With a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range and a 3-stop Image Stabilizer, the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM provides outstanding performance and framing flexibility in low light conditions.
High performance wide angle zoom
With an effective Focal length range of approximately 27-88mm (35 mm equivalent), the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is a powerful lens that delivers remarkable image quality. The wide angle zoom allows you to capture more of every scene and add a new sense of space and perspective to your photography.
Fixed aperture
The large f/2.8 aperture provides excellent results in low light conditions. The aperture remains constant through the full focal length range, allowing you to zoom from approximately 27-88mm (35 mm equivalent) without slowing shutter speed.
Pleasing background Blur
A Circular aperture provides a pleasing background blur when shooting with a wide aperture; ideal for creating a sense of depth and isolating your subject from the background.
Image Stabilizer
The EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM features Canon’s 3-stop Image Stabilizer (IS). Ideal for handheld work, IS allows use of shutter speeds up to 3 stops slower with no perceptible increase in image blur. IS helps with low light conditions, fast paced scenes and shooting from moving vehicles.
Fast, quiet auto focus
A ring USM (Ultrasonic motor) uses ultrasonic frequency vibrations to drive responsive, near-silent high speed auto focus. Good holding torque stops the focusing lens group with precision without overshoot. Full time manual focus override is available without having to switch out of AF.
Super Spectra coatings
Optimised Super Spectra lens coatings and lens element shaping suppress flare and ghosting - more prone to occur with digital cameras due to Reflection off the image sensor. Coatings also help achieve true colour balance and increase Contrast for vivid hi-fidelity images.
Passes Distance information to E-TTL II
The lens passes distance information back to the camera's E-TTL II flash system to ensure optimal flash metering in any shooting situation.
This month's Technical Report introduces the
EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM large aperture, high-performance standard zoom
lens specifically for the EOS DIGITAL cameras using an APS-C size
digital imaging element and the EF85mm f/1.2L II USM large aperture
medium telephoto L-series lens, both announced together with the EOS
30D.
Photo 1 EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Concept of development
The EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM (Photo 1) is a large aperture,
high-performance standard zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8.
It was developed to bolster the lineup of dedicated interchangeable
lenses for EOS DIGITAL cameras using APS-C size digital imaging
elements (EOS 30D, EOS 20D, EOS 20Da, EOS Kiss Digital N and EOS Kiss
Digital as of May 2006).
The development concept is as follows:
Large aperture with maximum aperture of f/2.8
High image definition throughout the entire zoom range
Image stabilization equal to about three shutter speeds
Digital camera compatibility
Feature 1: Large aperture with maximum aperture of f/2.8
The optical system of the EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is designed to
provide a large aperture, high definition and image stabilization. The
optical design takes advantage of the smaller Image circle and shorter
back focus of EF-S lenses optimized for APS-C size digital imaging
elements, enabling a large f/2.8 maximum aperture while keeping the
optical system compact.
It has Inner focusing by the second lens group and parallel shift-lens
image stabilization by the twelfth and thirteenth lens groups (image
stabilizer lens group) (Fig. 1).
The focal length is equivalent to 27-88mm in full-frame 35mm format.
Fig. 1 EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Optical System
Feature 2: Ultrahigh image quality
The optical system of 19 elements in 12 groups uses three precision
aspherical lenses of two types, which helps minimize aberrations that
occur during zooming and focusing, enabling the large f/2.8 maximum
aperture and high definition throughout the entire zoom range.
Two UD lenses are used to minimize chromatic aberrations
throughout the zoom range, providing L-series excellent quality images
with both high Resolution and contrast throughout the zoom and focusing
ranges (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2 MTF Characteristic Charts of EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Thick lines: 10
lines/mm; thin lines: 30 lines/mm. The darker black lines represent the
MTF characteristics at maximum aperture; the blue lines at f/8. The
solid lines trace the radial S (sagittal) curve, while the broken lines
trace the tangential M (meridional) curve.
Feature 3: Image stabilization of about three shutter speeds
Through the use of a dedicated high-performance compact image
stabilization (IS) unit (Photo 3), developed specifically for the
EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, and a vibration gyro for precise Camera shake
detection, it gives image stabilization equivalent to using a shutter
speed about three steps faster (Fig. 3).
Photo 3 EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM IS unit
Fig. 3 EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM camera-shake correction
The general rule for the slowest permissable shutter speed to avoid
camera shake is 1/focal length in seconds, or for the APS-C format,
1/(focal lengthx1.6) in seconds so the slowest acceptable shutter speed
for 17mm focal length is about 1/30 seconds. Using the image stablizer,
good images can be obtained at a rate of 90% or over even at 1/8sec.
Furthermore, the f/2.8 maximum aperture allows a fast shutter speed,
thus hand-held shooting is possible even in low light (Photo 4, 5).
Photo 4 Image stabilizer ON
Photo 5 Image stabilizer OFF
(Photo 4 and 5 taken with an EOS 30D at 17mm, 1/4sec)
The image stabilizer used in the EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM also has the following excellent features.
• The image stabilizer is activated within half a
second after pressing the shutter button halfway, allowing the user to
capture the decisive moment.
• The same image stabilizer effects can be attained when using a monopod as in hand-held shooting.
• There are no restrictions on using a tripod.
Feature 4: Lens Coating optimized for use with digital SLR cameras
The EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM optical design and coating optimized for
use with digital SLR cameras gives both good Color balance and
minimizes ghost and flare attributable to surface reflections from the
digital imaging element.
Feature 5: Superb operability Closest focusing distance of 0.35 meters
The 0.35 meter minimum focusing distance throughout the zoom range is
achieved by increasing the power of the focusing lens group. The
maximum magnification is 0.17x at 55mm (field of view: 88 x 131mm).
Circular aperture for attractive bokeh effects
Thanks to the EMD's (electromagnetic diaphragm) circular aperture, the lens provides attractive blur effects (bokeh).
Silent, high-speed AF
In addition to the silent ring-type ultrasonic motor (USM) and inner
focusing, the high-speed CPU and optimized AF algorithm contribute to
very fast autofocus.
Manual focusing enabled even in AF mode
The EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM has full-time mechanical manual focusing
that allows manual focus after one-shot AF operation without leaving AF
mode.
Switch design that prevents unintended switching
The focus mode switch and IS switch are designed to prevent unintended switching during shooting or when being carried.
Non-rotating filter ring
Since the filter does not rotate while zooming or focusing, circular PL (polarizing) filters are easy to use.
Use of the Canon 77mm PL-CII filter is recommended to prevent Vignetting.
Dedicated large scalloped hood with superb light blocking
The EW-83J, a large scalloped hood dedicated to the EF-S17-55mm f/2.8
IS USM, has superior antireflection flocking on the inner surface. It
is very effective in keeping unwanted light out of the lens (Photo 6).
Photo 6 EW-83J dedicated hood for EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Feature 6: Environmentally friendly design
The optical system contains only environmentally friendly lead-free glasses.
Effective from July 2006, EU (European Union) will restrict the use of
certain hazardous substances* in the electrical and electronic
equipment according to the ''EU's Restrictions on Hazardous Substances
(RoHS) Directive''.
The EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is already in compliance with Canon's own
standard covering the RoHS directives including those still being
finalized.
*Six substances: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, bromine
flame retardant PBB (polybrominated biphenyl), and PBDE (polybrominated
diphenyl ether).
Being an EF-S lens, the 17-55mm will only work on a EF-S compatible bodies like the 30D and 400D. The optical performance is very impressive.
(more in-depth review coming soon)
Why should you care what I think?
My relationship with this item: I have borrowed a friends Where did you buy this item?: N/A Price paid: 0 When did you buy this item?: N/A
Conclusions at a glance
Would you recommend this Item: Yes Pros: Great Optics, well built Cons: Only fits canon EF-S bodies
User Lens Reviews
Average user rating from: 141 user(s)
Overall rating (weighted)
4.3
Sharpness
4.4
Build Quality
4.3
AF Speed
4.3
Value for Money
4.3
Add new review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Good for photo, not great for video, Thursday, 29 July 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
3.5
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
4.0
Bought this lens for the Canon 7D with the main use being videography. I'd always been told this was a great lens, perhaps the best, with the EF-S mount. It was the "L" lens with the "L" designation.
I like the lens for pictures. Great IS and USM and great with the f2.8 all the way through.
However, for practical use in shooting video, this was a horrible choice. Already using the 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM and 16-35mm f2.8L USM so was used to a certain feel. Perhaps I have been spoiled. The 17-55mm f2.8 is clunky in the zoom, and focus ring is sooooooo tiny compared to the L-series lenses I've already been using.
The lens itself produces a great picture, but without a follow focus rig then manual focus is kind a chore with this lens. And you can't get a nice steady zoom in or out with this lens either. And for my line of work, that's not acceptable.
I will be getting rid of this lens as soon as possible and will try to get the 24-70 f2.8L instead methinks.
But if you're taking just pictures, or are doing home video with your T2i/550D and 7D, I think that's fine. Just not good enough for prosumer or professional.
I just received this lens an hour ago and words can not do it justice.
Every shot looks professionally done. The sharpness of indoors photos taken at 1/60sec f/2.8 is incredible compared to what I thought were great pics on the kit lens.
The small photos we can upload here also have no way of translating the sharpness.
We love our new Canon EF-S 17-55mm lens, Friday, 25 June 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
I purchased this lens for my wife's birthday and she could not be happier with the quality and capabilities of this lens. We are very happy with the product and the service provided.
The Holy Grail of Crop Sensor Lenses, Saturday, 29 May 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.3
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
Amazing lens, which always delivers tack sharp images. Only downside is that it pulls in dust easily...although I've yet to see this effect the IQ. If you're a crop sensor body owner, and serious about what you do...this is a must have lens.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Top-Notch Walk-Around Lens for 1.6x EF-S Bodies, Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
4.0
I've owned and used this lens, on a professional/working basis, for nearly three years. I must say, these reviews gave me a good chuckle.
A Bit about me as a photographer.. I've owned Canon 10Ds and 20Ds, 5Ds and 1Ds. I currently shoot with a 1D Mark IV, 5D Mark II, and yes, I keep around a 40D because 1) They are great cameras and 2) They go places I don't want to take my other bodies. To keep that 40D doing everything I want while packing light, I need one or two lenses that "do it all."
My choice for those two lenses are the 17-55 2.8 IS and something else, usually an 85 or 135 prime.
Materials: For a plastic-bodied lens, Canon did a good job with this one. I really have no complaints, and when handling the lens, I don't personally feel as though I'm using an inferior product. By contrast, I also shoot with various L lenses including 35mm 1.4L, 85mm 1.2L, 70-200mm 2.8L, and 300mm 2.8L. The focus and zoom rings are smooth and accurate, the switches stay where you put them, the body is resistant to scratches and scuffs. For the price I am very happy with the materials used.
Construction: Again, good materials and solid construction. No rattles, no creep of the zoom when I angle the thing down while hiking or moving around (although that might be just my copy). Three years of hard use and everything fits tight and works the way it did when new. The 77mm thread size is great, I can share filters with my L lenses as needed, saves a bit of money there. Also, the front element is fixed, doesn't rotate, so you can use a circular polarizer.
Sealing: For a non-L lens, I am actually impressed by how well sealed this lens is. It might be that the 40D fit is a bit better than the Rebel or other lower-end bodies, but on the 40D the seal is excellent. I've had the rig out in heavy downpour, blowing rain, salt water, and haven't noticed any moisture creeping into the sensor box, rear lens, or lens body.
Handling: This is a comfortable lens to use, not too heavy and good size/balance overall. The plastic body makes it a bit lighter than the heavier L lenses, so it is more balanced on a plastic-body Rebel or 40/50D, or even on a 7D (which I've never used for more than a few minutes so I can't speak directly to that). I am a bigger guy, but a smaller person should have no problem hiking with this lens all day around their neck. The 2.8 aperture provides a very bright viewfinder compared to say the f/4-5.6 kit lens for wide-zoom f/4L options.
Color/Saturation/Conrast: Really superb all around. Here's a quote from Canon:
"By optimising Super Spectra lens coatings and lens element shaping, Canon's engineers have been effective in suppressing flare and ghosting  more prone to occur with digital cameras due to reflection off the image sensor. By increasing light absorption, coatings reduce reflections off lens element surfaces to deliver crisp, undistorted images with natural colour balance."
There's a bit of flare with this lens, I can't necessarily agree with that point (although no more than to be expected in a wider-angle lens, and easily mitigated with the lens hood or by not shooting into the sun). Being a more modern lens, and using UD (ultra low Dispersion) lens elements (just like those fancy red-ring lenses), the optical quality of this lens can (in the hands of the right photographer) exceed that of legacy L-glass.
Sharpness: f/4 to f/8 is the sweetspot for most lenses, and the same is true for this one. If you're the type that spends hours peeping at ISO charts, this review isn't for you. This lens is sharp at 2.8, especially outside of a meter or so, edge to edge and corner to corner. Crop sensors have an advantage in this arena. Inside a meter, the sharpness is acceptible but not ideal. Hey, a lens can't do everything well. For landscape, at say 30mm and f/8, this lens will blow your mind, especially if you're moving up from a kit lens. If you're using a flash for events, then anywhere in the zoom range (except the extremes) at 2.8 is totally printable up to 16" on a long side, with only 8MP resolution sensor. Put your camera in Av and have fun. Again, if you're a chart person, you'll be able to find some distortion, edge blurryness, things of that nature, all totally correctible by either stopping down a bit, or a few keystrokes in post if you're that hardcore. For the average user, hobbyist, working professional, none of these things are show stoppers. You'll probably never notice.
The aperture is a circular 7-blade affair, produces high quality bokeh especially for closer subjects.
Focusing/AF: Not as fast as the 70-200 but close. If you know how to use your AF it's as fast as you need it to be for the types of subjects and scenes this lens is probably going to be used for. Being a 2.8 lens, you'll be getting the most out of your cross-type AF points, even when not at f/2.8. Tips: Manually select your AF point, and get that point over a high contrast area.
IS: At first I was skeptical of putting IS on a lens with a maximum focal length of 55mm. If you can't handhold at that distance, you need to seriously think about your photography technique and maybe take a lesson or two. That said, with the 3-stop IS I can hand-hold for 2-seconds with this thing and still get a very good image. For those not familiar with IS, IS will not stop fast moving subjects. IS is a tool to help you reduce camera shake, especially during longer exposures (slower than 1/30sec) in low light. If you're shooting action, there's almost no reason to have IS on other than to drain your batteries faster (and if you're shooting action professionally, 1) you know when to use IS and why, and 2) you aren't doing it with this lens, so I won't go into it any deeper here). This IS is useful but know how it works and don't just leave it on all the time to get the most benefit.
Vignetting: Some people see vignetting as a negative, a flaw from design or a compromise. I see it another way, as a creative tool. There are a set of conditions that have to be selected to get a lens to vignette on a particular body. If a creative photographer wants light falloff, then they set up to create that effect. If they don't, then they find another combination of settings. Being able to force vignette is a feature.
"The dust issue" This is the one that really made me laugh. Yea I have dust on the inside of my objective glass. Probably 12 or 15 specs, some of them fairly big like a grain of salt. How they got in, I have no idea. I don't use filter glass on the front to protect it, so maybe it came in the front but I doubt it. Maybe it came in between the rings, or was ground up plastic from the internal mechanisms, or maybe something else. I know one or two of them are "genuine Canon factory dust" because they were there when I unboxed the lens. Am I worried? Not in the least. I've never noticed image degradation from those specs, and probably never will. If I do, I'll send it to Canon for cleaning, as I do with my bodies every couple years. It's worth the small investment. Many photographers overstress the issue of dust or scratches or fingerprints on the objective glass, seriously, it has minimal if any impact. What's much more important is keeping the back glass clean and clear. Dust? Non-issue for me, and it should be for you too.
How could Canon improve this lens? Metal body, red ring, better sealing, probably some minor motor tweaks to make it faster/quieter, include the soft pounch and hood. How would that impact the price? Probably $500-750. Would it be worth $1500 to buy a lens that covers 17-55mm on a Rebel or a 40/50D 1.6x body? No, I don't think so. This lens is a bit of compromise, but let's remember the people it's aimed at.. serious hobbyists/amateurs, low-level professionals. Somebody who has a prosumer level SLR and is ready to spend some bucks to get a really sweet lens, but isn't going to 1) shell out $2000 for a top of the line body nor 2) use/abuse their kit the way a professional would. So Canon left out some of those really high-end features that would only bloat the price with minimal benefit. I think it's a good decision overall. The people who want better will wait for the mythical 24-70 2.8L II with 4-stop IS that might be coming out in Fall. Er, next year. Oh, maybe in 2 years.
Negatives... well, one negative is a really weak magnification factor (0.17x at 55mm). If you're looking to take macro shots, or product shots, this lens really isn't going to do it for you. If that's your thing, money is probably better spent on the 60mm macro, which is also a really good portrait lens. I really can't think of any more negatives to this lens.
Finally.. resale value of this lens has remained strong, despite what many have said. This is a great 2nd lens for the relative beginner, as well as being a great "standby" for a working professional. If all else were to fail, get lost in shipping, not be available, whatever, I grab my 40D and 17-55 to get the job done.
I'm a photojournalistic hobbyist and I was reluctant to buy this lens at first due to the hefty price tag and novice stature I had in photography. After begging my wife to make a super-mega birthday/christmas/all-year gift of this lens I finally got it about a year and a half ago from Amazon (Oct 2008). I do not regret it. The images it captures are among the best I get and the range of the lens makes it the highest use lens I have. Given how much I rely on this lens, I can't imagine not having it. I considered getting the Canon 24-70 f2.8L, but since I have a crop-sensored body (Canon 40D) the range (38-112mm equivalent) wasn't what I was looking for. The L lens also lacked Image Stabilization.
Pros: - excellent image quality - useful range (on my camera 70% of time) - very good low-light capabilities - fast, silent AF system - image stabilizer works well
Cons: - heavy - pricey
About the only negative I read about the lens was that people called it a "dust magnet." After having the lens now for a year and a half I can only say that I have not experienced that. I can see how that can happen (with this lens and most other Zoom lenses), but that has not happened to me. I use this lens a lot, and it spends most of the time on an open shelf, but I have not noticed any collection of dust inside the lens.
What drew me to this lens (and keeps me using it) is it's fantastic image quality and solid low-light performance. The images it captures are often on par with pictures I get from my prime lenses. But instead of describing them to you here's a link to our website:
[...]
The low-light capabilities are quite good. If the light is really tough (indoors & at night), I'm usually forced to grab my 50mm 1.8 or 85mm 1.8, but this lens does the job a majority of the time for me.
Also, now that I have the Canon 7D and am learning about film-making, I'm finding myself even more satisfied with this lens due to the image stabilization system. It doesn't magically fix all camera-shake, but it makes a difference on those subtle panning shots I take on a tripod or monopod.
Recommendations: Pro - I don't know why you're even reading this review. You've got your 1D or 5D and the 24-70L (yes, I'm jealous). Hobbyist - Get this lens if you just got your tax return or some other influx of cash. You could also try begging your husband or wife, but results may vary. If you don't have that kind of money you may want to consider the Sigma or the Tamron. They aren't quite equivalent due to differences in range (sigma) and lack of IS (tamron), but you probably won't notice the difference 90% of the time. I can't speak authoritatively on that one though because I haven't tried them. Novice - Probably best to get started with the Canon Rebel, 18-55mm IS lens, 50mm 1.8, and 55-250 IS. It'll cost you under $1000 and you can take some ridiculously awesome pictures with that set. You could even grab all that off craigslist for under $700.
P.S. When I began in photography I just wanted to get started with a budget around $1500 or less and roll with it. Now my load of photographic equipment is up over $4000. It's like a crazy addiction!
I'm a photojournalistic hobbyist and I was reluctant to buy this lens at first due to the hefty price tag and novice stature I had in photography. After begging my wife to make a super-mega birthday/christmas/all-year gift of this lens I finally got it about a year and a half ago from Amazon (Oct 2008). I do not regret it. The images it captures are among the best I get and the range of the lens makes it the highest use lens I have. Given how much I rely on this lens, I can't imagine not having it. I considered getting the Canon 24-70 f2.8L, but since I have a crop-sensored body (Canon 40D) the range (38-112mm equivalent) wasn't what I was looking for. The L lens also lacked Image Stabilization.
Pros: - excellent image quality - useful range (on my camera 70% of time) - very good low-light capabilities - fast, silent AF system - image stabilizer works well
Cons: - heavy - pricey
About the only negative I read about the lens was that people called it a "dust magnet." After having the lens now for a year and a half I can only say that I have not experienced that. I can see how that can happen (with this lens and most other zoom lenses), but that has not happened to me. I use this lens a lot, and it spends most of the time on an open shelf, but I have not noticed any collection of dust inside the lens.
What drew me to this lens (and keeps me using it) is it's fantastic image quality and solid low-light performance. The images it captures are often on par with pictures I get from my prime lenses. But instead of describing them to you here's our web address:
peteandviv[dot]com/photography
The low-light capabilities are quite good. If the light is really tough (indoors & at night), I'm usually forced to grab my 50mm 1.8 or 85mm 1.8, but this lens does the job a majority of the time for me.
Also, now that I have the Canon 7D and am learning about film-making, I'm finding myself even more satisfied with this lens due to the image stabilization system. It doesn't magically fix all camera-shake, but it makes a difference on those subtle panning shots I take on a tripod or monopod.
Recommendations: Pro - I don't know why you're even reading this review. You've got your 1D or 5D and the 24-70L (yes, I'm jealous). Hobbyist - Get this lens if you just got your tax return or some other influx of cash. You could also try begging your husband or wife, but results may vary. If you don't have that kind of money you may want to consider the Sigma or the Tamron. They aren't quite equivalent due to differences in range (sigma) and lack of IS (tamron), but you probably won't notice the difference 90% of the time. I can't speak authoritatively on that one though because I haven't tried them. Novice - Probably best to get started with the Canon Rebel, 18-55mm IS lens, 50mm 1.8, and 55-250 IS. It'll cost you under $1000 and you can take some ridiculously awesome pictures with that set. You could even grab all that off craigslist for under $700.
P.S. When I began in photography I just wanted to get started with a budget around $1500 or less and roll with it. Now my load of photographic equipment is up over $4000. It's like a crazy addiction!
I'm a photojournalistic hobbyist and I was reluctant to buy this lens at first due to the hefty price tag and novice stature I had in photography. After begging my wife to make a super-mega birthday/christmas/all-year gift of this lens I finally got it about a year and a half ago from Amazon (Oct 2008). I do not regret it. The images it captures are among the best I get and the range of the lens makes it the highest use lens I have. Given how much I rely on this lens, I can't imagine not having it. I considered getting the Canon 24-70 f2.8L, but since I have a crop-sensored body (Canon 40D) the range (38-112mm equivalent) wasn't what I was looking for. The L lens also lacked Image Stabilization.
Pros: - excellent image quality - useful range (on my camera 70% of time) - very good low-light capabilities - fast, silent AF system - image stabilizer works well
Cons: - heavy - pricey
About the only negative I read about the lens was that people called it a "dust magnet." After having the lens now for a year and a half I can only say that I have not experienced that. I can see how that can happen (with this lens and most other zoom lenses), but that has not happened to me. I use this lens a lot, and it spends most of the time on an open shelf, but I have not noticed any collection of dust inside the lens.
What drew me to this lens (and keeps me using it) is it's fantastic image quality and solid low-light performance. The images it captures are often on par with pictures I get from my prime lenses. But instead of describing them to you here's a link to our website:
peteandviv[dot]com/photography
The low-light capabilities are quite good. If the light is really tough (indoors & at night), I'm usually forced to grab my 50mm 1.8 or 85mm 1.8, but this lens does the job a majority of the time for me.
Also, now that I have the Canon 7D and am learning about film-making, I'm finding myself even more satisfied with this lens due to the image stabilization system. It doesn't magically fix all camera-shake, but it makes a difference on those subtle panning shots I take on a tripod or monopod.
Recommendations: Pro - I don't know why you're even reading this review. You've got your 1D or 5D and the 24-70L (yes, I'm jealous). Hobbyist - Get this lens if you just got your tax return or some other influx of cash. You could also try begging your husband or wife, but results may vary. If you don't have that kind of money you may want to consider the Sigma or the Tamron. They aren't quite equivalent due to differences in range (sigma) and lack of IS (tamron), but you probably won't notice the difference 90% of the time. I can't speak authoritatively on that one though because I haven't tried them. Novice - Probably best to get started with the Canon Rebel, 18-55mm IS lens, 50mm 1.8, and 55-250 IS. It'll cost you under $1000 and you can take some ridiculously awesome pictures with that set. You could even grab all that off craigslist for under $700.
P.S. When I began in photography I just wanted to get started with a budget around $1500 or less and roll with it. Now my load of photographic equipment is up over $4000. It's like a crazy addiction!
This lens is a must have!, Saturday, 06 March 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I had to save all my birthday and Christmas monies to be able to afford this lens, but it was worth the wait. Previously I had a kit lens from my Rebel XTi without image stablization, but when I purchased my Canon 40D recently it was obvious that I needed a superior lens for overall use. I did the research and I'm happy I didn't settle for anything less.
just got this lens via j and r, through amazon. main issues were the bad packing other amazon members said they had when lens arrived, so i called j and r and asked them to make sure lens in canon box doesn't move around in the larger box. came well packed.
as for the vaunted dust problems getting into the lens, i had found out from the experts at canoga camera calif that there is a small hole next to the glass at the front of the lens that allows air to draw in when lens moves in and out. per many posts on this issue on the net, which said using a filter stops the dust problem, i saw at canoga camera this would be the case. my lens came dust free (inside the elements) and i immediately put a clear glass multicoated hoya DMC1 pro on there.
i then shot 3 pix of my cat swirl and looked at the jpegs (not even the raw files) and was amazed at the quality of these 1st three pix with the lens. i have posted them on the customer pictures...they would be toward the end (very end as of this date) and are 3 cat pix in a row, so you can see straight out of the camera and judge for yourself. the shots were taken 1/15th second, 3200iso, f 2.8, full 55mm (for you portrait photogs) and in low natural room light.
i am blown away by this lens. my reasons for getting it are handheld night city photography, which this will allow me to do better with the wider angles and image stabilization then my wonderful tamron 28-75mm 2.8.
this was pricey, but totally worth it if you one cares about the product. my headshots are professional and need to be good. my artshots i love, and need to be good. i'm still shooting with the wonderful 20d, and amazed at the quality and life this new lens injects into an older 8.6 megapixel camera...albeit a superb old camera.
all around a nice purchase with excellent customer communication from the actual merchant, j and r (bought through amazon).
i had been worried about bad packing that other amazon members said they had when lens arrived (not necessarily from the same merchant), so i called j and r and asked them to make sure lens in canon box doesn't move around in the larger box. it might have come ok anyway, but they said they'd make sure, and they did. the lens came well packed.
as for the vaunted dust problems getting into the lens some of you may have heard about, i had found out from the experts at canoga camera calif that there is a small vent hole next to the glass at the front of the lens that allows air to draw in when lens moves in and out. per many posts on this issue on the net, i immediately put a clear glass multicoated hoya DMC1 pro on the lens to keep dust out. in the forums/blogs this was said to be the solution, as well as by the folks at canoga camera. as for the lens itself, when it arrived it was pristine and totally dust free inside the elements.
after putting the lens on my 20d i then shot 3 pix of my cat swirl and looked at the jpegs (not even the raw files) and was amazed at the quality of these 1st three pix with the lens. i have posted them on the customer pictures and are 3 cat pix in a row, so you can see straight out of the camera with NO photoshopping and judge for yourself. the shots were taken 1/15th second, 3200iso, f 2.8, full 55mm (for you portrait photogs) and in low natural room light...all of which test this lens at what might be considered any lens' weak points...wide open aperture/fully extended to longest telephoto length/very low light. looking at the pics i would have thought the shots were taken in a well lit setting at least at 1/60th of a sec, and probably around what is normally a sharper f stop than full wide open at 2.8. corroboration of the virtually unanimous praise of the lens' quality.
i am blown away by this lens. my reasons for getting it are handheld night city photography, which this will allow me to do better with the wider angles and image stabilization then my wonderful tamron 28-75mm 2.8.
this was pricey, but totally worth it if you care about your pictures. i shoot professional headshots and they need to be good. my artshots i love, and need to be good. i'm still shooting with the wonderful 20d, and amazed at the quality and life this new lens injects into an older 8.6 megapixel camera...albeit a superb old camera.
Canon 18-55 IS or 17-55 IS, Thursday, 11 February 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
In short, I really like this lens and it was a good upgrade. I have the Canon 18-55 IS kit lens so this was a big decision for me. 1000+ bucks is really more than I wanted to spend; it's more than my XSI body.
Should you buy this lens? Have you outgrown your kit lens? I found myself taking a lot of indoor pictures of moving targets (sports, kids, etc); and sometimes no flash! ISO 1600, shutter priority, minimizing my zoom, and 20 test shots later - I could produce a decent photo.
14 months with my 18-55 which produced far better than any point and shoot I ever owned. I'm barely competent in aperture priority mode but I immediately noticed the faster focus, and the sharper and brighter image just from the LCD. I could also see the extra 1mm at the wide end (though it's not a determining factor).
Is it a must-have upgrade? It really depends on how high you set the bar and how much you appreciate your own photos. If you want your best pictures to be even better and you need more light in your lens then you should consider it. I've been told that a good photographer can take really good pictures using a cell phone if they know its abilities and limitations.
Faster focus, sharper and brighter pictures, less need for a flash, lower ISO, faster shutter, plus the unpenalized use of the zoom are new abilities. Even the L snobs will toss a head nod towards this glass.
If you are going to pop for this lens then the hood handy and I would match it up with a good multi-coated UV filter (77mm).
Canon 18-55 IS vs 17-55 IS, Thursday, 11 February 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I really like this lens and it was a great upgrade with no regrets!
Instead of reposting a bunch of technical stuff I'll just share my experiences. I have the Canon XSI with the 18-55 IS kit lens so I'm not a pro and this was a big decision for me to invest in a lens that outright replaces my current one without any real difference in range. What drove me to this lens was the fact that I take a lot of indoor pictures of my kids running around, my family, and indoor sports like karate; and most of the time I had to shoot without a flash to avoid blinding everyone - equals a lot of high ISO photos. Shooting moving people indoors with the 18-55 and no flash was making me feel limited and a little frustrated.
After 14 months with my 18-55 - I picked up the 17-55 and felt free! Faster focus and the sharper and brighter images were immediate. I could even see the extra 1mm at the wide end (though it's not a determining factor).
It's been a week now and never mind the better optics that everyone is raves about, forget the faster focus or the nicer bokeh - just having more light in the lens means new abilities. I can shoot in lower ISOs; I have less need for a flash; I can take advantage of faster shutter speeds, plus the fixed 2.8 means I can use my zoom without any difference to my light or speed.
I waited a long time to finally buy this lens b/c of the price. It is worth EVERY penny and my only regret is that it did not buy it sooner. Finally, I can get more natural looking pictures because I don't have to use my flash in many indoor situations thanks to the wider aperature (f/2.8). After a trip to Disney where I took 2 lenses to the park (17-85 f/4-5.6 and 50 f/1.4) so that I could get both my wide angle pictures during the day and really cool night pictures of the castle, I realized how silly it was that I didn't just have one great lens that I was happy to have on my camera all of the time. Now the only time I take this off my camera is for sporting events when I need my 70-200 f/2.8. Yes, I sometimes wish it could zoom closer than 55 mm but I wouldn't give up my wide 17 mm range (on a 1.6 crop camera) for anything. I love being able to get the group shots and all of the scene that others cannot at 24 mm. I highly recommend this lens for everyday use and beautiful, natural looking low-light photography!
A great lens to carry if you want to travel light, Tuesday, 02 February 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
3.8
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
3.0
After I bought my Canon 40D back in 2007, I was looking for ONE single lens that I can take on my travel, as I always want to travel as light as possible. It has to operate in low light condition as I may not always have my tripod. It has to be versatile in its zoom range as I may be shooting landscape in wide angle one day and portrait of my Mom the next. The EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 delivers what I was looking for. IS works extremely well and I've made some street shots at night that would not be possible otherwise. I have been using this for 2 years and it's always the lens I take with me if I'm required to carry only one.
The sole complain I have with this lens is flare, even with the lens hood. It doesn't improve much if I use larger apertures. It makes all the back lighting and sunset scenes more challenging. And that's why I'm giving this a 4 star and not 5.
