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

Should I be concerned that it is only for APS-C cameras? If "body flipping" takes me to a full frame, I'd be stuck with a very expensive EF-S lens wouldn't I?
 
Has this lens been compared for sharpness and IQ to the 17-40mm F4L? Other than the IS, the nominal extra reach, and the single-stop of speed, how do the two lenses stack up?
 
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mhood said:
Should I be concerned that it is only for APS-C cameras? If "body flipping" takes me to a full frame, I'd be stuck with a very expensive EF-S lens wouldn't I?
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No. Check ebay. These lenses sell for almost what the retail price is. APS-c will be here for a long time.
 
This lens is one of the sharpest canon has. It's actually regarded as an "L" without the red ring.

A must have if you have an APS-C camera. I had this lens when I had a crop cam and loved it.
 
I also would get the 35mm, and the 24mm if I could. But that is three times the cost with only a normal length. So you can't compare them apples to apples.

This is a "full range" f/2.8 L-series quality zoom that is sharp at f/2.8. If anything I'd say this and the 35mm would make a great pair. But that is still $2,500 in lenses with no long portrait. Add $500 for a 100mm f/2.0 and you are at $3,000 in lenses.

There has to be someone out there than knows about the focus ring...
 
It's not going to have a pull worthy focus wheel. And I'd wager no hard stops. My suggestions would be to buy a zoom under the pretense that either you're not pulling focus on it often or you're really good at pullig by hand and eye while operating.

I haven't used this lens but I've used Zooms extensively and they all are about the same.

Explore your options outside of canon as well if you're looking for an all puprose.

Mhood: don't think too much about it. I feel the first an most important lens in any arsenal is either the 35mm or 24mm. I would highly recommend grabbing a great 35/1.4 first out of any lens. Then a cheap learner zoom or even the kit lens.
 
The rest of the sentence answers why I no longer have it ;). Its HAD because I couldn't use it on my 5d classic.

If you have a crop camera and like zoom lenses, 17-55 2.8 IS is really a must have.

As for the focus ring, I never did manual focus back then so I can't comment accurately on that.

If anyone talks bad about the 17-55 2.8 IS optically, they've never shot with one. An impressive lens to say the least. I have heard of a few with dust issues (that never show in the pics) and some with IS dying suddenly though.
 
I just called Samy's Camera and they said they have a demo on hand. I should go check it out.

Kholi said:
Explore your options outside of canon as well if you're looking for an all puprose.
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What are your recommendations? It really doesn't have to include zooms other than the Tokina.

I was considering getting the Tokina with the 35mm f/1.4 and a 100mm... despite the immense jumps in perspective. Perhaps I could put up with it and later add the 50mm and the 24mm, if I started getting steady still photography work to justify them.
 
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The 17-55 sounds like a great lens if you can condition yourself to pull focus on it when needed.

Them an 85mm or 100mm.

What you leap in perspective you can make up by recomposing.

The 17-55 also retains value. Always invest in somehing that will recoup investment through use then secondly through resale.
 
Kholi said:
The 17-55 sounds like a great lens if you can condition yourself to pull focus on it when needed.

Them an 85mm or 100mm.
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Good, I am glad to hear you like my idea... wonder how that zoom will pull though.

What 100mm would you get?

Kholi said:
Always invest in somehing that will recoup investment through use then secondly through resale.
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Certainly. I feel safe with the Tokina, as well as the 17-55, but I have no clue if the 100mm f/2 is going to be considered a good investment.
 
100 is an obsurce focal length believeit or not. Maybe get an 85 or 135.

The zoom is gonna be a learning experience. Just have to expect it and spend the time learning.
 
That's what this is all about. I just hope it won't be prohibitive. I should try to get to Samy's as soon as I can.

Maybe what I seem to like is something slightly longer than 85mm. Guessing that since 85mm's are common, then maybe I find something a little longer makes as a bit different/special. Not sure.

I know about recomposing the shot, but the amount of background visible behind foreground objects changes. And perhaps I notice a bit more compression on their faces. That is what I mean by perspective. I guess those are the only two things that change despite re framing a shot.

I also seem to like 135mm's, but 100's more. Though this preference of mine isn't terribly defined.

What 85's would you look at/have?
 
USLatin said:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=149&modelid=12955

Has anyone used this lens?

I am trying to find out about the focus ring. It seems a bit small but I am just concerned with how it feels and finding out how long of a throw there is on it.
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Roberto,

There's some distortion on the wide end, enough for a better choice towards the 10-22mm or even the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8.

Beyond that, IS and its L class sharpness make it a no-brainer.

E. :-)
 
I wouldn't get anything slower than f/2.8 for an APS-C body, f/2.8 being the sweet spot for cine-like DOF on a 1.6x crop sensor. I'm considering getting one myself for the IS and using it with my blackbird stabilizer but I'm not sure I want to part with my nikkor primes for one.
 
I'm sticking with the Canon EF 35mm f/2.0. The 7D body alone was a stretch for me cost wise, so I personally can't drop another $1400 on a single lens... wish I could. For less than $300 the 35mm f/2.0 will do me fine...

... or should I cough up a few extra bucks and pick up the Sigma 30mm 1.4? Not tremendously more expensive and even lower light. Thoughts?

http://www.adorama.com/SG3014EOS.html
 
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