17-55 IS, thoughts?

[unofficialPete]

I've just sold my 28mm f/1.8 & 85mm f/1.8 lenses and now have just the 10-22 + 70-200 F4.

Any reason I shouldn't get the 17-55 IS as my all rounder lens to complete my kit?

 

[Andy.]

Just the scare stories about the IS packing in after a short time would put me off. Images and capabilities are perfect!

Part of me wishes that I had got one instead of my 24-105 but I need long rather than wide most of the time.

 

[McBunny]

dust and flaky IS

saying that though i LOVE MINE

 

[unofficialPete]

sweet, all the same stuff I've read, will be the first lens I'll be using a UV on to stop that dust.

Hopefully the IS will make up a little for my loss in speed!

 

[Andy.]

funny to hear about somebody say that 2.8 is a loss.
F4 definitely does not cut it indoors though.

 

[unofficialPete]

I'm used to f/1.8 so 2.8 is going to be kinda slow :clown:

 

[F&B]

I've got a pretty reasonable collection of lenses and my motto is to stretch myself and buy the best I can (so L lenses if that's what is needed). But, I have to say that my 17-55mm is the lens that time and time again I look at my pictures and notice that there is something just a touch better about this one - better colours, sharper etc...

It's so pronounced that it's enough for me to want to keep hold of my 40d rather go full frame and get a 5d Mark II - this lens doesn't really have a full frame equivalent. There's the 24-70mm 2.8, but it lacks IS and is *much* heavier.

Ok so the body isn't the metal quality of my L series lens, and some of them attract dust but -

1) The dust can be removed if you really need to, most people find it makes no difference to their pictures (BTW I have no dust)
2) The body may not be L quality but it is far from bad, it's solid enough for me
3) Some stories of ropey IS, haven't had an issue myself but if you are concerned switch it off when in decent light and save it for indoor or night shots when you really need it.

If this lens wasn't as good as it is I would have sold my 10-22mm, 60mm macro, my 400d and 40d bodies to move to full frame, but this bad boy is enough for me to stay with the crop bodies.

 

[dk]

I've just sold my 28mm f/1.8 & 85mm f/1.8 lenses and now have just the 10-22 + 70-200 F4.

Any reason I shouldn't get the 17-55 IS as my all rounder lens to complete my kit?

you'll have the same lens setup as me, i too have all those three.

My 17-55 is a good kit lens, nice and fast, great in low light, IS works pretty well, not had any issues with it yet and i've take about 1000 photos while in peru.

I have got a rather large spec of dust close to the centre of the lens though even though I have a filter on the end. I had read about dust problems so wasn't surprised, am yet to see it in photos though so not too worried, it was very dusty on machu picchu so it wasn't just from normal shooting conditions.

 

[unofficialPete]

Thanks guys, just put my order down

 

[Clart]

aren't you a student? where do you get your money from?

 

[unofficialPete]

No longer a student but not in full time work yet either, just sold my 350D + kit, 28mm f/1.8 and 85 f/1.8 to get the money together.

 

[JJ!]

I'm finding the 18-55is pretty good, build is ok. Complements my 55-250 nicely and now I have the 50mm its a very good set up!

 

[McBunny]

I'm finding the 18-55is pretty good, build is ok. Complements my 55-250 nicely and now I have the 50mm its a very good set up!

trust me there is a huge difference in quality between the 17-55is and the 18-55is

 

[JJ!]

trust me there is a huge difference in quality between the 17-55is and the 18-55is

Not reading thread properly = FAIL! Thought you were talking about the kit lens lol!!!!!! Now realised your talking about a £500 lens!!!

Where do you lot get the funds for so many lenses!!!

 

[McBunny]

its a £606 lens according to camerapricebuster i paid less as i picked it up in HK but it is an astounding lens

 

[unofficialPete]

580 with UK invoice if you know where to look, went up 20 notes this month grrr! I sold lots of other gear for this one, where that money came from, probably my student loan haha

No more pricey gear for me for a long while

 

[McBunny]

id like a 100-400 but no idea if id ever use it !

 

[Andy.]

^^ That is next on my list, but have far too many other things to do first in the house.

I tried shifting my 70-200 to fund it but prices are really low for them these days.

 

[Rich]

I hear so many mixed reviews on the 100-400 I have given up considering it, I would love a fast 300 or 400mm prime though - when will my numbers come in.

 

[unofficialPete]

100-400 is on my list along with a dedicate macro, then I can call it a day but its gotta wait a while! Find my 70-200 is a nice lens but when I put it on I generally want LONG and it just isn't enough even with a 1.4x TC

 

[Feirny]

its a £606 lens according to camerapricebuster i paid less as i picked it up in HK but it is an astounding lens

It looked very nice last night

 

[McBunny]

you will have to have a play with it some time tis a great lens

 

[Feirny]

Seeing it, and some of its pictures are now on my wishlist, as well as the battery grip.

 

[unofficialPete]

wow, my concept of shutter speeds just went out the window!

 

[dk]

its pretty damn good in low light isn't it, indoor pics without flash ftw!

its amazing how well the IS works too, if you look through the viewfinder with it off and focused at full 55 zoom on something quite far away its moving all over the place, but then when you switch it on the viewfinder just goes all steady, didn't expect to see that through the viewfinder, thought it would just help etc, but its like pressing the button to hold your breath when using a rifle in COD lol!

 

[unofficialPete]

its pretty damn good in low light isn't it, indoor pics without flash ftw!

its amazing how well the IS works too, if you look through the viewfinder with it off and focused at full 55 zoom on something quite far away its moving all over the place, but then when you switch it on the viewfinder just goes all steady, didn't expect to see that through the viewfinder, thought it would just help etc, but its like pressing the button to hold your breath when using a rifle in COD lol!

aye, was impressed to see it through the viewfinder! lol I even do the breathing when I'm shooting my camera like COD4! Try & turn on live view at 55mm, zoom to x10 then hit the shutter button and then watch the IS kick in.

Just offloading my first shots, all rubbish, going to blame the rain but wow its sharp wide open and can really get the shutter down, 1/20 at 55 is great and at 17mm can get down to 0.6 second. Gotta get used to the size though, weighs nearly as much as my 70-200 F4 and isn't quite as subtle to use as my 28mm f/1.8 but it'll grow on me when it gets some proper use at the weekend!

Anyway, heres a 100% crop of some bungy cord, no sharpening etc, i'll take that for 1/30 at 55m in poor light etc etc etc. I'm such a geek

 

[dk]

rubbish picture and poor quality as its hosted on facebook, but this was taken the night i got my 17-55 with my 350d.

It was handheld out of my window which was at an angle and had a really bad reflections in the whole fram including the reflection off the tv, it still managed to focus in nearly no light at all!. The light outside was very low, near enough dark and I couldn't even see the numberplate of the 206cc and it was using iso 200 i think, couldn't believe how light this came out and was hardly blurred.

I've not used the flash on my 50d since i got it and with 2500 pics because my glass is just so quick its just been needed!