Support Camera Labs by price checking using the flags below


or by shopping via our affiliate stores
- thanks!

RSS Feed Camera Labs RSS Feed




Latest camera reviews

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T77
Canon PowerShot SX10 IS
Canon PowerShot A2000IS
Canon PowerShot G10
Canon IXUS 870 / SD 880IS
Sony Alpha A900
Canon EOS 50D
Nikon D90
Panasonic Lumix LX3
Canon EOS 1000D / XS
Nikon D700

Olympus E-520
Panasonic Lumix FX500

Canon EOS 450D / XSi
Sony Alpha A350

Panasonic Lumix TZ5


All reviews ....
   
 
  Latest DSLRs
     



Canon
Olympus
Pentax
Nikon
Panasonic
Sony
     
 
  Best Buys: our top models
     



Compacts / Super-zooms
Budget DSLRs / Mid-range DSLRs / Semi-pro / Lenses
   
 



   
 



Camera Labs Forum

Any questions, comments or a great tip to share? Join our Forum and let everyone know.
   
 
  DSLR Tips



 
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, tested with Canon EOS 400D / XTi Gordon Laing, July 2007

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




Support this site by shopping via these links

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM corner sharpness using Canon EOS 400D / XTi

 

To measure and compare the corner sharpness of each lens using the Canon EOS 400D, we photographed the Enhanced Digital Camera Resolution Chart with each lens at its shortest and longest focal lengths using various aperture settings. The 400D was set to Large Fine JPEG mode and its Standard Picture Style. All four lenses were tested within moments of each other under identical lighting conditions.

The crops are taken from the lower left corner of the chart and presented here at 100%. The wide angle crops show a slightly larger area of the chart because the minimum focusing distances forced us to shoot from a little further away. No crops have been resized.


Zoomed-out to wide angle, the EF 17-40mm performs well in the corners, although it should do being corrected for a much larger full-frame body; that said, it's far from perfect on a cropped body and here exhibits a little coloured fringing and a drop in contrast at smaller apertures.

Zoomed-into its longest focal length and with the aperture wide open, the EF 17-40mm is actually quite soft in the corners - this is a bit of a disappointment considering again it should be corrected for a much larger full-frame body. That said we found this lens performs much better when zoomed-out than it does zoomed-in, and as the results below show, the corner sharpness can be greatly improved by closing the aperture a little.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Canon 17-40mm EF L - f2.8 not available
Canon 17-85mm EF-S - f2.8 not available
Canon 18-55mm EF-S - f2.8 not available
Canon 17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f2.8
f2.8 not available
f2.8 not available
f2.8 not available
17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f2.8
Canon 17-40mm EF L at 17mm f4
Canon 17-85mm EF-S at 17mm f4
Canon 18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f3.5
Canon 17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f4
17-40mm EF L at 17mm f4
17-85mm EF-S at 17mm f4
18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f3.5
17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f4
Canon 17-40mm EF L at 17mm f8
Canon 17-85mm EF-S at 17mm f8
Canon 18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f8
Canon 17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f8
17-40mm EF L at 17mm f8
17-85mm EF-S at 17mm f8
18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f8
17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f8
Canon 17-40mm EF L at 17mm f16
Canon 17-85mm EF-S at 17mm f16
Canon 18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f16
Canon 17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f16
17-40mm EF L at 17mm f16
17-85mm EF-S at 17mm f16
18-55mm EF-S at 18mm at f16
17-55mm EF-S at 17mm f16
             
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Canon 17-40mm EF L - f2.8 not available
Canon 17-85mm EF-S - f2.8 not available
Canon 18-55mm EF-S - f2.8 not available
Canon 17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f2.8
f2.8 not available
f2.8 not available
f2.8 not available
17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f2.8
Canon 17-40mm EF L at 40mm f4
Canon 17-85mm EF-S at 85mm f5.6
Canon 18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f5.6
Canon 17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f5.6
17-40mm EF L at 40mm f4
17-85mm EF-S at 85mm f5.6
18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f5-6
17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f5.6
Canon 17-40mm EF L at 40mm f8
Canon 17-85mm EF-S at 85mm f8
Canon 18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f8
Canon 17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f8
17-40mm EF L at 40mm f8
17-85mm EF-S at 85mm f8
18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f8
17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f8
Canon 17-40mm EF L at 40mm f16
Canon 17-85mm EF-S at 85mm f16
Canon 18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f16
Canon 17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f16
17-40mm EF L at 40mm f16
17-85mm EF-S at 85mm f16
18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f16
17-55mm EF-S at 55mm f16


Canon 17-40mm results continued...

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




Support this site by checking prices below or shopping via our affiliate stores


USA readers



 
UK readers
Jessops discount voucher


All words, images, videos and layout, copyright 2005-2008 Gordon Laing. May not be used without permission.

About Us / How we test / Best Buys / Home