Mirrorless cameras are popular for photographers who want the image quality of an SLR without the bulk. But lenses aren't always small, with some systems featuring glass that's quite large compared with the body. The Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM ($299.99) is delightfully tiny, matching well with EOS M bodies. Images are crisp from edge to edge, and macro shooters will love its high-magnification design and integrated LED light. If you've got a Canon mirrorless camera, this is a lens to get, and easy to call an Editors' Choice.

Design

The EF-M 28mm ($299.00 at Amazon) measures 1.8 by 2.4 inches (HD) and weighs just 4.6 ounces. It's a collapsible lens, which means those measurements are logged at its smallest position. You'll need to twist the barrel while holding the unlock switch in order to telescope the center out a bit, adding about a half-inch of height. The small size is helped by a rather narrow maximum aperture, f/3.5, which makes the lens a bit less versatile as an all-around prime. For indoor and low-light shooting, the EF-M 22mm f/2 STM is a stronger option.

There's a small metal lens hood with a thread that accepts 43mm filters. You'll need to unscrew the hood to use the integrated LED light. It's controlled by a button on the side of the lens. The light is broken into two halves, to the left and right of the lens, each lit by an adjustable LED with two levels of brightness. Use the button to change power or, with a long press, switch between the left, right, or both lights simultaneously.

The 28mm features an STM motor, which is smooth and silent. It's especially handy for video, as it allows for slow, steady racks in focus between subjects. Image stabilization is built in, which is a big plus for video use, and also makes it easier to shoot macro shots handheld, as the high level of magnification would otherwise require a steady hand for crisp results.

In its standard focus range, the lens locks on to subjects as close as 3.80 inches from the sensor, which gives it a very solid macro capability with 1:1 life-size magnification. Twist the barrel slightly to put it in Super Macro capability if you want to work even closer, 3.66 inches, which projects images onto the sensor at larger than life-size, 1.2:1. The light comes in handy here, as when you're working that close the front element of the lens is almost touching your subject and casts a shadow. In the image of a MacBook Pro keyboard above, the left half shows 1:1 magnification and the right 1.2:1.

Image Quality

I used Imatest to test the EF 28mm along with the 24MP EOS M6. At its maximum aperture, f/3.5, the lens scores 2,394 lines per picture height. The score is calculated using a center-weighted average, but image quality is almost as strong at the edges (2,280 lines) as it is at the mid parts (2,315 lines) and center (2,507 lines) of the frame. It's well above the 1,800 lines we look for at minimum in a photo.

Image quality is just about the same at f/4, and you get the sharpest images at f/5.6 (2,643 lines). There's a modest drop at f/8 (2,567 lines) and f/11 (2,366 lines), with a more noticeable dip at f/16 (2,073) and the minimum f/22 aperture (1,586 lines).

See How We Test Digital Cameras

There's no visible distortion in images. You do get some corner dimness when shooting Raw, about -3.4EV at f/3.5, -2.5EV at f/4, and -1.7EV at f/5.6. At narrower apertures illumination is quite even from edge to edge. It's easy to brighten corners with a Raw converter—Adobe Lightroom has a lens profile to correct the issue automatically.

If you shoot JPGs, your camera automatically brightens corners to make them closer to the center. An f/3.5 JPG shows -1.2EV illumination at the corners, which is just outside our -1EV tolerance. It's a nonissue at narrower settings when shooting JPGs.

Conclusions

I have almost no complaints about the EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM. It's small, inexpensive, sharp, and focuses almost right up to the front element. I can nitpick and say it's not an f/2.8 or f/2 lens, but it's tough to combine wide apertures with macro capability, and the high ISO capabilities of modern cameras make the half-stop difference between f/2.8 and f/3.5 fairly academic.

The current generation of Canon's mirrorless cameras are a step behind the competition, but I expect them to catch up, and lenses like this make a compelling argument as mirrorless being a better option for many consumers compared with SLR. If you've already invested in the EOS M system and want a lens that's going to deliver better image quality and closer focus than the standard zoom that came with your camera, the EF-M 28mm should be an easy purchase decision, especially at under $300. It's an easy pick as Editors' Choice.

Best Lens Picks

• The Best Fujifilm Lenses for 2020
• The Best Leica M Lenses for 2020
• The Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses for 2020
• The Best Pentax SLR Lenses for 2020
• More Lens Reviews
• More from Canon

Further Reading

• Tamron Details Affordable 70-180mm F2.8 Zoom Lens
• The Best Sony Mirrorless Lenses for 2020
• The Best Nikon Lenses for 2020
• The Best Canon Lenses for 2020
• Oops! $13K Camera Lens Sells for $95 Due to Prime Day Error