Designed for use with Canon’s range of APS-C DSLR cameras, the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM is the widest-angle macro optic in Canon’s EF-S lens lineup. It is also the first lens in the EF-S series to feature Canon’s built-in Macro Lites that we first saw on Canon’s EF-M 28mm f/3.5 IS STM, which enables users to control lighting with ease.

Built in to the end of the lens barrel are two miniature LED lights, one on each side. The two lights can be used separately or together and the strength of the lights can be controlled at the press of a button. This is ideal for users wanting to light small and intricate macro subjects without the need for additional, external lighting equipment. Also included is a specially designed attachable lens hood to minimise shadows and reflections when shooting with natural or off-camera light.

The new 35mm lens also includes Canon’s Hybrid IS system that claims to offer up to four stops of camera shake correction. The STM focus motor gives smooth and near-silent AF operation and there’s also full-time manual focus. The lens is capable of getting very close to subjects with a minimum focus distance of 30mm with life-size 1:1 magnification.

It’s a compact and lightweight lens weighing just 190g with a maximum diameter of 69.2mm and 55.8mm in length. Although a specialised macro optic, with an equivalent focal length of 45mm on full frame and a fast f/2.8, 7 blade circular aperture, it will make a great standard prime lens for full frame users.

The EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM will be available from May 2017 with an RRP of £399.99/€479.99.

Full press release

Canon launches EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM for capturing crystal-clear close-up shots

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 6 April 2017 – Canon has today launched a new innovative lens: the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM. Designed to capture stunning Macro and close-up photography, the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM features Canon’s unique built-in Macro Lite technology and is the first lens of its kind in the EF-S range.

Forming part of Canon’s extensive EF range of lenses and compatible with all APS-C DSLR cameras*, the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM facilitates photographers with the capability to capture delicate details and get closer to their subject. It illuminates small objects and close-up detail, whilst minimising the shadows it casts onto subjects with a tapered edge design. Combined with an Image Stabilizer with Hybrid IS, the lens is designed to counteract unwanted shake and blur to enhance macro shots.

Key features of the Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM:

  • Macro lens with built in Macro Lite
  • Life-size 1.0x magnification
  • Closest working distance of 30mm
  • Near silent and smooth focusing
  • Optical Image Stabilizer with Hybrid IS
  • 7 blade Circular Aperture producing smooth bokeh
  • Super Spectra Coating
  • Unique lens design with macro shooting in mind

This powerful macro lens, with life-size 1:1 magnification, has the ability to beautifully capture subjects as close as 30mm from the front of the lens. This close working distance and magnification level means it is ideal for revealing the tiny and intricate details of subjects such as jewellery, food or crafts.

Ideal for users seeking to produce distinctive, stand out imagery for their Instagram feed or to produce a portfolio of stunning product imagery for a small business, the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM gives users the power to see a new world of detail.

Featuring an Optical Image Stabilizer with Hybrid IS, the lens gives photographers the freedom to shoot handheld allowing for new, closer perspectives uncovering detail finer than the human eye can see. The sophisticated Hybrid IS compensates for angular and linear movement with built-in technology in the lens; especially useful for macro shooting that is prone to exaggerated camera shake often causing unwanted blur.

The built-in Macro Lite ensures flexible lighting options and ease for users by allowing photographers to alternate between two lights located on each side of the lens, or both at the same time. At the press of a button the strength of the lighting can be adjusted to amplify the intricate details of the subject so users can creatively add shadows with depth and texture whilst emphasising the colour and details. The built-in Macro Lite makes it simple to achieve beautifully lit macro photography, making it possible to upload to Instagram without any need for editing.

Furthermore, to allow for versatile shooting with natural and off camera light, the design of the attachable lens hood minimises shadows cast onto the subject by the lens, as well as reflections of the lens cast by the subject.

The lightweight EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM’s design and technology allows photographers to take their art one step further. The f/2.8, 7 blade circular aperture creates beautiful bokeh by rendering out-of-focus areas of a photo smoothly and separating the subject from its surroundings. This is ideal for guiding the viewer’s attention to details and creating stunning portraits. In addition, the Super Spectra Coating reduces flare and ghosting, in order to maintain contrast and colour. 

For movie-makers, the quiet focusing of the STM focus motor is advantageous for capturing movies without distracting noise, whilst its smooth shifts in focus create cinematic effects.

Designed for impactful macro photography, the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM is a versatile, compact and lightweight lens. It has the capability to be used for a range of applications such as portrait, street and general everyday photography by all budding photographers wanting to tell their story.

Pricing and availability

The EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM will be available from May 2017 with an RRP of £399.99/€479.99.