Should I sell my 85 1.8 ?

I have a Canon 85 f/1.8, and was wondering if I should sell it because of it's ineffectiveness once I get the Canon 17-55 f/2.8

Do you think the 2.8 can cover about as much as 1.8 can in low light situations on the 550D? Plus the 85mm focal length really annoys me, it's so hard getting a nice candid in a small room.

So, do you think the 85mm f/1.8 will be rendered useless once I get the Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM ?

Also, is there another lens I should look at that is BETTER than the Canon 17-55 2.8 (that has a wide aperture)?

You're comparing apples to oranges here... wide/standard zoom to a telephoto prime. One won't render the other useless because they're two entirely different tools.

That said, if you don't like the focal length of the 85mm because it's too long then yes, the 17-55 should be a better fit for you. If you find that you aren't using the 85mm anymore after that, then by all means, sell it.

No !!!

Well also take into account that I have the 70-200mm f4, so that lens covers the telephoto side of things, I'd say.

Let's see you get either the 70-200mm f/4 or 17-55mm 2.8 to do 1.8

No - the 17-55mm can't do 85mm and the f/4 is not even close to 1.8....

Different tools - not sure what you mean by "ineffectiveness." If you mean you don't use it - then sure, sell it. But the lenses you have don't really serve as a proper "replacement" for a fast telephoto prime. You know your usage better than us.

the 85 will have its place - keep it.

I guarantee you you will be somewhere in the future and go "MAN, I wish I had it..."

Well this was shot with my kit lens at f/4, i'd say the blur in the background is pretty good.
And that's my main concern, will I achieve the same blur, or bokeh, with f/2.8 if I don't have my 1.8 anymore?

You're comparing different focal lengths - so it's going to be different. Focal length and subject distance is a factor regarding bokeh. If you're concerned about bokeh quality - take a picture of the same subject and the same focal length and then see if it is good enough for you.

I'm trying to sell mine. The focal length, CA, lack of IS, and crappy MFD just aren't really doing it for me. I probably will regret selling it once or twice but I plan on using the proceeds to fund a flash. Honestly with my style of shooting I'm fine maxing out at 55mm. Even when at the park with my daughter I find 85mm to be too long. I'd rather have a Sigma 30mm as my prime. 85mm is nice for small venues so I may pich one back up later down the road once all my other wants are met. However if I get a tele prime it would be nice for it to double as a macro so I may consider the Canon 100mm or something similar.

Yeah the chromatic aberration and focal length are the main annoyances for me. It also has severe focusing issues in low low lighted environments.

No, you won't get the same bokeh with the 2.8...but, I still clicked on "sell it"...if you don't use it or you think the FL isn't a good fit for you, then why have it? If you want bokeh, then go with another lens which might be a better fit as far as FL goes...say, a 50 1.8 or 1.4 or a 30?

Despite the amount of votes to keep it, I went ahead and made a thread hoping to sell it (found in my sig). I found myself rarely using this lens, I think the new Canon 17-55 2.8 will be used a lot more combined with 70-200 f4L

I'm late to the party, but there's no point in keeping a lens just because it's fast if you don't like that focal length. If you want a fast prime to deal with low light, you may as well have a FL that fits better with your style and preference. Maybe a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 would be worth a look once you have had a chance to see how your 17-55 is going to work out.

I think for indoor use (unless it is basketball or dance, etc) the 85mm f1.8 is tough to use on a crop. You need 1/125-1/160 to get a sharp shot without hand shake and the focal length is very long in most homes. Now I find you can get reliable candids of adults with about 1/60-1/80, which is easy considering the IS and shorter length of the 17-55. That is half the shutter speed and 1 stop, or the difference between f2.8 and f2. So that covers pretty much the whole ground between the two lenses speed wise.

Now for maximum background blur, there is no contest. 55/2.8 and 85mm f1.8 are not even close. And for stopping action in low light for sports, there is no contest either.

FWIW, I sold mine for many of the reasons you mentioned in this thread.