Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
£645.00
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With image stabilisation (IS), a solid f/2.8 throughout the zoom range and USM focusing, the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is about as close to a pro lens as many Canon users will be able to afford.
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The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens is a fast lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8, so you can use it to obtain a shallow depth-of-field or help with reasonable exposures in lowlight situations.
It comes with Canon’s IS (Image Stabiliser) technology, which allows you to drop your shutter speeds slightly when needed and compensates for camera shake as well. It also uses ultrasonic technology, making the AF much faster and quieter than on standard, non-USM (Ultra Sonic Motor) lenses.
Another really useful feature is the close focus distance of 35cm. This allows you to get up close to your subject, allowing you to make creative use of the small amount of barrel distortion that the lens produces.
The autofocus performance is fast, accurate and quiet, while the image stabilisation is very consistent with shutter speeds around 3 stops slower than you could usually hold. The f/2.8 setting is never a lens’ best quality setting, but on this model it produces levels of sharpness below that which we’d expect, but throughout the focal range from f/5.6 up to around f/16 the results are sharp enough to give you crisp images that will please most users.
Despite the f/2.8 maximum aperture throughout and the inclusion of IS technology, the price of the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is actually surprisingly low. Don’t forget to add in the cost of the optional EW 83J lens hood (£45) though.