CANON EF 17-40mm F4L USM ZOOM LENS reliability???

I'm looking at picking this lense up and there are some pretty good deals on eBay when picking them up used.

Is this a pretty reliable lens that I can for the most trust to buy used (within your typical used product concerns)?

Thanks for the help!

I have no issues with my 17-40. Well, besides it isn't near wide enough quite frequently. But I'd think the same of an 11-24 from time to time. I wouldn't pay more that $400 on E-bay. There are some on the POTN FS pages for $450-500. Most folks will bargain, at least a little.

it's been a workhorse for may years. and it is an L lens.

I bought mine second hand and I've had no issues so far.

I too bought mine secondhand, and it has worked well so far.

You can find this lens between 400-500 bucks used right now and the lens is very reliable and I find it to be very sharp and a great focal length. It's just the very very tips of the corners that are suffered from extreme softness but it's really just the very tips and is hardly noticeable.

I just "wanted" 2.8 and IS.

DrDuctMossburg wrote in post #17731301
I'm looking at picking this lense up and there are some pretty good deals on eBay when picking them up used.

Is this a pretty reliable lens that I can for the most trust to buy used (within your typical used product concerns)?

Thanks for the help!

It's one of the best value reliable lenses because it's been around for a long time and finally got some competition. But it's still a very solid lens with very good image quality relative to it's time. Corner softness is not extreme nor noticeable unless you pixel peep with the lens wide open and at the wider end of the focal length. Stopped down it's performance is top notch.

Excellent build, partial weather sealing, great great flare resistance and takes normal filters.

At $450 common for a used one, you will not find a better alternative lens at this price for a Canon body.

Very best,

Count me as another who bought a used copy of the 17-40L, from someone on this board, as is happy. I use it at indoor events with a flash and it is very reliable with good IQ. For landscape, expect accurate colors with trademark Canon reds. Good stuff for $500 and under.

Even though I just purchased the Canon 16-35 f/4 L IS, the current used prices of the Canon 17-40 f/4 L are low enough to make me keep my two year old 17-40 L. Having a great reliable back up on hand is valuable. Plus it really is a nice lighter weight option at a good price, used or new.
Grab one.

I bought my 17-40 second hand and used it happily for 5 years. Then, due to complete brain fade, I didn't zip up my backpack and ended up throwing it across a tarmac road with a 1D4 attached - yes horrible and expensive noises were made! Anyway there were a couple of VERY minor scuffs on the (NEW!) camera and a few external rings + the hood came off the lens.
I put it all back together and the lens was perfect for the next 4 1/2 years. The new owners of both the 17-40 lens and the 1D4 are still shooting happily.
I won't say it's bulletproof but it is pretty tough!

i wouldn't buy it for your 70D...go for one of the crop specific options instead, you'll get more opportunities for different photos, whether it's longer/wider focal lengths, or faster lenses, or image stabilization

in my opinion the 17-40L is more suited for FF shooters, and when on a crop there are better options available

It's a great budget lens and I shoot it at weddings. It is nice and light too. I have been shooting mine for about 4 years and bought it used. Still I lust after the 16 to 35 F4 *LOL*

Interesting because if my memory serves me correctly several years ago this lens was known for having poor (decentered) copies. Having said that, you'd be hard pressed to notice on a crop if there was a bit of a problem anyway.

If it is good out of the box it is rock solid though. Very sturdy, good landscape lens. Although as mentioned, there are probably better general purpose lenses for crop cameras.