EF-S 17-85mm IS USM

[Xmetal]

Just got a quote for AUS$1100 for one of these babies and i'd like to know if anyone here is using one and what they think of it. is the Image Stabiliser as good as they make it out to be? how good is the wide-angle?

If anyone has any other suggestions for a wide-angle lens i'm all ears.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Big Mike]

I've heard good things about this lens...it's apparently an EF-S version of the EF 28-135 IS USM...which is also said to be a pretty good lens.

Here is an article "Canon IS lenses, Worth it, or not" http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/is_lenses/

 

[thebeginning]

That lens is a nice one for general walk around use, especially if you stop it down a couple stops. keep in mind that IS doesnt do squat for moving subjects. if you're just buying it for the wide angle side, then the IS doesnt really matter, and neither does the longer range. for wide angle zooms, shorter ranges tend to result in better quality images, as the glass is more or less designed for that specific area of focal lengths, and doesnt have to cover both the distortion of wide angle AND telephoto.

An 18-50 or 17-35 is a good idea for a wide angle zoom because of this. Good ones in this range are the sigma 18-50 2.8 (~ $400), the tamron 17-35 2.8-4 ($400), and of course the canon 17-40L(~$800) (the canon wins in autofocus speed and weather sealing, the sigma slightly excells in center image sharpness, and the tamron slightly excells in overall sharpness and clarity throughout the frame). dont underestimate third party lenses. if you just want to use wide angle, i'd invest in an ultra wide angle. There's no comparison if you want wide angle zooms, as it covers ultra wide to moderately wide focal lengths. the best in that category are the tokina 12-24 f4 and the canon 10-22 f3.5-4.5 USM. hope this helps, sorry if this comment was too lengthy

 

[woodsac]

Right now, the 17-85mm IS is my main walk around lense. It's attached to a 350D, so if I remember what I read, your actually shooting at closer to 28mm due to the 1.6X crop of the 350? I'm sure someone can be more technical about that if I'm wrong...sorry.

But, it does a good job. Both of the wide angle use and the image stabilization. Remember, I am just a hobbiest For my purposes, it is great!
The clarity from the IS is unbeatable for random hand held shots. But, if you use a tripod, or shoot moving subjects, there is no advantage to the IS.

I also just recieved my 28-135mm IS :mrgreen: Haven't even got to put it on the camera yet.

 

[Xmetal]

Continuing...

I'm hoping the said lens can do shots like this...

clicky

I then plan to use the lens as a general knock-about lens. I'm planning on buying a Telephoto lens for shooting far subjects at a later date.

 

[Big Mike]

It looks like that shot was taken with an ultra wide lens...and not on a 1.6 crop camera like the 350D, 20D etc. I could be wrong though.

 

[woodsac]

I don't know what it would look like without the 1.6x crop, but I don't think this lens will achieve that. Especially that close. I think you would need, like Mike said, super wide like 10 or 11mm with the 350D.

 

[Eric.]

I'll go try getting a shot like that with my car and that lens. I use it on my 20D and I find it awesome. I like the angle you get with the wide angle and I like the slight telephoto you get aswell. It is an excellent walk around lens. I've succesfully handheld at 1/8 sec and some at 1/4. It's great for low light still life shots.

 

[Jeff Canes]

----keep in mind that IS doesnt do squat for moving subjects.---

TB that’s not true :cheers:, Canon IS lenses have two modes, one to reduces camera shake and for panning, but folks be careful if you’re looking in to buying a used IS lens because the older ones don’t have the panning mode, I have 70-200 f2.8L IS it’s a fabulous lens, the IS is really a big help with the zoom

 

[thebeginning]

well yes, for panning, i failed to think of that. i just meant that it doesnt make the lens any faster, so that if you were holding the camera still at 1/8 of a sec it doesnt actually make the lens be able to shoot near 1/30. you can just minimize camera shake (which is what it does even in the panning mode, as it helps stabilize the whole image, not parts of it).