Questions on early EOS metal mount zooms: 28-70 Mk I & II + 28-80 Mk I

[giles_poilu]

Re: 28-70 Mk I & II + 28-80 Mk I

 

Hello, I am looking for one of the above older EOS lenses as a cheap,

but reasonably solidly made alternative when I do not wish to carry a

bulkier 2.8 zoom - but a few questions please:

 

1. If anyone owns one of the 28-80 MkI lenses with metal

mount/distance window (early 90's) can they confirm the close

focussing distance - I have seen it noted as 0.38 metres and also as

0.5 metres. According to the Canon museum there was a NON-USM Mk I

(focuses to 0.38 m) and also a later USM Mk I(focuses to 0.5m) - is

this true? Seems strange they focus at different distances?

 

2. What are the practical differences between the Mk I and Mk II 28-

70? Do both have the 'retracting' front element?

 

3. Does the 28-80 have a rotating front element and/or the

strange 'retracting' front barrel of the 28-70?

 

Any reviews, links or input on the above lenses would be most welcome

especially the 28-80 Mk I - some have rated it very well indeed but

the 28-70 seems to get mixed reviews.

 

Please do not offer opinions on any other lenses (28-105 etc) - I am

only interested in the above three lenses...thanks everyone!

[michiel_bernhard]

I use to own a 28-70 f/3.5-4.5 II (non USM) with metal mount and focussing scale. It has a rectracting front element It had a reasonable optical quality but happen to break down on me (without falling or what so ever). I took it apart and found out that one of the pins guiding the zooming barrel had unscrewed itself. Btw, besides the lens mount and screws the only other metal part is the inner tubus. All in all it was a nice lens to have.

 

Michiel, Holland.

[ron c sunshine coast,qld,a]

http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/toolbox2.htm

<br>Here's something about the 28-80 first version

[jimstrutz]

Michiel Bernhard, -- I have a 28-70 f/3.5-4.5 mark II as well & need to disassemble it for a similar repair. How did you get into it? Front or back of lens?

 

Giles, -- I doubt you will find a 28-70 f/3.5-4.5 mark I. I've never seen one or heard about someone having one. They seem to be about as rare as hens teeth. The mark II version *had* an internet reputation for being nearly as sharp as the old 28-80 L, but I've owned a couple and they aren't that good. They compare favorably with the Canon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 USM though, and that's not bad. I think you see mixed reviews because people bought one expecting miracles and it didn't live up to its reputation.

 

I've also owned a 28-80 Mark I. Another nice lens. perhaps not quite as good as the 28-105, but close. I haven't owned one for a few years, but I believe it did have the retracting front barrel. I think I still have a filter extender for it somewhere. Retracting lenses are annoying without an extender.

[michiel_bernhard]

Jim, I unscrewed the lens mount and but that didn't bring me verry far because of the electronic connections being in the way. Later on I found out that you can seperate the connector part from the back lens so you don't have to struggle with the connectors.

 

After a while I discoverd that you can pop off the ring on the front end as well. After doing that and unscrewing every screw I could see I still couldn't get to the loose pin. That is where the saw was handy. After sawing of a ring on the back end I finnaly could dismantle the thing.

 

I really have no idea how one can fix this without permanently damaging the lens. But then again I'm a controller for an investment bank, they forgot to learn me how to fix lenses.

 

Michiel, Holland

[ron c sunshine coast,qld,a]

Well done Michiel!! too few people haven't got the nerve to try working on a lens-it is really amazingly easy.The biggest problems i've ever had are getting the glass clean-because the TINIEST spec is magnified inside a lens...lol

[ian riches]

I have a Mk I 28-70mm f/3.5 - 4.5. At least I now assume that it is the Mk I, as I have seen pictures of the Mk II on the 'net that have a prominent "II" marking on the front of the lens that mine lacks. I originally thought it was a Mk II as it weighs the 285g that Canon claim for the Mk II in the camera museum, not the 300g they state for the Mk I.<p><p>

 

Whichever it is, it DOES have a rotating and retracting front element. Apart from filter use, this also makes putting my (non-original) lens cap on and off a bit tricky sometime.<p><p>

 

Performance is good enough for my needs. I posted some 2820 dpi scans a while back in this thread: <p><p>

 

<a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=006nkq">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=006nkq</a><p><p>

 

I have since added a cheap 35-135 F/4-5.6 lens to my collection, for when a bit of extra reach is required. This does not seem as sharp (particularly at the long end: 135mm is quite soft). The USM focusing is, however quicker than the AFD drive of the 28-70. The difference in speed is not as much as I thought it might be, however, and is mainly noticed when the lens has a large change to make (infinity to v. close, or vice versa) or if light is a bit low and it needs to hunt a bit to find the right focus. For "normal" operation, the speed is quicker, but not amazingly so. It is a LOT quieter, however! All of the above is my experience using the lenses on an EOS 50E (Elan IIe) film body.<p><p>

 

Hope some of this rambling helps....<p><p>

 

Ian

[giles_poilu]

Thanks ever so much everyone.