Upgrading my photography equipment has been at the top of my to-do list. With some of the projects I’m planning, it was time to take a break from my trusted 50mm 1.8 and invest in a quality zoom lens without spending hundreds of dollars, leading me to a used 28-135mm lens.
It’s important to not get caught up in spending top dollar for equipment and focus attention on the creative process instead. I visited a camera shop in the Atlanta-area called Professional Photo Resources and decided on this lens. I knew that I was looking for a zoom lens with great range but most importantly looking for one budget-friendly. This lens cost me around $80 and I couldn’t be happier.
Specs Overview
- Market Introduction: Introduced in 1998 > Discontinued in 2015
- Mounting: Mounts on Full-Frame and APS-C
- Aperture Range: Wide: f/3.5-22 Long: f/5.6-36
- Manufacturer Specific Weight: 19.1oz
- Manufacturer Specific Size: 3.07 x 3.82”
- AF Motor Type: Ring USM
First Impressions
The first thing I noticed about the lens is that it was significantly heavier compared to my 50mm lens. While the weight of it is to be expected, it did make me consider whether this could be a go-to lens for travel.
Still, I think the additional flexibility I get with it is worth it. Another thing I noticed is that my photos are a bit softer than what I typically prefer. But depending on the lighting situation, I am able to achieve sharper images thanks to the contrast the lighting creates.
Online Opinions about the 28-`135mm lens
This lens received pretty mixed reviews with a general consensus that it is an average lens great for beginner and intermediate photographers. Some people compared the lens to the 24-105mm, asserting that the 28-135mm offers a similar focal length but doesn’t compare in quality. With that said, a used 24-105mm lens is roughly $400, which is about 5 times more than what I paid.
Several people also stated that the 28-135mm lens produces soft images, which may not be every photographer’s preference. I can attest to this sentiment as I did notice a difference in sharpness when comparing it to my other lenses.
Pros and Cons
Let’s take a quick look at a few honest pros and cons of this lens:
Pros
- Attractive price: This is one of the most affordable zoom lenses that offers decent quality and great range. If you like to experiment with different types of photography, the 28-135mm gets the job done.
- Focal length: As a travel photographer looking to shoot different perspectives, I love that this lens has flexible focal length. If I’m shooting landscapes, I know that 28mm and even 35mm will work for my needs. For street photography, 50mm will likely be my sweet spot and for hard-to-capture subjects, relying on 85mm and above will likely be my go-to.
- Nice Quality: Compared to some other lenses on the market, the 28-135mm lens still holds it own in terms of quality.
Cons
- Lacking sharpness: My biggest gripe with this lens is that it often produces soft images. I prefer my images to be sharp and find that it can be more challenging to achieve this consistently. As a result, I’ll have to spend more time in post-processing to achieve the results I want.
- Heavier lens: I personally find this lens to be a bit heavy. While it is definitely manageable, I’m not quite sure if this could be a primary lens for me when traveling. With that said, I realize that any zoom lens will be relatively heavy compared to a prime lens. When compared to other lenses in its class, I would say it’s about average in weight.
Is the 28-135mm lens worth buying for photographers in 2025?
For the price point, I personally believe that this lens is worth the investment. The lens has great range, is fast, and easily gets the job done. Although images do tend to come out soft, I’ve been enjoying playing around with lighting and editing in Lightroom to create my desired look. I’m definitely looking forward to exploring this lens more and seeing what it’s capable of. Overall, if you need a zoom lens that’s affordable, I wouldn’t pass this one up in 2025.
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