Canon Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens Review
The Canon 135mm f/2L delivers stunning portrait sharpness and beautiful bokeh, but its lack of image stabilization and high price make it a tough sell in 2024.
Overview
The Canon EF 135mm f/2L is a classic portrait lens. It's been around forever, and for good reason. That f/2 aperture gives you beautiful background blur, and the build is solid Canon L-series quality. It's a simple, sharp tool that does one job extremely well.
But it's also a bit of a relic. There's no image stabilization, and it's not weather-sealed. It's a pure, fast prime lens designed for full-frame Canon DSLRs. If you're shooting portraits on that system, this lens has a legendary reputation.
Performance
The optical performance is where this lens shines. Sharpness is excellent, especially when you stop down a bit from f/2. The bokeh is smooth and creamy, landing in the 60th percentile, which is perfect for portraits. The autofocus is quick and quiet with the ring-type USM motor, though its 48th percentile ranking shows it's not the fastest by today's standards. The lack of stabilization is the big performance hit, especially on a telephoto lens.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong aperture (67th percentile) 71th
Cons
- Below average macro (31th percentile)
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Telephoto |
| Focal Length Min | 135 |
| Focal Length Max | 135 |
| Elements | 10 |
| Groups | 8 |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/2.0 |
Build
| Mount | Canon EF |
| Weight | 0.5 kg / 1.1 lbs |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 914 |
| Max Magnification | 0.19x |
Value & Pricing
At around $1430, the value proposition is tough. It's an optically brilliant lens, but you're paying a premium for the Canon L-series red ring and a design that's missing modern features. For a photographer deeply invested in Canon EF glass who lives for portrait work, it might be worth it. For everyone else, that's a lot of cash for a lens with no stabilization.
vs Competition
Look at the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 or the Meike 55mm f/1.8. They're a fraction of the price and offer autofocus for modern mirrorless mounts. They won't match the Canon's legendary optical pedigree or build, but they're way more versatile for the money. The Canon is a specialist's tool. The Viltrox and Meike options are generalists that get you 80% of the way there for portraits at a much lower cost.
| Spec | Canon Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens | Meike Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF | Viltrox VILTROX 25mm F1.7 f/1.7 AF Lens for Fuji X Mount, | Canon Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Lens | Nikon Nikon S-Line Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II Lens (Nikon Z) | Tamron Tamron Di III Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Sony |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 135mm | 55mm | 25mm | 24mm | 24-70mm | 17-70mm |
| Max Aperture | f/2.0 | f/1.4 | f/1.7 | f/1.8 | f/2.8 | f/2.8 |
| Mount | Canon EF | Nikon Z | Fujifilm X | Canon RF | Nikon Z | Sony E Mount |
| Stabilization | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | false | false | false | true | false |
| Weight (g) | 480 | 281 | 400 | 269 | 676 | 544 |
| AF Type | - | STM | STM | Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | Telephoto | - | - | Zoom | Zoom | Zoom |
Verdict
Buy this if you're a Canon DSLR portrait purist who values optical perfection above all else and doesn't need stabilization. It's a legendary lens for a reason. For hybrid shooters, travelers, or anyone on a budget, look at the excellent third-party f/1.8 primes for mirrorless systems instead. They offer more features for less money.