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Canon EF-S zoom lens - 17 mm - 55 mm

$1,900.00
Mfg # 1242B002 CDW # 976050 | UNSPSC 45121600

Quick tech specs

  • 17 mm
  • f/2.8 IS USM
  • for EOS 1000
  • 450
  • 500
  • Kiss F
  • Kiss X3
  • Rebel XS
  • 55 mm
  • Canon EF/EF-S
  • 40
  • 50
  • 7D
  • Kiss X2
  • Rebel T1i
  • Rebel XSi
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To meet user demands for a fast EF-S zoom lens, Canon has specially designed a new lens with a large aperture of f/2.8 for select Canon Digital SLR cameras. The large circular aperture produces a shallow depth-of-field, creating background blur that draws attention to the photographic subject. The lens construction includes UD and aspherical elements, which deliver impressive image quality throughout the entire zoom range. Image Stabilizer lens groups shift to compensate for camera movement so that the image appears steady on the image plane, ensuring clear, crisp images, even in dim light. With a Ring-type USM, inner focusing and new AF algorithms, this lens achieves autofocus quickly and quietly, and with full-time mechanical manual focusing, manually adjusting the focus is possible even in AF mode.

$1,900.00
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Canon EF-S zoom lens - 17 mm - 55 mm

This Item: Canon EF-S zoom lens - 17 mm - 55 mm

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Canon EF-S zoom lens is rated 4.40 out of 5 by 61.
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good Buy Having used this lens for over a year as a primary go to lens I find that it has it's place . i also own the 70-200mm f2,8is mk 1 i use this lens every chance i can. you have to compare apples for apples... the dif in a L lens well what can you say it's a L lens ....that being said this lens has nice weight and balance the manual focus ring is quite sensitive but after repeated use its managable The auto focus is fast enough to perform as built. i use this for weddings , events , portriats product and it always serprises me when i see my images on screen . the color capturing of this lens is wounderfull. I am never left without enough color detail . because of the light weight, operating without (IS) you have to really look very very hard to even notice any camera shake .which helps a lot in very dim light arenas Somtimes the focal point would fool you but that could user error at times . for the money if canon would just make it water resistant give the focus ring a do over like adding just a tweek of resistance this lens would feel more expensive and make you feel good with the cold cash your layin down .. although i would love a 24 - 70 mk2 and its fabulas glass for another k which also is in another class , useing this on the my 7d's with it's crop sensor give 's an equal range in those tight locations . I just love my 70-200mm which is in a whole nother class also . for the money, the wounderfull color in the images , and features. if you own a crop sensor camera this lens needs to be in the top five lenes in your bag
Date published: 2012-10-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worthwhile Addition Got this lens in place of the kit lens for the 40D. Also have the 24-70 f2.8L. Have matched them shot for shot. Miss the 70mm, but the size, weight, and IS make this the lens of choice for most of my walk-around shooting. Recently tried it with an infrared conversion. Forgot to use the lens hood - really noticed the flare. Couldn't see it in the viewfinder. Without the flare, this lens competes well with the "L" glass in the 24-70. If you're sticking with a small chip, that is, one that can use the EF-S lens, this is a terrific addition/replacement.
Date published: 2009-02-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from null Excellent carry around lens with sharp picture and fast focus. IS is excellent and probably the only f2.8 lens in this range. Dust creeping into the lens is an issue though and needs to be watched carefully.
Date published: 2012-09-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great prime wedding lens I use this as my main lens at wedding on my 40D with nice results. This is a great lens if you shoot indoors and need a fast lens that get the full picture.
Date published: 2009-11-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Average lens Average quality lens. After 2-3 years of using it moderately and taking good care if it, dust appeared inside the lens... If you pull a bit the zoom rubber ring you can actually see inside the lens... As someone else said maybe 28-105 f/4 is a better option, did not try it though.
Date published: 2011-02-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good lens, dust inside Good walk-around lens, sharp images, good performance in low light conditions, fast and silent autofocus... BUT after a few days of use I got big dust particles inside the lens, for the price that's just unacceptable
Date published: 2012-03-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Disappointed Purchased the lens and within 2 days and about 100 photos, it broke. The Auto Focus feature stopped working.
Date published: 2012-02-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great lens... while it lasts. Owned it for 6.5 years before it completely failed. Optical quality is impeccable, proven over and over again against other 'cheap' lenses. Although I took good care of it and used occasionally, dust became visible inside the lens after about 2 years. After 4-5 years IS started to play tricks and at 6.5 years the AF failed resulting in camera saying 'lens error'. The zoom mechanism is terrible, many times just by pointing the camera downwards would automatically zoom to max. I did recommend the lens to a friend who is more active than I am in using it, and his lens also broke after about 3 years.
Date published: 2016-05-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from My go to lens This is an awesome lens for indoor and low light shots. The IS is worth it's weight in gold. I bought this to replace the kit lens and it is obviously a huge improvement. I have had a filter on the end of the lens since it was new and have had no problems with dust in the lens. The lens definitely gets more attention because of it's larger size which can be a pro or con depending on the person. The focus is fast and quite. I use this to take pictures of my newborn without a flash. As he has started to move around I have come to appreciate the IS and fast focus. The zoom is a good range for candid indoor shots. This lens can be handed to a average person to take picture on your camera without fear of super blurry pictures.
Date published: 2012-01-30T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent Lens! This is an excellent lens and the cream of the crop for the EF-S line of lenses. The lens is very sharp and clear under most situations. I rarely have to apply any sharpening to the images in editing. The lens balances well on my 30D and BG-E2. It focuses fast and silently and the Image Stabilization works like a dream. I use this lens most often shooting weddings and the IS along with the constant f/2.8 aperture make this THE lens for low light shooting. Paired with the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM I am hard pressed to find a lighting situation that I can't work unencumbered by tripods/monopods. This lens represents an excellent value when compared to other lenses in the Canon line and other brands. The only negatives to this lens are the build quality and lens flare. After working with L quality lenses, it's a step down in quality construction but a huge step up from the entry level kit lenses and mid-level variable aperture lenses. The lens flare is very noticeable. I can't escape it even with the (not included) lens hood. Less expensive lenses perform much better at blocking flare compared to this lens. I suppose that's the price you pay for the extra lens elements introduced for the IS to work. Overall, I am very pleased with this lens and will keep it on my 30D all the time when I move to the full frame 5Dmk II.
Date published: 2008-10-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just what I was looking for. Should be an " L " series lens. Don't know why so many people complain about the dust issue, that's why lens filters are made to protect the lenses. Strange that I have not had any issues with dust.
Date published: 2020-06-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from poggers - very nice camera lens very swag Gonna be in an episode of Camera Review By far amazing lens
Date published: 2020-06-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Better Than What's Reviewed I purchased this Lens in 2009 because of the Optical Image Stabilization IS potintial and price Originally; and it's use low light is good added that you know how to use your Camera's settings correctly too! I have had no problems with the construction as discribed in earlier reviews and have had no dust issues. I been able to take great photo's with this Lens in my Rebel XTi and XSi but I can't use it in my 1Ds Mark lll because it is an EF-S Lens, so make sure your camera can use this Lens through the Compatibility Chart. My wife now uses it with the XTi and she Loves it as she's tryed my 28-200 mmm and the 85 mm 1.8 which was even lighter than the 28-200mm as we were thinking here picture taking problems were the weight of the Lens, so when the 85 1.8 didn't help I let her try my 200 mm f/2.8L ll which was really too heavy but she was taking great shots with a few bad ones. I then thought, hey try this, it was my 17-55 mm f/2.8 IS and suprisingly she has no problems with the weight and her photo's are better. She even Loves this Lens for the several obvious reasons and it's still on the XTi. She uses it for all her indoor shots and I had used it wants for a Fire Works display at my sisters with no problems.This is a great Lens if you're budget is at that in between mark!
Date published: 2011-09-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from sharp, fast, IS, wish it was internal zooming I've had this lens for 4 years now, and it has gone through my "crop-sensor" evolution. Started with with Rebel XT, then Rebel Xsi, now on the T2i. It looks a little large on the T2i but it produces outstanding images. it is fairly sharp at 2.8, really sharpens up at 4.0 and the IS is quite useful. Canon makes the 10-22 with internal zooming, don't know why the didn't make this one that way, but I don't understand complex optics and marketing decisions. This lens is expensive, but it's very sharp and is the standard zoom for crop sensor for Canon crop sensor cameras. It's sharper than the primes Canon makes 50mm 1.4, 28 mm 1.8, etc. Those lenses don't sharpen up till f4, so there is no need to buy them, this lens will give you all the ranges of current Canon primes with IS to boot. One other gripe is the tendency of the front element to sag out when the camera is carried around for a long time. I accept that this is a big lens, but it is sharp and has IS. I just wish it had internal zooming.
Date published: 2012-06-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from surprisingly good! This lens, even with the EF-S format and inferior build quality, produces surprisingly good images, outcompeting even such "L" lens as 24-105/4 L IS USM. Particularly related to chromatic aberrations which in this lens are neglegible.
Date published: 2013-05-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Loved it, Hated it, Hoping to Love it Again. I was in love with this lens - it captured vivid colors, had wonderful saturation and clarity. But the IS died on it during my second full day of shooting. Very frustrating. I sent it back to the retailer and I'm hoping that my next copy does not have the same problems.
Date published: 2010-06-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very Sharp Lens I bought this lens around 4 months ago and I used this as my all purpose lens for now.. It takes very sharp pictures and the f2.8 is very fast.. Mine focuses very quietly.. I took this to Europe with me and it was excellent for landscaping shots all around.. The only 2 problems I have is that this lens is pretty expensive but it's worth every penny.. And its pretty heavy carrying it around all day.... But I highly recommend this lens... Two thumbs up..
Date published: 2009-09-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Huge bang for the buck! So glad I made this investment for shooting weddings! Dimly lit churches are no match for this awesome lens. Superior shots from start to finish. No more worries of blurred shots using this 2.8 lens. If you do weddings or other indoor shoots where flash is a no-no, you must own this one! This will pay for itself in no time!
Date published: 2009-10-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Bad distortion Warning! This lens suffers from BAD barrel and pincushion distortion. It is the only Canon lens I've ever returned. The EF 24-105 f/4.0L IS USM is FAR superior.
Date published: 2012-04-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Have workout will travel Heavy, Big, and Large comes with this lens. its a unique and stunning piece of eqiupment to say the least. Say good buy to your little pop up flash friend and hello to biceps made of steel carrying this thing around. It's your choice, quality pics, or quality of life?
Date published: 2009-02-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Outstanding Lens I read all the negative on this lens but after carefully weighing my options, I purchased it and I have to say, I'm happy I did. Let me say first that it should be obvious that any zoom lens will have dust issues as they get older. Pumping the focal length in and out will carry dust into the lens body. It's cant be helped. If there was some unfortunate folks that got a lens that didn't live up to the Canon name, well that's why we buy from reputable sources, warranties. All and all I'm ultra pleased with this lens, wishing there were more constant aperture, internal focus , fast lenses in the line up.
Date published: 2013-04-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Reliable and great quality I have used this lens for 3-4 years in extreme low light conditions on crop cameras and have been very very pleased. At f/2.8, it simply pulls light in. Performance and optics miles ahead of a kit lens. It has been rugged, too-- dropped it and only lost the filter. This is an ideal range for a crop camera and is my go-to lens for most indoor work.
Date published: 2017-06-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best for croped Frames For those Wedding Photographer who are using the 1.6X format DSLR’s such as the Rebel line or 20D-50D. This is the best lens for those cropped formats! And is all you should use for such and important event, when it comes to using Standard Zoom lenses. The wide F/2.8 aperture and the glass quality of this lens are as good as they can get with a Standard Zoom lens so far. It allows faster shutter speeds in low light situations, such as Churches and allows you to use low ISO settings, in most cases. Sharpness, contrast and image quality are excellent. Oh and don’t forget about the fast, accurate and quiet focusing. The USM is what you need for Weddings. No IS? Well its not needed on this zoom range. But if Canon decides to make an EF-S 55-150mm F/2.8. Then I would expect them to add IS, as well as all the features I just mentioned. Canon needs to make more EF-S lenses with the quality of this lens, but to cover all the following zoom ranges. 55-150mm 2.8, 30mm 1.4, and 10-22mm 2.8
Date published: 2009-07-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from since 2007 I bought this lens, to replace the kit lens on my 30D, for a trip trip to Alaska in 2007. It has seen almost constant use since then and is now on my 7D. I have more than 5000 shots on this lens. I love it! I have never had a problem with it. It is changed often for my long lens in the field. I have no dust issues. I like the way it feels when in use.
Date published: 2012-03-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Most used lens in the bag! This lens was the first EF-S series lens I purchased and found it to be very dependable. I've finally got the results from a wide angle that was able to be appreciated. My clients have been very impressed with the sharpness.
Date published: 2010-01-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Versatile very sharp lens Have used this lens for approx. 4 years. Most of my other lenses are "L" types, it has produced results that are equivalent to those expected from an "L" lens. I use it for indoor large group social activities, both with and w/o flash--good depth of field for both folks close to the camera and those farther away. I also use it for flowers and'/or still life subjects where a macro is just too confining. It is also superb for scenic work here in Alaska and the Canadian Rockies. I would take it w/ me for my fly fishing but it is just too heavy w/ a fly rod!
Date published: 2012-07-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from My favorite APS-C Lens I just bought this lens at a steep discount, and I absolutely love it. I am using it on a Canon SL2. In my opinion, this is the best lens that I have purchased for my Canon besides the 24 mm f/2.8. Yep!!! it's all in the aperture. Canon needs to release more lenses specifically for APS-C with this specification. Even though the full frame lenses will work, the crop factor totally multiplies the EF mount focal length and EF aperture for any given lens and the results will not be as expected. But with this lens, my expectations were high and I am not disappointed. There is beautiful color and dimension in my photographs. We need a couple more lenses like this one, EF-S, with longer focal lengths and straight f/2.8 at reasonable prices.
Date published: 2019-04-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Superb Lens I've had this lens for 5 months now and I find it to be outstanding. My photo's are extremely sharp, vibrant and colorful. The focusing is fast, though not as quiet as an STM and works beautifully. I use this lens with the 70D and recently went on a trip to Jamaica .. I took along one of my primes and the 55-250 stm and this lens never left my camera. I've become much better at reviewing the details of each picture and I'm pretty impressed. Being an enthusiast .. and nowhere near a pro, I can only share what I see. Would easily give this lens 5 stars if not for price and the weight. It's heavy .. and its cost is pushing the L series .. but since I don't shoot in extreme situations, where I need weather sealing - mainly family events, vacations etc .. this is the right lens for me. In low light, with the image stabilizer it's hard to beat .. If you value your pictures, and it's an investment .. but boy will you be happy. I wish Canon would update this lens and build more of this quality for the APS-C users out there .. I have 5 Canon lenses now and this has quickly become my go to lens ..
Date published: 2015-09-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from happy :) Hello there.. Just wanted to leave some feedaback. I got into DSLR photography less than 1 year ago out of passion/interest. Bought the 60D body together with this lens 17-55 2.8 from Canon after reading loads of reviews. My main interest was good capabilities in low light and fast AF. I am happy to say this lens delivered. Sharp pictures, very good outcome in low light and I personally never had any problems with the dust (installed a Hoya UV filter as soon as I got my lens). USM is nice and IS is very handy. Although it felt a bit plastiky when I first laid my hands on it I had no problems with the construction and it never bothered me afterwoods. The weight does not bother me too much - I realised I ll have to put up with lots of gear when I decided to go into DSLR my aim being good image quality. It is difficult to compare this with other lenses - my only other lens is the nifty fifty - but the quality is considerably better compared to the 50 mm 1.8. Overall I am happy with the lens and hope my rookie input was helpful to some of you :P
Date published: 2012-06-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Badass but dusty This lens is really great, it's super fast and quiet even in low lighting. Portrait are beautiful less noise then my old lens. I fell in love with this lens after upgrading it from my EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS. It doesn't have the zoom range as the EF-S 18-200mm and a lock, but it's lighter. The build quality is bit similar. The EF-s15-55 get really dusty inside easily and fast though which I don't like. I would love to see an update of this lens. L build quality. Longer zoom. Lock EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM & EF24-70mm f/4L IS USM Features.
Date published: 2013-04-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A True Pro APS-C Lens I've owned this lens for over 6 years. In that time, I've realistically taken over 100,000 images with this very lens - and that's a conservative assumption looking at shutter counts. This is it for me. If I never purchased this lens, I would have probably abandoned the APS-C format all together because, honestly, there is no other lens I can think of that provides the useful focal range, fast aperture, and terrific image quality. I will use this for indoor and outdoor events and leave the thing at 4.0-7.1 all day long - depending on how much DOF I need. Then, when you wish to get a little creative, stop down to 2.8 and zoom out to 55mm for performance that honestly rivals some of my primes at that aperture. Image quality honestly rivals some L-series lenses - the 24-105 in particular. To make this lens even better, it's built like a TANK. I flat out neglected to secure down my RC2 tripod mount properly and within a few seconds, my 7D had fallen on to the filter ring and cracked it! I was concerned it would be a problem, but I was wrong. The lens kept on truckin' for the rest of the shoot, and several years after that. It's currently off to CPS to finally get repaired, and I already miss it. I have a large selection of lenses, but this one has always been my APS-C workhorse. I want to get it back ASAP to shoot on my 7D MkII and I can't wait. If you plan to use the APS-C format, this is the lens to buy.
Date published: 2014-11-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Lens Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great
Date published: 2012-05-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome lens I love this lens. I have owned it since the 30D was the latest APS-C camera, and it is currently shared between several cameras including the 7D for work and play. It is by far the most often used standard range zoom that I own. It has fast, silent, and accurate AF. It is rugged, it's controls are smooth, and fall to hand perfectly. The lens also captures beautiful, contrasty images without having to worry about stopping it down. The body material is very durable, and will not dent, crack, or show off-color wear spots. My lens has been around the world, and still cleans up like new. Mechanical feel is excellent, and does not become sloppy over time. The IS works like a charm, and maintains a steady viewfinder image as a bonus. Between the fast f/2.8 glass, and the amazing IS performance, this lens delivers a greatly extended range of creative possibilities within the ISO "sweet spot" of any APS-C camera. I have never had any dust issues with this lens at all, so I cannot relate to the troubles others have reported. I do keep a filter on the lens though, which might be the key. I don't use a filter on most lenses, but this one sees lots of use, and gets knocked around quite a bit, and it's just easier to wipe dirt and fingerprints off of a filter than the front element. I always use the lens hood. Always. It is cheap in the long run, as it keeps lens performance at it's best, and takes years of bumps and bangs that would otherwise go directly to the lens itself without complaint. The hood is nearly bullet proof. The lens can stand snow and drizzle as well as any other lens that isn't weather sealed, but I would stand in line to pay a premium if Canon offered it with full weather sealing like my 70-200 f/2.8 IS L lens. That would be perfection.... Meanwhile, I'm thrilled that Canon built a fast standard zoom for crop bodies that is almost perfect. Even after years of use, and a market loaded with fresh competition for a place in my kit, this lens continues to stand alone as the best standard range zoom for an APS-C camera that money can buy.
Date published: 2010-05-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome I have been using this lens for appox. 4 years and I am completely satisfied with what the lens produce. I feel confident with this lens and the results are awesome. I only wish that I could use the lens on my full frame bodies. I do not understand why canon makes two sets of lens, other than staying in my pocket.
Date published: 2009-11-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Update to 3/23/2010 entry Here's an update to my entry a little over a year ago. I'd like to reiterate my commentary on the build quality. I was taking some pictures of an old family portrait that was laying flat on the kitchen table with the camera pointed down to get the picture. The front len bezel came apart and landed on the portrait. Fortunately the glass wasn't scratched . . Had the Canon guys not put it back together correctly when they cleaned the excessive dust out of in March of 2010? I can't answer that, but still stick to my "poor build quality" assessment, especially for a lens that costs as much as this one does.
Date published: 2011-07-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Better than Kit Lens, but Heavy I'm not a professional. I don't agree with the comments about poor build quality. This lens works, looks and feels just fine. This lens is faster and sharper than the 18-55mm kit lens, and is vastly superior if your goal is better pictures, especially indoors without flash. It may not equal an L lens but in general they cost more too. The only L zoom lens in this range doesn't have IS, which is important to me. This lens is big and heaviy for this range and it isn't a joy to carry around all day on a neck-strap. So there are trade-offs. Indorrs, I'll always use this lens and I'm glad I have it. On a vacation trip in bright outdoor light all day, I would probably compromise and carry the kit lens. I haven't seen any dust yet but it's too early to know how that will play out. No regrets about my purchase, as the faster lens makes beautiful indoor shots that were grainy with the kit lens since the camera used a higher ISO speed.!
Date published: 2011-01-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Few problems This lens performs great but collects dust easily. The stabilizer makes pictures blur. This is a serious problem. With the IS turned off, pictures are very sharp. Warranty just ended.
Date published: 2009-09-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Distortion! This lens has terrible pincushion distortion! At any focal length above about 20 mm, a rectangle that fills the screen will be severely distorted. Using this lens to photograph artwork is nearly impossible, and the focus is not great, either. This is the only lens I have ever returned. I would recommend the EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM instead. (The only "feature" of the lens, as far as I can tell, is the image stabilization, which works fine - hence 5 stars for that.)
Date published: 2010-12-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Review for EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM I use this lens for over 12 years. Great all around fast lens. I have no dust issue due to quality UV filter is always on the filter.
Date published: 2022-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from L Lens Image Quality at a Fraction of the Cost I heard countless reviews referring to this as a "hidden L lens" in the area of image quality. I thought to myself, no way... But then I began to use it and realized how great of a lens it was. Keep in mind, image quality is much more about the photographers skill and how you use the camera rather than the lens itself. You can take beautiful pictures with an 18-55 kit lens, and you can take horrible ones with a 24-70 2.8 (I have seen both happen. This lens produces very sharp images. The colors are good, but I am by no means a pro and I feel that the failure to capture the natural colors and contrast are due to operator error, not the lens. Did I mention the lens is SHARP, especially when shooting portraits. (Good new bad news), you capture all of the fine details of the face flawlessly. The f/2.8 is great for low-light, and allows me to capture the shot even when limited by light. At 2.8, most lenses at this price point are noticeably soft, and this one is not at all. There are some complaints about the old Image Stabilization system and how it isn't effective for more than 3 stops. I disagree, I am able to shoot pictures at 1/20th of a second with no motion blur (in part due to a steady hand and other techniques). CONS: There are a few downsides to this lens. First, the build quality is not L lens quality, but you also pay for what you get when it comes to build quality. If you drop a lens off a mountain, it will break no matter what material it is. Second, the focus ring sometimes gets a sort of a grinding feel when you turn it, as if there is sand inside of it, but this is rare and goes away after turning it a few times. Finally, after using the zoom ring for over 6 months, lens creep happens, though it is rare and very slight when it happens. It seems to creep slightly more when it is humid outside. Be careful not to pull on the end of the lens, for that will make your lens creep worse quicker. All in all, I am very glad I chose this lens. The sharpness is unreal for the price, the colors are very accurate, and the focal range is perfect for my shooting style, mostly landscapes with some portraits. It is an awesome lens to take with you for travelling, and a great one if you want to vlog and shoot photography.
Date published: 2019-11-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from would recommend when you want to upgrade your lens This lens differently is way better than my starter lens that I first started with. What I like most about this lens that you dont loss less light when you zoom out with the lens rather still get the same amount of light when zoomed in.
Date published: 2019-12-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Take your APS-C to the next level Yeah, this lens is very good. Just got finished with a full day of shooting with it. Razor-sharp, low chroma distortion, wide aperature, good build quality, ultra-fast focus, useful zoom. Arguably one of the best lenses available. If you're still shooting with the kit lens, you have no idea how good your shots could be looking.
Date published: 2009-06-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Lens! This is a great walk-around lens. Never disappoints.
Date published: 2012-02-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good lenses, terrible housing Definitely the best lens in the 17-50 range, as far as image quality is concerned. Unfortunately, being a videographer, build quality is crucial to me, so I had to give up on this lens after just a few days of use. The focus ring is small and not dumped (which is a pain when you focus manually and a "no go" when you use a follow focus) the zoom extends when pointing down, dust comes in extremely easily... In conclusion, despite its price, this lens is not meant to be use professionally.
Date published: 2016-08-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from "Vacuum cleaner" Insufficient dust protection taking into account the price.
Date published: 2009-03-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good but... Got this lens a long time ago. Its great for an EF-S but if you are wanting to go full frame buy the EF 24-70L or the EF 16-35L, EF-S lens won't work with full frames cameras. Lucky I have a 7D and can still use this lens. It is a great lens for what it is and it has IS which the other two lens don't, but I would buy the 24-70L over it all the same. Just wish the 24-70L and the 16-35L had IS.
Date published: 2011-06-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Incredible optics but poor seals This becomes your everyday lens with extraordinary abilities. You can have a shallow depth of field, you can capture fast action, you can take closeups, you can use a polarizer in a forest, you can shoot indoors with ambient lighting, and you can even take pictures by the light of a campfire. It is extremely heavy but its sharpness and large aperture will often eliminate the need to cary primes. My big gripe about quality is that the lens barrel attracts dust then sucks it inside. Dust is, by far, the biggest factor in depreciation.
Date published: 2011-11-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Lens I have had this lens for over a year now. It is my favorite lens by far and stays on my camera (50d almost all the time. I have not had a single issue with it. It is ultra fast and the blurr you get is wonderful. I have not seen any dust in my lens like the other reviews and I think the build quality has been exceptional. I would not want to add any additional weight since this is already a big piece of glass.
Date published: 2009-08-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best APS-C lens available This lens is the apex of the crop sensor camera lenses. The 2.8 aperture, IS (image stabilization), and good quality makes it the best lens I can think to get. I would have purchased an EF mount lens if there had been one with IS and all other features. The zooming is a little less smooth than I would want from a lens of this price but it's one of the only faults I can find. You may have read the lens gets dust inside on the front element. It's true. I have dust inside mine after 4-5 weeks. I hope it does not get worse. Canon needs to fix this "leak" but all things considered...great, great lens.
Date published: 2010-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love the IQ, confused by sealing After making micro-adjustments for focus, this lens is dead on. Canon support generally indicates micros are not needed, but I've had to fine tune three lenses thus far. Right not, the IQ is superb in terms of sharp lines. I now use this as my standard for lens comparison. However,the dust has also affected my experience. Clearing the particles is relatively easy (5 minutes), so it doesn't affect overall performance. But for this price point, would expect a bit more sealing.
Date published: 2012-06-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from overpriced - should be a l lens overall im happy with the lens, but for a lens as expensive as this one is, it should be a L build lens , have a carry bag and at the very least it should include a hood. Other than thatm im happy with the performance....so far
Date published: 2009-10-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from great lense I just love this lens. It's great for night shots. Don't hesitate buying this. Worth every dollar.
Date published: 2014-09-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great EF-S lens Fantastic results from this lens. I have two now. One for over a year with over 25,000 images shot from it. This is as close as it gets to "L" glass quality with EF-S lenses folks!
Date published: 2009-01-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very good and quite bad... I've hade this lens on my second body (7D for nearly one year and I still think that's the best APS-C standard zoom on the market, as far as optical performances and focal range are concerned. Distortion at shortest focals is an issue and corner sharpness wide open is not impressive at all, but that's to be expected considering the kind of lens. What you wouldn't expect from such a lens, considering its price, is the poor built quality. It's not terrible, it's just not in line with the price. Same thing for the expensive hood, sold apart. I really hope for a "Version II" with a better built quality.
Date published: 2013-05-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Performance beyond expectations I bought this lens for a trip in Sept. 2009 to Eroupe and upgraded my 10D camera to a 40D for this lens. I really liked the speed of f2.8 and the wide angle, the IS made the rest to get some great shots. I knew this was worth every penny when I printed a 24 x 36 gloss print of a sail boat on a lake in Italy. It was crystal clear and sharp. It was beyond what I expected. Enoughy that I just replaced my other telephoto with another 2.8 IS lens. I have been using Canon for over 35 years now, the camera and lens performance is what I count on. I shot over 1800 photo's in 3 weeks, as can be said, "The MoneyShot" !!!!
Date published: 2009-12-06T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Terrific This is a beautiful, great performing lens. It can be the only lens in your "bag".... replacing wide-angle, normal and portrait lenses. It's an f 2.8 with IS, so you can shoot in very low light like a you would with a 1.4 or even a 1.2!!!
Date published: 2009-09-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Lens I lover the lens, which works great with my 77D. Canon should come out with a new lens soon and since this one has UD glass, call it what it should be L lens: who cares if it is APS-C. Canon needs to start allowing firmware updates on all new products going forward, this ensure ever changing feature set additions and being able to fix issues.
Date published: 2019-04-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great GP Lens Great in low-light situations. Images are sharp, and built well for non-L lens.
Date published: 2009-02-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not a good lens for outdoor photography I could really love this lens . . it's fast, it's sharp, it worked great on my 20D and even better on the 50D I upgraded to. It's a great size and the range is a sweet spot for my hiking photography. It stays on my 50D . . sharp enough that what I can't reach with the 55 range can be cropped to without sacrificing a lot of quality. BUT . . . it just collects too much dirt & dust for Grand Canyon (and other) hiking. I would have rated this higher in EVERY category if it wasn't for this dust issue. Yes, I see where people say the dust doesn't impact the picture quality, but I disagree. I see it . . It's not an outdoor lens. I've had this lens for three years (or so) and had to send it off for cleaning twice. For the money spent maybe I should have saved a few $$ and gotten the 17-40L . . . not as fast, but hopefully better built.
Date published: 2010-03-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Lense I decided to buy it as standard zoom lense, instead of having recommended kit lense for EOS 7D. I am glad I made a right choice, otherwise, I could have spent twice both on kit lens and EF 17-55. Its a great buy, stable with 2.8 gives a great changes to enhance the quality of work.
Date published: 2013-11-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from One of canons Best After about a year of use, mostly weddings, I would say this is a very nice lens. I use two lenses in my work, this lens and the canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS. The blur is perfect and low light is no problem for either. I use a canon 50D and the crop factor (1.6) works well with both. The quality of photos under all conditions has been nothing less than perfect. Many weddings I only use the 17-55 and leave the 70-200 in the bag for a back up. The size, weight, and balance are nice. Portraits are perfect. Has zoom, IS, 2.8, fast focus, and great performance, but should be offered in a L seies for weather and dust. No problems yet but for the money it could be built better. Considering the choices Canon offers, It is a must have.
Date published: 2009-02-01T00:00:00-05:00

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