Canon EF wide-angle zoom lens 17-40mm
Mfg # 8806A002
CDW # 473700
| UNSPSC 45121600
Know your gear
The EF17-40mm f/4L USM is an ultra wide angle Canon EF zoom lens meant for professional and high amateur SLR EOS camera users.
While it is an excellent lens when used with an analogue SLR camera, the EF17-40mm f/4L USM is especially well suited for digital SLR cameras with an imaging sensor size smaller than the 35mm format. Indeed on such digital SLR cameras these focal lengths can give an angle of view approximately equivalent to that of a 28-70mm lens used on a 35mm camera, which makes it the ideal standard zoom lens.
The EF17-40mm f/4L USM has 12 lens elements arranged in 9 groups. Super Spectra Coating on the elements ensures excellent color balance and minimizes ghosting and flare. To provide superb image quality over a 17-40mm zoom range the lens uses three aspheric elements of two different types, while Super UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) glass is used to prevent the chromatic aberrations that often can degrade the subject edge clarity.
Minimum focusing distance is just 28mm throughout the entire zoom range. The Auto-focus works silently and quickly thanks to a fast central processing unit with an improved AF algorithm. You can override AF mode with manual focus should you wish. Controlled by an electromagnetic diaphragm, the EF17-40mm f/4L USM's circular aperture can achieve a more attractive appearance to out of focus background areas in a picture. The front of the lens does not rotate as you focus. This means, for example, that polarizing filters still function effectively as you zoom in and out. At the rear of the lens there's a drop-in gelatin filter holder. Highly resistant to moisture and dust, the EF17-40mm f/4L USM is ideally suited for use in harsh environments. Environment friendly lead-free glass is used throughout its construction.
While it is an excellent lens when used with an analogue SLR camera, the EF17-40mm f/4L USM is especially well suited for digital SLR cameras with an imaging sensor size smaller than the 35mm format. Indeed on such digital SLR cameras these focal lengths can give an angle of view approximately equivalent to that of a 28-70mm lens used on a 35mm camera, which makes it the ideal standard zoom lens.
The EF17-40mm f/4L USM has 12 lens elements arranged in 9 groups. Super Spectra Coating on the elements ensures excellent color balance and minimizes ghosting and flare. To provide superb image quality over a 17-40mm zoom range the lens uses three aspheric elements of two different types, while Super UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) glass is used to prevent the chromatic aberrations that often can degrade the subject edge clarity.
Minimum focusing distance is just 28mm throughout the entire zoom range. The Auto-focus works silently and quickly thanks to a fast central processing unit with an improved AF algorithm. You can override AF mode with manual focus should you wish. Controlled by an electromagnetic diaphragm, the EF17-40mm f/4L USM's circular aperture can achieve a more attractive appearance to out of focus background areas in a picture. The front of the lens does not rotate as you focus. This means, for example, that polarizing filters still function effectively as you zoom in and out. At the rear of the lens there's a drop-in gelatin filter holder. Highly resistant to moisture and dust, the EF17-40mm f/4L USM is ideally suited for use in harsh environments. Environment friendly lead-free glass is used throughout its construction.
Enhance your purchase
Canon EF wide-angle zoom lens 17-40mm is rated
4.60 out of
5 by
78.
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Dwitz from
Great Lense!
Great lense for real estate photography. I use this on most of my real estate shoots and it is a very sharp lense.
Date published: 2019-10-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
B1ack_Bear from
Great
Good standard zoom lens for aps-c. Amazing lens to use with the Canon 80D!
Date published: 2019-07-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
rkfjacobson from
Affordable L Glass Lens
Great value L glass lens. I got this lens to upgrade from my kit lens for my Canon Rebel T5. Just tested this lens out by taking exhibit hall and cosplay photos at San Diego Comic Con. Pros: The lens is relatively small and light weight, which was great for carrying around all day, and the color is fantastic. Cons: This lens does not have image stabilization and is definitely not as sharp at the widest aperture (f4, which means taking indoor photos with lower light results in very soft focus photos. Looking forward to trying this lens out for some landscape and travel photography in future!
Date published: 2019-07-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Garabato from
Great lens
Great lens, sharp, fast and at a very good price
First had lens in 2008, was stolen in 2012. Just bought another one in January 2019 and regret not replacing it sooner.
Date published: 2019-03-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Cindy Sue from
Nice wide angle lens
This lens is perfect for shooting indoor real estate photo shoots. Crisp nice wide angle shots
Date published: 2020-07-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Nicci from
Damaged product
Loved the camera but on about day 3 when cleaning the lens, I noticed a crack in the plastic, only small and didn’t affect taking photos but obviously shouldn’t have been there. Currently send back and waiting for refund. Disappointed as you expect if they individually inspected this wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. Packaged well so would be very surprised if it happened in transit.
Date published: 2020-07-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
BrandyB from
Lens EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Love this lens full view and great crisp pics. My pics come out even better with this lens.
Date published: 2020-08-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Tad from
Amazing Lens for an affordable price
Outstanding Lens!!! I have taken pictures in low lights as well as challenging lighting conditions. This lens have given me nothing less than breathtaking results.
This picture was taken with Canon EOS 90D and Canon 17-40 f/4 lens:
f/22 at 1/4 sec
ISO: 100
and ND4 filter coupled with uv filter
I wanted the vignette in the picture and that is why I had my filters stacked together.
Date published: 2020-02-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
zhuphoto from
Excellent Wide Angle Lens
Pros:
1) 1/2 the price of 16-35mm f/2.8L
2) Great picture quality IQ matches the 16-35mm f/2.8
3) Fast AF USM
4) Solid construction
Cons:
f/4; need flash or higher ISO when shooting indoors or on a cloudy day
Review:
Loving this lens so far; at times I wish I saved for the 16-35mm 2.8II however I just bump the ISO on my 5D MKII. ISO noise isn't a big deal on the 5D MKII; I wouldn't recommend this lens for Canon's APS-C sensors(get the 2.8 or 17-55mm f2.8 IS). Indoors or night time I attach a flash(get a good flash unit and learn to use it; with good flash you can freeze motion in low light settings while preserving the surrounding story)
Bokeh at f4 is surprisingly good when shooting closeup. IQ(image quality) is fantastic; on par with the more expensive 16-35mm f2.8 II from f8 and up.
This lens is a bargain in my opinion for what it does.
Date published: 2012-06-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
denisesdragons from
Great Lens
This has got to be one of the best lenses I own. I use it all the time. The photos come out crisp and clear with a nice depth of field. The lens is perfect for architectural photos. I would recommend this lens 100% It is not a cheap lens but is definitely well worth the money you spend on it.
Date published: 2012-07-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
500pxcommarkchristian from
The best ultra wide angle for Canon!
I recently switched from Nikon to Canon and this was my first lens purchased for my 5D Mark II. My decision was made after reading several reviews from websites and blogs. I have to tell you they are all right! This lens takes sharp and vibrant pictures. Good bokeh too, though not the best. A review from one of the best photographers in Seattle stated this was even better than the 16-35 f/2.8 I. This is an ongoing theme I have read. Even though it is only f/4.0 it is plenty fast for me as it is a landscape lens. If you are looking to take wedding and sports photography then it is not for you. A picture says a thousand words so I will just let mine speak for themselves.
Date published: 2012-08-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
fotofreak from
Popularity speaks for itself
High quality lens at a reasonable price. I bought one a year ago and ended up giving it to a friend
who liked it. So I bought myself another one.
I could not see buying the similar 2.8 16-35 lens at twice the price. The 4.0 lens suits my needs due to the fact that I usually shoot smaller aptures for increased depth of field when shooting with a wide angle. Sure you can shoot in lower light with the 2.8,I shoot with a tripod if I want maximum picture guality.
Date published: 2010-05-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Kobe24 from
AWESOME LENS!
Perfect for wedding pictures and video.
Date published: 2012-07-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Seth0607 from
Wow. Just Wow.
I bought this around several weeks ago and do not regret it one bit. Took this lens and paired it with my 5D Mark II and shooting sunsets over the lake with it was PHENOMENAL. Highly recommend this lens to anyone who wants to pursue landscape and real estate photography.
Date published: 2020-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
AV8TR from
JUST WHAT I NEEDED
A Great, Over-all, Sharp Lenz. Just what I needed to complete my landscape Photography. I recommend this lenz to all photographers who need that extra oomph for Landscape and Room use
Date published: 2021-12-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jim Laurent from
null
Used his lens on several real estate shoots, it’s been a great addition to my kit and my new primary lens for Real Estate.
Date published: 2022-01-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Rodneyp from
Great Lightweight lens
I was looking for something that would be a nice lightweight carry lens for my 7d. I bought this right before a trip to the Biltmore house and it fit my needs perfectly and I was able to get some really great shots. It is much sharper then the 18-135 kit lens. I really have no complaints about the lens at all.
Date published: 2019-06-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Kull from
1.6 body ideal wide angle lens!
I really love this lens! This is one lens that you get the traditional "L" color quality and perfect for your 1.6 body frame! It gives you a WIDE 24mm shot on a crop frame body! I was debating between this lens, the 16-35 f/2.8L, and the 17-55IS. I am glad I had made this choice and save some major bucks! I also pair this lens with my prime 50mm f/1.4 and my 70-200mm f/4L lens which sums up an excellent trio! I Strongly recommend this lens!
Date published: 2009-06-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Melo from
Great lens at a bargain price
This is probably Canon's best value per dollar lens. Combined with the optically-sound EF-S 10-22mm the pair costs about the same as a single 16-35/2.8L.
This is a great general purpose lens for both full frame and cropped sensors. It comes with a very nice hood and a lens pouch. It handles extremely well and optical quality is excellent even at f/4. Its one of the very few lenses that I can't really think of anything to criticize.
Date published: 2010-06-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Tc from
Well Worth The price
I recently purchased this lens and it was totally worth it. This lens produces sharp images. The lens feels sturdy and it is very well built. This lens works ok in low light conditions but if you don't have a wide angle lens definitely buy this one.
Date published: 2011-09-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
jw from
An outstanding value
I've used this lens for about 2 years now and am extremely happy with the results. CAs are a bit of an issue in strongly backlit areas (trees against light skies), but nothing software can't easliy fix. I use it mostly for scenics and even at apertures around f-16, where sharpness in many lenses starts to fall, it is still critically sharp. Also nice is the light weight and tough, L build. My only gripe is the big hood, but it's not such a big deal.
Date published: 2009-10-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Don from
Excellent Lens
many of my shots utilize this fantastic lens. It is perfect for indoor gatherings and that's when I use it the most. All of the photos I have takken with it are, in my opinion, suburb.
Date published: 2012-06-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Linebore from
Can't miss
I have used this lens now for a few months and have shot a few thousand images on a 40D. Most of my photos are of work related industrial machinery shot a close range indoors with a flash.
However the real capability of this lens was apparent when I was shooting some fall foliage colors in the Northeastern USA. Colors were vivid and the images sharp, saving time in post processing. I have it paired with a 24-105 f4L and find that this pair is perfect for all of my close to medium range work.
The build quality is superb
Date published: 2008-11-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
doug from
Way better value than I purchased
I wanted a wide to cover group shots my 24-70mm f/2.8L could not get on a crop body. I didn't want/need to get into thousands for the 16-35 f/2.8L II. Well as my luck runs, my 24-70 suddenly lost its sharpness and I had my 17-40mm f/4.0L with me as a back up and it performed flawlessly.
Crisp, great color, and light weight to boot.
Date published: 2009-01-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Lucy from
Great lens for indoor/night shots
This is a great lens for low light conditions when you can not use flash. I have used it for numerous photo stories and it has worked in many lighting conditions great.
Date published: 2009-05-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
dan from
First L lens
I purchased this lens thinking I was entering a new class of quality. The build quality of the lens was great, as was the auto-focus. The problem is that at 40mm the corner sharpness is so bad I don't even want to use the lens at that focal length. I took a shot of fall color on the far side of a canyon at infinity focus. The trees in the center looked like trees, the trees in the corners looked like smeared blobs of color, sort of like a watercolor painting. This was at an aperture of f8. My camera is a digital full frame model, so I could go with a smaller format camera to crop out the corners, or sell the lens at a loss. I am now reluctant to purchase another L lens.
Date published: 2010-01-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Nature's Lens from
WOW!!!
For a while I was debating which wide angle zoom to purchase the 16-35mm or the 17-40mm. Since I would be shooting mostly landscapes with this lens at f/8-11, I opted with the cheaper of the two - the 17-40mm. The images are TACK SHARP! Paired with a 5D2 and this lens produces wonderful landscape images and if paired with a 40D this lens produces high quality portrait shots as well! It is a very versatile lens and I would recommend it to anyone.
Date published: 2009-07-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
fruitytooty from
Never off my 7D
Great build quality. Not as wide as I was hoping for my 7D but I couldn't afford the 16-35 2.8L.
This is on my camera 90% of the time. The other 10% goes to my 50mm 1.4 (another awesome lens!).
If you want a wide angle that doesn't give any distortion go with this lens. I am probably going to buy the 15mm Fisheye lens as well for all my artsy-fartsy shots.
Date published: 2010-05-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
C Blank from
Super Solide UWA
Picked this lens up to be my main less for Landscape, Night Club, and Architecture. Super solid build and the USM is ultra fast in low light, only has trouble is SUPER dark times, but the AF assist beams on my 430exII takes care of that.
Amazingly well on flaring. The only time I've seen it is shooting almost directly into the sun and there was a TINY bit of it.
For people who don't NEED the f2.8 (anything I would need a f2.8 on I have my flash) this would be the lens to get. The only reason I would see to get the f2.8 would be if your regularly shot places you can't use flash...since if you are doing landscape you are going to close up the aperture anyways, and at this focal range you can take care of anything with flash.
Date published: 2010-03-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sirquack from
Fantastic Little Lens
Love this lens. I needed a higher quality wide angle lens that the kit EF-S lens that came with my Crop camera as I knew I was going to go FF eventually.
The kit was slow to focus and the images were just not that sharp.
Once I put the 17-40 L on my cam body I knew I had the right lens. It has great image quality and focuses extremely quickly. The L build quality has stood up to one accidental drop with absolutely no issues aftwards.
My only issue is the not great aperture of F4. I knew that going in and expected it, but one more stop would have made this the perfect lens. For the price, you just can not beat it.
Date published: 2014-07-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
einvahn from
Best for the buck
Razor sharp, solid and a great value.
I bought this on sale and I was worth every penny. good Fast focus, very sharp and smooth bokeh.
Date published: 2016-09-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
AlexOK from
great price, great lens
I have carried this lens for little over a year now, using it mainly for real estate photography and landscapes. For this purpose, there was no need to opt for the 16-35 f/2.8, which is double the price. The lens is also great for party shots, when you need to get a big group in the picture. Although there is some distortion, thats what you get at 17mm, with any lens. Between the weight, price, build, and sharpness, this is one of the best "L" lenses that Canon makes. I would suggest this lens to anyone interested in landscape photography, or simply want a wide angle to add to their kit. In my opinion, f/4 is plenty on an ultra wide angle.
Date published: 2014-01-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
George from
Affordable full frame wideangle
It's the best, afforable wide-angle for full frame. No sense to use it on APS-C as there are better alternatives. I actually liked the 10-22 on crop better than this.
Nice and sharp, good saturation, some vignetting - especially at large apertures.
Date published: 2010-08-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
DUSCRAFT from
Great Lens... But...
Okay, I gave this lens a 5 Overall Rating and yet I say "But..." in my title...
Hear me out...
This is a great lens if you are going by sharp images at a tighter zoom and for color capture. I've used this lens for a few of my newer shoots and have been very happy with the results. The only problems with this lens is the strong vignette that occurs around the outer edges of the image and jumpy autofocus. The vignette is really only a problem when the lens is at widest. There is not a lot of light fall off accompanied by the strong vignette. This is a great thing. The only downside is the stretched appearance of the photos edges. I don't feel that the auto focus is as superior as some of the other L lenses in the lineup. But apart from these two minor glitches I would have to say that this lens is a great buy for the dollar. I'm very happy with it and have captured some beautiful images with it. I would recommend this lens to anyone who is doing wide landscapes as well as fashion (if you keep to the 40mm side of the zoom). Great stuff as usual.
Date published: 2009-03-06T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
LIfe In Still from
You Will Not Regret The 17-40L
The 17-40L lens is an amazing lens to own. Don't just think landscapes, portraits, action photography...this lens allows you to get right up in the mix. The contrast and colors produced by this lens are perfect. Throw on a circular polorizer or neutral density filter and you'll find yourself shooting outdoors for hours. Combined with a decent body (7D for example, F4 should not be an issue. AF is quick, lens is light and feels nice in your hands and well weighted in comparison to the camera body. What else can I say.....oh ya it's affordable. P.S. - Take a look at the Canon 85mm 1.8 if you haven't already....it's a great kept secret!!!!
Date published: 2011-07-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
ABQ.Joe from
Best L Value
I use the 17-40 f/4L on a 7D body for landscapes and perspective shots.
The 17-40 is lightweight, fast-focusing, sharp, and has great color and contrast. The only area where the 16-35 f/2.8L wins is aperature. Bokeh isn't that much of an issue in this focal length, but you can get some decent results wide open and close up at 40mm.
At half the price of a 16-35, it's hard to beat this lens. Bring a tripod along for Blue Hour, and add a slim polarizer to really knock some socks off.
If you're having that 16/17 debate in your head, put your savings towards more L glass. The 17-40 can't shoot handheld in really low light, but it's lighter and artistically identical in every other way.
If budget or weight aren't even a slight consideration, or if you "live" in low light, get the 16 of course.
Date published: 2011-12-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
jphoto from
affordable quality
I've recently purchased this lens to add to my 24-105L lens. From everthing I've seen so far, Its a wonderful lens. Very sharp images and quick focus.
Date published: 2009-09-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
sy from
My favorite
I don't know about yours but my copy is very sharp! You get heavy distortion on the corner especially FF sensor cameras but that's something you expect from this type of lens. This lens usually stays on my camera. It's supposed to have dust and moisture resistant, but somehow one tiny tiny dust got into the back of the front lens.
Date published: 2010-12-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Big Rez from
Great lens
This is a great affordable L series lens. It is wide enough for a full frame or crop body. It is built like a tank and a very reliable lense @ f/4. No need for 2.8 if you use a flash or light your subject correctly.
Date published: 2013-01-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Roman L from
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!Love IT!!!!!
Great Lens perfectly Sharp images,fast focusing and nice colors!!!!
Extremely sharp!!!! Weight is only half Kg. and well protected from dust and water, metal construction gives you more durability!!!
Great wide and lens!!!! For me works better than 16-35mm
for sure 17-40 gives you much sharper images!!!!
Date published: 2010-01-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
putts832 from
Great ultra wide angle lens
Just received the lens yesterday and took it out and shot some landscape photo's. I shot in jpeg and RAW and the pictures turned out great. The lens was attached to my 6D MII. Being the lens has been on the market for a very long time it still holds it's own. Yes there are some down sides to the lens and you can see vidoe's about the lens on YouTub. But the lens was within my budget and does what I want it to do.
Date published: 2017-08-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
BPS from
Excellent quality / Value
I could not be more satisfied with this lens. I have used it on countless photo shoots, mostly landscape and outdoor shots. The weather has been poor on several occasions, both rain and snow, with no failure in the weather sealing. Excellent quality and well worth the cost.
Date published: 2008-10-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Agachado from
Razor sharp shots, fast auto focus
This is an outstanding workhorse lens. Images come out crystal clear, and the build is everything you expect from an "L" series lens. I couldn't be happier with it.
Date published: 2016-03-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
PhotoDoc from
Affordable high quality landscape lens
I have owned this for 2 years now and I have loved every second of it. It was my first L series lens and was my only lens for a while. You just can't beat the quality at the price point. Focusing is silent and fast, build quality is great. It is a little soft wide open in the corners, but that is expected with an ultra wide lens. It can easily still be used wide open without loss of image quality. The distortion is well controlled and what remains can be corrected easily in LR. I think it has the perfect amount of distortion that can either be used as an advantage or corrected. One of the things that attracted me to the lens was the weight or how light it is. When you hike in the woods every ounce counts. Comparing it to the 16-35 it is significantly lighter. The close focusing distance has made the f/4 max aperture a non issues outdoors with depth of field. The extra stop could be helpful for wedding or indoor shooting. If you are doing outdoor shooting and want ultra wide angle this is a great lens.
Date published: 2014-06-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
jazzman from
Great value for the buck!
Was looking for a used 16-35 mm zoom for shooting landscapes and came across this lens. It may not be as fast but it is as sharp and just as reliable. Depending on your needs, this is an excellent lens either as your go-to lens or as a back-up.
Date published: 2016-09-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Pesto from
Soft!!!
I owned this lens for quite a while, but rarely used it because the image quality was not acceptable. This would be a very useful focal length / range and it is too bad that it is not at all sharp.
Date published: 2010-09-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
ric from
extremely happy!!
extremely sharp lens. light weight. easy to use. love it!
Date published: 2012-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Azankino from
Lord Of Land Scapes
This lens is sharp from front to back and is one of the sharpest in its class, its the only super wide I have used for years and still is my go to lens for the shot. The quality is well build and weather sealed. It never looked faded or used, flare is under controlled F4 is very sharp and can be used as a macro lens as well, great for portraits. You will not be disappointed with this lens.
Date published: 2013-11-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jzzman from
Surprisingly good lens!
Purchased this len as a back-up to the 16-35 mm 2.8 and was greatly suprised at the overly sharpness and image quality. Not as fast as the 2.8 but still a good lens for shooting group shots and 'scapes. Not disappointed with this purchase at all!
Date published: 2011-04-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
apachecraig from
The perfect field lens
I purchased this lens in May 2008 to replace
my prime lens the 28mm 2,8 & 50mm 1.8 lens range.
Although it is stop slower then my 28mm version- the sharpness,weight and quality of this lens is fantastic for the price.
Date published: 2009-01-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bob from
Excellent wide angle AND it's a zoom
You'll not go wrong with this lens; it's fast, accurate and sharp throughout its range.
I'm so sold on "L" glass, it's all I use.
Date published: 2011-04-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Fort Worth Photo from
Beautiful Landscapes
This lens delivers great outdoor photos. Colors are magnificent and contrast very good. I shoot with a 50D, and the range is very nice. I can't comment on any the brightness in the corners when shooting wide on a full frame. This lens delivered amazing photos in Alaska. This was the first L series lens that I purchased. If shoot with a smaller sensor, try the EF-S 10-22mm. I haven't, but that range would be a nice complement to a general purpose lens. As it is, I have a lot of overlap for the money with my 24-105mm L and 28-135. With a full frame sensor, you get more extra wide angle, if that makes sense. Although it may overlap the focal range of other lenses, it is relatively small for an L zoom, which makes travel with it relatively easy. For the money, I would take the 17-40mm over the 16-35mm for landscapes. Inside photos of family gatherings, however, beg for the speedier lens.
Date published: 2011-05-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Celt43 from
17-40
Very soft at F4, only ok at 5.6, sharp at F8, F11. For the L Lens hype and the price I expected better. My 18-55 kit lens is as sharp and in some cases as at F4 sharper. The lens was replaced the same week I bought it and the second one was the same. I got the money back.
Date published: 2013-06-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Andante from
null
Good bargain for asked price. Fits to landscape photography.
Date published: 2009-02-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Zorrum from
Outstanding
This is one of the better lens from Canon. Like any other lens, you have to know the features and limits. It works wonderful.
Date published: 2017-10-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Big Daddy Canon from
Good Investment
Very sharp images low price, great build quality, and super fast autofocus. definitely would recommend this to a friend.
Date published: 2012-10-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Hobare from
A beast
It is extremely fast in focusing. Beautiful colors, and super-sharp images. I use it for landscape photography and absolutely love it. It is relatively light weight and one to-go lens that I carry with me all the time.
Date published: 2013-01-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
thetechhimself from
Inexpensive Trick
After reading an article about what lenses to carry I noticed a pattern regarding my shooting habits and the habits of the author, I am constantly pushing the wide side of my kit lens (18-55 when I had my crop frame for those get everyone in the picture or get the whole landscape shots. Recently moved to full frame and decided I'd pick up a 17-40 and use my 50mm nifty (1.8) to cover slightly tighter but shallow DOF. Can't say I'm unhappy with the lens. Slight distortion which I noticed even with my kit lens, simply put any zoom lens will give you some distortion of images which require post processing, but no complaints outside of the ordinary like another review recently posted. Definately a must have, you need your fast prime, your wide, maybe your regular zoom, and your telephoto something. Fits the bill without as large of a bill as the 16-35 2.8 variant.
Cons: No IS at F4. At F4 even with my 5DIII, it could use it in low light, I can see where the 2.8 would be nice but I can't justify the price difference for it.
Date published: 2013-07-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
JamesG from
Disappointing Image Quality
I have been quite disappointed in the quality of images produced by the 17-40mm L USM lens. With the L designation, wide-angle optics, and the lofty price, I'd expected tack-sharp image quality. Instead I receive fair to poor results whether focused manually or automatically and over the full range of zoom focal length. Making matters worse, I cannot locate ANY reference to Canon Warranty support on this Web site. Now both disappointed and angry.
Date published: 2009-07-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
The Flying Scotsman from
Maybe the perfect lens?
The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 "L" lens and the 50D body: WOW!!! With the 1.6 crop factor, this becomes a ~28-65mm "walk-around" lens. Is *that* simply perfect for shooting HUGE 15.1MP RAW files in a big city or what? The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 "L" is better than anything else in photography in a similar zoom range. Period. Sure, I wish it was a fixed 2.8 or something but that's all irrrelevent since it's an "L". Shot wide open, the color, contrast and overall fidelity will astound anyone. Drop a stop or two and the images will simply take your breath away!!! Built like a tank and not overly heavy - it *does* balance better with non-Rebel dSLR bodies however - and it's simply the dawn of a new day every time I shoot with it. Make no mistake: You really *DO* get what you pay for. Ths **IS** a professional-quality optic in every respect. Impossible to over-rate this lens and recommend it beyond ANY questions whatsoever.
Date published: 2008-12-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jake from
color beauty
I love this lens. It captures the most amazing colors in my images. I do not even have to use photoshop to increase saturation.
Date published: 2009-03-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
J from
color is key!
the 17-40 is arguably one of the best zooms you can buy as a canon user. yes, the 16-35 is 2.8, but it's also a grand more expensive. not quite sure if that's worth it to me yet.
my favorite parts about this lens are the sharpness (especially above 5.6! and the eyepopping color/contrast mix.
i shoot with a 40D, and the 1.6x crop turns the wide end of 17mm into about a 24mm, which is surprisingly wider than i thought it would be. pllllllenty wide for all sorts of uses.
built like a tank! remember to get a slim UV filter though, or you might run into some more vignetting.
Date published: 2009-04-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Turbokuni from
Great for Landscape Photography
Shot some family portraits and the images are tack-sharp.
Of course, you can't go wrong with all the L lens from Canon. Just wish I had more money to spend on a faster wide-angle lense. The great thing about this lens is that it's lighter than the other wide angle lenses I own. Also, I found out to make it dust-proof, you have to purchase a filter to protect the lens.
Date published: 2010-01-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
jim from
Not that sharp
I've had this lens for a few years and have used it on both crop and full frame bodies.
I don't think the lens is that sharp. Maybe F/8 and 11? Wider is too soft, and narrower suffers from defraction. I find that people who like this lens are generally coming from kit zooms. I came from medium format primes and had higher expectations. Other than IQ, the lens is built quite well made and no complaints there. It does tend to vignette a bit on a FF body, but generally that's fixable.
Date published: 2013-05-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Theo from
Great ZWA Lens!
As my first "L" glass purchase, I was extremely pleased at the large step-up the 17-40f/4 L provided over the kit lens (on original D-Rebel). Sharpness, Color, Clarity and Bokeh far exceeded it in performance, and of course, Quality! I find the f/4 to be very fast and for me, it was well worth the additional cost!!
Complimenting this, my walk around is the 24-105 f/4 L IS and on the long end, 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS... what a Great Trio set for the investment. I've researched long and hard and haven't found any to be better. Great job, Canon!!!
Date published: 2008-11-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Diabolical from
Loving my first L
This was the first lens I bought for my new 50D (came with 28-135) and I couldn't be happier. I thought about going with the 10-22mm so I could get really wide shots with the APS-C sensor but after only a few uses I was glad I went with this one. Image quality is wonderful and I really appreciate the build quality of the L series. Ill take the extra time to save for every lens to make sure it's and 'L'
Date published: 2010-03-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Z Man from
Utility lens
This is a great all around lens. When compared to the 24-70mm F2.8, I felt it was much more useful on a camera, a 40D to be exact, with a crop sensor. Unlike the 24-70, with the 17-40, I dont find myself trying to cramp my head into the corner of the room in order to be able to fit everyone in the photo. Extremely clear photos paired with ultra fast focusing speed makes this lens a knockout for just about any photo job.
Date published: 2010-04-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
grandpawrichard from
Fantastic Lens!
I bought this lens in December of 2010 and I absolutely Love it! What can I say, It's a Canon L series lens! The build is substantial in weight and the Glass is Superb!
This lens will take you from Ho-hum photos to SPECTACULAR Photos!
Date published: 2011-03-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bobby from
Superb L Lens Performer
If you need to pair up your Canon 50d or any of the EOS Mark series this lens along with the L Lens line is superb. I have nothing bad to say about this lens at all. I hope in the future that all L Lenses will have Image Stability.
Date published: 2010-02-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Mike from Rockville, MD from
Excellent for the Amateurs
By no means am I an expert at photography although I love to take photos. I've always dreamed about owning a super high quality camera and lens kit. Last year I took the plunge. I purchased a Canon 5D (well discounted after the Mark II release), Canon 70-300MM IS USM lens, Canon 28-138MM IS USM and the Canon 17-40MM USM I'm writing this review on. I read many of the reviews users have posted and from an amateurs perspective this lens is fantastic. It works very well with my 5D producing very high quality photos both indoors and out. I use it all the time for indoor shooting with my 5D and an attached Canon 580 Flash. The results are terrific. Outside the photos are crisp although, and I apologize I don't know the right term, the edges seem to compress in. It doesn't bother me one bit since overall the photos are gorgeous. I know what I purchased is more than what the average person would invest in but I wanted a fantastic kit that I could use for years to come. The 17-40MM lens has worked perfectly from the heat of the beach to the glaciers of Alaska. I really love this lens and would highly recommend it. Thanks for reading...
Date published: 2009-08-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
rhc7 from
Good Capable lens
Used initially on RebelXT. lens sharpness/clarity expanded XT capabilities..Lens always on camera. Now with 40D, see true capabilities of the lense. even shot in low light with monopod/tripod...get great results. Great started "L" lense to get feet wet... Performance is at 4, wish it was f2.8...great overall lense, need to get a UV filter with threads for another filter (polarizar), can not use at current time. Yet, using 40d capable of bringing out the differnt green grass colors without photoshop...
Date published: 2010-05-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
CRex from
Value for money; but know its limitations
I've had this lens in my gear bag and used it extensively in the past two years. I'm generally happy with its performance vis-a-vis price paid, but buyers should be aware of what this lens is and isn't.
This lens does offer solid, L-caliber optical quality. Like most "red-ring" lenses this is built like a tank and performed in snow and desert alike.
On the minus side, the aperture is a bit slow and so is the AF compared to other benchmark L lenses such as the 24-70 or the 70-200/2.8.
The biggest problem for me is the serious vignetting towards the 17mm range on full-frame cameras (with or without the supplied hood). Which kind of defeats the purpose of having a wide-angle lens. I'm ditching this for the 16-35.
Net-net, this is a good piece of glass for the price paid but I wouldn't get this if you're serious about image quality and plan to use the short end of the zoom range a lot.
Date published: 2009-01-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bob from
Execllent Value
I use this lens on a 5D MK II. This lens is an excellent value. It is not as sharp as my 70-200 f/4 L-series, but then nothing is. It is sharp, especially after processing with DXO, and the build quality is excellent. AF is smooth, quiet and accurate, especially if you micro-correct it.
Date published: 2009-08-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
ronin from
Superb Glass
This lens is an all-around excellent value. The only drawback is that I cannot give it a 100% rating on sharpness, as it falls off slightly at higher f-stops. However, with a little work one can still get incredible shots that are sharp enough for professional results. Having said that, I'd definitely rate sharpness at 95% or higher. When I purchased this lens, I was concerned about vignetting, as I heard others report issues with this lens at 17mm. I'm happy to report that I have not had this problem with APS-C sensors. It may have issues on full-frame sensors, but it would not be very much.
The lens is a winner in all other categories: Color is superb; its USM motor is quick and quiet; the build quality is nothing less than what one would expect from Canon "L" glass; and the price is very good compared to the overall performance of the lens. When it comes to wide-angle shooting in a variety of conditions, I found that this lens works brilliantly on my 1D. It'll be in my kit bag for a long time.
Date published: 2009-11-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
kmggdc from
distortion at 17-20mm range
I have owned this lens for several years and use it to shoot kitchen interiors. Shots are often tight with the need for wide angle. I bought this over the 16-35mm due to the price. However kitchens are full of linear / vertical geometry and we shoot parallel and level. Unfortunately this lens has tremendous distortion along the perimeter of the shots. It is especially noticeable in our work since we are always aligning our shots with vertical lines in the room. If there is a vertical object such as a wall or cabinet edge, it will show tremendous distortion in the mid section of the shot. I has to cropped out on the final edit or corrected in software (not always possible since we use HDR photography).
To compensate we shoot at 20mm; but that defeats the purpose of owning the 17mm. If I had to do it over I'd get the 16-35mm. Hopefully that does not have this issue.
This lens is likely great for someone not shooting subjects with geometry, so my complaint is specific; but it is a real issue with this lens. I am dissappointed in that this carries the L designation, I don't think it is Canon's best to say the least.
Date published: 2010-10-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Melissa S from
Very nice lens
This is a great lens with a very nice 17-40mm range. It takes crisp photos. I am very pleased with it.
Date published: 2019-12-26T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Corey or Squirrelman from
Fantastic Wide Angle Lens for my Full Frame DSLR!
This is such an amazing lens for my Canon 6D Mark II. I have wanted to have a wide angle lens for my full frame and this is a fantastic lens at a very good price. It is going to be my go-to lens for group pictures. I am SO glad that I have added this to my gear.
Date published: 2020-01-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
James Laurent from
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Used his lens on several real estate shoots, it’s been a great addition to my kit and my new primary lens for Real Estate.
Date published: 2022-01-13T00:00:00-05:00