Canon digital SLR shooters have a wide variety of Canon lenses to chose from. The company makes lenses for almost every budget. One of the best surprises is the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens ($1700.00 retail, but can be found for a lot less). This EF-S series lens compliments the 40D and new 50D camera bodies perfectly.
Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS Lens Features
With a 17-55mm range, the lens can be considered an excellent walk around lens. On a Canon D-SLR body, and with the 1.6x crop conversion to factor in, the zoom range is approximately 27-88mm.
The lens is well built and very solid. It fits nicely on the 40D or 50D Canon D-SLR cameras. There’s a good balance and feel to having this lens on those camera bodies. On the smaller Canon Rebel line, the lens is too front heavy and will seem off-balance for a photographer. It's best to stick with the smaller and lighter 18-55mm kit lens on those cameras.
The outer shell is made of high quality plastic, while the focus and zoom rings are made of rubber. Each ring turns easily and smoothly.
Switches for auto focus (AF) or manual focus (MF) are located conveniently on the left side of the lens. Below those switches is the switch to turn the Image Stabilizer (IS) on or off. They flick with the touch of a finger tip.
A 77mm filter is recommended to not only cut down on UV rays, but to protect the lens from scratches and dirt.
Fine Focusing Speed and “L” Series Quality Optics
Using auto focus on the 40D or new 50D, the lens focuses exceptionally fast. Choose where to focus and press the shutter halfway down, the 17-55mm instantly locks on the subject. In low light situations, the lens still focuses quickly with little or no lag time.
The lens might be under the EF-S line of Canon lenses, but it’s remarkably close to the high-end “L” series. The optical quality appears nearly as good as an “L” series lens. Only a seasoned pro or Canon user can likely tell the difference.
Sharp Photo Quality
Photographs shot with the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS are colorful and filled with good contrast. There isn’t any noticeable softness to the lens, especially if “pixel peepers” enlarge photo files to 100% on a computer monitor. Distortion is noticeable at 17mm, but decreases rapidly throughout the rest of the zoom range. Photo software can correct any distortion.
Photographers will no doubt notice how sharp images are from this lens, especially on a bright day. Shots taken at a pool, for instance, will show well-defined accuracy in even the smallest details.
Pleasing Pictures
The Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens is pricey, but quite reasonable considering the high quality optics inside. Photographers looking to get beyond a kit lens, or those who want a lens that can handle low light well, the 17-55mm is something to consider.
