Canon's original EF 24mm wide-angle prime — compact, basic, and part of the earliest EF lens lineup.
The Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 launched in 1987 as one of the original EF-mount lenses. This is the same lens as ID 564 — a compact, simple wide-angle prime that served Canon shooters for decades. See the entry for Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 for context on this era of Canon primes.
Optical quality is decent but dated — sharp in the centre from f/4 with moderate corner softness on full-frame. No USM motor — audible micro-motor autofocus. Basic optical design. No image stabilisation. Full-frame coverage.
Canon EF mount with 52mm filter thread. Just 185g — very compact. Minimum focus distance 25cm. Plastic barrel with metal mount. Simple 5-element optical formula. Has been in production essentially unchanged since 1987.
Very cheap used. The EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM revision is dramatically better with stabilisation and improved optics. The EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM is the premium option. Only useful as an ultra-budget wide-angle prime for Canon EF bodies.