EFS 17-85 IS USM with 7D or..

Hi everybody. I am currently trying to plan my future purchases but i could use a little help..
at the moment i have a 30d, the EFS 17 - 85mm, EF 70 - 300 IS USM and the EF 50 1.8 II. Although i would really like to buy a tonne of new equipment, i have to do it in small incriments. I plan to buy a 7D as soon as i can afford it as it is a great upgrade. The problem is I fear, that my lenses wont be good enough. I want to replace my 17 - 85mm with something like a 24 - 105 L sometime but for now I cant. Will my current lenses produce sharp enough (for now) images at 100% magnification. What i could do at with little monetary impact in the meantime is sell my 17 - 85mm and get one of the kit lenses with the 7D: the EF 28 - 135 f/3.5-5.6IS USM or the EFS 18 - 135 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. I assume since these sell with the 7D they must be able to cope with the 18MP but my current lens actually goes for more in the shops so is it fair to assume it will be ok for a good couple months before i get my first taste of L?
I am also concerned about my other lenses but mainly this one as it is my general walkabout lens. ultimately i plan on having at the following but it will take time.. 10-22, 24-70L, 70-200 2.8 ISL and 100-400L.

My 2 cents:

For starters, I'd probably look at upgrading lenses first, then upgrading camera bodies second. Unless you have a specific reason to upgrade to the 7D that is.

Second, for general walkaround lens, consider upgrading to the newer 15-85mm. While granted I've never used the 17-85mm, but from test reports and reviews the 15-85mm apparently offers better overall image quality. And it will be better suited as a general purpose lens on a crop body like the 30D or 7D than the 24-105mm which imho won't be wide enough.

Then again, it entirely depends on what you shoot. For some people lenses like the 24-105mm or 24-70mm are wide enough for their general purpose use. FWIW, I've used the 10-22mm/24-70mm combination for a couple years and while versatile, it does involve a lot of lens swapping. Which is one reason I picked up the 15-85mm.

I'd suggest selling the 17-85 and getting the 7d + 15-85 kit.

If you don't need wide-angle, the 24-105 is a nice option too.

Just a side node: Don't expect real sharpness at 100% magnification from any camera/lens combination due to demosaicing.


[edit]: Overread that your plan is 10-22, 24-70L, 70-200. In that case: Don't do intermediate steps.

I would have to agree on upgrading your glass first. I started with the exact kit you have, and now sit with that, plus a 50D and too much other stuff. I am in the process of consolidating everything into a higher quality, higher functioning kit(for my style at least).
Sitting on a 50 f/1.8II, 60 ef-s macro, 105 f/2.8 macro (sigma), 10-22 ef-s, 17-85 ef-s is, 70-300 is, 120-400 os (sigma).

I am in the process of selling everything essentially, and will likely end up with a 15-85 (or the 17-55 2.8 ) a 70-200L (of some variety) and a 300 F4 IS. I will top it off with a 1.4x and this will cover 98% of what I have shot in the past, and likely the future, and it will all be with excellent glass and minimal need for lens changes. By the time I have it all set up, the next generation 7D will be out and I can score a good used one, and be set for quite a while!

Dan

24-70 all the way....

pitabread wrote in post #10722193
My 2 cents:

For starters, I'd probably look at upgrading lenses first, then upgrading camera bodies second. Unless you have a specific reason to upgrade to the 7D that is.

Second, for general walkaround lens, consider upgrading to the newer 15-85mm. While granted I've never used the 17-85mm, but from test reports and reviews the 15-85mm apparently offers better overall image quality. And it will be better suited as a general purpose lens on a crop body like the 30D or 7D than the 24-105mm which imho won't be wide enough.

Then again, it entirely depends on what you shoot. For some people lenses like the 24-105mm or 24-70mm are wide enough for their general purpose use. FWIW, I've used the 10-22mm/24-70mm combination for a couple years and while versatile, it does involve a lot of lens swapping. Which is one reason I picked up the 15-85mm.

Well i really want to upgrade my body as it just seems so cheap and easy compared to saving for those amazing lenses. Normally I would be more than happy with waiting on the body while i upgrade glass but after 5 years with my camera I just really want to upgrade. The 7d would make my life awesome because of the performance at high iso's, the live view, the hd video and also the wireless flash control - all things that i would love to make use of. the increase in megapixels is also nice but the functionality of the other features would open up a world of shooting oppertunities for me. I have heard that the 15 - 85mm lens is pretty good so perhaps the best idea at the moment is to get that kit. The problem is, i found a guy who gives really good prices on 7D's over here - a good couple hundred dollars cheaper, but he does not have that specific kit option :/

the 15-85, although more expensive than the 17-85, seems to have better IQ (although it does have a fair bit of CA)...the 17-85 is an absolute dog when it comes to distortion on the wide end...

ichigosa wrote in post #10724009
Well i really want to upgrade my body as it just seems so cheap and easy compared to saving for those amazing lenses. Normally I would be more than happy with waiting on the body while i upgrade glass but after 5 years with my camera I just really want to upgrade. The 7d would make my life awesome because of the performance at high iso's, the live view, the hd video and also the wireless flash control - all things that i would love to make use of. the increase in megapixels is also nice but the functionality of the other features would open up a world of shooting oppertunities for me. I have heard that the 15 - 85mm lens is pretty good so perhaps the best idea at the moment is to get that kit. The problem is, i found a guy who gives really good prices on 7D's over here - a good couple hundred dollars cheaper, but he does not have that specific kit option :/

I have almost the exact same set-up you have lense wise, and recently purchased the 7D (3 weeks ago, but haven't been able to use it as much as i would like). I owned a 350D before this 7D, and the lenses worked very well on that body. I decided that i wanted a new body, and the 7D fit the bill (honestly, it is really nice when compared to the 350D). I don't regret upgrading the body, but after using the 7D for 3 weeks, i wish i had bought better lenses first. I now use the 17-85 IS and 70-300 IS on the 7D, and i feel that they are holding me back in some situations.

In general, both lenses are not very sharp wide open (i hardly do any pixel peeping, but general sharpness is not that good wide open). For the lenses to get nice and sharp i shoot 2 f-stops down, and for instance, for the 70-300 fully zoomed (which already is f5.6 at the focal length) it needs lots of light. If you always happen to shoot on sunny days, thats fine, but for me, it creates problems with moving subjects.

The 7D really exposes the quality of the lenses, and in my opinion I would like to upgrade my 17-85 IS to a 24-70L or 24-105L and my 70-300 IS to a 70-200L (f2.8 IS mark II, and an 1.4 extender get to 300mm, that is if i win the lottery . Without the lottery it will probably be a 70-200 f4)

I hope this helps, and i know it is tempting to upgrade body (especially with the 7D, which in my opinion is awesome), but try and get the new lenses first, and then do the body. Ill be saving up to get some L-glass soon to get the full potential out of my 7D

Cheers, Nederlander

Twister286 wrote in post #10724171
the 17-85 is an absolute dog when it comes to distortion on the wide end...

Honestly, for as long as I had the 17-85 I never had issues with distortion even at 17mm. I always thought it was a solid performing lens. For the money, it is excellent!

Thanks Nederlander, you've told me everything i need to know. but i wonder what lens i should save for? If i can sell my 17 - 85mm for a good price then i have enough money now for a 17 - 40mm f4L. I know that my first L purchase will have to be the general walk around lens, and that leaves a few options.. from least to most expensive, there's the one i mentioned above, then theres the slightly more expensive EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM .. and the EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM (handy longer range..) and the EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM (very tempting but im worried about having no wide angle).

im inclined to think that i dont need f/2.8.. i will have the high iso capabilities of the 7D to look forward to and eventually i will buy a 70 - 200 2.8 IS or something. imalso very tempted to buy one or two fast primes at some stage too. so i guess i would go for either the 17 - 40 which i could buy now but very small range or i could wait and buy the 24 - 105 and have good range but no wide angle . suggestions? feel free to say i should the one of the f/2.8's as well..

ichigosa wrote in post #10732395
Thanks Nederlander, you've told me everything i need to know. but i wonder what lens i should save for? If i can sell my 17 - 85mm for a good price then i have enough money now for a 17 - 40mm f4L. I know that my first L purchase will have to be the general walk around lens, and that leaves a few options.. from least to most expensive, there's the one i mentioned above, then theres the slightly more expensive EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM .. and the EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM (handy longer range..) and the EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM (very tempting but im worried about having no wide angle).

im inclined to think that i dont need f/2.8.. i will have the high iso capabilities of the 7D to look forward to and eventually i will buy a 70 - 200 2.8 IS or something. imalso very tempted to buy one or two fast primes at some stage too. so i guess i would go for either the 17 - 40 which i could buy now but very small range or i could wait and buy the 24 - 105 and have good range but no wide angle . suggestions? feel free to say i should the one of the f/2.8's as well..

The first question to ask yourself would be, what focal length are you using most, and what are you shooting most of the time.
For instance, I noticed in the last years of shooting that the 70-300 is stuck to my body (and i would only switch it to my 17-85 when doing landscape photography). I even do my portraits with my 70-300 at 70 focal length. So for me, that focal length range would be the first one to buy a new lens in, probably 70-200, since they will allow me to take portraits but also shoot some wildlife.

The other question was aperture, this is always hard to answer, but also depends on what you use it for. One reason why i would like to have a f2.8 lens is for the depth of field that it provides, allowing you to isolate the subject better. Also the f2.8 allows you to stop action better (I think with high iso you can even shoot sports indoor with most of the time not that great lighting), and has the added benefit of more accurate autofocus (i believe the body recognizes aperture's equal and lower then 2.8 and enhances autofocus, not entirely sure how this works).

I think if you can only buy 1 L lens (and budget wise would have to wait for quite some time to buy another one), i would go for the 24-105 f4 or 24-70 f2.8. You will lose some on the wide end, but you will gain the ability to take nice portrait pictures. If you plan on getting fast primes later on, go for the 24-105 (since it has the longer range and IS), if no fast primes, then get the 24-70 for its faster aperture. That just my opinion

I saw that the 17-85 IS USM new is now on sale for 580 CAD (in store price) so think you might get 400 for it when its in mint condition.

Cheers, Nederlander

well as far as primes go, ive got the 50 1.8 II which still serves me well and i would love the 100mm 2.8L so maybe the 24 - 70 is the way to go. I only just started shooting above 85mm but it is quite addictive so a 70 - 200 variation, hopefully with IS, might come after that.

I went from a 350D/XT to a 7D.

I have the 17-85 and it was very good on the XT but when I upgraded to the 7D I noticed that the 17-85 just wasn't as good as it had been. I think the 7D is pretty demanding in terms of lens IQ.

I got a 24-105mm L and am very happy with it. It's not as wide is the 17-85 but I haven't found that to be much of a problem. I also have the 70-300mm and it's still seems fine when mounted on the 7D.

As others have said, the 15-85 is supposed to be a significant improvement over the 17-85. It would be worth considering if you don't want to go the L lens route, but I think the 15-85 seems a bit overpriced....shrug.

yea, i am tempted but if i start getting serious about this and making some more money il definitly get a full frame body eventually, in which case i want to try avoid efs lenses.

If you expect to go FF I can understand why you wouldn't consider the 15-85mm. I made the same decision.