Got this for taking portraits Fixed focal lens tend rob sharper

Though I am just learning to use the camera I am fully convinced that it is a superior product.NOTE, however that the web page images of items "Also Bought" incorrectly includes a 55mm (diameter) Tiffen UV Protection Filter. This is not the correct size for 18-55mm focal length lens! You need 58mm filter size for this lens and also for the 55-250mm focal length lens. This misleading situation lead to misordering 55mm UV and Polarizing filters that had to be returned. Since these were gifts, the distant buyer will get a refund, or replacement filters(?) instead of sending replacements to me. I think filter size should be shown next to the camera to assure that buyers order the correct accessories, 58mm here. I do not know whether this problem repeats on other camera models.

Very pleased with picture results as I use it to stream video. Perfect focal length and lens quality

I like the fact that you can upgrade all of the parts if you so desire. I added a 5x barlow lens and soon filters.

Prime lenses are nearly always better than their zoom counterparts at equivalent focal lengths.I previously owned the last generation of this lens, and found that I was using it more than my kit lens. It was sharper, faster, and gave me better results, and losing some focal range was an acceptable sacrifice.This new version is much easier to focus as they're moved the focus ring behind the front element. Unfortunately, the focus is motor driven and the camera must be on and engaged to focus the lens.My images have been sharp, with great contrast and good bokeh.I was considering the 50mm f/1.4, but all research I was able to find showed that there wasn't much advantage aside from the additional available light. Plus you could buy a few of these for the same cost...If you only have your kit lens, and you never shot with any old manual SLRs (where fast 50mm lenses were king), you owe it to yourself to pick one of these up. They're a lot of fun, and the image quality will shock you when you remind yourself you only spent $120 on the lens

With a base magnification of 48x, getting a good 2-5x Barlow lens to go along with it will have you all set.

35mm focal length on full frame-- not the most extreme wide angle nor a crazy long focal length that isolates your subject and gets rid of everything else. Just... normal-ish. Easier to use for walk around stuff than 50mm in my experience, but depending on your preferences ymmv.Image stabilized... but in my experience it hasn't made enough of a difference to change my shooting habits.f/1.8, usable. Not gonna blur the heck out of everything on a lens this wide but it allows shooting in pretty dark conditions.Decently sharp, not incredibly so.SLOW autofocus, but it works.Reasonably small.Good close focusing distance.It all adds up to a lens that doesn't particularly excite me to use, but one that I could leave on my camera all the time and not be disappointed by. It just sorta works and the only thing that regularly gets in the way is the slow autofocus motor.Would highly recommend a 3rd party lens hood for this, the Canon one isn't anywhere near as big as a 35mm can benefit from.

The walkaround lens. This very topic leads to a heated discussion among DSLR photographers.First, determine your budget, focal length, and aperture needs.If you frequently find yourself zooming out to get everything in a frame, you will want a wide angle lens such as this. If you frequently find yourself zooming in, this is not the lens for you. On a full frame body such as Canon EOS 5D, this lens becomes ULTRA wide angle. On an APS-C crop body such as Digital Rebel XTi (which I used for this review), it becomes MEDIUM wide angle. But thanks to 1.6x crop factor, this lens expands to more usable 35mm equivalent focal length of 27 to 64mm.Second, audition the lens if you can.By definition, a walkaround lens should be relatively portable. At 1.1 lbs., Canon's EF 17-40mm f/4L USM is neither super light nor neck breakingly heavy. In fact, it weighs almost the same as Digital Rebel XTi -- really nice balance. The lens feels very solid with supreme build quality that only L-series lenses offer. Although this lens is weather proof and therefore sealed against liquid and dust, I strongly recommend getting a 77mm filter to protect the front lens element. With it, this lens is made to last.In terms of looks and feel, it doesn't get much better. Its rubberized full-time inner focus manual ring USM focuses smoothly, quietly, and quickly. Since it's inner focus, the lens will not extend beyond its metal casing whether you zoom in or out. The focus window shows focusing distance from 0.28 meter (0.92 feet) to infinity. The focal length marker indicates 17, 20, 24, 28, 35, and 40mm. The lens exudes quality from tip to tip.You may tolerate heavier lens or may not mind lesser build quality of cheaper lenses. A walkaround lens will be used very often, so make sure you will be comfortable with it.This lens is famous for saturated color and deep contrast. Its images are simply stunning. At 17mm wide angle, barrel distortion is noticeable but relatively mild. From 24mm to 40mm, its images are distortion free and perfectly suited at capturing people.Vignetting (corner darkness) is minimal with mild chroma abberrations (color shadows). At f/4 aperture, details become noticeably softer toward the edges. The center region is very sharp and at f/5.6, edges remain fairy sharp. Thanks to 7 diaphragm blades, this lens can produce very nice bokeh at 40mm (blur effects).One of the most cited weaknesses is the f/4 aperture. In my experience, a bump in the ISO speed and steady hands are all you need to take well focused images indoor. On the other hand, if you are shooting with very little amount of light, you might wish for f/2.8 or image stabilizer. Although the difference between f/4 and f/2.8 is just 1 stop, my other lens, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM (too heavy to be my walkaround lens) easily outperforms in such challenging situations. But by and large, I was not handicapped by the f/4 aperture.Some of the main competitions (sorted by price):- Sigma AF 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC macro: Good zoom range with macro, and generally solid performance if you can get a good sample. It does suffer from a bit slow focus mechanism, soft corner, and chroma aberrations. Works only with EF-S mount.- Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC: Very good value for f/2.8 aperture, but Tamron's 17-50mm is a bit better lens overall. Works only with EF-S mount.- Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM: This "traveler's lens" has a wider focal range than most wide angle lenses (widest among Canon) and is equipped with an image stabilizer. While it is a Jack of many trades, it is the master of none. Every lenses on this list will perform better at particular focal length. Then again, none of the lenses on this list has as wide focal range. It is famous for extreme barrel distortion at 17mm and chroma aberrations. Works only with EF-S mount.- Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF): This is the most direct competitor. It takes sharper images with faster aperture while costing less. Both the build and focus mechanism are significantly worse, but should be good enough for many. Works only with EF-S mount.- Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM: This is THE reference, if you can afford it. Its images have razor sharp details and great performance all around (minus vignetting, which is typical of EF-S lenses). The build quality is worse than L-series but still pretty good. Works only with EF-S mount. This is the best EF-S lens hands down.- Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM: One of the most expensive wide angle zoom lenses. It's larger and heavier, but has f/2.8 aperture.This is how Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 USM stacks up.Pros:- Among the very best build quality.- Excellent, buttery smooth, super fast front-focus system.- Top notch color and contrast. Very sharp center resolution.- Almost non-existent vignetting, generally low distortion, and well controlled chroma abberrations.- Ideal weight and size for walkaround purposeCons:- Edge softness at f/4 aperture.- Narrower focal length than most competing lenses.- Slower than some third party lenses.All in all, this is an excellent wide angle walkaround lens. It may not offer the most bang for the buck, but if you value full frame compatibility (EF lens mount) and excellent build quality, this is the default choice. This lens comes with a nice pouch and a lens hood. I find the hood to be somewhat ridiculously shaped and because the lens is resistant to flare, I do not use it often when shooting outdoor.