Totally torn...

Spend the little extra money and get the 17-55 f/2.8 IS.

Just as an "out there" idea...

The new Sigma 17-70 F2.8 - F4 OS, perhaps?

My older 17-70 is well built, sharp, and kept on ticking perfectly even after being knocked off a bar by my GF, though one of the internal clips did break, resulting in a gap near the focus ring, the images and operation did not suffer. At F4 max apparture at the long end, you aren't losing anything to the 17-40L, and you'll save some cash.

Just a thought..

z...

Thanks for the help, folks! I think I'm just going to wait a little and save up for something I'll be happy with for the long term. All your (sometimes conflicting) feedback was definitely helpful in making this decision.

Dokk wrote in post #9345536
Thanks for the help, folks! I think I'm just going to wait a little and save up for something I'll be happy with for the long term. All your (sometimes conflicting) feedback was definitely helpful in making this decision.

sometimes conflicting? you must be new here.

Well im glad our conflicting suggestions saved you some money !

Regards,

CosmoKid wrote in post #9346051
sometimes conflicting? you must be new here.

touché.

Silverfox1 wrote in post #9346164
Well im glad our conflicting suggestions saved you some money !

In the short term ... but it just means I'll spend more in the longterm (or as soon as I can sell off enough stuff I don't need to afford some 2.8 L glass).

Dokk wrote in post #9346270
it just means I'll spend more in the longterm

Hahaha

Dokk wrote in post #9345536
Thanks for the help, folks! I think I'm just going to wait a little and save up for something I'll be happy with for the long term. All your (sometimes conflicting) feedback was definitely helpful in making this decision.

All well and good, but in the mean time, you might be missing shots you need that new lens for . Buy a used Tammy 17-50/2.8 and sell it later when you've saved up the difference. It's unlikely that you'd loose much money in the process, since the next model (the VC/stabilized version) is already released.

wildland wrote in post #9351855
All well and good, but in the mean time, you might be missing shots you need that new lens for . Buy a used Tammy 17-50/2.8 and sell it later when you've saved up the difference. It's unlikely that you'd loose much money in the process, since the next model (the VC/stabilized version) is already released.

<<rocking back and forth in the corner, in the fetal position>>

"I will not spend my money. I will not spend my money. I will not spend my money."

<<continues rocking back and forth, in the fetal position>>

I know you didn't list this as a choice and I know it's not an L, I know it's a variable aperture lens; I've never used it, so I can't comment first-hand on its performance, but have you considered the EF-S 15-85?

Has USM focusing, IS, suitable as a wide and walkabout, costs about the same as the 17-40.

UPDATE: I'm a lost cause. Got a reimbursement that I'd forgotten about and budget around; so it was like free money. As such, I got what I knew I'd eventually want: 24-70/2.8L. Two words: Love it. It's just the perfect lens for me. I love it indoors and outdoors -- crisp, rich, speedy, and silent. It lives up to its nickname. It is definitely a brick; but I'm strong.

Thanks again for the help ... conflictual as the advice was.

Dokk wrote in post #9376655
Got a reimbursement that I'd forgotten about and budget around; so it was like free money.

How do you go about 'finding' these reimbursements?

Glad you got what you wanted. Next stop, 16-35 2.8L?

Dokk wrote in post #9376655
Thanks again for the help ... conflictual as the advice was.

That's what we're here for!

S30L28 wrote in post #9377840
How do you go about 'finding' these reimbursements?

Glad you got what you wanted. Next stop, 16-35 2.8L?

That's what we're here for!

You deal with state agencies during a recession ... which can take up to 3 months to reimburse you for your travel expenses.

Next stop is the 70-200 2.8L IS that work is getting for me (because I sure as heck can't afford that :lol. At the UW end, I'll be keeping my eye out for a Tokina 12-24, actually; but I'm not in a hurry. My next trip to NYC where that would be useful won't be for 6 months, at least ... so I'm going to be patient and wait for the right used copy to pop up.

Calicajun wrote in post #9341675
I had the Tamron 17-50 VC F2.8 for ten days and didn't like it at all. Wife gave me the Tamron for a Christmas gift but I returned it yesterday. Ran some test between the 17-50 and the 17-85 Canon and the Canon won hands down. The Canon was much sharper than the Tamron at the same F-stops by quite a bit. Shooting the Tamron at f2.8, the pictures were so noisy, I wouldn't ever want to print or post any of those shots. I'm upgrading the returned Tamron for a Canon 24-105 F4L. To me paying the extra $350.00 in well worth the difference.

Don't even know where to start picking out the faults in here.
The OP was comparing the Tamron 17-50 to the EF 17-40L, where'd you get the 17-85?
The noise has nothing to do with the lens, but the camera body itself.
OP, I hope you didn't get swayed by this person's post because he obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.

-

whoops, didn't read your update. Disregard my post...
And for those who say, if you plan to move to FF, get the 17-40L, I would disregard that, too. I started with the 40D, moved to the 1D MarkII, and now have the 5D MarkII and had a lot of EF-S and crop body only lenses and had NO problem selling them. People make it sound like once you buy something, it's impossible to sell. I say purchase the gear that's best for what you have right now.

I've owned the Tamron 17-50 before and I think it's STELLAR. I've moved to FF now, but I wish there was something that produced the IQ for that amount of $$$.
Not only does the Tamron 17-50 have 10mm on the long end, but it's also a FULL STOP wider than the 17-40L. That gives you a LOT more flexibility with your lens and what it can capture.

Don't be swayed by the red ring... sure it's sexy but there's other lenses that produce the same IQ and gives you more for less $$$.

watch what you say- people pay big bucks for that red ring!
Canon says it has the best lens and that's it, case closed. don't even look at those other lens that show better image resolution or "build" .