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Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras

4 December 2009 59 views 5 Comments

  • 17-55mm wide-angle zoom lens with f/2.8 maximum aperture for Canon DSLR cameras
  • AD and aspherical elements deliver impressive image quality through entire zoom range
  • Image Stabilizer lens groups shift to compensate for image shake even in dim lighting
  • Large circular aperture produces shallow depth of field; ring-type ultra-sonic monitor (USM)
  • Measures 3.3 inches in diameter and 4.4 inches long; weighs 22.8 ounces; 1-year warranty

Product Description
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.Amazon.com Product Description
Designed to meet consumer demands for a fast EF-S zoom lens, the EF-S 17-55mm offers image quality on par with Canon’s highly regarded L-series lenses. The lens features a large circular aperture that produces a shallow depth of field, creating background blur that draws special attention to the photographic subject. The lens construction, meanwhile, includes UD and aspherical elements that deliver impressive image quality throughout the entire zoom range. And thanks to the Image Stabilizer lens groups–which shift to compensate for camera shake–the image appears crisp and clear on the image plane, eve in dim light. Finally, the lens offers a ring-type ultra-sonic monitor (USM), inner focusing, and new AF algorithms to help achieve autofocus quickly and quietly, along with full-time mechanical manual focusing that makes it possible to manually adjust the focus even in AF mode. As with all Canon lenses, this lens carries a one-year warranty.

  • Focal length: 17-55mm
  • Maximum aperture: f/2.8
  • Lens construction: 19 elements in 12 groups
  • Diagonal angle of view: 78 degrees (at 30 feet) to 27 degrees (at 50 feet)
  • Focus adjustment: AF with full-time manual
  • Closest focusing distance: 1.15 feet
  • Zoom system: 5-group helical zoom (front group moves 27mm)
  • Filter size: 77mm
  • Dimensions: 3.3 inches in diameter, 4.4 inches long
  • Weight: 22.8 ounces

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras

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5 Comments »

  • M. Pielichiewicz said:

    OK. Last week I bought “kit” – Canon 40D with 17-55 2.8 IS

    This tandem is superb, well built, looks great…but

    My lens had front focus. Very strange, because I bought body with lens together in one box. When I was shooting portrait photo and set focus on model’s eye, the focus was set on nose or blouse which was placed nearer.

    Last friday I went to shop in which I bought this “kit” to change body/lens to get perfect photos. Unfortunately not a single one combination satisfied me. I’ve tried 3 17-55, one Tamron 17-50 2.8, one Canon 100 2.0 and 5 Canon 40D bodies. Every combination had front focus.

    I returned “kit” and thought about buying Canon 5D with 24-70 2.8, but… I don’t want any problems with focusing anymore (especially that this bodies/lenses aren’t cheap)

    Now I consider (and I’m sure) to buy Nikon D300, which has focus adjustment in body.

    I don’t say Canon is a “piece of s*” Perhaps I didn’t had a luck, but it’s really annoying go to shop and spending six hours there, trying different combinations and not a one is OK. Thank you very much CANON for such surprise.
    Rating: 3 / 5

    - 5 December 2009 at 1:53 am
  • Alaskan Photo Workshops & Tours said:

    This is a good lens. But the EF-S series only work on the 1.6x crop cameras, like the 20D, Rebel XTI, XT, 30D, 40D, etc.. Not on the 5D, the film bodies like the eos 3 and eos 1, nor on the Mark bodies. Thus I wont buy one as I still shoot film, and I also have a 1D Mark 3 I shoot with all the time and my 40D is my backup, and my 10D is converted for only IR usage, and its awesome.

    If you look at the optics, this lens is pretty good, but the 17-40 is great and it blows the image quality away. Granted the 17-40 is F4, not 2.8, but most people dont need 2.8 unless you are doing a lot of low light indoor shooting or a wedding, and if you are doing a wedding, you should get L glass for the better quality anyways! I can shoot my 17-40 on my 40D or Mark 3 at 1600 ISO with out any issues and still blow them up, a lot better than my buddies Nikon D80 or D200 at even 800 ISO!!! He needs to be at about 400 to try to compete with the noise/pixelation of the 40D @ 1600 ISO!!!

    If you never plan to get a better camera than the 40D series, and granted those are very good cameras, but if you want to go to pro grade or semi pro grade, like the 5D this lens will not work for you. Also you dont really need IS on a wide angle lens! Just look at the New pro model, the 16-35II and it dont got IS on it… I figure if your not over 70-100mm you dont really need IS. Shoot I have a 500MM F4.5 model w/o IS and its awesome, even handheld. BUT IS does not help you if you are on a tripod, always remember that!

    Hope this helps!
    Rating: 4 / 5

    - 5 December 2009 at 2:09 am
  • BigHorn69 said:

    I ordered a $1000 lens from Amazon and they shipped it like it was an Instamatic. The Canon box was inside a shipping box with some loose bubble wrap, not attached to the Canon box. The lens arrived undamaged, but it wasn’t Amazon’s fault it wasn’t damaged. I wrote them about it and they sent a reply that they would talk to their shipping dept. About a week later, I went to a forum at DPReview.com and saw other people complaining about the same thing. I wrote Amazon again telling them that their reputation was being damaged and they sent a generic, computer generated reply that didn’t convice me they were getting the message.

    I will not order another lens from Amazon…it’s not worth the risk when other Internet camera stores take the care to make sure these expensive lenses arrive undamaged. You can’t use the same packaging philosophy as you would for shipping a book.

    WR
    Rating: 1 / 5

    - 5 December 2009 at 2:42 am
  • Matt said:

    Okay. Everything I have heard about this lens says that it is a GREAT lens. Resolution figures are among the best measured on photozone.de. Chromatic aberations are low. The zoom range is GREAT for a walk around lens. And distortions are not too bad. Vignetting is somewhat of a problem at 17mm and f/2.8, but not really a deal killer. So what is there not to like? Two things: the price and the fact that it is an EF-S lens. Now as some people have said, this lens should be made better for its cost. But this is not the REAL issue. The REAL issue is that you are paying over $1000 for a lens that could one day become nothing more than an expensive paperweight. Now we all know that the REAL reason why Canon made cropped sensor cameras is the first place is cost. And we all know that as the cost of full-frame sensors comes down, Canon will likely stop making cropped sensor cameras (because it will be pointless to make them). When/if that happens, guess what? You can’t use this expensive lens. However, even if they keep making cropped sensor cameras, there is at least a somewhat decent chance you will one day step up to a full frame camera. And this lens WON’T be able to make the move to a full frame camera. You will, as a best case scenario, have to sell the lens at a loss in order to buy something that will work for you. My advice? Stick with full-frame EF lenses. They work GREAT (although they don’t have this zoom range). But more importantly, as long as you stick with Canon, they will not become obsolete.
    Rating: 3 / 5

    - 5 December 2009 at 4:32 am
  • jessiper said:

    This lens was a great lens on a crop body (like the 30D) for the money. Even though it’s not an “L” lens, it’s still very sharp, and the 2.8 and IS are great for low light photography. The only downside was the build of the lens. It tends to break easily, and for no reason, but Canon is very good at fixing it quickly. Now, though, the price of the lens has just about doubled for some reason, and I definitely wouldn’t recommend buying it while Amazon is selling it for $1700. Wait until it’s less than $1000 again, because it’s not worth it until then.
    Rating: 4 / 5

    - 5 December 2009 at 7:32 am

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