Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

I bought this lens as a step-up from the kit lens on my Canon Rebel XTI. I needed the extra distance it offers. It works great for my purposes and the price is definitely right. The USM motor is a great feature. The AF is pretty good and it's not too bulky. There is no IS, but that has not been a problem for me.

I've used this lens for close-up shots, outdoor photography, and aquarium photography. It works pretty well in low-light situations (such as in an aquarium) and has produced some excellent shots.

This is an excellent all-around zoom lens and is a great upgrade to the kit lens that comes with the Canon XTI. Recommended!

While this is obviously not an L lens, it still has great quality for the price. The auto-focus is second to none in most situations and the pictures are very crisp. It is extremely well constructed, and if your on a budget like me, is the best lens to upgrade from the basic 18-55mm lens. The ability to Manually focus while still on Auto-focus is great for those shots you can't get it to perfectly pick up on. All in all a great Canon product. For the money its definitely 5 stars, but in the grand scheme of things a 4 is more appropriate.

I got my first slr camera recently and I ordered this lens beforehand. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!
For a standard zoom lens the focus on it is great. And I am so happy I searched for a great lens like this.!!

I recommend this for everyone!

One thing I've learned from the reviews here is that it would be easier to weight comments if you knew more about the reviewer. I am still a relative newbie, and have progressed from an old Pentax film SLR, through the basic point and shoot digitals, to a more advanced point and shoot, and about 18 months ago I bought a used Rebel XT from a friend. I thought the kit lens was a huge step up from the p-s cameras, and was amazed by the image quality of this lens. Most of my comparisons are to the Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, which was the other lens I was considering when I made this purchase. I have had the chance to use both, and am still happy with the choice I made.

The lens makes beautiful photos throughout its zoom range, although it likes natural light better than artificial. It is the best first upgrade I can imagine for anyone who isn't a professional, but then... you aren't really considering this lens if you are. If you do more of your shooting indoors, consider spending the extra $$ for the 28-135 IS USM, which handles low light better. Outdoors I find that this lens works better than the 28-135, producing sharper images especially when you are able to shoot at f7.1 or higher. Images are sharp, colors are true and beautiful, and this lens is capable of some stunning bokeh effects if you take the time to experiment with it. I am able to get sharp images all the way to f4.5 at 105mm, unlike some of the other reviewers here... maybe differences in copies of the lens? I'm not sure why, it just works.

Having said all that, lately I have had the opportunity to spend time shooting with different lenses, borrowing from a friend who is something of a semi-pro, and I am starting to see the weaknesses of this lens. As I mentioned before, it tends to focus slowly in low light situations, and images tend to be underexposed in tungsten light. It can be compensated for once you know about it, but the 28-135 IS is easier to use indoors. If you don't mind using flash it's no big deal, but it's worth mentioning. It's also a little short for my liking lately. I'm finding I prefer to sit outside the action where my presence won't influence the shot, and 105mm is sometimes a little short for that. That's more an issue of suitability rather than a weakness in this lens though.

In summary, this is the lens to get for the first upgrade from the kit lens. It works great as an every day lens, giving up only a little at the wide end compared to the kit lens, but capable of far sharper, brighter images everywhere. For the money you can't beat it. Would I replace it if lost or broken? You bet.

I like the lens, it seems to be a good value. The focal range is pretty good, but I'd like a touch more on the wide end for my 40D as the wide end equates to 44.8MM on the small sensor, but overall I have enjoyed the lens and it has produced good quality results.