Mounted on the Canon 1Ds Mark III, the Canon 135L is well balanced. The lens does not feel nose heavy like the Canon 85L Mark II. The 85L weighs 2.1 pounds versus 1.7 pounds for the 135L. The difference is only 6 ounces and that does not sound like much, but the 85L is a dense lens with most of the weight at the front. To me the 85L feels extremely nose heavy and is tiring to use for an extended period of time. Whereas the 135L’s weight is more evenly distributed and the whole package feels balanced and nimble.

Auto focus is fast and reliable. Once the focus system is set to your preferences, the 135L is easy to shoot in servo mode. I set the servo tracking to focus priority (as opposed to shutter speed) and the 1Ds Mark III results have been better than my experience with the prior 1Ds models. The 135L’s .9 meter minimum focus distance is quite short, and the 135L can be used as quasi macro lens as well. I often use the 135L for product shots and feel that it excels in this area.

PERFORMANCE

This section’s title implies a discussion about sharpness, resolution, color, contrast, bokeh, etc. To speed things along, let just categorize the 135L as “awesome”. It gets top marks in all those categories. Some other observations regarding the 135L:

1. •The rendering is the standard Canon look - moderate saturation, good contrast (not too heavy), a compressed, flat perspective (not much 3D). The high points are sharpness and bokeh. Not much micro-contrast compared to the Contax 100mm Planar.
   

2. •The 135L feels sharper at F2 than the 200L F2.8 USM II does at F2.8. Based on optical performance alone, I prefer the 135L over the Canon 200mm F2.8 L II.
   

3. •Flare, ghosting, color fringing, chromatic aberrations (CA), etc. are not a problem. The bokeh can have some color fringing, but that is par for just about about every lens made.
   

Rather than nit-picking performance, I feel a more important consideration is how the 135L will be used, such as - indoor vs outdoor, subject matter, studio vs out in the field, etc. Ultimately the outcome of those uses will determine whether a 135L is a good fit (for you) or not. It is easy group 85mm, 100mm and 135mm as “portrait lenses”, but there are significant differences in their FOV.

At 135mm the telephoto “feel” is much more noticeable compared to a 100mm or 85mm lens. When traveling I prefer 100mm because it is easier to integrate the background for a sense of context and location. As a travel lens I have mixed feelings about the 135L. I like how the lens draws, but I have not netted any personal favorites from the lens during a vacation. I think the reason is the 135mm focal length. I tend to see things as 100mm, 200mm, and 400mm. I cannot think of a time where I thought, “ahhh - now this has to be a 135mm shot.” On the other hand there have been many, many times where I wanted the 135L’s bokeh.

When taking pictures of our dogs, the fast auto-focus and subject isolation work wonderfully. When taking product pictures, the sharpness and resolution are excellent as well. So, after several years with the 135L, it has two common uses - dogs and product. It has earned the coveted title - “the dog lens.” When the Mrs. says she wants some pictures of the dogs, I reach for the 135L - hence all the stinkin’ dog pictures in this review! And when traveling on vacation, I am guilty of liking zooms... sorry...

CONCLUSION

The biggest consideration in buying a 135mm lens is deciding whether or not the 135mm FOV is a good match. People often consider the 135L and 85L as equal options, but the field of view of the two lenses is quite different. Optically the 135L is deserving of all the compliments and accolades. The burden is on the photographer to find the right time and place for the lens. If 135mm fits your taste and shooting style, then Canon 135mm L merits consideration. The sharp images and smooth bokeh always bring a smile to my face.

But with Canon’s stellar 70-200mm F2.8 L IS Mark II, I can’t help but think the zoom is a better choice. And if buying a lens for vacation, despite the absurd price, the compact and lightweight Canon 70-300mm F4-4.5 L IS deserves a close look as well.