On this EOS Kiss digital camera is a modified EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 lens, the first model after the PZ (Power Zoom) version. (See below for a full description)
EF 35-80mm f4-5.6
In the period from March of 1990 to March of 1995 Canon produced five different models of the EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 zoom lenses all intended as lightweight entry level “kit” lenses.
These lenses were meant for lower end beginner film cameras and they were adequate for the purpose. One must remember that there is no purpose served by overbuilding a lens in a competitive market. By today’s digital high resolution standards they are harshly criticized but I think that somewhat unfair.
The Canon Museum may not be the most relaible resource but it is a place to start. They list these five lenses with their full names and basic information. In the following table you can see what the Museum says by clicking on the lens name in the left column.
Name Introduction Weight Filter Elements/Groups
| EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 PZ | March 1990 | 205gr | 52mm | 7 in 7 |
| EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 | September 1990 | 180gr | 52mm | 8 in 8 |
| EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 USM | April 1992 | 170gr | 52mm | 8 in 8 |
| EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 II | September 1993 | 170gr | 52mm | 8 in 8 |
| EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 III | March 1995 | 175gr | 52mm | 8 in 8 |
All of these lenses are created in a plastic housing resulting in a very light construction. Even the lens mount is plastic. Many object to the feel of the resulting lens but the plastic is durable and very much lighter than metal.
The zoom range of the EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 lenses is not remarkable. Later EF zoom lenses have wider ranges and more complex designs. There is no question that compromises were made to create a product that was easily affordable and yet would deliver an acceptable level of performance on a film camera.
Below we have a look at these lenses one at a time.
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EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 PZ
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 PZ (image from Canon Museum until I have photographed my copy)
The EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 PZ is Canon’s only power zoom detachable lens. It does not really fit with the other four manual zooms in this group. I have one and will write about it soon.
EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 (image from an E-Bay listing until I have photographed my copy)
The EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 isthe first of four manual zoom lens in this group created by Canon. Details coming soon.
EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 (Modified)
The EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 I found with the modification to the front ring. You can see clearly that this is a Canon item that has been added to the front of this lens.
A closeup of the front ring. The ridged insert around the front element is flat as in the lens above but there is no name ring.
The front ring is the same diameter as the zoom ring which is not the case on 35-80mm Version I above. Also note that of all these lenses, the zoom ring rubber on this lens only matches the Version I above.
The lens mount end is the same as the Version I above(they are all the same, actually). It is clearly all plastic except for the electrical contacts. The rear element shows a concave surface towards the film.
A few years ago I acquired an EOS Kiss (EOS 500 or EOS XS in Europe and the Americas) from Japan and it had a strange EF lens on it. The camera and lens are shown in the top photo on this page. The lens said 35-80mm but I could find no indication of the speed of the lens anywhere on it. Being busy I noted it here in the Collection and put it away to deal with later.
I got a message a few days ago on the Canon Collector Facebook page from Michael in Oakville, Ontario asking what is this lens about. He had seen my mention of it here and wondered what it was as he was interested in EF lenses. So I began looking into it and this page is the result.
You can see from the photographs that this is a 35-80mm EF lens but there is nowhere you can find the speed or the name of the lens. There is no name ring at the front as with the others in this group.
Examining the other 35-80mm lenses there is only one lens that matches this one, the 35-80mm f/4-5.6, the earliest in this series after the PZ lens. I will refer to this as Version I which is pictured in the section above this.
If you compare the rubber zoom ring on my “modified” lens it matches only Version I. Also note the grooved insert surrounding the front element of the lens. They are both six groves and are essentially flat: 90 degrees to the axis of the lens.
I think this is the same lens but it has an added ring around the front. This additional piece appears to screw into the filter ring on the lens and covers the name ring. Notice the diameter is larger than the diameter on the original lens (above) and there is room for this one to cover the name ring. I have tried to unscrew it and it will not budge. I suspect that plastic has grabs plastic, as it will do, and has frozen the surfaces together. Anyway, I am not going to force it.
So what is the purpose? Well, I got into the Library here on my website and started reading and came up with the User Manual for the Canon EF-M, an interesting camera on its own. The manual lists the 35-80mm f/4-5.6 zoom as one of two standard lenses and it goes further in that it shows what it calls a “Focusing Ring” which is an added part that can be purchased and threaded onto the front of the lens to provide a better grip for manual focusing. You find it listed for the EF-M camera because this camera does not support auto focusing. One must focus manually.
User Manual for the Canon EF-M Camera.
So, in summary, this is a 35-80mm f/4-5.6 lens with a Focusing Ring attachment screwed onto the front (and which does not want to come off). The Focusing Ring is peculiar to the EF-M camera because of all the EF mount cameras, this one does not support auto focus.
In the Collection I have this Lens:
Collection No.: L-64
Serial No.: 3247075F
Date of Intro.: Sept. 1990
Condition: Excellent body and glass
Notes: This lens has a small crack in the front of the zoom ring. I have seen this crack in other lenses for sale on E-Bay so it may be a weakness in this design. It does function in all respects as it should.
EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 USM
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 (image from an E-Bay listing until I have photographed my copy)
The EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 USM is the second of four manual zoom lens in this group created by Canon.
EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 II
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 II (image from the Canon Museum until I have photographed my copy)
The EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 II is the third of four manual zoom lens in this group created by Canon.
EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 III
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 III mounted on an EOS 700.
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 III mounted on an EOS 700.
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 III mounted on an EOS 700.
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 III mounted on an EOS 700.
This is the EF35-80mm f/4-5.6 III mounted on an EOS 700.
The EF 35-80mm f4-5.6 III is the last of these zoom lens in this group created by Canon.
This is a Page in Progress and will be updated and completed (someday!)