Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM and Sigma 17-50/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Review
The Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM and Sigma 17-50/2.8 EX DC OS HSM are both fast wide-to-short telephoto zooms designed for use on crop sensor digital cameras. On such cameras they approximate the same angle of view that you'd get from something like a 28-80mm lens on a full frame camera. This range is useful for general purpose photography from group shots to portraits and travel. It's a focal length range (and speed, at f2.8) often used by event and wedding photographers. Both the Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM and Sigma 17-50/2.8 EX DC OS HSM are optically stabilized, which means they're quite useful in low light given their relatively fast f2.8 maximum aperture and the 2-3 stops of additional stability that the optical stabilization systems can provide.
Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM and Sigma 17-50/2.8 Specifications
| Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM | Sigma 17-50/2.8 EX DC OS HSM | |
| Lens Construction | 19 elements in 12 groups | 17 Elements in 13 Groups |
| Aspheric elements | 3 | 3 |
| Angle of View (diag) | 78.5° - 27.9° | 72.4° - 27.9° |
| # of Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Minimum Aperture | f22 | f22 |
| Minimum Focusing Distance | 35 cm / 13 in | 28 cm / 11 in |
| Filter Size (mm) | 77 | 77 |
| Maximum Magnification | 0.17x | 0.20x |
| Dimensions (Diameter x Length) |
83.5 x 110.6 mm / 3.3 x 4.4 in | 83.5 x 91.8 mm / 3.3 x 3.6 in |
| Weight | 645g / 22.8 oz. | 565g / 19.9oz. |
| Soft case | - | Supplied |
| Lens Hood | Optional | Supplied |
| Mounts | Canon | Canon, Nikon, Sigma, Pentax, Sony/Minolta |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year + 3 year extension |
| Street Price (10/10) | around $1050 | around $670 |
As you can see from the specifications, the lenses are quite similar. The Canon lens has a slightly longer zoom range (55 vs. 50mm), is slightly longer (about 1") and slightly heavier (about 3oz).
The Sigma lens comes with a soft case and lens hood, while the Canon comes with neither (although a hood is available). Both lenses come with a standard 1 year warranty, but the Sigma also includes a 3 year extension (making 4 years in total) at no extra charge.
NEXT: Operation and Controls (Stabilization, Zoom, Focus)
