Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens

NOTE: Noisy stabilizer, does not seem to affect any functionality.

The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens is a tremendously flexible, professional-grade standard zoom developed to meet demand for a fast EF-S lens, pairing a 27.2-88mm 35mm-equivalent focal length range with a bright, constant f/2.8 maximum aperture. Designed exclusively for Canon’s APS-C DSLR cameras, it’s well suited to event, portrait, and low-light photography where a wide aperture and image stabilization both matter.

Optically, the lens is built from 19 elements in 12 groups, incorporating a UD (ultra-low dispersion) element and three aspherical elements (one glass-molded, two replica) to effectively correct chromatic and spherical aberrations for improved clarity and sharpness throughout the zoom range. Canon’s Super Spectra coating helps suppress flare and ghosting, and a rounded 7-blade diaphragm produces a large circular aperture for shallow depth of field and pleasing background blur.

Autofocus is handled by a ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM) paired with an internal focusing design and optimized focusing algorithms, delivering fast, precise, and quiet autofocus performance along with full-time manual focus override via Canon’s Quick-Shift AF system. Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer provides the equivalent effect of a shutter speed three stops faster, helping photographers achieve sharper handheld results in low-light conditions.

Build quality uses a 5-group helical zoom system (the front group moves 27mm), giving the lens image quality on par with Canon’s L-series lenses despite its EF-S-specific positioning, though it is not weather-sealed. The lens has a closest focusing distance of 1.15 ft. (0.35m), yielding a maximum magnification of 0.17x at 55mm, and accepts a 77mm filter thread. It measures approximately 83.5 x 110.6mm and weighs approximately 645g (22.8 oz.), and ships with a bayonet-type EW-83J lens hood. It is not compatible with Canon’s EF1.4x II or EF2x II extenders.

The lens is compatible exclusively with Canon’s APS-C EF-S mount cameras and cannot be used on full-frame EF-mount bodies.

Key Features
– 17-55mm constant f/2.8 standard zoom for Canon EF-S mount (APS-C only)
– Approximately 27.2-88mm full-frame-equivalent field of view
– 19 elements in 12 groups, including 1 UD element and 3 aspherical elements
– Super Spectra coating
– Ring-type USM autofocus with Quick-Shift full-time manual focus
– Optical Image Stabilizer, approximately 3 stops of correction
– Rounded 7-blade diaphragm
– Closest focusing distance of 1.15 ft. (0.35m); 0.17x maximum magnification
– 77mm filter thread
– Includes EW-83J bayonet-type lens hood
– Not compatible with EF1.4x II/EF2x II extenders
– Not weather-sealed
– Approximate weight: 645g
– Designed exclusively for Canon APS-C EF-S mount cameras