DPReview.com is closing April 10th - Find out more

EF-S 17-55 USM & EF-S 15-85 USM. Do they differ in color reproduction?

Started Mar 9, 2014 | Discussions
Sol Invictus
Sol Invictus Regular Member • Posts: 481
EF-S 17-55 USM & EF-S 15-85 USM. Do they differ in color reproduction?

Hello. I recently rented these two lenses for my EOS 700D and took a series of pictures with them. Apart from other image specs, I noticed that while shooting at the same aperture setting, my copy of 17-55 gave bright (more than desired) and washed out images that lacked colors and vibrancy. In comparisson, the 15-85 deliverd very good colors that were vibrant and full of life. Strangely enough, I got the same vibrant results from my 18-55 IS STM kit lens again at the same aperture setting.

I found that if I slightly underexpose the images taken with the 17-55 and add some saturation/vibrancy, the final results look very similar to the images taken with the 15-85 (without any pp) but I don't want to go under this route. So what's the deal with the 17-55? Could this be an issue of my copy only?

-- hide signature --

To see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wild flower, hold Infinity in the palm of your hand and Eternity in an hour...

 Sol Invictus's gear list:Sol Invictus's gear list
Sony a7 Sony a7R II Sony FE 70-200 F4 Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM +14 more
Abu Mahendra Veteran Member • Posts: 5,312
Re: EF-S 17-55 USM & EF-S 15-85 USM. Do they differ in color reproduction?

You need to compare histogram to histogram. They differences in color could be due to different exposures due to different transmission of light at identical f/stop.

 Abu Mahendra's gear list:Abu Mahendra's gear list
Canon EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS II USM Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM +5 more
brian1366 Contributing Member • Posts: 514
Re: EF-S 17-55 USM & EF-S 15-85 USM. Do they differ in color reproduction?

Posting the photos in question would be really helpful

 brian1366's gear list:brian1366's gear list
Canon PowerShot S110 Canon EOS 600D Canon EOS 70D Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM +5 more
Abu Mahendra Veteran Member • Posts: 5,312
Re: EF-S 17-55 USM & EF-S 15-85 USM. Do they differ in color reproduction?

...provided that he provides the histograms also.

 Abu Mahendra's gear list:Abu Mahendra's gear list
Canon EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS II USM Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM +5 more
photonius Veteran Member • Posts: 6,895
Re: EF-S 17-55 USM & EF-S 15-85 USM. Do they differ in color reproduction?

Sol Invictus wrote:

Hello. I recently rented these two lenses for my EOS 700D and took a series of pictures with them. Apart from other image specs, I noticed that while shooting at the same aperture setting, my copy of 17-55 gave bright (more than desired) and washed out images that lacked colors and vibrancy. In comparisson, the 15-85 deliverd very good colors that were vibrant and full of life. Strangely enough, I got the same vibrant results from my 18-55 IS STM kit lens again at the same aperture setting.

the change in color due is due to overexposure:

Here two pics, SAME lens, just different exposures. the second overexposed is more bluish.

I found that if I slightly underexpose the images taken with the 17-55 and add some saturation/vibrancy, the final results look very similar to the images taken with the 15-85 (without any pp) but I don't want to go under this route. So what's the deal with the 17-55? Could this be an issue of my copy only?

possibly the 17-55 transmits more light? don't compare it to another lens with the same  settings (I presume done full manual). Just use it with the normal exposure metering (P, T, or A), do the exposures come out correct?

-- hide signature --

*** Life is short, time to zoom in *** ©

 photonius's gear list:photonius's gear list
Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II
Keyboard shortcuts:
FForum MMy threads