Maker | Canon |
---|---|
Technical data | |
Type | Zoom |
Focal length | 17–55mm |
Focal length (35mm equiv.) | 27–88mm |
Crop factor | 1.6 |
Aperture (max/min) | f/2.8 / f/22 |
Close focus distance | 0.35 m (1.15 ft) |
Max. magnification | 0.17 @ 55mm |
Diaphragm blades | 7 |
Construction | 19 elements in 12 groups |
Features | |
Short back focus | Yes |
Ultrasonic motor | Yes |
Lens-based stabilization | Yes |
Macro capable | No |
Application | Fast Standard Zoom |
Physical | |
Max. length | 110.6 mm (4.4 in) |
Diameter | 83.5 mm (3.3 in) |
Weight | 645 g |
Filter diameter | 77 mm |
Accessories | |
Lens hood | EW-83J, optional |
Case | LP1219, optional |
Angle of view | |
Horizontal | 68°40'–23°20' |
Vertical | 48°–15°40' |
Diagonal | 78°30'–27°50' |
History | |
Introduction | 2006 |
Retail info | |
MSRP | $1,179 USD |
The Canon EF-S 17–55mm f/2.8 IS USM is a standard zoom lens for Canon digital single-lens reflex cameras with an EF-S lens mount. The field of view has a 35 mm equivalent focal length of 27–88mm.
It is praised as "one of the best general/multi-purpose lenses available", and ideal for available light photography on a Canon APS-C camera.
The fast f/2.8 aperture, combined with 3-stop Image Stabilization, makes the 17–55 very useful in low light compared to an un-stabilized f/3.5–5.6 Canon EF-S 18–55mm lens, which is a frequent kit lens, and thus the 17–55 is much more suited for hand-holding and available light photography. Newer versions of the 18–55 kit lens include 4-stop Image Stabilization, but remain slower aperture, partly addressing this concern.
This lens has been criticized by one review as prone to flare when used without a hood, and especially with low-quality photographic filters.
The 17–55 suffers from vignetting at f/2.8 of 0.5–1 EV throughout the focal range, though current Canon bodies are able to correct this by storing the vignetting data within the camera memory.
Chromatic aberration is a relative weakness at the wide end (at the edges and corners), but is quite low for a zoom lens in this range.Barrel distortion is evident at the wide end.