Lens Review: Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is one of the first lenses that I brought to replace my standard kit lens. Although it is not close to the quality of the Canon L-series lenses, it is a well built lens given with its lower price-tag. In my opinion, it is one of a few decent upgrades if you are looking to replace your kit lens with a budget.
There are several features that make it one of my favorite lens for street and concert photography. But the following two reasons make this lens stands out from other standard models.
1. Fast auto-focus compare to other standard models.
The Ultra Sonic Motor, USM in short, features a built in motor that allows a faster auto-focus speed. Especially in the field of street and concert photography, the auto-focus feature is really important as you won't have time to do manual focus most of the time.
It is also famous for being quiet. This will come in handy when you are doing a wildlife photo-shoot as you don't want to spook the animals by the noisy shutter clicks. But the down side is that, it will cost you a little extra and it is generally heavier than other standard lenses.
2. Fast aperture allows for faster shutter speed.
This lens has a fixed f/2.8 aperture, which allows you to have a faster shutter speed for capturing image with an acceptable exposure. In concert photography, the performers will always move around. In order to avoid the "blur" caused by the motion, increase the shutter speed is the only solution. But this will affect the exposure of the image as it might not capture enough light. By having a larger aperture, more light could get through, and hence, allow you to shoot with faster shutter speed.
The image stabilization system also makes it easier to hand-hold the camera if you don't have a steady hand.
Hope you find this review useful. And, if you are looking for an upgrade for your kit lens, definitely check this lens out.
If you want to follow my photography journey and gear review, you could subscribe by leaving your email on the right. And feel free to send me an email if you have any questions you want me to share in this blog.