Why is the 17-40 for sale so often in the buy/sell section?

It seems like the 17-40 is resold more often than most other lenses (except maybe the 24-105) Why do you think that is?

I'm thinking people relize there's better options for "crop" bodies . On FF bodies , I don't know .

i agree. and i think people buy it just to have an L lens, even if they dont need it. also, many people dont like wide angle lenses. i used to hate mine, but now i love it :P

My least used lens, and I'm on my third time owning it. I just don't use it a ton, but when I need it, it's a great lens on a 5D.

I had it and sold it. I'm on a crop body, and well, I have other lens I could have so I sold it. :P

I sold my 17-40 to get IS and f2.8 (more for the 2.8 ) - and got a 17-55...

EDIT: haha - I have to say I did have "L" induced blindness for a while... lol

I'll venture a guess.

I think those with a crop body buy this lens as their first L lens to use as a normal zoom on their crop body don't like it after a while. Then they realize that 40mm is not long enough and that a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 is sharper, cheaper, more reach, and faster or a Canon 17-55 is faster, sharper, faster, has more reach, and has IS. So they sell and upgrade. Speed is addictive I say.

I think most who own it for Full frames like them when used as an ultrawide.

CountryBoy wrote in post #10720510
I'm thinking people relize there's better options for "crop" bodies . On FF bodies , I don't know .

That sounds plausible. I bought my 17-40 when I was shooting crop bodies and never used it all that much. Since I switched to a FF body, it's become one of my most used lenses.

It's the second cheapest L lens.

Well, maybe not really, but not many people care about the 200L.

toxic wrote in post #10721044
It's the second cheapest L lens.

Well, maybe not really, but not many people care about the 200L.

I would guess this. I love mine, but a lot of people probably buy it just because of the price.

i have it, and it's beautiful very sharp

Because there are many 17-40s.

Alternate theory from a big fan of the 17-40 (on both full frame and crop):

They need money and the 17-40 usually sells for not much less than what they paid for it.

Not the case with other walkaround lenses for crop.

Eastport wrote in post #10721538
Alternate theory from a big fan of the 17-40 (on both full frame and crop):

They need money and the 17-40 usually sells for not much less than what they paid for it.

Not the case with other walkaround lenses for crop.

Yes they need money to but a faster lens . Much like Tee Why suggested .

It seems like certain lenses get sold in groups. When I was looking for an 85mm f1.8, nobody was listing them. I had to hunt for 2-3 weeks. Then when I decided to sell it, suddenly there were 20 for sale. I don't think it is anything more than randomness of when you look.

Also, the most popular lenses get sold a lot. Not because they are poor lenses, but because there are a lot of them out there.