EF-S 15-85mm Made in Taiwan?

[limleong]

Canon Taiwan has been making lenses for a long time. Mostly the low end kit lenses but also the newer EFS 17-85mm and the latest EFS 15-85mm.

I used to own a EFS 17-85mm (Made in Japan) which died (USM motor failure) in a little over 4 years of light use. Design and the materials used are probably better predictor of quality/longetivity rather than where it is made.

I now have a EFS 17-85mm Made in Taiwan lens.

 

[LenzLaw]

Aiyoh......my shirt made in singapore, my shorts made in singapore, my laptop made in china, my house made in singapore.......I wanna get rid of them liao!!! WAAAAAA........*rolls around on the floor and throws tantrum*

 

[memorylane]

Seriously, Does it matter? Is a made in taiwan lens going to produce much more vignetting, flare, CA, distortion than its made in japan counterparts?

Of course it matters. Taiwan lens capture Taiwanese landscape more beautifully. Japan lenses capture prisoners of war better.

 

[richardlu]

Canon Taiwan has been making lenses for a long time. Mostly the low end kit lenses but also the newer EFS 17-85mm and the latest EFS 15-85mm.

I used to own a EFS 17-85mm (Made in Japan) which died (USM motor failure) in a little over 4 years of light use. Design and the materials used are probably better predictor of quality/longetivity rather than where it is made.

I now have a EFS 17-85mm Made in Taiwan lens.

Yup I don't think it really matters, my 'Made in Malaysia' 50mm f/1.8 is still working fine, and the Taiwan 18-55 II from my 350D 5 years ago is still working fine even after I often violated the 'don't turn the focusing ring in AF' rule.

In contrast my 'Made in Japan' 17-85 already had its USM replaced once under warranty and barely 4 months later it gave me Error 99 and stuck aperture and totally died on me. Giving up on it because in Australia they bloody charge a AUD50 inspection fee even though it is under repair warranty since "it is a different problem that probably has nothing to do with the previous repair". Boo...

Haiz can't wait to get back to SG and get a new 15-85, Melbourne is a really terrible place when cameras are concerned, everything is a rip off. CSC Singapore is so much better.

 

[limleong]

Yup I don't think it really matters, my 'Made in Malaysia' 50mm f/1.8 is still working fine, and the Taiwan 18-55 II from my 350D 5 years ago is still working fine even after I often violated the 'don't turn the focusing ring in AF' rule.

In contrast my 'Made in Japan' 17-85 already had its USM replaced once under warranty and barely 4 months later it gave me Error 99 and stuck aperture and totally died on me. Giving up on it because in Australia they bloody charge a AUD50 inspection fee even though it is under repair warranty since "it is a different problem that probably has nothing to do with the previous repair". Boo...

Haiz can't wait to get back to SG and get a new 15-85, Melbourne is a really terrible place when cameras are concerned, everything is a rip off. CSC Singapore is so much better.

Canon do make lemons from time to time and the EFS 17-85mm appears to be one of them. A search on Google and you will see that this lens has a high failure rate with the USM Motor (autofocus only works at 17mm and no where else). I paid over NZD 1000 for it when new (was a rip off). Canon NZ will charge NZD 150 minimum fees just to inspect the lens. Not worth repairing, I sold it for scrap !! :cry: