Verdict: This lens has a deserved reputation as the king of portrait lenses due to its sharp results and amazing bokeh. It has the longest focal length in test but when shooting wide-open vignetting is noticeable. It’s a very heavy lens but feels balanced on-camera.
Canon’s L series has a well-deserved reputation for quality, and this 135mm (216mm on APS-C cameras) is living proof.
It’s the longest focal length in test and is known for its sharpness, with the centre of images being sharp at f/2 and the corners becoming impressively sharp from f/2.8 until f/16. There is no obvious chromatic aberration to be found, though vignetting is noticeable when shooting wide-open but lessens from f/2.8.
The build quality is also good, with a robust and sturdy plastic body and pleasingly chunky rubber focusing ring, great for anybody wanting to focus manually (via a switch on the side). There is also a limiting switch to let the AF know the range you’re working in which reduces hunting for focal points.
At 750g this lens is far from light, but it feels very balanced on-camera. Its uses may not be as varied as others here, but it has a deserved reputation as the king of portrait lenses, thanks to sharp results and amazing bokeh.
Pros
Excellent sharpness
Perfect portrait focal length
Build quality
Cons
Limited uses
Heavy
No IS
Want to see more lenses? We've rounded up 10 of the best wide-aperture lenses for under £1000.
Spec
Max aperture: f/2
Min aperture: f/32
Elements/groups: 10/8
Min focusing distance: 90cm
DxL: 83x112mm
Weight: 750g
Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from Kirk and the rest of the What’s The Best team.
Kirk Schwarz is a tech-addicted photographer with over a decade's experience; Kirk’s used to putting new gear through extreme field testing. He's previously written for Practical Photography.