Binoculars(35)
Calculators(11)
Camcorders(820)
Copiers & Fax(199)
EOS Cameras(5,524)
PowerShot Cameras(5,866)
Printers & Multifunction(5,062)
Scanners(485)
Shop Now At Canon
Shop Lenses or
Choose a Category
Top-Rated Products
Customer Reviews for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
EF-S lens designed for professional use on EOS 60D, EOS 7D and Digital Rebel cameras
Close focus to 1.15 ft.
Fast ring-type USM for superior AF performance
Optical Image Stabilization for excellent low light ability
Average Customer Rating:
(21 Reviews) 21
Rating Snapshot (21 reviews)
5 stars
7
4 stars
8
3 stars
2
2 stars
2
1 star
2
15 out of 21(71%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Review 1 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Burt H
Location: King of Prussia, PA
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Landscape/Nature
Canon Enthusiast: 11 to 20 years
Product replacement: No
Great Lens
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:May 13, 2013
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Super-sharp images
I have had this lens for 5 years and before I bought it I was hesitant because of some bad reviews. My copy of the lens has been great. I have never had a problem and the pictures are razor sharp. I use it on a Canon 50D and T2i. It also focuses fast.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 2 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Thomas
Location: USA
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Mostly used for: Family & Friends
Canon Enthusiast: 11 to 20 years
Product replacement: No
Horrible lens! Don't buy!
Overall Rating
Features
1
out of
5
Performance
1
out of
5
Price/Value
1
out of
5
Quality
1
out of
5
Satisfaction
1
out of
5
Date:April 6, 2013
Cons: Slow auto-focus, Semi-sharp images, Poor build quality
Lens stopped working during an important photo shoot. The quality is very bad for a Canon lens. Canon needs to recall these lenses and discontinue them. The 15-85mm USM IS is a better option/replacement.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 3 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Greg
Location: Poulsbo, WA
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Travel
Canon Enthusiast: 6 to 10 years
Product replacement: No
Happy Camper
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:September 12, 2012
I bought this lens in 2005 when I bought my 20D. I use it as my everyday walk around lens and it has traveled with me around the world. Never a problem. Never a hiccup. The only reason I would change this lens is if they made the same lens in an "L" series. If I can tear myself away from it I am going to send it in to be cleaned so I can use it with my new 7D.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 4 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Thom218
Location: St. Louis, MO
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Landscape/Nature
Canon Enthusiast: 11 to 20 years
Product replacement: Yes
I expected better
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
2
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
1
out of
5
Satisfaction
2
out of
5
Date:August 17, 2012
Cons: Poor build quality, intermittent auto focus fails
This should be a great lens the 17-85mm range makes it great as a primary lens and while the 4-5.6 aperture is at times a bit slow, overall I was extremely happy with it for the first year. Since then auto focus fails intermittently and it doesn't take much of an Internet search to realize that this model has that problem and Canon should be addressing it.
10 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 5 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: ilya
Used this product for: 1 to 3 months
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Overall Rating
Features
1
out of
5
Performance
1
out of
5
Price/Value
1
out of
5
Quality
1
out of
5
Satisfaction
1
out of
5
Date:June 12, 2012
Cons: Slow auto-focus, Semi-sharp images, Poor build quality
A lot of defects, h.aberration, bad aperture, vignetting, bad colors reflecting.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 6 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Anonymous
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Good working lens until ERR 99 started
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:April 1, 2012
Lens came as bundle with 30D (just before the 40D came out. Have had some good service for several years. A month or so it started giving intermittent "ERR 99 -- turn off/reset battery" I finally isolated it to be the Lens, not the 30D body or batteries. Now I'm without a standard zoom lens. Looking for a replacement while I see about getting this repaired or trade.
4 of 6 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 7 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Jim F
Location: Middleton, WI
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Canon Enthusiast: 6 to 10 years
Product replacement: No
Great all around lens - 4+ years
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:December 15, 2011
Pros: great image quality excellent is. primary lens, stays on my camera except when tele needed.
Cons: none so far - 4+ yrs
I bought the lens with a Canon 40D purchase and more recently have used it on a Canon 7D purchased early last year. This has been a sensational all-around lens for outdoor and occasional indoor shooting. My greatest interest is for outdoor scenic capture, as a serious amateur. Functions well in all light ranges I deal with. Have had no electronic or mechanical issue mentioned elsewhere after 4 years of shooting. I took the lens without any backup lens or tripod (to cut weight) on a 100 mile trek in Nepal last year and it worked out great at over 17,000' elev. Image quality was sensational, with images as big as 16 X 20 shot hand-held with IS and no tripod. I'm very happy I purchased this gem, and at a good value. Kudos to Canon.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 8 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: draknor
Location: Madison, WI
Used this product for: 3 to 6 months
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Mostly used for: Family & Friends
Canon Enthusiast: 6 to 10 years
Product replacement: No
Great lens... while it works
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
3
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
1
out of
5
Satisfaction
2
out of
5
Date:October 15, 2011
Cons: Poor build quality
I picked up this lens used a few months ago; it was in great condition & I got hundreds of great photos out of it. It's my default lens that I leave on the camera.
Until the aperture started getting stuck :-( Researched on the web & yep, this is a common issue -- a flex cable inside was poorly engineered so after a few years it breaks the wires. Manual focus still works fine, but that's not what I'm looking for in my go-to lens. Will have to see what the repair quote ends up being; not sure I want to keep using a lens that will die again in a couple of years & need another repair.
14 of 17 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 9 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Anonymous
Location: CA
lens suddenly stuck at 17mm
Overall Rating
Features
3
out of
5
Performance
3
out of
5
Price/Value
2
out of
5
Quality
1
out of
5
Satisfaction
2
out of
5
Date:September 29, 2011
The lens suddenly locked near 17mm after shooting.
When I checked the web, I found that I'm not the only person to encounter this problem. Lot of people have this issue.
I wonder if the product itself has defect.
I wonder if the product itself has defect.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 10 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Kurtis
Location: California, USA
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Travel
Canon Enthusiast: 6 to 10 years
Product replacement: No
Nice lens, but problematic
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
2
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:March 14, 2011
Pros: Super-sharp images
Cons: Poor build quality
I've had this lens since my 20D and have used it a lot for everyday photography. I have been very happy with the lens performance and the resulting photos I have taken. However, the lens started to malfunction recently - unable to achieve auto focus. The problem occurs in various lighting conditions and aperture settings.
After searching a few forums for information, it seems that this is not an uncommon problem. I've read about several users having to have Canon replace the servo motor as the fix.
So, great lens, but disappointing in what we have come to expect from Canon quality.
23 of 24 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 11 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: DonB
Location: Memphis
Used this product for: 3 to 6 months
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Landscape/Nature
Canon Enthusiast: more than 20 years
Product replacement: No
My most used lense
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:February 9, 2011
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Super-sharp images
This has quickly become my most used lens. Goes from close ups (portraits) to landscape easily. Focus is very fast, and pictures are very sharp for a non-L. IS works like a charm. Good overall feel. I haven't (knock on wood) had any of the reported problems. I agree with the remark about cap replacement. Be careful. I, too, wish it was faster, but I guess that's why they make L lenses. For the money, this is one great piece of equipment.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 12 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Barry from Orange
Location: Orange, CA
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Product replacement: No
17-85mm IS - Great Lens for the money
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:July 21, 2010
Pros: good focus from edge to edge, good metering, good color, quick response
You need to hear this as Canon makes a great product. I have been using Canon Cameras, Lenses, All-in-one printers for years and have been very happy with their products. NOTE: Like any large company, they make a mistake once in a while but they always resolve and back their products. I have been using the 17-85mm IS Lens for about 3 years and the auto-focus started giving me problems. I sent the Lens into Canon, they quoted 7 to 10 days, but turned it around in 1 day for a very fair price. The Lens focus's like it is brand new again. I am extremely happy with the quality of service Canon has provided me and with having my Work-Horse primay Lens back on my camera. I use the 30d and 2Ti Bodies, the 18-55mm, 17-85mm IS (primary lens) & 70-300mm IS Lenses. I am extremely happy with all of my Canon equipment.
24 of 26 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 13 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Joe
Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Product replacement: Yes
Comfortable to work with
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
3
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:July 11, 2010
Pros: fast and accurate, ideal range for most regular needs
Cons: aperture failure
Quite a convenient and versatile lens producing sharp pictures; however, I too have had an aperture-failure in a relatively short time. I learnt this has to do with the electronic circuitry. I am prepared to try a second one but not a third.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 14 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Dolly
problems with dark photos
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
3
out of
5
Price/Value
3
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
2
out of
5
Date:March 23, 2010
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Superior build quality, Super-sharp images
Cons: images are too dark
I have used this lens as a primary for a few years now and I constantly have a difficult time with very dark photos under most/ many circumstances. Photos taken inside church, inside sports, outdoor sports, etc. etc. are all too dark. The only time I get good lighted photos is when the sun is bright and I am shooting in the right direction. I have to lighten every photo...even when I have had my ISO at 1600. It makes me wonder if something is wrong with my lens or my 40D. Let's see if someone from Canon has some good feedback.
Thank you!
Thank you!
10 of 22 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 15 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: Onefreesoul
Location: Los Angeles
Used this product for: Less than 1 month
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Product replacement: Yes
Great len foe the price
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:March 11, 2010
Pros: Super-sharp images
Cons: come on canon add len hood
This is a great lens! I highly recommend it. It's very versatile and is probably the best walk-around lens. The images are sharp and the IS feature really works.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 16 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: GreggT
Location: Downeast Maine
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Product replacement: No
Great all-purpose lens
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:September 12, 2009
Pros: Super-sharp images, great lens for the money
Cons: reliability/durability
As others have said this is a great all-purpose lens, the extra mm at the wide end over the 18-55 or 18-200 really makes a difference. The only other choice at the wide end is the 10-22mm, and that isn't as versatile. Stabilization works very well.
I've had two issues requiring repair, an auto-focus failure, and an aperture iris failure. A friend who is a professional also has one, and the zoom has locked up on hers. The lens zoom barrel has little resistance, so if you're not careful to ensure the lens is zoomed in to 17mm, putting the lens cap on with the lens extended can cause the barrel to slam back into the lens body.
Overall I'm very happy with the lens, however.
18 of 19 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 17 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: camera12345
Location: NJ
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Product replacement: No
Great buy
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:July 15, 2009
Pros: Super-sharp images, Fast auto-focus, great price
Cons: slow aperture
This is a great lens for the money. I use it mostly for wedding photography. The nice wide 17mm end works well at the bride's home and for church interiors. The 85mm end works well for portrais. Although it isn't a fast lens, the image stabilization works very well. I often hand hold at 1/15th or even 1/8th sec with sharp results.
Also as far as sharp goes, it's so sharp you can see skin pores in close ups. All for a reasonable price!
Also as far as sharp goes, it's so sharp you can see skin pores in close ups. All for a reasonable price!
34 of 34 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 18 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: yo-yo
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Product replacement: Yes
good lens
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:February 23, 2009
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality, Fast auto-focus, very useful and quick handling
Cons: f4 instead of f2.8
I use this lens more than any other That I have. Weddings and Family reunions and portraits for individuals. Compact, sharp and fast focusing 95% of the time. yes I like it would love it more so it was f2.8 instead of f4 ok Canon how about it ?
61 of 64 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 19 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: HH
Amazing picture quality, performance
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:February 21, 2009
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality, Fast auto-focus
Incredible and quick focus, beautiful images. Great wide angle. Only con is 4 max aperture, should have been 3.5. Better auto-focus and sharpness than 18-200 from Canon.
23 of 23 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 20 for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Nickname: SteveBiologist
Location: Winter Garden, Fl
Used this product for: 3 to 6 months
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Product replacement: No
My Favorite Lens
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:December 31, 2008
Pros: Superior build quality, sharp images, image stabilization works great
Cons: no lens hood included, some barrel distortion
This is a great lens! I highly recommend it. It's very versatile and is probably the best walk-around lens for the non-full frame cameras. I use it more than any of my other lenses. The images are sharp and the IS feature really works.
43 of 43 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
