FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?: Canon SLR Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

Started Jun 3, 2015 | Discussions

Tom Holly • Contributing Member • Posts: 564

FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

Jun 3, 2015

I love my 15-85 EF-S. Lightweight, versatile, with much better image quality than superzooms.

What are some good equivalents for full frame? I shoot a lot of slides with EOS film bodies and really want to rationalise into an EF only kit.

I'm thinking maybe the 24-105 f/4L or the 24-105 STM

Tom Holly's gear list:Tom Holly's gear list

Canon 6D Mark II Canon EOS 90D Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM Canon EF 135mm F2L USM +11 more

Canon EF 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM

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diness • Veteran Member • Posts: 3,758

Re: FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

In reply to Tom Holly • Jun 3, 2015

Tom Holly wrote:

I love my 15-85 EF-S. Lightweight, versatile, with much better image quality than superzooms.

What are some good equivalents for full frame? I shoot a lot of slides with EOS film bodies and really want to rationalise into an EF only kit.

I'm thinking maybe the 24-105 f/4L or the 24-105 STM

You got it, those are the two FF lenses most similar to the 15-85. They would be like a 15-65mm lens on crop, so not quite the full range, but the closest you're gonna get. You should get better IQ with the 24-105L on FF and at least as good IQ with the STM one. The STM version is much lighter than the L, but the L has much better build quality. I would go with the 24-105L personally.

diness's gear list:diness's gear list

Canon EOS R Canon EF 135mm F2L USM Canon RF 35mm F1.8 IS STM Macro Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM

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tigertails99 • Contributing Member • Posts: 575

Re: FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

In reply to Tom Holly • Jun 3, 2015

The equivalent full frame focal length is 24-136.

From what I have read the 24-70 f4 or 24-70 f2.8 are good choices for full frame.

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ericktodd • Regular Member • Posts: 416

Re: FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

In reply to Tom Holly • Jun 3, 2015

The Canon 28-135 would be really close to the 15-85. It's the same aperture range, almost the exact same focal length, and very similar build. Most reports list them with similar IQ, with the 15-85 winning on the wide end, and the 28-135 winning on the tight end.

I have owned the 24-105 and loved it for multi purpose, but the 28-135 will probably feel just like the 15-85, as its SO similar. The 24-105 is less range, and a fair bit different with the fixed aperture, and much larger size, its a great lens, but not as similar.

Depends on your needs I guess.

ericktodd's gear list:ericktodd's gear list

Sony a7R IV Sony FE 35mm F2.8 Sony FE 55mm F1.8 Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Sony FE 85mm F1.8 +5 more

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Steve Balcombe • Forum Pro • Posts: 15,582

Re: FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

In reply to Tom Holly • Jun 3, 2015

Tom Holly wrote:

I love my 15-85 EF-S. Lightweight, versatile, with much better image quality than superzooms.

What are some good equivalents for full frame? I shoot a lot of slides with EOS film bodies and really want to rationalise into an EF only kit.

I'm thinking maybe the 24-105 f/4L or the 24-105 STM

It depends what you mean by "equivalent". If you don't have a full-frame digital body you will always have the problem of the different field of view of your digital and film bodies. I'm not sure trying to use the same lens on film and crop digital would rationalise anything! Or will you upgrade the body as well?

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OP Tom Holly • Contributing Member • Posts: 564

Re: FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

In reply to Steve Balcombe • Jun 3, 2015

Steve Balcombe wrote:

Tom Holly wrote:

I love my 15-85 EF-S. Lightweight, versatile, with much better image quality than superzooms.

What are some good equivalents for full frame? I shoot a lot of slides with EOS film bodies and really want to rationalise into an EF only kit.

I'm thinking maybe the 24-105 f/4L or the 24-105 STM

It depends what you mean by "equivalent". If you don't have a full-frame digital body you will always have the problem of the different field of view of your digital and film bodies. I'm not sure trying to use the same lens on film and crop digital would rationalise anything! Or will you upgrade the body as well?

I'd get rid of the crop gear and would use a full frame body so it's full frame and EF across the board.

By equivalent I mean similar equivalent focal lengths, similar image quality and weight, similar all around experience...

Tom Holly's gear list:Tom Holly's gear list

Canon 6D Mark II Canon EOS 90D Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM Canon EF 135mm F2L USM +11 more

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J A C S • Forum Pro • Posts: 20,544

Re: FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

In reply to Tom Holly • Jun 3, 2015

Tom Holly wrote:

I'd get rid of the crop gear and would use a full frame body so it's full frame and EF across the board.

By equivalent I mean similar equivalent focal lengths, similar image quality and weight, similar all around experience...

If you crop the 24-105 on FF a bit, you'd get the 85x1.6 range with comparable IQ and speed. So the 24-105 does everything that the 15-85 does on crop.

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Steve Balcombe • Forum Pro • Posts: 15,582

Re: FF closest equivalent to 15-85 EF-S?

In reply to Tom Holly • Jun 3, 2015

Tom Holly wrote:

Steve Balcombe wrote:

Tom Holly wrote:

I love my 15-85 EF-S. Lightweight, versatile, with much better image quality than superzooms.

What are some good equivalents for full frame? I shoot a lot of slides with EOS film bodies and really want to rationalise into an EF only kit.

I'm thinking maybe the 24-105 f/4L or the 24-105 STM

It depends what you mean by "equivalent". If you don't have a full-frame digital body you will always have the problem of the different field of view of your digital and film bodies. I'm not sure trying to use the same lens on film and crop digital would rationalise anything! Or will you upgrade the body as well?

I'd get rid of the crop gear and would use a full frame body so it's full frame and EF across the board.

Ok, then that makes good sense. As has already been said, the 24-105 will do almost everything the 15-85 will do.

It does leave you missing a big chunk of the long end though, as 85 mm on crop is equivalent to 135 mm on full frame. You can crop your digital images when focal length limited, and that will get you close to what you were achieving with your crop camera (lower res but higher quality), but that doesn't help you with film. I don't agree with the poster who suggested the 28-135, it's a much lesser lens and the loss of the 4 mm at the wide end is potentially more of a problem than the 30 mm at the long end.

It would be wrong to be disappointed that you can't fully match the range of the 15-85. It's perfectly normal that as lens quality increases, so zoom ratio has to decrease.

I see you have a 70-200/2.8L, perhaps you will have to use that more often.

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