations—e.g., tree branches against a bright sky—slight purple fringing may be visible if you pixel-peep. Indeed, chromatic aberration performance is significantly better than both the old EF 35 2.0 and the many fabled EF 35 f/1.4L USM of yesteryear.

Light Falloff

Like most fast primes, this lens exhibits light falloff when shot wide open. Stop down to f/2.8 and light falloff is almost gone. Imaging processing software such as Lightroom or DPP4 can automatically remove or reduce falloff if desired. I prefer a little vignette on my images and often disable the lens profile correction in Lightroom for a more “natural” look.

The Rose | EOS 5D MK II, EF 35 2.0 IS USM and 430EX II (bounced) | F2.0, 1/8 sec., ISO 1250. The IS feature handily steadied the 1/8-sec. shutter speed! Light falloff and coma along the periphery are barely noticeable in typical low-light usage. I find the bokeh balls pleasantly smooth and round. 

Coma

Like most fast primes, the EF 35 2.0 IS USM exhibits mild coma along the periphery when open at f/2.0. That is, bright points of light—e.g., stars or distant street lights—on the edge of the frame appear to have small wings or comet-like tails. The center and mid-sections of the frame render normally. At f/2.8, coma is reduced, existing mainly in corners, and by f/3.5, coma is essentially gone. With this said, coma artifacts are less pronounced than the EF 35 2.0, EF 50 1.8 STM, and EF 50 1.2L USM. So, while not a perfect lens for astro and city nightscapes, it does a great job when stopped down a bit. For most of my low-light work, the extreme corners are not important—usually murky and dark anyway—so I don't hesitate to shoot wide open when needed.

Focus

The ring-type USM yielded fast and silent AF on my 6D MK II, 5D MK IV, 90D, EOS R, and R7. Focus is significantly faster than the EF 35 2.0 and RF 35 1.8 IS Macro STM. Focus is achieved internally, and thus, the front element doesn't rotate or move during AF operation.

Although not a macro lens, the .24X magnification at closest focus (9.45” or 0.24m) is good enough for most artwork, small products, and medium-sized flowers.

Manual Focus

Video buffs will like the manual focus: silky and precise, no slop and a long throw for smooth transitions. Plus, no need to flip a switch to engage manual focus: simply grab the somewhat narrow but well ribbed MF ring and turn.

After years of use, the rubberized coating on the manual focus ring became sticky. I was able to clean it off with a few treatments with a Q-tip and lighter fluid. Once the rubberized paint was removed, the underlying black plastic ring looked fine and worked perfectly.

Video Focus

Movie servo focus with ring-USM lenses on older EOS cameras like the 60D and SL1 is too fast, resulting in abrupt transitions and jerky stops. Manual focus or AF pre-focus are the best choices for video with older cameras. However, movie servo on the 80D, 90D, 5D MK IV, and R series is surprisingly smooth with this lens. Although focus is silent to most human ears, built-in camera mics may record pianissimo focusing noises—movement of internal elements—so use an external mic or outboard audio with this lens.

Honolulu Hale | EOS 6D, EF 35 2.0 IS USM | F2.5, ISO 250, 1/40 sec.

Image Stabilization

The inclusion of image stabilization (IS) is a welcome feature, providing 4 stops of slower hand-holdable shutter speeds. Canon's claim of 4-stops usually didn't work for me—3 stops is practical—but a non-coffee drinker might squeeze out that fourth stop. Nevertheless, with F2.0 and IS, I can hand-hold my camera and nail sharp images of evening street scenes, dim bars, and stages down to about 1/8 sec. Others claim 1/4 sec., but I can only get away with such speeds if I brace against a solid object.

Downtown Honolulu Police Station | EOS 5D MK II, EF 35 2.0 IS USM

Lens Hood

A hood also helps protect the front element from dust, fingerprints, doggie noses, rain, and flare. Canon knows hobbyist shooters are suckers for OEM accessories and puts the screws to you for the EW-72 hood with a $50 price tag.

EW-72 | Dedicated hood for the EF 35 2.0 IS USM (image courtesy Canon)

What does 50 greenbacks buy you? A well-made plastic hood with matte paint matched to the lens finish, rayon flocking to nix reflections, an easy squeeze tab release, a Canon logo, and "Made in Japan" inscription. The lightly textured matte finish, unlike most Canon hood finishes, is fingerprint-resistant! 

This bayonet design is different from most other bayonet hoods. Rather than a tight groove, this hood fits loosely while being twisted on. It only locks tight at the optimal position (cutouts horizontal). To remove the hood, press the release tab while twisting.

Washington Place | Honolulu | EOS 6D, EF 35 2.0 IS USM | Hand held low light images are possible with F2.0 and 4 stops of image stabilization.

If you search Ebay and Amazon, you can find less expensive knockoff EW-72 hoods made by JJC, Rainbow Imaging and others.

Last Blurb

I find the semi-wide perspective—63 degrees—of the 35mm lens easy to use on a full-frame camera such as the 5D MK IV or 6D MK II. The semi-wide perspective is ideal for showing a subject in its environment. If you shoot APS-C, e.g., EOS Rebel, 80D, 90D, etc., the lens coverage is similar to a normal lens on full-frame and, thus, is not semi-wide. The EF 35 2.0 IS USM is sharp, nimble, small, and a joy to operate. Canon got just about everything right with this redesign.

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September 13, 2026 Update

I've been using my EF 35 2.0 IS USM on an EOS R and R7, and it works flawlessly (with an adapter, of course). I also own the RF 35 1.8 Macro IS STM, and while the RF version is on par optically with the EF 35 2.0 IS USM, AF speed and, especially AI servo, are noticeably slower and less surefooted compared to the EF design. The EF 35 2.0 IS USM is a great alternative to the RF 35 1.8 Macro IS STM if you don't need .5X macro and are okay with an adapter.

The EF 35 2.0 IS USM is out of production, but old stock, refurbished, and used samples are readily available. However, the demand for this near-L quality lens has kept prices on the high side. I recently bought a mint used one for $400.

Finally, please help support this website by purchasing this lens at Amazon.

Features and Specs

Focal Length: 35mm

Aperture: F2.0 to 22

Lens Construction: 10 elements in 8 groups with 1 GMo aspherical lens element

Min. Focusing Distance: 9.45” / 0.24m

Maximum Magnification: .24X

Angle of View (Diagonal): 63°

No. of Diaphragm Blades: 8

Diameter & Length: 3.1 x 2.5 inches / 77.9 x 62.6mm

Weight:11.8oz / 335g

Included Accessories: lens caps

Cost: $599 | typically $300 to 600 on the used market

Downtown Honolulu Police Station | EOS Rebel SL1, EF 35 2.0 IS USM

More Images taken with the EF 35 2.0 IS USM (click to enlarge)

10/03/2013 | Revised 09/13/2026