Sample crops from test photos are now available at the-digital-picture website. This lens is looking very good. Image quality is on par with the 17-55 IS, which is impressive for an ambitious 5.7x zoom lens. Sharp at all apertures, at all focal lengths. The equivalent 24mm FoV is just icing on the cake...
I wish this lens had come out during all those years I spent shooting with the 1.6x crop format.
I'm hoping someone will comment on the mechanical aspects of this lens. The reports of the dust/dirt gathering abilities of the 17-55 have kept me away from it thus far.
Dan1 wrote:
I'm hoping someone will comment on the mechanical aspects of this lens. The reports of the dust/dirt gathering abilities of the 17-55 have kept me away from it thus far.
The lens feels much different than the 17-55mm. It has a tight feeling to it, the barrel extension is very tight and smooth. It just feels more solid and the finish is much better. I have not seen any dust yet whereas it seemed my 17-55mm showed some after just a few uses. I think this is the prototype for the new line of EF-S lenses. I am also impressed with the perfomance although not really tested it to any extreme... sharp and very quick to focus.
I noticed that www.the-digital-picture.com now has the sample crops for this lens and they compare very favorably to the 17-55, even to the 24-105! If it's really as good as those samples show, I think Canon is going to sell a lot of these. The zoom range is perfect for a walkaround lens. Constant f4 would have been great, but it would be heavier and larger. Seems like a reasonable compromise. I'm going to try one out.
Dan1 wrote:
I'm hoping someone will comment on the mechanical aspects of this lens. The reports of the dust/dirt gathering abilities of the 17-55 have kept me away from it thus far.
2 years. 0 dust problems. No filter. Made me sell a 35/1.4 L and a Sigma 50/1.4 despite being 2 stops slower.
I was going to buy a 17-55 2.8IS to go with my 7D which will arrive next week, but now I wonder with the 7D's low light capabilities if the trade off of 1 stop advantage of 17-55 v. range of the 15-85 is justifiable? The assumption is that IQ is similar between them. The purpose is to shoot interiors of cathedrals in Italy and whatever else comes along on this special trip. So, a used 17-55 or new 15-85, since the price is about the same? Your thoughts, please.
p.11 #10 · EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS master thread
Hi Yakim,
Perhaps I didn't frame my question well. Both lenses have IS. Considering what I am doing,would you rather have the advantages of the 2.8 (shallower dof, higher shutter speed) or longer range?
Thanks,
Paul
p.11 #12 · EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS master thread
pdever wrote:
I was going to buy a 17-55 2.8IS to go with my 7D which will arrive next week, but now I wonder with the 7D's low light capabilities if the trade off of 1 stop advantage of 17-55 v. range of the 15-85 is justifiable? The assumption is that IQ is similar between them. The purpose is to shoot interiors of cathedrals in Italy and whatever else comes along on this special trip. So, a used 17-55 or new 15-85, since the price is about the same? Your thoughts, please.
The 17-55 has an older "3-Stop" IS while the 15-85 has a newer "4-Stop" IS. That basically removes the f/2.8 advantage for stationary subjects like buildings.
I think the focal range of the 15-85mm would be better suited to cathedrals in Italy or any type of walk around use. That is why I went with the 15-85.
Here are some hand held examples from Rome this week: (40D ISO 3200)
p.11 #13 · EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS master thread
15-85 is a great range on the APS-C body, just as 24-105 is a great range on full frame. The added field of view between 15 and 17 mm is significant.
It's looking like this will be a very good lens, despite it's slowish aperture. I'd rather that it be f/4 across the range, but I also know that would increase the cost even more.
Let's hope that the price settles a bit in a few months.
Here is the verdict :
The Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS is certainly a desirable lens ... if you can get a good one (ours had a bit of QC issue). The resolution is generally very good from 15-50mm whereas you should expect some border softness at 85mm. A weak spot of the lens is the amount of vignetting which is extreme at 15mm @ f/3.5. An edge shading of 1.94EV represents a new (negative) record here at PZ - the lens is somewhat underdesigned here obviously. However, stopping down resolves most of the problem. The amount of distortions is typical for such a lens (heavy barrel distortions at 15mm). Lateral CAs can be visible at the extreme ends of the zoom range.
The build quality of the lens is very good and definitely an improvement over previous Canon consumer zoom lenses. Typical for Canon lenses featuring a ring-type USM the AF performance is very impressive. The IS ("Image Stabilizer") works just fine within its limits but that's a proven technology by now and no real news anymore.
Overall we'd say that the lens is slightly over-priced regarding its performance but eventually the street prices will come down to more sane levels.
p.11 #17 · EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS master thread
Photozone also admits their copy isn't the best, has decentering issues. They say their tests "compensate" but their vignetting looks worse than mine. I would say the lens is slightly overpriced, even though it matches my 24-105L in performance and sharpness. At $700-750 it would be a fair value. At $600 then there would be no reason everyone shouldn't have one.
Anyways, by the time the price comes down, I will have hundreds of wonderful shots on the hard drive.
p.11 #18 · EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS master thread
John McLean wrote:
The lens feels much different than the 17-55mm. It has a tight feeling to it, the barrel extension is very tight and smooth. It just feels more solid and the finish is much better. I have not seen any dust yet whereas it seemed my 17-55mm showed some after just a few uses. I think this is the prototype for the new line of EF-S lenses. I am also impressed with the perfomance although not really tested it to any extreme... sharp and very quick to focus.
I agree, this lens seems very well built; in fact, I wish the 10-22 and 17-55 felt this nice. Canon seems to be stepping things up a notch.
p.11 #19 · EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS master thread
you know I almost put the order in for a 7D and this lens, looks like some of you have a very sharp good performer to get your photo's with.
but I'm going to be patient and get a D3S or D800 and go back to nikon like I did in the film days.
was mighty tempted by Canon and this new lens, but I thought about it and really would like low light capability.
hope this lens works out great for everyone.
PS, its pouring rain and windy here on the north coast of BC Canada-- but we had some of the longest stretch's of good weather here since 1963 when it was a 6 month drought
p.11 #20 · EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS master thread
pdever wrote:
Hi Yakim,
Perhaps I didn't frame my question well. Both lenses have IS. Considering what I am doing,would you rather have the advantages of the 2.8 (shallower dof, higher shutter speed) or longer range?
Thanks,
Paul
Hi Paul,
I have the 17-55/2.8 IS and the main reason I love it so much is the combination of fast aperture and IS. If it was not for that I'd never made the 24-105/17-55 switch. Naturally, 10-22 + 24-105 is a much better set than the 17-55 alone but then again, a 10-22 + 17-55 + 135 set is even better.
Personally, I never understood the appeal of ever increasing zoom ranges. One of the major attractions of DSLR over P&S is the ability to change lenses. Why not use it?
My set normally averages ~5 lenses (currently have 7). Wherever I go I choose the right lenses for my intended pictures. Normally it's 2 or 3, seldom 4 or more but very rarely just 1.
