canon 17-40 F4L - buy or not?

what to do?

i bought a 70-200 F4L a while back, got some good advice here so just coming back for more.

have read every review i can find of the 17-40L on the web so i'm not being lazy asking this.

am just wondering if anyone has one and has any negative comments?

basically my problem is, i have a wide angle (10-20). i like it but its just a bit too wide for general use. i have a 24-60 F2.8 and its not wide enough for my general style of shooting. i'd like the 24-105L but wont buy it for this reason.

i want a 'general' lense so that i can bring the camera out with just one lense sometimes.

i'd like the 18-55 2.8 but i plan on getting a full frame at some stage so no point.

is the 17-40 way short a focal range to serve as a general purpose lense?

thanks in advance for any replies.

Borderfox

I have one and its is superb, great resolving power and just nice shots out of the camera. On a crop body its would be a handy focal length but on a 1.3x or FF its outstanding. Some distortion at the wide end but other than that it can and has done everything I have asked of it (under fences at showjumping competitions) and keeps on giving.

Pinarello

what to do? wrote: »

i bought a 70-200 F4L a while back, got some good advice here so just coming back for more.

have read every review i can find of the 17-40L on the web so i'm not being lazy asking this.

am just wondering if anyone has one and has any negative comments?

basically my problem is, i have a wide angle (10-20). i like it but its just a bit too wide for general use. i have a 24-60 F2.8 and its not wide enough for my general style of shooting. i'd like the 24-105L but wont buy it for this reason.

i want a 'general' lense so that i can bring the camera out with just one lense sometimes.

i'd like the 18-55 2.8 but i plan on getting a full frame at some stage so no point.

is the 17-40 way short a focal range to serve as a general purpose lense?

thanks in advance for any replies.

What to do?,
I'm just back from New York and whilst there i was in B&H Photo.I was all set to buy the 24-70L f/2.8 but the guy in the store was extremley helpful.He introduced me to the lens your not keen on, the 17-55mm f/2.8.He said it not technically an L series lens but as good as.But as you said no point in getting it as you plan on getting a full frame at some stage..:)

mathias

i want a 'general' lense so that i can bring the camera out with just one lense sometimes.

I have one and love it to bits , its my favourite lens and as you say , it is a perfect walk around lens , its hardly ever off the camera. Its quality glass , produces sharp images and I cannot fault it.

( If I had the money I would have gone with the 16-35 L 2.8 , but thats a helluva lot more to spend and Im happy with what I got ! )

minikin

get it! Bought a 24-70 2.8L a few weeks back and can't believe the difference - puts my non L canon primes to shame!
there's one for sale over on adverts.ie at the moment - €600, which is a good price if you're not vat registered. (you can get a new one from the uk for €630 ex vat inc delivery)

kensutz

I have one and love it. I stick it on the 5D and hoping to trigger it remotely behind goals etc when I get the chance. Great picture quality from the lens too.

Setun

Has anyone got anything on their flickr taken with a 24-70 2.8L? Am curious to see the results now.

Fajitas!

You can have a play with mine on Monday if you want, Dave?

Borderfox

http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithjack/sets/72157603428145247/ the three beer shots were shot with the 24-70L

Setun

Fajitas! wrote:

You can have a play with mine on Monday if you want, Dave?

Will do, thanks

bmcgrath

Borderfox wrote: »

http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithjack/sets/72157603428145247/ the three beer shots were shot with the 24-70L

That Erdinger looks nice

jackdaw

Daddio wrote: »

Has anyone got anything on their flickr taken with a 24-70 2.8L? Am curious to see the results now.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/2928504077_44705e8e6b_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/2790848128_c59f68d66e_b.jpg


It's a great lens ...

shepthedog

I had considered the 16-35 L but went for this one instead and its brilliant.
As you said, its a great walk around lense and produces crystal clear shots. I cant fault it and for the money its a must have.

Combined with your 70-200 you'll have kit to cope with all occasions.

Covey

shepthedog wrote: »

I had considered the 16-35 L but went for this one instead and its brilliant.
As you said, its a great walk around lense and produces crystal clear shots. I cant fault it and for the money its a must have.

Combined with your 70-200 you'll have kit to cope with all occasions.

I've a 10-20 and a 17-40. Two very different lenses on a crop body. the 17-40 is definitely a great walk about lens.

Also have a 24-105, but like yourself is generally too long for what I mainly do and doesn't get as much use.

jackdaw

Covey wrote: »

I've a 10-20 and a 17-40. Two very different lenses on a crop body. the 17-40 is definitely a great walk about lens.

Also have a 24-105, but like yourself is generally too long for what I mainly do and doesn't get as much use.

10-20 Canon or Sigma ?

Covey

Sigma, Canon is 10-22mm

Tactical

Def buy the L series. As another poster says, it puts the non-L series to shame.

I've the 24 - 70mm f2.8 L USM and it rocks. Don't have any examples I can post to Flickr unfortunately.

How about renting a lens or two over some time (say one lens one weekend and another lens a different weekend)and seeing which suits your needs better?

Borderfox

5d + 17-40L + Remote

jackdaw

Borderfox wrote: »

5d + 17-40L + Remote

Brave to be putting a 5D under there!!!

Borderfox

I have a 15mm f2.8 Fisheye to do it now

what to do?

thanks for the replies in relation to the 17-40.

will buy one as soon as i can justify it financially.