Best non-prime travel zoom for a Canon APS-C DSLR if image quality matters most

Asked 3/12/2012

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I’m choosing a single walk-around/travel lens for a Canon crop-sensor DSLR (for example, a 7D). If budget is not a concern, what is the best zoom lens for overall image quality?

I’ve seen a lot of recommendations for the Canon EF-S 15-85mm IS USM, but it isn’t full-frame compatible or part of Canon’s L series. Does that actually matter if my priority is image quality on an APS-C body?

I’m specifically looking for a non-prime lens for travel and general-purpose use.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

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I would highly recommend the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. I used this on my 350D and 7D for a couple of years before selling it on. My reason for getting rid of it was simply because I preferred primes to zooms. The optical quality of this lens is stunning, and should be an L series lens in many peoples opinions. It has aspherical elements and coatings like the L series, though the body of the lens is not metal like an L series and is not weather sealed. Otherwise it's great. The fast f/2.8 aperture through the whole zoom range is also fantastic, allowing you to get some great indoor or low-light photos at lower ISO's than would otherwise be necessary.

In full-frame terms, 17mm is equivalent to 27mm and 55 is equivalent to 88mm, so you're getting a 27-88mm lens (equivalent) with constant f/2.8 aperture AND image stabiliser too.

It should be noted that EF-S lenses are designed specifically for crop sensor cameras, and I read somewhere (perhaps here) that ON a crop-sensor body, an EF-S lens would be sharper than the equivalent EF lens, which is designed with full-frame sensors in mind. Obviously the downside of an EF-S lens is that should you decide to go full-frame in the future, you will not be able to use the EF-S lens on a full frame body.

Originally by user7566. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user7566

14y ago

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For a Canon APS-C travel setup, the strongest recommendations here are the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM and the EF-S 15-85mm IS USM.

If image quality is the top priority, the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS is the better pick. It’s widely regarded as having excellent optics—good enough that many people feel it performs like an L-series lens, even though it lacks L-style metal construction and weather sealing. Its constant f/2.8 aperture also makes it much better for indoor and low-light shooting.

If you want a broader travel range in one lens, the 15-85mm IS USM is also highly regarded: sharp, well built, and more versatile from wide angle to short telephoto. Its tradeoff is the slower aperture, which means less background blur and weaker low-light performance.

So: choose the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS for best image quality and speed; choose the 15-85mm IS if you value extra zoom range for travel convenience. Being EF-S and not L does not automatically mean worse image quality on a crop body.

UniqueBot

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14y ago

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