Canon’s Forgotten EF 28-70mm Zoom – Cheap, Vintage, and Surprisingly Capable?

📷 In this video, I take a closer look at the Canon EF 28–70mm f/3.5–4.5 (Version II) — a compact standard zoom lens from the late '80s that you can now find on the used market for under €40.

I put it through its paces:
✅ Build quality
✅ Autofocus performance
✅ Image quality at various focal lengths and apertures
✅ Compatibility with modern Canon DSLRs and mirrorless R-series cameras

My verdict? Mechanically solid, optically a bit hit or miss — especially in the wide-angle range.
But see for yourself and decide if this vintage zoom might be worth a shot.

🛠 Test camera: Canon EOS R5 with EF-R Drop-in Filter Adapter
🧴 Lens care: Grip restoration and plastic treatment
🎞 Tests include: sharpness, distortion, contrast, flare handling

💬 What do you think? Would you still give this old zoom a chance? Let me know in the comments!

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Feel free to check out my website —
you’ll find tons of info there on analog, hybrid, and digital photography:
👉 https://www.apertureonepointfour.com

Thanks so much for being here! 🙏

00:00 Start
00:22 Introduction
02:09 A little makeover
03:44 Operation
05:17 Autofocus test
06:45 Optical performance
12:20 Summary and edited RAW files