Canon EF 28 f/2.8 Disappears From Price List

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I bought a Canon 28mm f/2.8 for $15.00 off Caigslist about a year back.  It needed cleaning up on the exterior, but it had no damage and actually was a nice and reasonably sharp lens.  I had the 35mmL so I eventually resold it, but it was a nice lens for a low cost one and really small and compact for walk-around use.

[wickidwombat]

I keep hearing this and am wondering if Nikon really is better at focusing?

between the 1D and D3 bodys its a wash both are excellent but on lower models like the 5D vs D700 or D90 vs rebels etc Nikon is better. 7D and D7000 are pretty close a bit different in the way they do it but the D7000 AF is sooo much better than the 5D2

[SnapHappy]

I keep hearing this and am wondering if Nikon really is better at focusing?

between the 1D and D3 bodys its a wash both are excellent but on lower models like the 5D vs D700 or D90 vs rebels etc Nikon is better. 7D and D7000 are pretty close a bit different in the way they do it but the D7000 AF is sooo much better than the 5D2

Speed, accuracy or both?

[wickidwombat]

both, I used Nikon previously then got a couple of 1Ds which i started using and bought more lenses for and really liked so decided to sell all my nikon gear and consolodate onto canon I assumed that the AF would be similar to Nikon accross the range boy was i wrong, I am getting used the the quirks with the 5D2 AF but really on a camera at this level they should have made it better, 9 points i dont even have a problem with the number so much as that the other points are completely ineffective in very low light for example shooting low key in a studio with another photographer using a D7000 i was using the 5D2 and the 24-105f4 he was using an 18-105 i think on the D7000. I could not even achieve AF lock when setting any of the outer points with the 5d2, center point was ok though, so i changed to the 1D and it could lock on with any selectable point. the D7000 had no problems achieving lock. And this is shooting static models in a controlled environment. So now i basically use the center point only unless i have good light on the 5D2 but i find myself just focus and recomposing alot more and just using the center point only.
I was also having problems with the 5D2 consistently back focusing when using AI servo with someone walking toward you.

I really hope canon pick up their game with the AF on the next round of models its the only real let down with the 5d2 IMO other than that i love the camera and its IQ size and control layout

[smirkypants]

I bought a Canon 28mm f/2.8 for $15.00 off Craigslist about a year back. it was a nice lens for a low cost one and really small and compact for walk-around use.

Spokane, my friend, my buddy. You know I love ya. You are an exceptionally talented photographer and I've been amazed at some of the shots you've posted. Those pictures on the beach? The snow? Amazing! I'm just not feeling it from the morning glories, though. I really do think I'd rather carry my G12 around if I wanted "compact/walk-around." At least the noise wouldn't cause stray dogs to chase me and homeless women to ram me with their shopping carts!

[Woody]

I really really want to get the new 35 f/1.8 lens. Hopefully, it's EF too..

[c.d.embrey]

I keep hearing this and am wondering if Nikon really is better at focusing?

The Five Point auto focus on a Nikon F100 Film camera (1999-2006) is on par with my 40D. The 51 point auto focus on a D300, D700 and D3 is much better than the XXD and 5D/7D. The Nikon Matrix Metering is also better. The problem is that Canon has Consumer cameras (good focus), Prosumer cameras (better focus) and Pro cameras (best focus). Nikon only has Consumer (good focus) and Pro cameras (best focus), so the focus on a D300s is much better than a 7D. As mentioned by others, I use the center point only on my 40D.

[neuroanatomist]

RE Nikon vs. Canon AF.  Both manufacturers need a way to differentiate their lines, pro from consumer. Historically, with Canon that is AF - to get their best, you need the 1-series.  Nikon offers their pro-level AF in lower lines. OTOH, if you want a high MP sensor from Nikon, you pay for their most expensive pro body, whereas Canon offers a prosumer camera with the highest resolution they offer.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I bought a Canon 28mm f/2.8 for $15.00 off Craigslist about a year back. it was a nice lens for a low cost one and really small and compact for walk-around use.

Spokane, my friend, my buddy. You know I love ya. You are an exceptionally talented photographer and I've been amazed at some of the shots you've posted. Those pictures on the beach? The snow? Amazing! I'm just not feeling it from the morning glories, though. I really do think I'd rather carry my G12 around if I wanted "compact/walk-around." At least the noise wouldn't cause stray dogs to chase me and homeless women to ram me with their shopping carts!

No problem, they are Petunias, not morming glories.  

I brought the lens home, and wanted to test it out, so took a photo of the first thing I saw, up close as well as far away.  As you can imagine, I expected some issues with a lens selling that cheaply.  I was taking closeups, more like macro shots.


Honeysuckle on our back porch with the 28mm f/2.8.  It attracts lots of hummingbirds.  I used my 5D MK II, this lens might have been very good for a crop body.  it was taken wide open at f/2.8 to try and get a 3D look.

[moreorless]

As stated above, there are f/2.8 zooms of good quality, so I can't imagine the 28/2.8 is a popular lens. 

Don't forget that in addition to the EF 28mm f/2.8, there's also an EF 28mm f/1.8 USM, a newer and more expensive lens.  If this isn't just a temporary/regional change, and Canon actually is discontinuing the 28/2.8, they may be getting rid of the cheaper, poorer-selling lens and driving people to purchase the more expensive lens if they need the 28mm focal length as a prime.

The 28mm 1.8 is also priced to be within range of alot more people than the 24mm and 35mm 1.4 L's aswell so theres likely much less demand for a cheaper option at those focal lenghts.

[c.d.embrey]

RE Nikon vs. Canon AF.  Both manufacturers need a way to differentiate their lines, pro from consumer. Historically, with Canon that is AF - to get their best, you need the 1-series.  Nikon offers their pro-level AF in lower lines. OTOH, if you want a high MP sensor from Nikon, you pay for their most expensive pro body, whereas Canon offers a prosumer camera with the highest resolution they offer.

I prefer an APS-C sensor over a FF, but the 7D doesn't have the focus system and the metering I want/need. So I'm waiting to see what the D400 will be like. While I'm waiting I've bought a Sony NEX 5n, a great video camera but not much of a stills camera due to a lack fo a hot shoe. As soon a the Sony NEX 7 is available I'm buying one to test. I'm not a fanboy for any make of camera, I just buy what best fits my needs. And lately I'm not impressed with what Canon is offering. But a 7DmkII with Pro Focusing and Metering would impress me.

[psycho5]

Haha...Wow... What kind of person would 5 finger discount a sigma, let alone buy one?

[Quackator]

Plus one for the 1.8/35mm lens if FF and good build quality.
Distance scale mandatory, though.

[Gcon]

This lens has always been dead to me, given I own a 24-70mm f/2.8L. So it can go away quietly for all I care. I'm all for Canon removing the older clunky non-L EF lenses. I have no use for them whatsoever - I only shoot on L glass.

[smirkypants]

This lens has always been dead to me, given I own a 24-70mm f/2.8L. So it can go away quietly for all I care.

That's the point. Lenses like this are dead to us, but they are also dead to the masses. I really do think that almost all of the consumer grade primes, except for the gateway nifty-fifty—will disappear. There are too many options for consumer grade cameras and a DSL + cheap prime is a loser in the marketplace. People who know about primes know about the good stuff and are more likely to be willing to spend to get quality glass. People who don't know primes think they are some kind of weird, hobbled lens from the 1950s with no possible use. To an extent they are right. The 28-135 is f3.5 at its widest. That's only about half a stop, you get USM & IS, you don't pay a ton more and you have way more versatility.

Nice honeysuckle, though.