Canon EF 17-40mm f4 L USM
Canon EF 17-40mm f4 L USM Specifications and Review
Brief Review
The EF 17-40/4L is an excellent choice for both full frame and APS-C crop sensor DSLRs. On a full frame camera it's a good superwide zoom, while on APS it makes a good wide to normal zoom, so if you own both a 5D and a 50D, this is one lens that can do dual duty. Construction is solid - it is an 'L' series lens - and it has a constant f4 aperture throughout the focal length range. It's half the price of the EF 16-35/2.8L II, which would be the main alternative in this focal length range and by giving up a stop you can save around $750, which makes it a pretty good deal. It's weathersealed and supports E-TTL II flash, both useful functions, and it takes 77mm filters rather then the 82mm filters required by the 16-35/2.8L II. Some filters (such as high density ND filters) are hard (or impossible) to find in 82mm, and even where you can find 82mm filters, they are not cheap. The 17-40/4L also has a rear gel filter holder which can take up to three gels. Like all "L" series lenses, the EF17-40/4L USM is supplied with a lens hood included.
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| Model | Canon EF 17-40mm f4 L USM |
| Link to Current Pricing | EF 17-40mm f4 L USM |
Production Dates  |
2003 - current |
| Comments | Almost as wide as the 16-35/2.8L II but at 1/2 the cost and with a longer reach. It is a stop slower, but the reduced size and weight (and cost) make it an attractive alternative. Makes a good wide to normal (28-64) lens on a crop sensor DSLR or superwide zoom on full frame. One of the least expensive "L" series lenses (along with the 200/2.8L and 70-200/4L). The 17-40/4L is one of Canon's "weather sealed" lenses, meaning it is especially well sealed against dust and moisure, but note that a filter is required for optimum weather sealing. There is some distortion at 17mm, but that's common for all wideangle zooms at their widest setting and is easily corrected digitally. Sharpness is good wide open and peaks at around f8. |
| Field of View
(degrees) Horizontal,Vertical, Diagonal Full Frame - 36x24mm APS-C - 22.5x15mm |
Full Frame Wide : H - 93.3 : V - 70.4 : D - 103.7 Full Frame Tele : H - 48.5 : V - 33.4 : D - 56.8 APS-C Wide : H - 67 : V - 47.6 : D - 77 APS-C Tele : H - 31.4 : V - 21.2 : D - 37.4 |
| Full Frame FOV equivalent with lens on APS-C body |
27.2-64 mm (1.6x multiplier) |
| Full Frame FOV equivalent with lens on APS-H body |
22.1-52 mm (1.3x multiplier) |
| Length | 97 mm (3.82 inches) |
| Weight | 475 gm (16.06 oz.) |
| Maximum Diameter | 83 mm (3.27 inches) |
| Lens Mount Material |
Metal |
| Lens Color |
Black |
| Filter Size | 77 mm |
| Filter Rotation |
Filter does not rotate |
| Internal Zooming |
Yes (length stays constant) |
| Focusing |
Internal Focusing (Length constant) |
| Focus Range Setting(s) |
No, always uses full focus range |
| AF motor |
USM |
| Distance Scale | Yes, has distance scale |
| Closest Focus | 0.28 m (0.92 ft) |
| Maximum Magnification | 0.24x |
| EF12 magnification range |
0.83x - 0.32x |
| EF25 magnification range |
1.02x - 0.40x |
| Canon TC compatibility |
No, Canon TCs can not be used |
| Weathersealing |
Weathersealed |
| Lens Hood |
EW-83E |
| E-TTL II Support |
Yes |
| Elements/Groups |
12/9 |
| Aspheric Elements |
Yes, 3 aspheric elements |
| Special Glass Elements |
Yes, 1 Super UD element |
| Diaphragm Blades |
7 |
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With the large number of entries contained in the Canon EOS Lens database it's inevitable the some of presented here may not be complete and/or may contain errors. If you find an error or missing data, please contact me and I will add or revise the data as necessary
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