Canon EF-S 17-85mm 1:4-5.6 IS USM review
Andy Westlake, January 2008

First announced in August 2004 to coincide with the launch of the EOS 20D, the EF-S 17-85mm F4-5.6 IS USM is Canon’s logical upgrade from the basic 18-55mm kit lens supplied with its APS-C dSLRs. With a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 27-136mm, it covers a decent wideangle to telephoto range, making it a useful ‘walkaround’  lens which will cover a wide range of photographic opportunities. It also sports Canon's 2nd-generation optical image stabilizer, which allows hand-holding at slower shutter speeds than usual before the image-degrading effects of camera shake become apparent. This lens is clearly an attempt by Canon to replicate the success of their earlier 28-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM, which gained a strong reputation as an excellent performer on 35mm film; so is the 17-85mm up to scratch?

Headline features

• 27-136mm equivalent focal length range; F4-5.6 maximum aperture
• Optical image stabilisation – 3 stops 
• Ring-type USM focusing with full-time manual override
• EF-S mount for Canon APS-C dSLRS only

Angle of view

The pictures below illustrate the focal length range from wide to telephoto:

17mm (27mm equivalent)	85mm (136mm equivalent)

Canon EF-S 17-85mm 1:4-5.6 IS USM specifications

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area

Foreword / notes

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