| Year | 1981 |
| Lens Groups | 11 |
| Lens Element | 15 |
| Aperature Blades | 8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/32 |
| Closest Focusing | 2.5 m |
| Max. Magnifcation | 1:6.8 (0.147x) |
| Filter Size | - |
| Diameter x Length | 94 x 246.8 mm |
| Weight | 1630 gr (3.59 lb) |
| Hood | - |
This lens is a piece of art. It produces crystal clear images with almost unnoticeable CA even at it's largest focal length. The possibility of zooming is useful to find a distant subject like birds etc. and than zooming in to enlarge it. I use this lens for video mostly. In a theatre you can zoom from a full bodyshot to a close-up.
The weight of 1.6 Kg is a downside during transport but an advantage during shooting on a tripod. It makes your setup more steady and stable.
The lens has a built in hood and uses the rare IX series screw-in filters. It also has a tripodcollar.
I have tried a lot of legacy primes and some modern zooms. This lens tops them all except the Canon fd 100th f2. But is so useful. I use it for macro and even at 1:3 it is excellent. The colors are gorgeous and it is sharp at every focus and every aperture. I never believed a zoom could be this good and the lack of auto focus is more than made up in the image quality. A top canon lens for all time.