Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
by Canon
List Price:
Our Price: $724.95
You Save: $575.05 (44%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $609.00 (click here)
Category: Digital Camera
See more product details
Customers in the UK,
buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: CanonModel: 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 IS
Product features:
- 15-85mm lens with f3.5-f.5.6 aperture; for use with APS-C cameras
- 35mm equivalent to 24-136mm focal length range
- Dedicated image stabilization
- Lens construction of 17 elements in 12 groups
- Compatible with 72mm filters
- Nissin Di622 Speedlight for Canon Digital SLR Cameras, Guide number 145
- Zeikos ZE-UV72 72mm Multi-Coated UV Filter
- Zeikos ZE-FLK72 72mm Multi-Coated 3 Piece Filter Kit (UV-CPL-FLD)
- AmazonBasics Lens Pen Cleaning System
- Corel Photo & Video Pro X3 Bundle [Old Version]
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Customer Review: Buy this lens. Or not.
Summary: 5 Stars
UPDATE, July 11, 2010: The Canon rebate referred to below should just about be concluding as I write this, so you can read this review (and others) and decide whether this lens--at its regular price--is right for you. (Or you can wait for the next rebate program, but that may be a while from now.) Since the time when I wrote my initial review, I have come to regard this lens even more highly. It feels great on my Canon EOS Rebel T2i, and I had a recent experience with this lens that might interest you. My wife and I took a sightseeing train ride along the Arkansas River through some very picturesque parts of Colorado. There was an open-air observation car that was great for taking pictures; however, when the train was moving it was impossible to remain perfectly still, as the car swayed slightly (and unpredictably) from side to side. I thought about turning the image stabilization (IS) off completely, but decided to give it a try. It turns out the IS worked beautifully. One more thing: As the sun set, the canyons the train was climbing through were alternately drenched in glorious late-day sunlight or covered with shade. Given the rapidly changing light conditions and the train sway, it wasn't the easiest task to try to capture the gorgeous scenery, especially for an amateur like me, but the Canon EF-S 15 - 85mm f/3.5 - 5.6 IS lens turned out to be up to the task. I have no regrets.
REBATE ALERT: From May 9 through July 10, 2010, Canon is running an "instant" rebate program that includes this lens--at a considerable saving. The best part about an instant rebate is that it should be built into the price you see on Amazon (it was when I bought mine), so you don't have to mail in some form and wait (and hope) for a rebate to arrive weeks later. If this is the right lens for you (something we haven't established yet), then now may be a good time to pull the trigger on a purchase.
Regarding this lens, it is a considerable improvement from the typical kit lens on a digital SLR. Kit lenses are decent for the money you pay (which isn't much), but they have clear limitations, especially in sharpness. If you are reading this review, I assume you are looking for a lens for the general-purpose focal-length range, and the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5 - 5.6 IS USM fits well into this category. The 15 - 85mm range is wider than most kit lenses (probably on both ends), which enables the photographer to use this lens for a wide variety of purposes. The build quality is quite good, though not up to "L" series lens standards. Of course, its price is also not up to L levels, either. Sharpness is very good. Frankly, I can't really tell the difference between this lens and L glass (but I'm just a humble layman), although professional photographers and serious amateurs probably can. Concerning qualities such as vignetting or chromatic aberration, I suggest you consult some of the many professional reviews on the web, which generally paint a good picture of this lens.
Okay, so should you buy this lens? That's the question I want to address with this review. If you do a lot of low light shooting, like weddings, this lens probably isn't fast enough for you. You can't always use a flash in a church. The Canon EF-S 17 - 55mm f/2.8 IS USM or the Canon EF 24 - 70mm f/2.8L USM may be better choices. Both of these lenses have what the EF-S doesn't--a much wider aperture. They also have higher price tags and a narrower focal length range. They are also heavier (especially the 24 - 70 L), which depending on how long you typically carry your camera around may mean something to you. Specifically, the 15 - 85mm weighs 20.3 ounces, while the 17 - 55mm weighs 22.8 oz, and the 24 - 70mm weighs a heftier 33.5 oz. For comparison, a Canon EOS Rebel T2i without any lens weighs only about 19 oz.
The 15 - 85mm lens is relatively new (2009), so it is built with the latest manufacturing technology. It features, for example, four-stop image stabilization, which is great. (Remember that image stabilization helps compensate for the unsteadiness of the photographer, but does nothing to stop the movement of your subject.) "Bokeh" (foreground/background blur quality) is very good. The lens is made of plastic, but its high-quality plastic, if that doesn't sound too oxymoronish.
In short, if you are looking for the absolutely finest general purpose lens that money can buy, this is not your lens. However, if what you want is a very noticeable step-up in sharpness from a kit lens, combined with a very convenient weight and four-stop image stabilization--and you don't want to fork over a great deal of money--then this lens merits your careful attention.
More Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Description of Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
The versatile focal length, extreme wide angle and stunning image quality of Canon's new EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens makes this the ideal multipurpose wide-angle zoom lens for the photographer shooting a wedding or exotic vacation. Featuring three aspherical elements and one UD glass element for outstanding image quality, the zoom range of this lens is equivalent to 24-136mm on a full-frame camera. When coupled with Canon's new EOS 7D DSLR, this lens provides moviemakers and videographers with a phenomenal focal range for wide-angle scenic footage and zoomed in telephoto shots. The warranty period is 1 year.Accessories
Digital Cameras and Photo Categories
Bestsellers in Accessories
Olympus 200-517 NI-MH Batteries and ChargerOlympus; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Olympus 200-523 Accessory Kit for D340ROlympus; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
TDK XP Super Pro ST-120 VHS CassetteTDK; CE
Best price: $18.99
Kodak DC200 Accessory Kit for CamerasKodak; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Canon NB-5H NiMH Battery Pack for Canon S10, S20, A50, A5 Zoom and A5 Digital CamerasCanon Cameras US; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Ambico Video Luggage: Signature Series leather, Mini Size, VHS-C/ 8mmAmbico; Digital Camera
RCA VHS-C Cassette AdapterRCA; Digital Camera
Best price: $77.98
EN-EL11 Charger For Nikon Coolpix S550 500 S560 S660EconMax; Digital Camera
Best price: $1.93
Price in other shops:
KLIC-8000 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery Charger For KodakEconMax; Digital Camera
Best price: $3.26
Price in other shops:
Tutorial DVD, Learn to Critique PhotographyAdorama; Digital Camera
Similar digital cameras and accessories
Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)Canon; Digital Camera
Best price: $499.95
Price in other shops:
Hoya HMC Haze UV(0) - Filter - UV - 72 mmHoya; Digital Camera
Best price: $23.38
Price in other shops:
Hoya 72mm DMC PRO1 Digital Multi-Coated UV (Ultra Violet) Filter.Hoya; Digital Camera
Best price: $35.89
Price in other shops:
Tiffen 72mm UV Protection FilterTiffen; Digital Camera
Best price: $16.49
Price in other shops:
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging (Body Only)Canon; Digital Camera
Best price: $609.00
Price in other shops:
Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)Canon; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Body Only)Canon; Release date: 2009-11-30; Digital Camera
B+W 72mm Clear UV Haze with Multi-Resistant Coating (010M)B + W; Digital Camera
Best price: $49.34
Price in other shops:
Canon EW-78E Lens Hood for canon EF-S 15-85mm f/ 3.5-5.6 IS LensCanon Cameras US; Digital Camera
Best price: $37.79
Price in other shops:
Fotodiox Lens Hood for canon EF-S 15-85mm f/ 3.5-5.6 IS Lens as Canon EW-78EFotodiox Inc.; Digital Camera
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops: