Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM review

Posted Apr 27th 2006 4:15PM by Jay Savage
Filed under: Canon

Klaus Schrioff over at PhotoZone has a review up of the new not-yet-released Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. It seems to be a decent lens, with above average line resolution out to the edges and better than average CA figures. Barrel distortion and pincushioning are normal for a 17-55. Vignetting, however, is pretty serious, at about 1EV throughout the entire zoom range at f/2.8. since this lens' reason for being is supposedly the demand for a fast EF-S zoom, that's pretty discouraging, especially given the hefty $1,200 price tag. So is the plastic construction, which Klaus also has some harsh words for, considering the cost. In fact, he describes the lack of a magnesium-alloy shell--which many cheaper EF lenses feature--as "probably a marketing decision to keep professionals away" from APS cameras. The IS is apparently top-notch, but all-in-all, this sounds like a pretty decent $600-$800 lens. Look for it on eBay.

[via TPN::DPS]

Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. It's not going to hit that for a long time. Who would be selling a devalued used one for the next couple years?

Posted at 12:33PM on Apr 28th 2006 by carpeicthus

2. Who? I don't know. But somebody will. There's almost nothing you can't get for 1/2 off or cheaper if you look hard enough.

Posted at 2:35PM on Apr 28th 2006 by Jay Savage

3. I'm glad I clicked through to the review. Your comments here did not, in my opinion, well represent the review. The conclusion of the review is important to read:

The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 USM IS is not a perfect lens but it lives quite well up to the very high expectations of the user base. The resolution figures are among the very best seen so far for an APS-C standard zoom lens. The center resolution is nothing short of outstanding and the even borders can keep a very good to even excellent quality level. The distortion characteristic is quite typical for a zoom lens in this range (pronounced barrel distortions @ 17mm, moderate pincushion distortions @ 55mm) whereas CAs are unusually moderate. Unfortunately vignetting is a weak spot of the lens peaking around 1EV at f/2.8 throughout the range. It's not a show stopper but a little annoying nonetheless. The build quality of the lens is pretty good but in relation to the price tag of the lens Canon should have used a little less plastic - finally even the much cheaper EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L features a magnesium-alloy shell. Probably a marketing decision to keep professionals away from APS-C DSLRs. All-in-all the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 USM IS is clearly a level up from the other Canon standard zooms - a highly desirable lens though the pricing may rise a few question marks.

Posted at 9:49PM on May 7th 2006 by Paul McCain

4. Let's pull some of the important points out of that conclusion, shall we?

pronounced barrel distortions @ 17mm, moderate pincushion distortions @ 55mm

vignetting is a weak spot of the lens peaking around 1EV at f/2.8 throughout the range

The build quality of the lens is pretty good but in relation to the price tag of the lens Canon should have used a little less plastic - finally even the much cheaper EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L features a magnesium-alloy shell

the pricing may rise a few question marks

The question isn't whether it's a good lens--Canon doesn't make bad lenses--the question is whether it's a $1200 lens. I don't think it is, and I don't think the reviewer thinks it is, either.

Posted at 10:13AM on May 12th 2006 by Jay Savage

5. PZ found it to be "a level up from the other Canon standard zooms". Considering that PZ has previously reviewed, among others, the 17-40L, that's a strong statement.

Posted at 1:03PM on May 12th 2006 by markshelby

6. What foolishness - really. Look at the other reviews on the site. Compare the barrel distortion on the wide end with the 16-35L and the 17-40L. Hint: the 17-55 is lower than either "L" lens. It's also a full stop brighter than the 17-40L, and includes IS (which neither of the "L" lenses do). Your conclusion that it's a "pretty decent $600-$800 lens" seems to indicate a complete lack of understanding of the market on your part - what other fixed-2.8, image-stabalized, high-performing lenses are available in that price range?

Posted at 1:03AM on May 19th 2006 by Dan Phillips

7. I picked this lens up last week - I have to say it's worth every penny. It's _sharp_ with great color and contrast. I use the IS all the time - it lets me stop the lens down a bit more (and hence use slower shutter speeds) without worrying about camera shake. It's also good for those who aren't the most steady shooters (my wife loves it because she doesn't have really worry about shutter speed anymore). F/2.8 gives me indoor shooting capabilities - and honestly the vignetting isn't really noticeable unless you're shooting something with a solid background - the sky, a brick wall. I did notice it shooting the side of my house, but stop down a bit and it's gone. When I'm shooting outdoors I usually don't use F/2.8, so it doesn't show up there either. I can't see the problem in normal shots, nor in my indoor shots, so to me it might as well not exist. For the few shots it does show up in, it's an easy fix in PS. My only complaints are that it's not build as solid as an L and that it didn't come with a hood. I highly recommend :)

Posted at 2:37PM on Jun 1st 2006 by Steve Loker

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