The Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM is an older, imperfect, but useful documentary prime that I bought specifically for my Canon Elan 7 and Canon 5D Mark II. It is not as sharp wide open as recent lenses, but for film photography, it gives me exactly what I was looking for.

Like many first-generation Canon EF USM lenses, it was built for the autofocus film and early digital era. It does not have the strong vintage character of FD glass or Nikkor AI lenses, but it still has something more organic than many modern lenses, while keeping autofocus.

I found mine for dirt cheap, not far from home, and it's become part of my main kit for the Elan 7 and the 5D Mark II. It pairs beautifully with the EF 50mm f/1.4: one slightly wide, one normal, both small enough to actually carry.

The Good:

• f/1.8 aperture is useful for low light and shallow depth of field.

• 28mm is a flexible documentary focal length on full frame.

• Compact and light enough to actually carry.

• USM autofocus is fairly quick and practical.

• A bit soft at f/1.8, but with beautiful separation and bokeh for a 28mm.

• Great fit for Canon autofocus film bodies.

• 58mm filter thread.

The Bad:

• Corners and wide-open performance are dated by modern standards.

• No image stabilization.

• Not weather sealed or built like an L lens.

• Older optical design with more character than perfection.

• Not the lens I would choose as a main wide prime on a modern RF body.

• Get it if you want a small, fast EF wide prime to pair with a Canon autofocus film camera that carries a distinct look.

• Get it if low-light flexibility matters more than perfect corners.

• Pass if you need modern edge-to-edge sharpness.

• Pass if you plan to use it as your main lens on an RF body.