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Canon EOS 400D / Digital Rebel XTi kit lens upgrade group test Gordon Laing, September 2006 / updated July 2007

More results: Outdoor / Resolution / Corner sharpness / Fringe and macro / Geometry / Vignetting



Click here for the Canon 400D / Xti lens group test
Canon EOS 400D / Digital Rebel XTi lens upgrade wide-angle geometry

To measure and compare wide angle geometric distortion, we photographed a test chart consisting of a grid pattern with each lens set to its shortest focal length and an aperture of f8. The images were then analysed with Imatest using 5th Order line calculation and the full areas presented here at a reduced resolution.

The lowest geometric distortion at wide angle unsurprisingly comes from the EF 17-40mm, because it's corrected for a full-frame body. It's impressive then that the EF-S 17-55mm scores essentially the same result here. The budget EF-S 18-55mm kit lens comes next, but falling behind with the worst result here is the EF-S 17-85mm, which exhibits quite noticeable geometric distortion when zoomed-out.


Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM
Canon 17-55mm EF-S wide angle geometry test
Canon 17-85mm EF-S wide angle geometry test
Canon 18-55mm EF-S wide angle geometry test
Canon 17-40 EF L wide angle geometry test
17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f8
Distortion: 2.87% barrel
17-85mm EF-S at 17mm f8
Distortion: 5.71% barrel
18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f8
Distortion: 3.35% barrel
17-40mm EF L at 17mm f8
Distortion: 2.9% barrel




Canon EOS 400D / Digital Rebel XTi lens upgrade telephoto geometry

To measure and compare telephoto geometric distortion, we photographed a test chart consisting of a grid pattern with each lens set to its longest focal length and an aperture of f8. The images were then analysed with Imatest using 5th Order line calculation and the full areas presented here at a reduced resolution.

The best result again comes from the EF 17-40mm, which again is expected because it's corrected for a more demanding full-frame body. Interestingly the budget kit lens comes second here, exhibiting noticeably lower geometric distortion when zoomed-in than the other two EF-S lenses.


Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM
Canon 17-55mm EF-S telephoto geometry test
Canon 17-85mm EF-S telephoto geometry test
Canon 18-55mm EF-S telephoto geometry test
Canon 17-40 EF L telephoto geometry test
17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f8
Distortion: 1.09% pincushion
17-85mm EF-S at 85mm f8
Distortion: 0.967% pincushion
18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f8
Distortion: 0.389% pincushion
17-40mm EF L at 40mm f8
Distortion: 0.187% pincushion

Canon EOS 400D / Rebel XTi lens upgrade results continued...

Outdoor / Resolution / Corner sharpness / Fringe and macro / Geometry / Vignetting


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Canon EF-S 17-85 IS USM


 
Canon EF-S 17-55 IS USM


 
Canon EF 17-40 L


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