04-30-2012, 07:36 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-30-2012, 07:37 AM by Brightcolours.)
The Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 EX DC OS HSM is very close to the 17-55mm IS USM in optical performance, but is lighter, more compact and cheaper. Just about everyone who has tried that lens is rather enthusiastic.
I am not a big fan of the 17-85mm, to me the 85mm at f5.6 does not make too much sense (nice portrait focal length without the larger aperture for subject isolation) and the wide angle performance is rather low (CA wise, distortion wise, and the lens is not the most contrasty).
The 15-85mm still has that aperture disadvantage at the portrait range, but is better contrast wise and CA wise.
The cheap and cheerful 18-55mm IS is not the best either... at times people get very nice results with it, but it also can be lacking in contrast and making for very "muddy" foliage in landscape shots.
I am not a big fan of the 17-85mm, to me the 85mm at f5.6 does not make too much sense (nice portrait focal length without the larger aperture for subject isolation) and the wide angle performance is rather low (CA wise, distortion wise, and the lens is not the most contrasty).
The 15-85mm still has that aperture disadvantage at the portrait range, but is better contrast wise and CA wise.
The cheap and cheerful 18-55mm IS is not the best either... at times people get very nice results with it, but it also can be lacking in contrast and making for very "muddy" foliage in landscape shots.