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I think its much better lens than what people let you think

Started Jan 12, 2014 | User reviews thread
Rock and Rollei Senior Member • Posts: 2,916
Re: I think its much better lens than what people let you think

technic wrote:

Rock and Rollei wrote:

Much though I like the cheap little 18-55, though, none of the ones I've used have been as sharp as the 15-85 anywhere until well stopped down.

I only used it on a 450D (12 MPixel) so maybe that skews my impression. I tested four different 18-55IS units and three different 15-85's. Below 50 mm the little 18-55IS was on average as sharp as the 15-85IS, assuming you focus with liveview and not with PD-AF. The 15-85 probably has better center resolution, but I care more about even performance across the frame.

However ... the 18-55IS has strong (and unpredictable) frontfocus in the WA range, at least on some Rebel bodies (e.g. focusing at 1-3 meters instead of 20 meters distance). I have read countless times that the 18-55IS is 'very soft' wide open, but all the ones I tested were pretty sharp full open - IF focused correctly ...

Yes, they're not bad. I - or my immediate family - have owned 4 of them, not one has been bad, all have been pretty sharp, none have had any focusing error on any body we're used them on (350D, 450D, 1000D, 550D, 600D, 7D). Don't have them all now, lenses or cameras!

Only had the one 15-85 (thankfully!), but it's been great; as I said, I bought it for the 7D, but it gets a lot of use on my IR cameras (450D/30D, which have different filters).

 Rock and Rollei's gear list:Rock and Rollei's gear list
Canon EOS 5DS R Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EOS R Canon EOS M6 II Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM +29 more
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