Product Description

Canon EF-S 17-85MM f4-5.6 IS USM Lens is possibly the best single lens to own with your Canon Digital Rebel SLR Camera. Equivalent to a 28-135mm lens, this new EF-S lens brings true wide-angle to tele coverage to EOS 20D, 30D, 40D and Digital Rebel shooters. It has Canon's Image Stabilization system, allowing safe hand-holding at speeds up to three stops slower than otherwise possible. And of course, it's optically optimized for digital SLRs. A ring-type USM means both fast and silent AF, as well as full-time manual focus when in the AF mode. Circular aperture design -- natural highlights, even stopped down two stops Non-rotating front element; lens length does not change during zooming EF-S lens mount -- exclusively for EOS 20D and Digital Rebel bodies Filter Size - 67mm Maximum Diameter x Length, Weight - 3.1 x 3.6, 16.8 ounces Only compatible with the 40D, 30D, 20D

Product Details

• Brand: Canon
• Model: 9517A002
• Dimensions: 4.30" h x 4.50" w x 6.20" l, 1.05 pounds

Features

• 17-85mm standard zoom lens with f/4-5.6 maximum aperture for EOS digital SLR cameras
• Image Stabilization system reduces camera shake to extend use in low-light levels
• Aspheric element and 2 aspherical surfaces deliver excellent optical quality
• Ring-type ultra-sonic monitor (USM) for superior autofocusing; 1.15-feet close focusing
• Measures 3.1 inches in diameter and 3.6 inches long; weighs 16.8 ounces; 1-year warranty

From the Manufacturer
Equivalent to a 28-135mm lens, this new EF-S lens brings true wide-angle to tele coverage to EOS 20D and Digital Rebel shooters. It has Canon's Image Stabilization system, allowing safe hand-holding at speeds up to three stops slower than otherwise possible. And of course, it's optically optimized for digital SLRs. A ring-type USM means both fast and silent AF, as well as full-time manual focus when in the AF mode.

Features

• Compact, lightweight design with a 5x zoom ratio -- 28 to 135mm equivalent
• Excellent optical quality: Aspheric element with two Aspherical surfaces utilized
• Close-focusing to 1.15 feet -- at 135mm, fills the frame with subject 3 x 4.4 inches
• Ring-type Ultrasonic motor for superior AF performance; allows full-time MF
• Image Stabilization extends the lens's usefulness in low-light levels
• Circular aperture design -- natural highlights, even stopped down two stops
• Non-rotating front element; lens length does not change during zooming
• EF-S lens mount -- exclusively for EOS 20D and Digital Rebel bodies

Customer Reviews

My XTI everyday
Upgraded almost a year ago from the very average 18-55 kit lens that came with my XTI. Wanted more color, contrast and IS and the best autofocus I could find without being too spendy. USM on the 17-85 snaps to attention almost instantaneously, and the stabilization works great. Nothing worse than a lens that you have to wait on while it hunts to find focus, and although the f/4-5.6 is nothing to write home about, the IS helps compensate for the slow aperture when you need it the most.

I also have an EF50 f/1.4 for low light indoors, and an EF70-300DO for compact tele, but the 17-85 is what I keep going back to for general applications. IQ is really quite good and the range somehow just fits most composures I come across. Small and light, this EF-S lens is a perfect mate for a APS-C DSLR to use for everyday snaps.

I also bought (and sold) an EF24-104L, but the low end was always too tight, and the tele end wasn't far enough (great images though). Also considered the EF-S17-55 f/2.8, but eventually decided to save the dollars.

The 17-85 does show a little distortion and vigneting at 17, but easy to fix by 19 if that bothers you (not obvious enough to bother me). 20-85 is always really sharp. Did not really consider any 3rd party lenses, and this was the only Canon lens I could find with IS + USM + Range + IQ + Price. Doesn't seem prone to flare or CA. No dust or problems to report. Zooming is smooth without any creep. I keep a polarizer on most of the time since this is usually used outdoors.

Great images, great versatility
The Canon EF-S 17-85mm zoom lens is a great alternative to the 18-55mm kit lens. I use it on a Canon EOS Rebel XTi. It produces higher quality images and the greater zoom range is very handy. The auto-focus is very accurate and it's easy to manual focus as well. The image stabilization circuitry is great: I've shot pix from a moving cable car in San Francisco, panned, caught birds in flight, and captured moving surfers -- all without shake or blur. The 17-85mm zoom range (27-135mm on a camera with an APS-C sensor like the Rebel I use) gives you everything from wide-angle to medium telephoto in one lens. There are a lot of great photos to be captured within that zoom range. And you can capture them without carrying multiple lenses. In the high-priced world of camera lenses, it's a relative bargain, too.

Not cheap but the only lens you'll need
In my film days I shot only with prime lenses and never owned a zoom, the reason being zooms normally have smaller maximum apertures,often incorporate optical compromises, and shoot through more glass than a prime lens. That was then, this is now. Canon has overcome the small maximum aperture with the Image Stabilizer (IS). This means that if the camera tells you you can only shoot a particular scene at f/4 at 1/15th of a second which is very hard to shoot without blur, the IS compensates for the motion resulting from being handheld by actually moving the elements within the lens. The result is you can shoot at a much lower shutter speed and get away with it -- a tremendous advantage for a lens that only goes down to f/4. The 17-85mm zoom range is equivalent to 28-135mm in 35mm. Seldom have I felt the need for either a wider or longer focal length and constantly switching lenses only adds to the dust problem inside the camera. And the image quality is superb as always. Canon optics have been ahead of Nikon optics for many years which accounts for why so many have made the switch from Nikon to Canon. And please don't forget to order a UV filter with it. Put the filter on and never take it off.