How's the Canon 17-55mm 2.8 EF-S Manual Focus control? at DVinfo.net

Keith Moreau · December 1st, 2009, 12:59 AM

Hi

I've got a Tamron 2.8 17-50mm VC model. I like it, it's a good deal. What I don't like is the manual focusing on it. It's quite a short travel, and it's not smooth at all, making fine manual focus difficult. I have a couple other Canon's the 10-22 and the 70-200 2.8 L IS and both those have pretty smooth focusing.

I got the Tamron because I thought it was going to be as good as the $300-more expensive Canon and if the Canon has the same short focus ring travel as well as stickiness then I'll stay with the Tamron.

Can those with the Canon 17-55mm IS EF-S lens chime in about these factors?

Thanks!

Dale Baglo · December 1st, 2009, 01:15 AM

I have no complaints about mine (the Canon 17-55). The focus stays where I set it and seems smooth getting there.

Andy Wilkinson · December 1st, 2009, 06:10 AM

Me too. Focus ring is fine on my Canon 17-55 IS USM EF-S. It's a great lens, bit bigger than yours maybe and pretty heavy though. Just a touch "soft" when fully open on aperture at full wide-angle only, but you can only see that on zooming in on high quality/resolution stills. It catches glare easily so a Canon sunshade or aftermarket clone (or more involved Mattbox setup) will be needed.

Bruce Schultz · December 5th, 2009, 02:32 PM

I've had both lenses in my studio for the past few days and I can say without qualification that the Canon has a far more professional feel to it overall. I've posted in another thread about the Tamron, but I the funky focus and the reverse focus ring direction (Nikon-style) have made me choose to keep the Canon despite it's larger size and weight. On the plus side, the Tamron VC seemed to me to be every bit as accurate as the Canon IS, and there was no ramping on either lens.

Luckily I have a friend in Brazil who wants the Tamron, so I'm sending it down to him for use on his new 7D in Rio.

Manus Sweeney · February 11th, 2010, 03:44 PM

just bought one today (second hand)..

it's kind of smooth but i think i had higher expectations..

i guess im a little dissapointed and wondering why dont new lenses have that lovely greasy smooth feeling that you get from old nikons and such!?

maybe less grease inside??

Andy Wilkinson · February 11th, 2010, 03:56 PM

I think (and hope) you'll be more pleased with the lovely images you'll get from this lens. The optics are superb. Good luck and enjoy it!

Marty Hudzik · February 11th, 2010, 04:14 PM

I bought one second hand also and initially I was disapointed with the feel of the focus ring. It felt a little resistant and not very smooth. When trying to apply a minor ammount of pressure to get it to turn, it felt like it wouldn't move until I put more and more pressure on it....thenit would kind of jump too much. I hated it compared to the Tamron and my instinct was to send it back. But I had heard so many great things about it and I had 15 days to return it I decided to give it a chance....reluctantly.

I don't know what happened but that focus ring feels smoother now with just the right amount of resistance. I find I can use the magnify button on the 7D, get a tight, tight shot of the subject, nail the focus easily and it sticks.

The same scenarios with the Tamron and the focus seemed too sloppy and I could very easily move past the focus back and forth 2-3 times before hitting it.

So.....I guess I either adapted to the Canon focus feel or it actually loosened up a lilttle. In fact, at first it felt like there might be a little "grit" or sand under the focus ring.....at certain spots only. Now it feels like butter....well... butter with just the right amount of resistance!

Daniel Weber · February 11th, 2010, 05:22 PM

I have been shooting with one since November and I love it. It is my favorite lens to shoot with on the 7D.

Nathanael Iversen · February 11th, 2010, 06:33 PM

Nice and smooth for me. No complaints.

Manus Sweeney · February 12th, 2010, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

Good luck and enjoy it!

thanks guys i'm sure i will!

Keith Moreau · February 12th, 2010, 10:14 PM

I started this thread and thought I'd give you an update.

I got the Canon soon after people here verified it was good and I liked it. True, that velvety smooth focus seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur with AF lenses these days, even expensive ones, but in this way it's far superior to the Tamron, though the Tamron was fine in every other way. The Tamron would be good if they had more than 1/4" of travel on the focus ring, what were they thinking?

Anyway, thanks for the advice everybody, this 17-55 is my main lens and I love it. Not too big or heavy, superlative images.

BTW, can one add 'grease' to a lens or is that asking for a disaster?

Manus Sweeney · February 13th, 2010, 01:12 AM

hehe! sounds a little like asking for disaster yes, but dont take my word for it!

yeah i guess its due to the AF system, that heavy greased old school feel would be probably too much hard work for the gears.. oh well.. it does seem like a superb lens though, looking forward to trying it out on a shoot tomorrow

December 1st, 2009, 12:59 AM	#1
Keith Moreau Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane, California Posts: 530	How's the Canon 17-55mm 2.8 EF-S Manual Focus control? Hi I've got a Tamron 2.8 17-50mm VC model. I like it, it's a good deal. What I don't like is the manual focusing on it. It's quite a short travel, and it's not smooth at all, making fine manual focus difficult. I have a couple other Canon's the 10-22 and the 70-200 2.8 L IS and both those have pretty smooth focusing. I got the Tamron because I thought it was going to be as good as the $300-more expensive Canon and if the Canon has the same short focus ring travel as well as stickiness then I'll stay with the Tamron. Can those with the Canon 17-55mm IS EF-S lens chime in about these factors? Thanks!

December 1st, 2009, 01:15 AM	#2
Dale Baglo Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 64	I have no complaints about mine (the Canon 17-55). The focus stays where I set it and seems smooth getting there. __________________ Need a narration? www.dalebaglo.com

December 1st, 2009, 06:10 AM	#3
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	Me too. Focus ring is fine on my Canon 17-55 IS USM EF-S. It's a great lens, bit bigger than yours maybe and pretty heavy though. Just a touch "soft" when fully open on aperture at full wide-angle only, but you can only see that on zooming in on high quality/resolution stills. It catches glare easily so a Canon sunshade or aftermarket clone (or more involved Mattbox setup) will be needed. __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

February 11th, 2010, 03:56 PM	#6
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	I think (and hope) you'll be more pleased with the lovely images you'll get from this lens. The optics are superb. Good luck and enjoy it! __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

December 5th, 2009, 02:32 PM	#4
Bruce Schultz Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Malibu, CA Posts: 480	I've had both lenses in my studio for the past few days and I can say without qualification that the Canon has a far more professional feel to it overall. I've posted in another thread about the Tamron, but I the funky focus and the reverse focus ring direction (Nikon-style) have made me choose to keep the Canon despite it's larger size and weight. On the plus side, the Tamron VC seemed to me to be every bit as accurate as the Canon IS, and there was no ramping on either lens. Luckily I have a friend in Brazil who wants the Tamron, so I'm sending it down to him for use on his new 7D in Rio.

February 11th, 2010, 03:44 PM	#5
Manus Sweeney Major Player Join Date: May 2009 Location: Amsterdam, NL Posts: 217	just bought one today (second hand).. it's kind of smooth but i think i had higher expectations.. i guess im a little dissapointed and wondering why dont new lenses have that lovely greasy smooth feeling that you get from old nikons and such!? maybe less grease inside??

February 11th, 2010, 04:14 PM	#7
Marty Hudzik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 1,771	I bought one second hand also and initially I was disapointed with the feel of the focus ring. It felt a little resistant and not very smooth. When trying to apply a minor ammount of pressure to get it to turn, it felt like it wouldn't move until I put more and more pressure on it....thenit would kind of jump too much. I hated it compared to the Tamron and my instinct was to send it back. But I had heard so many great things about it and I had 15 days to return it I decided to give it a chance....reluctantly. I don't know what happened but that focus ring feels smoother now with just the right amount of resistance. I find I can use the magnify button on the 7D, get a tight, tight shot of the subject, nail the focus easily and it sticks. The same scenarios with the Tamron and the focus seemed too sloppy and I could very easily move past the focus back and forth 2-3 times before hitting it. So.....I guess I either adapted to the Canon focus feel or it actually loosened up a lilttle. In fact, at first it felt like there might be a little "grit" or sand under the focus ring.....at certain spots only. Now it feels like butter....well... butter with just the right amount of resistance!

February 11th, 2010, 05:22 PM	#8
Daniel Weber Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 696	I have been shooting with one since November and I love it. It is my favorite lens to shoot with on the 7D.

February 11th, 2010, 06:33 PM	#9
Nathanael Iversen Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Santa Rosa, CA Posts: 34	Nice and smooth for me. No complaints.

February 12th, 2010, 10:14 PM	#11
Keith Moreau Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane, California Posts: 530	I started this thread and thought I'd give you an update. I got the Canon soon after people here verified it was good and I liked it. True, that velvety smooth focus seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur with AF lenses these days, even expensive ones, but in this way it's far superior to the Tamron, though the Tamron was fine in every other way. The Tamron would be good if they had more than 1/4" of travel on the focus ring, what were they thinking? Anyway, thanks for the advice everybody, this 17-55 is my main lens and I love it. Not too big or heavy, superlative images. BTW, can one add 'grease' to a lens or is that asking for a disaster?

February 13th, 2010, 01:12 AM	#12
Manus Sweeney Major Player Join Date: May 2009 Location: Amsterdam, NL Posts: 217	hehe! sounds a little like asking for disaster yes, but dont take my word for it! yeah i guess its due to the AF system, that heavy greased old school feel would be probably too much hard work for the gears.. oh well.. it does seem like a superb lens though, looking forward to trying it out on a shoot tomorrow