I’m extremely excited to add this guy to my arsenal. It’s a gorgeous wide-angle zoom with professional sharpness and excellent build quality. Though it’s very affordable for Canon’s “L” series professional grade glass, it’s not cheap—but it’s the kind of lens that is not only a safe investment, (well used copies regularly sell for only $75 less than new on eBay) but also it’s a tool that will last for years.

My Digital Rebel has an APS-C sized sensor, which means with it’s 1.6 crop factor the focal length is actually 27-64mm in practical use instead of 17-40mm as it would be on a full sensor width model. This is exactly where my bread-and-butter range is, and where I demand the best detail. It’s also got Canon’s Ring USM, which provides lightning auto-focus in conjunction with full-time manual. Though I truly wish this lens was a tad faster, any more than the constant f/4 throughout the range is not really necessary at all, and I’m really looking forward to reeling off some serious pics.

I long debated between this lens and the EF-S 17-85 f4-5.6 IS USM model, which has a ton more length and image stabilization to boot. It was a tough decision but I finally chose the 17-40L for a few crucial reasons:

• Constant f/4—The variable f4-5.6 of the 17-85 EF-S annoys me.
• Compatibility—The EF-S is digital only, which could hurt resale value and be useless if I ever have a full frame camera.
• Quality—The “L” lens is top notch- can’t be beat in this price and focal range.

In the end it was close—I’d love the extra range offered by the 17-85 and the IS, but I don’t take enough photos in that range to make it worth losing the quality on the wide end and the forward compatibility. Heck, I can always swap them out later if I like, but for now I’m very excited with my choice.

Now about that macro and telephoto I need…