Ef-s 15-85

[bylim]

Have got this as my walkabout lens. 15 is certainly wide enough for me and eliminate the need for me to swap out to a 10-22 constantly. The range is a very good compromise between a 18-xxx and a wide angle lens.

Build of the lens is solid and does not suffer from lens creep. Size is not as obtrusive either. Colour and saturation may not be as good as a L lens, but if you shoot raw that gap should be easily narrowed with some slight PP. It's very very sharp though, as the crop comparisons from digital-picture will tell you.

 

[faineant]

hi don' be stingy on buying a realtively good lens if you have the budget...
15-88 is bad lens, the lens faction is more than 5...
someone had mentioned 17-55mm...this is relatively better but choosing lens there is sth. i would like to share..the lens factor, let's say the 17-55, 55/17 = 3.2 so the lens factor is 3.2 ... the better range will be below 3...tha's why prime lens mostly expensive. besides the 50mm f/1.8

:bsmilie:

 

[infinity]

Hi all, the silver lining did peel off a bit during usage but after using a bit of superglue and a needle, manage to glue back and everything is ok now.

 

[bylim]

I've not had any trouble with the silver line, but let me go home and try to see if i can peel it off...

 

[auden09]

I've not had any trouble with the silver line, but let me go home and try to see if i can peel it off...

nice one. hahaha! so i guess its a matter of "checking it" thoroughly before making the purchase i see. what u think abt the color the lens produce?

 

[auden09]

hi don' be stingy on buying a realtively good lens if you have the budget...
15-88 is bad lens, the lens faction is more than 5...
someone had mentioned 17-55mm...this is relatively better but choosing lens there is sth. i would like to share..the lens factor, let's say the 17-55, 55/17 = 3.2 so the lens factor is 3.2 ... the better range will be below 3...tha's why prime lens mostly expensive. besides the 50mm f/1.8

the lens factor thing is not always the case. and also, there's a reason why people want a zoom lens with focal range instead of a prime. it's for walk about my fren. i don't like changing lens outdoors, especially when i'm in a dusty/sandy place like egypt or the beach. i am juz a hobbyist. the price of the 15-85 is still pretty affordable for an nsf like me, so i can make do with a little bit softness at the corners. afterall, its for walkabout. not some wedding. for weddings i use 17-55f/2.8, 35L and 85 f1.8. it is this kinda things that u want the sharpness, ability to work in poor lightings etc. 15-85 is plainly a great walkabout, nothing specialised about it, nothing fanciful. just plain solid and versatile walkabout lens.

just my 2 cents worth after much considerations. btw, about the variable aperture being unable to work indoors much...there's always flash, or the 50 f1.4. f2.8 won't do wonders in lowlight either. trust me, if u wanna shoot flash-less...u will be better off with a prime anyday over any f2.8 zoom L or not. i think 35L/50f1.4 wld be a good combo with the 15-85 for the 1.6x. i'm heading in that direction, and i think i am gonna have a lot of fun. a walkabout + a lowlight arty-farty specialist lens.

 

[auden09]

anyway i noticed in the b&s section, nobody is selling the 15-85. it may tell sth about the keeper rate of this lens. i'm sure quite a no. of people have bought this lens either with the 7D kit or by itself.

 

[infinity]

anyway i noticed in the b&s section, nobody is selling the 15-85. it may tell sth about the keeper rate of this lens. i'm sure quite a no. of people have bought this lens either with the 7D kit or by itself.

I bought it as a standalone lens. I also notice nobody selling off this lens (unlike the 18-135 which many pple advertise almost immediately after the launch of 7D Kit I). 15-85 is really a good walk-about lens for most pple.

 

[auden09]

im sure it will be for me too. 85...good enuff for me. anyway are the shops out there selling the 15-85 officially as in with the box and everything? i notice that some ppl have bought it from shops that have customers who bought the 7D but doesnt want that lens.

 

[Shen siung]

the lens factor thing is not always the case. and also, there's a reason why people want a zoom lens with focal range instead of a prime. it's for walk about my fren. i don't like changing lens outdoors, especially when i'm in a dusty/sandy place like egypt or the beach. i am juz a hobbyist. the price of the 15-85 is still pretty affordable for an nsf like me, so i can make do with a little bit softness at the corners. afterall, its for walkabout. not some wedding. for weddings i use 17-55f/2.8, 35L and 85 f1.8. it is this kinda things that u want the sharpness, ability to work in poor lightings etc. 15-85 is plainly a great walkabout, nothing specialised about it, nothing fanciful. just plain solid and versatile walkabout lens.

just my 2 cents worth after much considerations. btw, about the variable aperture being unable to work indoors much...there's always flash, or the 50 f1.4. f2.8 won't do wonders in lowlight either. trust me, if u wanna shoot flash-less...u will be better off with a prime anyday over any f2.8 zoom L or not. i think 35L/50f1.4 wld be a good combo with the 15-85 for the 1.6x. i'm heading in that direction, and i think i am gonna have a lot of fun. a walkabout + a lowlight arty-farty specialist lens.

It seems to me you have answered your own question of whether to get the lens or not :think:

 

[auden09]

It seems to me you have answered your own question of whether to get the lens or not :think:

yup. i am gonna get it. after so many months of deliberation...17-40 or 24-70 or 17-55...15-85 came and swoop me over. ah well. i always THOUGHT i needed f2.8 for my everyday shoot. but that's where i was wrong.

 

[Shen siung]

If you are so concern of the lens sold separately, just wait a while, if you don't need to 'everyday walkabout' now.

Give MS a call to ask them too.

 

[TheStig]

yup. i am gonna get it. after so many months of deliberation...17-40 or 24-70 or 17-55...15-85 came and swoop me over. ah well. i always THOUGHT i needed f2.8 for my everyday shoot. but that's where i was wrong.

The 3 lenses you were considering before are all in different price ranges :bsmilie:

 

[auden09]

The 3 lenses you were considering before are all in different price ranges :bsmilie:

haha yeah. the 24-70 was the most i cld afford. and that wld be sacrificing a lot of accessories for 1 x lens. =/ so i figured it wldnt be economically wise as i'm just an nsf now. haha! well, there are some rich kids ard me who are always talking abt L lenses. but i'm glad i've grown out of that stupidity. 15-85 is good. at only half the price too. haha!

 

[bylim]

I did answer that in my previous post... Colour and saturation may not look as good as a L(of course), but the gap should be easily closed by some PP.

I pair the 15-85 with a sigma 30mm 1.4 for multipurpose walkaround usage.

nice one. hahaha! so i guess its a matter of "checking it" thoroughly before making the purchase i see. what u think abt the color the lens produce?

 

[McBook]

Having used only for quite sometime since bought 2 weeks ago, 15-85mm is capable of capturing excellent quality image. As a user of 24-70 f2.8L & 17-40mm f4L, I am very satisfied with the results I got from this new lens. I'm glad to have 15mm as widest end, w/ f3.5 (compared to former 17-85mm), up to 85mm (compared to 55mm from 17-55mm f2.8); and IS is helpful even night shots (for no moving subjects, of course) of sleek handing (not as heavy & bulky)!

I thought it was just a plain white ink lining/band when I was looking at the web pictures but actually a metalic/silver lining which then matches the new "quick dial" introduced w/ 7D. This adds to my liking because it makes me feel the lens was really designed for 7D. (I never own white lining lenses before; gold, at least, w/ my former efs 17-85mm). I was not disappointed afterall.

It was really a nice dump feeling also of its zoom and focus dials and liking the shape where the magnification scales slope as the lens design steps up it diameter giving better visibility from user.

Over all, image quality is excellent! Very good for those who are really looking for walkaround lens on of APS-C size sensors. 15mm is really an added advantage to me & also for who like having the widest end without having to change lenses on the way. It's slow at low light but IS helps even night shots at 1/3 shtr speed w/o tripod (for still subjects)!

Just my 2 cents. Cheers!

 

[auden09]

Having used only for quite sometime since bought 2 weeks ago, 15-85mm is capable of capturing excellent quality image. As a user of 24-70 f2.8L & 17-40mm f4L, I am very satisfied with the results I got from this new lens. I'm glad to have 15mm as widest end, w/ f3.5 (compared to former 17-85mm), up to 85mm (compared to 55mm from 17-55mm f2.8); and IS is helpful even night shots (for no moving subjects, of course) of sleek handing (not as heavy & bulky)!

I thought it was just a plain white ink lining/band when I was looking at the web pictures but actually a metalic/silver lining which then matches the new "quick dial" introduced w/ 7D. This adds to my liking because it makes me feel the lens was really designed for 7D. (I never own white lining lenses before; gold, at least, w/ my former efs 17-85mm). I was not disappointed afterall.

It was really a nice dump feeling also of its zoom and focus dials and liking the shape where the magnification scales slope as the lens design steps up it diameter giving better visibility from user.

Over all, image quality is excellent! Very good for those who are really looking for walkaround lens on of APS-C size sensors. 15mm is really an added advantage to me & also for who like having the widest end without having to change lenses on the way. It's slow at low light but IS helps even night shots at 1/3 shtr speed w/o tripod (for still subjects)!

Just my 2 cents. Cheers!

sounds good! i guess for lowlight shots just gotta use the external flash. not much of an issue for hobbyist like us.

 

[ianhyk]

Can anyone who have used it comment on CA?

Is it vastly improved from 17-85?

And is distortion easily correctable in PS, or is it like 17-85?

 

[auden09]

i'm all set to buy the 15-85...but i'm afraid of getting a lemon one as most shops dun haf a few lenses to test with. sadly.

 

[TheStig]

i'm all set to buy the 15-85...but i'm afraid of getting a lemon one as most shops dun haf a few lenses to test with. sadly.

I think you should wait. Photozone reported that there are some QC issues with this lens. Also, because this lens is so new, the price may still be high. B&H is selling it for US$720 now while other shops are still selling it close to US$800.