EF-S 15-85mm - great option for 7D?

[Mavoz]

Am considering a purchase of the 7D and noticed a few "bundled" options...one being the new EF-S 15-85 lens...

seems like a pretty good all around lens in terms of the range covered and has a good review or two on it....

"The general purpose lens field is a crowded one, but the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens stands out from that crowd by, as I said at the beginning of this review, offering top-tier image quality over an excellent general purpose focal length range in a nicely-sized/weighted/built body with great AF and an excellent implementation of Image Stabilization at a for-what-you-get great price. This is not a cheap lens, but I think it is a great value for what you get. "

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-15-85mm-f-3.5-5.6-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

Anyone using this lens?

Is it a good option for the movie features of the 7D?
Maybe the 3.5 aperture limit is the issue?

 

[Vince K]

That's the kit I bought back in November and I use the lens everyday....I also have the 50mm 1.8 which is cheap build wise but you can get some pretty sweet images out of it.
...and when the 15-85 is on the 7D...it's actually a 24mm- 136mm because of the crop factor.....THAT'S friggin' sweet....

Go for it!

 

[Mavoz]

That's the kit I bought back in November and I use the lens everyday....I also have the 50mm 1.8 which is cheap build wise but you can get some pretty sweet images out of it.
...and when the 15-85 is on the 7D...it's actually a 24mm- 136mm because of the crop factor.....THAT'S friggin' sweet....

Go for it!

yeh I thought it seemed like a pretty good option..just hadn't come across anyone talking about it here...

I've already got the 50 1.8 with my 40D which is a fantastic value lens...I imagine it must do a great job when used for video...

but that 24-136 range would be great for travel etc...

thanks!

 

[Ryan Farnes]

Looks like an extremely rare kit. I bought back in November and had no idea that was even an option. Depending on the price, I'd have considered it for the slightly wider lens. Choosing between the 28-135 and 18-135, I got the 18-135 lens kit.

 

[Vince K]

As far as I know...the 15-85 is the kit in up here in Canada...everyone I know with the 28-135 or 18-135 got theirs from the U.S.

...and yes, it's a great lens to carry around with you everywhere

 

[Mavoz]

Looks like an extremely rare kit. I bought back in November and had no idea that was even an option. Depending on the price, I'd have considered it for the slightly wider lens. Choosing between the 28-135 and 18-135, I got the 18-135 lens kit.

I'm from Australia so was looking at the packages from 'Quality Camera Sales'

http://www.qualitycamera.com.au/canon-digital-c-26.html

Previous experience with them has been very good! (Stu once sent me a f/4 L 70-200 to just try out...with no questions asked!)

 

[Ryan Farnes]

Interesting how kit options and even price can vary so much from region to region.

 

[ZumaDog]

You will notice distinct "ramping" if you zoom from wide to tight with a lens that does not have a constant f/stop rating like the one mentioned here.

Go with the Canon 17mm-55mm f2.8 zoom instead or you will cry all over your keyboard when you see the 1.5 stop exposure changes on the footage in post.

 

[Gene Sung]

I would personally avoid any lens with a variable aperture such as this lens ( f/3.5-5.6) for video. You will get a flicker as you zoom. This is fine for stills, but SUCKS big time for video. I have a Tamron 17-50 f2.8 VC which I used to film some pool skateboarding this weekend. I did quite a few shots where I would slowly zoom in and out on the skater as he skated towards and away from me. It was nice to have that little push. Normally, I don't do hardly any zoom shots, except when shooting action sports.

Zoom works great on the Tamron since it's a constant aperture. But with variable aperture, you will get a flicker as you zoom. Not good in my book.

 

[Mavoz]

I would personally avoid any lens with a variable aperture such as this lens ( f/3.5-5.6) for video. You will get a flicker as you zoom. This is fine for stills, but SUCKS big time for video. I have a Tamron 17-50 f2.8 VC which I used to film some pool skateboarding this weekend. I did quite a few shots where I would slowly zoom in and out on the skater as he skated towards and away from me. It was nice to have that little push. Normally, I don't do hardly any zoom shots, except when shooting action sports.

Zoom works great on the Tamron since it's a constant aperture. But with variable aperture, you will get a flicker as you zoom. Not good in my book.

Could you solve this issue by using the aperture priority mode of the camera? ie. locking it to 3.5...
Or does the video feature not work this way?

 

[ROCKMORE]

You will notice distinct "ramping" if you zoom from wide to tight with a lens that does not have a constant f/stop rating like the one mentioned here.

Go with the Canon 17mm-55mm f2.8 zoom instead or you will cry all over your keyboard when you see the 1.5 stop exposure changes on the footage in post.

I'm with ZumaDog on this one. A lens with a 2 stop difference from one end to the other is huge, not to mention that f5.6 is deadly slow for an 85mm.

The other problem with the 15-85mm is the distortion at the wide end. If you look at the Canon 10-22mm, it has very little distortion at 10mm and virtually none at 14mm. The 10-22mm is by far Canons best ultra wide EFS lens, even with the difference in f-stops I could live with that lens. It seems Canon couldn't get the formula to work the same in the 15-85mm.

(photozone.com to see examples) The EFS 18-135 has a similar nasty wide distortion.

I know it's nice to have all that range in one lens, but the designs go beyond the ability to do all things well.

It's up to you, but I wouid look at all the problems a lens can cause before falling in love with one. There are a lot of choices out there both new and used.

Here are a few charts showing the distortion on the 15-85mm at 15 vs the 10-22mm at 10mm and 14mm.
That level of distortion on the 15-85mm along with a 2 stop difference is the reality.

Thanks photozone.com

 

[Green Hornet]

Makes me want one...
The Sigma was ok for me, until I started shooting Video.