Don't even touch this lens!

In June 2003, I got my first SLR camera-a Canon EOS Elan 7E. With it came a Canon 28-90mm f/4-5.6 USM II lens. Due to its USM motor, I thought it would be the Holy Grail of kit lenses.

It turns out it wasn't.

Of the hundreds of photos I've taken with this lens, the vast majority of shots that I've taken with this lens were just plain lousy. I tried over 15 different kinds of color print and slide film, and the 4x6 prints and color slides I got out of this lens were consistently crappy. Despite the micro USM motor, focusing was erratic, slow, and sporadic at best, forcing me to use manual focus for half of my shots. One time, I tried printing a 16x20 print from a Tri-X negative copied onto Kodalith printed onto Ilford B&W paper. The result was pure fuzz!

Ten months later, I made the wise decision to ditch this lens and order a Canon 28-135mm IS USM lens. I'm hoping that my new lens will be a major improvement over the 28-90mm. I'll be getting the new lens within the next few days and will report back with the results soon!