Why isn’t the Canon EF-S 15-85mm more commonly recommended?
Asked 1/20/2011
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The Canon EF-S 15-85mm has been around for years and seems like a versatile APS-C walk-around lens, especially if you want something wider than a typical kit zoom. Yet it rarely appears in common lens recommendation lists. Are there major drawbacks or image-quality issues that explain why it’s relatively overlooked, or is it simply a matter of where it fits compared with alternatives like kit lenses, fast standard zooms, ultra-wides, or superzooms?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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It doesn't provide too much advantage over a standard 17/18-55 kit lens: small, variable aperture (3.5-5.6), an only slightly wider wide end, and an only slightly longer tele end.
Unless you really need both "just a little bit wider" and "just a little bit longer", you might as well spend your $700 on a lens that fits your needs better: perhaps a 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 or an 18-200 f/3.5-5.6, which would provide a faster aperture at 85mm than the 15-85 listed.
Personally, I'd rather sacrifice the 15-17mm range, crop if I need 85, and get a faster standard zoom like the 17-55 f/2.8.
In short, it doesn't really fill any role (wide/long/fast) well; it's just a kit zoom lens with a little bit more zoom capability.
Originally by user378. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user378
15y ago
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There doesn’t seem to be one fatal flaw; it’s more that the EF-S 15-85mm sits in an awkward middle ground.
Compared with an 18-55mm kit lens, it’s only a bit wider and a bit longer, while still being a relatively slow variable-aperture zoom. If you want a clearly different lens, many buyers instead choose something more specialized: a fast standard zoom like a 17-55mm f/2.8, an ultra-wide such as a 10-22mm, or a superzoom with more reach.
That “does a lot, but nothing exceptionally” positioning is probably why it’s less talked about. One answer also notes noticeable barrel distortion at 15mm.
On the positive side, it can still make a very good walk-around lens for APS-C users who value versatility and a wider-than-usual starting point. It’s also described as having good image quality and solid build for an EF-S lens. So its relative anonymity is likely more about market fit and compromises than about any major defect.
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