Canon 17-40mm F4L USM Review

Canon's least expensive "L" lens is a winner! A great ultra wide option for full frame shooters, and a nice normal-ish zoom for crop bodied people... Or, a great lens for those wanting to upgrade to full frame in the future as well. Here's some of my thoughts having used this lens off and on over the course of the past 6 years. (Music by http://www.danosongs.com and all photographs by Edward Thomas - Thanks!)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Canon
• EF
• 17-40mm
• F4L
• USM
• review
• lens
• camera
• photography

[photouniverse]

@DWScorp All of those L primes rock! The Tamron 17-50 is a great choice! Nice bang for the buck on that one for sure! - Edward

[photouniverse]

@DWScorp Luckily, we are at the point in camera evolution where you really can't make a poor choice. I can make a STRONG argument for the 60D AND the K-5. (That's why I run both Canon and Pentax... my wife says I'm camera bi-polar now! :) ) But really, both systems have their strengths and weaknesses, but IQ is no longer one of them for any of the major manufacturers these days. Just go forth and use to the best of ones abilities and have FUN!!! :) - Edward

[DWScorp]

@MrDazza64 I believe the onus of purchasing and making the decision lies with you and not with Edward. If I Ed had reviewed the K-5 7 days earlier then definitely would have gone for K-5.. I am happy with my EoS 60D though

[DWScorp]

Wow, now we are talking Canon...Thanks Ed...I have got the cheap Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 in this similar range, Non-VC, canon mount. I am extremely happy with that lens. My next lens I guess would be the Canon 135mm L f/2 prime. Its cheaper L lens and fast with awesome bokeh for the kind of work I do.

[photouniverse]

@MrDazza64 Well, it says a lot that I am still using the K-5! As a matter of fact, I have a shoot today where the K-5 is just perfect and my new Canon stuff is staying home because it's just too big. We'll see in 6 months which cameras get used more. (I bet the K-5!) It comes down to Canon needs a smaller camera and Pentax needs a bigger one, so for now, I'm using both! :) The Canon's a tool, I LOVE the Pentax... - Edward

[MrDazza64]

Hi Edward. Interesting! As the 17-40L was going to be the first lens I bought had I gone down the Canon 5D Mkii route - which is what I was going to do all along, until I changed tack last minute and bought a K5! To be honest, your vids were instrumental in this decision. So if you're now going to 'defect' back to canon - I'll be very interested in following to see which you end up using as your front line system. As I'm still not 100% sure I've made the right decision yet? Regards, Darreyl,