Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
by Canon
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
Customer Review: Know what you need first, but if you want it, get it!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had been using the 28-135 IS for some time until I decided to break down and buy this lens. And being a college student, it was the obvious choice over the $1000-more-expensive 16-35 f/2.8L. But, about once a week I find myself in a situation where I think "Hmm, that extra stop would be nice about now." And I imagine that a lot of people find themselves in this pickle. So here's what you need to know and to think about:
1) Ask yourself, what do you shoot? Are you a budding photojournalist? A band photographer? A proud father?
To everyone except those hoping to do photojournalism or weddings, I would say, this lens is the obvious choice. It is light, but the build quality is very solid. The focus and zoom are so well-damped, it just feels like you are holding a quality lens. And you are. It is sharp (for a wide zoom, anyway) and solid.
To those doing weddings or PhoJo: Wait the extra 2 months, save more, and buy the 16-35 f/2.8L II. I shot for a newspaper for the last year, and while I was always able to make this lens work, it put me in the situation where I "had to make it work," and that is not something you want to do to yourself. You want to not have to worry about your gear, and I frequently needed to, as I, oddly, would find myself in that situation where I needed that extra stop quite frequently. When I bought it, I thought "How often will I need that extra stop?" Now I wish I had saved up for the extra stop of light. When you are doing weddings or phojo, the only thing that matters is your photos. Don't put them at risk by having to shoot at 1/30 when you could be shooting at 1/60. Nothing in photoshop cures motion blur.
So, if you don't shoot lowlight, or don't care about a little less bokeh, there is no reason to buy the 16-35. This lens is lighter and just as sharp. THE ONLY THING that you get out of the 16-35 is the extra millimeter and the extra stop. But, if you are someone who might need that extra stop once a week, don't buy the 17-40 just to have to buy the 16-35 later.
Customer Review: 17-40mm F4/L USM
Summary: 5 Stars
This company does good work when selling fixed lenses. I think this lens is absolutely awesome. I got this lens to use temporarily on my Rebel Xti. Next year I shall purchase the 5D markII and this lens will go right on it.
When I bought the lens, I must say that I was skeptical. I looked around and the price increased from $400 on average to $407. Then, just before I was ready to buy the lens, it jumped up to $450...imagine my shock. So I looked at a rebuilt because of the lower cost but again, the seller had an impeccable rating which you should be comfortable with. they are good. the lens isn't too heavy either and when zooming, you don't get the the typical lens extending out past the lens body as with most lenses, the lens stays the same length at all times. This is truly a lens designed just for landscape photography in mind but can be used for professional shots of people and other uses. If you move from EF-S lenses, YOU WILL NOTICE A HUGE DIFFERENCE in your picture quality.
Pro: excellent picture quality, great picture contrast, smooth focusing motors, excellent glass quality. there is an included hood with the lens, it has black velvet inside which helps greatly to absorb light in my opinion. use it to protect your lens.
Cons: on my current APS-C digital rebel Xti, in some cases I get some vignetting which isn't soo bad. one can use the canon software included with the camera and use the peripheral illumination feature to correct that(Not a killing problem to this product, just bcz of the image sensor).
other: not a con but, if you, like myself have used EF-S lenses before this, you'll need to get used to the zoom and focus rings being set differently on EF lenses to include this one. But I'm getting used to that over time.
My final analysis is that this company is well worth the money they ask for this lens. The delivery was fast and perfect!
10 out of 10 stars!
Customer Review: Film Users Alert - It's Not Just For Digital SLRs
Summary: 5 Stars
For years, I have been using my 28-70 f:2.8 Canon zoom as my "normal" lens. It is sharp (Oh baby is it!) and at 2.8,fast enough for just about any pro or serious amateur. But there were plenty of times I needed a little more coverage than the 28MM focal length provided. Since most of my work is with long-lens and fast (and expensive) zooms, I couldn't pony up the bucks for Canon's superwide f2.8 zoom. When I saw the price on the 17-40MM lens and the fact that it was the "L" flavor with pro glass, I bought it immediately. I've had it for about a year and I have already sold several pictures - published in glossy magazines with picky photo editors. And I trust it to give me sharp pictures, even at the extreme settings - wide open and at the 17MM end. You have to remember to always use the weird looking but effective lens hood to control flare and as with any very wide lens, look at the edges of the frame (your feet could be in every picture!) It's light, good enough to use as your normal lens and with their new 70-300 IS DO lens could make for an amazing and compact travel kit. So while Canon's lens experts probably built this one for the growing digital crowd, as a film user I think it's the bargain of the year and is in my camera bag every time I go on assignment. I suggest that you get a good quality "thin" UV filter and polarizer and you will be set to explore the exciting world of ultra-wide photography.
Important update: I recently returned from an assignment to Monte Carlo to test drive sports cars. Part of the deal was to get thrill rides from a pro driver up and down the French mountains above Monaco. Armed with my 17-40MM an EOS 1V, 540 flash, and Velvia 50, I clicked off a whole roll of film during my turn in the passenger's seat. The magazine editor called me when he saw the slides and said that the shots in the car were the "strongest images" in the shoot. Yup, the lens is that good.
Customer Review: Happy that I bought it!
Summary: 5 Stars
For months I had been reading review after review and comparing this lens with other lenses in its class at the store. Had finally boiled it down to between this lens and a Tamron Lens which was about $200 less. Both lens received very good reviews. But a couple of months ago I made my choice to get this lens on what a reviewer had said about canon "L" lenses, this one in particular. (Paraphrasing)"You could get the cheaper lens and most likely be happy with it, but what if?" So not wanting to be wondering what "if", I purchased the Canon EF 17-40 f/4L and haven't had any regrets letting go of $600. Some reviewers had said that with the max of f4, the lens wouldn't get good shots in low to dim light. Yet this lens had no problem focusing or getting good shots in those conditions with my 430EX flash what so ever. And not only will you get some great wide shots (even with a Rebel Xti, as I do) but you can get some good close ups of objects as well. You'll have to be careful with close-ups of people because you can distort their facial features(nose,ears,forehead;the lens was not intended for portraits) but, it's useful for group shots. I've uploaded some pictures of some trees and some geese in a pond along with a close up of a pot holder. Photos with this lens are very good concerning sharpness, color and contrast and there is a minimum of barrel distortion as well. So if you are wondering "what if?", I would go ahead and spring the money for this lens, it would be a great addition to your collection and a very useful one at that.
Update August 8, 2008. I have used this lens a lot since I've gotten it and haven't any regrets. I have been on a trip to Puerto Rico USA visiting my parents and this lens gave me the opportunity to snap some great shots. I have uploaded some shots that will show just how good this lens really is.
Customer Review: Back from a week at Disney: I love this lens
Summary: 5 Stars
I just got back from a week in Florida - the reason I bought this lens. I wanted a light wide angle that also had some zoom. This was the only lens I put in my small camera bag each morning because it took the best pictures. The weight was perfect for walking around with it 12 hours a day - I did not experience neck or shoulder problems once (a problem I have). The pictures were fantastic even though the weather was rainy and dreary the entire time we were there (another plus - I felt confident that the lens would keep the damp out). I am still processing the 900+ photos I shot with this lens over the week. If I had to pick one thing to praise it would be the richness of the colors. The only downside is that it doesn't have a longer zoom. On the other hand, the wideness made up for it. I took photos of a parade at night, and could get entire floats in the shot. *That* is what I was looking for. It hasn't been off my XTi since.
====my original review====
I struggled for weeks, maybe months, on the lens to buy to replace my kit lens, something light enough that I won't want to leave it at home when I'm going out for the day. I rented a lens that ended up feeling like it was 100 pounds, and I just didn't think the photos were impressive enough to pay upwards of a thousand dollars.
I visited lens-specific flickr groups to look for the photos that jumped out at me the most. Everything I saw on a 17-40mm group jumped out at me, and I took a chance on this lens, even though 40mm seemed a little short and it didn't have IS. But I am SO thrilled with this lens, that I have forgiven it for not having IS, and if I need to take photos inside, I'll use my 50mm f/1.4. I have realized that you just can't find one lens that will meet the need of every shooting situation. I'm extremely happy with my purchase.