Lens upgrades for crop body

[Genoma]

I seem to be a bit torn around these two now:

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS US

so seems a tradeoff between IQ, speed and focal range.

Anyone with hands one experience care to chip in?

 

[D.P.]

From those 2 I would choose the 17-55mm f/2.8, my other choice would be the Canon 15-85mm 3.5-5.6IS ( I wouldn't consider the 17-85 to be a contender here).


You basically choose between a long focal range in a cheaper lighter lens or a shorter focal range with faster aperture. IQ wise there shouldn't be much difference between the 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 and 17-55 f/2.8.

15mm at the wide end would really make a big change to the perspective and compositions and may let you leave behind a 10-20mm wide angle. However, f/2.8 opens up more options for portraiture. IMO, if you choose the 15-85 then one or two of the fast primes (24/35/50/85) complement the lens perfectly and get you a much faster lens than the 17-55.

It mainly comes down to what you shoot - landscapes, architecture, still life, urban, walk-bout, hiking I would take the 15-85 without question and is what I have on my Nikon. For people, portraits, low light the 17-55 is better (but fast primes better still).

EDIT: also depends if you want to keep the 18-135 EF-S , in which case the 17-55 is slightly more interesting (and the 17-85 even less of a contender). Alternatively if you like the diea of the 17-55 but cannot afford it then consider the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 but I advice testing the lens before buying as the QC is terrible.

 

[Genoma]

Of course ! I copied over the wrong lens - now updated to the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Thanks for the input.

 

[Vertigo]

Both those lenses are very good indeed. As you say, it's a choice between the constant f/2.8 of the 17-55 and the better range of the 15-85. The latter is also built a bit better btw.

 

[Genoma]

I'm swaying towards the 15-85. I think I will get more use out of it for walkabouts which I mostly do in the sun. For nightshots I always have the 50 @ f/1.8 which is easy to carry around. Same for portraits, I loved doing a set with the 50.

My main aim is better IQ than the 17-135 with a view to replace it, so if the 15-85 will give me that It's probably what I'm going for, plus the 15 should be great for panorama shots / walk in the mountains etc. Then hopefully sometime later also have the 70-200L (or 70-300) for zoom requirements!

So unless anyone can sway me back to the 17-55 f/2.8 on IQ alone I'm probably going this way.