Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens review (with samples)

This is quite a classy lens with a wide focal range - is it really the great kit lens upgrade it seems to be?
Find it here (Amazon affiliate link):
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All pictures and footage taken by me with my trusty Canon 60D.
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Music: "Opportunity Walks" by Kevin Macleod (www.incompetech.com)

[@jonultime]

I've had this lens for the past 5 years! I highly recommend it, no problems so far, still performs very very well. The zoom range is just simply amazing so versatile.

[@laranitasantana]

It is super sharp. My favorite walk around lens for the last 10 years. Pretty expensive, but is worth it

[@SMGJohn]

Expensive? You can have these brand new for 300 euros, thats killer deal compared to the overpriced junk available for mirrorless, its cheaper than Fujifilms own 16-80mm F4 lens which is usually 800 euros

[@tpm2056]

@@SMGJohn Where are you finding this for 300? Can't find it under 600 € new, not even on ebay. But used it is pretty cheap ...

[@am1rb]

thanks for your great review - based on your previous I bought 3 lenses that you reviewed for my new 90d - i bought this lens 15-85 and the 55-250 stm and the 24 f2.8 stm prime - could not be happier ! this lens and the 55-250 stm are the two my sharpest lenses . to compensate for the lack of the wide aperture i use 2 small light weight primes : the new 24 2.8 stm and the old 50mm 1.8 ii so i'm fully covered with my new 90d - a lot of thanks for your reviews - actually using the lens is beyond my best expectations .

[@msbrownbeast]

I have had this lens with my 7D, both purchased new in 2010. The camera has surpassed 200,000 shots with this lens. The 7D still works fine but the lens shows communication error from time to time, tried cleaning contacts, so far no luck (especially when used in damp conditions). I went and purchased another 15-85 (used but in much better condition than my old one).

[@inkfillcape5268]

Christopher I want to thank you very much for your honest advice. I have purchased this lense about a month ago on your recommendation. It complements my Canon sl2/200d beautifully. The photos are very sharp as you said. That 15mm is really handy for close action shots. Surprisingly I have gotten use to its 85mm limit and I don't miss the zoom on my previous 18-200mm lens yet. This lens offers alot to make up for the extra zoom range. It is a good all rounder. I will though invest in the canon 70-300mm mk2 USM in future . Thank you for all your reviews.

[@leeriley66]

Fantastic review mate. Just bought one of these and I'm very happy now I see where it wins and falls down. It really helps when a guy like you does some foot work for guys like me. Awesome work pal.

[@thameralsalem7640]

I own a 70d with this 15-85mm and its a beautiful combo for all-around photography. The price is steep however, especially that it doesn't come with a hood, but i bileave its worth it.

[@morrie6349]

Which is the lens better for video between 18-85mm vs 50mm canon?

[@Cpt_zheng]

@@morrie6349 15-85 for stabilization. The 50mm 1.8 stm is quite good, and with a very big aperture.

[@edwardsmall3680]

Just picked up one of these on eBay for a steal! I've wanted one ever since you reviewed it! Thanks for all your wonderful advice Mr Frost.

[@yruashvili]

I always make decision by watching your reviews, you are the best, simple and clear, very nice job, thank you :D

[@_docjuli_]

Same here.

[@michaelmurphy6434]

So then here is my question. I am a retired Hasselblad wedding photographer. I now own a Canon 90d. Is this lens a good match. I mostly am doing vacation, sports non game portraits, and family. I get out holiday images printed to 5x7 and put them in an album. Is this older lens still a good match for the 90d. I am not interested in 24-70 2.8 to heavy for me now. I value your opinions and reviews. Thank you for giving us an idea of the selections that are out there. The Hassy was easier, great camera, 60 and 80mm a few film backs, a Quantum flash and you are ready to go. Thanks again for what you do for us. Getting married this year?

[@christopherfrost]

I reckon it'll be a bit soft on your 90D but I couldn't say for sure

[@nessimko7628]

I just love your reviews !

[@JandSChainsaw]

Just ordered this lens along with the 55-250 stm,can't wait until they arrive..Thank's for your reviews..

[@christopherfrost]

That's a good combination!

[@FormTrends]

Hi Chris, Does this lens have better optics than a 17-55 f/2.8? I've watched your reviews on both and you say "If I had (...) just one lens, this would definitely be the one" about both! PS - I also shoot video, so I need good IS and fast, accurate focus too. Thanks in advance!

[@christopherfrost]

The 15-85 is the one I would take if I were going on holiday. The 17-55 if I only had one lens for everything. The optics of both are quite similar

[@FormTrends]

Thanks Chris. I'm still on the fence. The 15-85mm has more reach and is more compact, so seems like the ideal walkaround. The 17-55 has a constant F/2.8 aperture though, which is nice, especially if shooting video. How do you compare the IS and the USM focus performance of each?

[@christopherfrost]

USM is the same, IS is noticeably smoother on the 15-85, which would be good for video work

[@FormTrends]

Thanks again Chris. Keep up the great reviews!! All the best

[@FormTrends]

Hi Chris, I bought this lens on your recommendation and I love it! Though it would benefit from a lower F-stop indoors it suits my photo and video needs just fine. Thanks again for the awesome reviews!

[@professionalidiot07]

The most underrated lens ever made

[@dzonyLM]

Thank you for recommending it. Its is my 3rd lens after 50MM 1.8 and 24mm 2,8. It is the best lens for landscapes or reportage, but my 4th (last) lens ef 100MM F2 is better for portraits. Its great that by changing glass you can change outcome of your images dramatically.

[@dzonyLM]

@@Hugohackenbush great for everything with better image quality that 50mm 1,8 and with extension ring its great first macro lens.

[@Jimmy_6a]

Hi. I also have 24mm f2.8. pancake. And now I'm thinking about buying 15-85. But one thing makes me confused.. 24mm costs 150 euro (brand new) but 15-85 about 200 euro for used one.. and the second one is pretty old. Is it really so good? What can you say about difference in sense of picture quality? Thanks

[@louisgianfrancesco]

Thank you Chris. This shall be my upgrade from my kit lens. Keep up the good work.

[@ArcturanMegadonkey]

Nice review apart from that really HORRID piano music in the background! I'm looking for a lens with that zoom range but with low aperture and as smooth focusing for filming, can you recommend any others?

[@charlesfisher2134]

I use it on my Canon 77d very sharp photos love this lens

[@Jimmy_6a]

Hi. For mycanon 70d I have 24mm f2.8. pancake. And now I'm thinking about buying 15-85. But one thing makes me confused.. 24mm costs 150 euro (brand new) but 15-85 is about 200 euro for used one.. and the second one is pretty old. Is it really so good? What can you say about difference in sense of picture quality? Thanks

[@maniacpuma6653]

One of the best channels on lenses and such. Thank you.

[@HR-mm6ts]

Thank you for the review! I have a question. Do you still recommend EF-s 15-85mm as a replacement for bundle lense in 2023? I'm a user of EOS 100D.

[@NeilHadynNicholson]

I have never seen this video on your channel until now and I have probably seen all of your other videos throughout the years. I have searched for this lens all over the web and the old version of Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM shows up in my searches, until today. That's just weird.

[@waynehock8442]

I own this lens and agree that it's the perfect "walking around" lens for a cropped sensor camera. If you're going on a trip, bring this lens along and you're going to be able to get 95% of the shots you want. It's sharp at f/5.6. My only comment on the video is, because this is an EF-S lens, it's not REALLY 15-85mm. Because of the crop factor, it's actually 24-105mm, so not quite as wide but longer reach.

[@paulcorcoran2160]

It's actually 24-136mm

[@santora1957]

I like this lens, I like the focal lengths it offers. I'm looking for a lens to replace my 18-55mm kit lens for landscape and street photography. But I'm also looking at a couple of prime lenses both L-series lenses: The 100mm macro and the 400mm F/5.6 As for the zoom I'm still undecided though. I like the versatility of a zoom, but not too big of a zoom. I'm not crazy about my 75-300mm kit lens. It's only good to about 220mm, before going soft on the image. And even the higher end 70-300mm with IS goes soft at 300mm. So nether gives me the reach I need for wildlife photography. Which is why I'm going for the 400mm L which I should have in my hands in a few weeks. Unless something in my house breaks lol. The 18-55 kit lens is adequate for the time being, it does the job. But I do need to replace it eventually. The 15-85mm is on the list.

[@johnmacleod5953]

Hi Chris, love these reviews, I'm buying an R10 to replace my 550D. I have this EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens, and wondering if I stick with it, or buy the kit lens with the R10 (the RF-S 18-150mm IS STM Lens). The alternative is to save up for the Canon EF 100mm F/2.8L IS USM Autofocus Macro Lens, as we sometimes shoot jewellery. Any thoughts really appreciated

[@thelaird1]

I love your reviews. I have this lens, but not used it yet. Looking forward to using it though

[@Francis_A.321]

I've been thinking of getting this one. But would you recommend this over the newer 18-135mm is usm? Most of my shots are on the longer side so I'm leaning towards the 18-135. But the extra wide angle is good to have for travels though. So I'm probably going to base my decision on image quality. What would be your pick for image quality?

[@marvinlovenfeldt]

I own the Canon EF-S 15-85mm and use on my R7 with the Meike MK-EFTR-C Drop-in ND filter adapter. Works great.

[@lb7144]

I have mine adapted to my R6 MKII and it automatically crops the sensor. The lens takes awesome photos with no problems. I use the same adapter- can’t beat them.

[@Jthe5th]

Is the image in static video shooting (not walking) as jittery as shown in this review, as far as I have seen video examples on various non-stabilized bodies it still has the micro jitters/not totally smooth video, pretty much everything I have seen looks like here at 1:15, but I wonder if the R7 makes it totally smooth with it's IBIS?

[@lb7144]

@@Jthe5th My R6 MKII has IBIS and the lens has IS so video has been buttery smooth. The EFS 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 STM IS is better for blogging. I haven’t had any jittery video out of either lens on my R62 or 90D (digital IBIS).

[@iastorgaphotos]

Really appreciate your review for this lens…just bought it! Thanks again and keep them videos going!

[@mikepawlikguitar]

Hey Christopher! This channel has helped me so much in terms of choosing the right gear. Thank you so much for all you do. Do you mind if I aks you a quick question about price? Right now, I can get the Canon EOS 7D (Mark 1 Original) + this exact lens in the video for 1.299 Canadian Dollars plus taxes (which adds 13% for harmonised sales tax). Do you personally think this is a good deal for a setup like this? Of course I'd rather go the Canon 6D (Original) with 24-70 f/4L IS route... but just wanted to know your opinion. Keep up the great work!

[@christopherfrost]

That sounds like a lot of money for a very old camera. Personally I'd get the 15-85 with a Canon 200D

[@agapitojuliano5517]

Get one copy and I'm impressed with her sharpness and overall quality. AF is blazing fast and IS simply let me take pics over 1s exposition with superb quality. Only con is the barrel distortion at widest focal range... Is there any solution? My cam is a 70D... Tks and see ya!

[@addam29]

best reviewer in utube!!!

[@Doitforyoself]

Hi. I just bought a Canon 80d and I need help with what is a good "sharp" photo lens to travel with? I just want one all-around lens to take photos of city landscapes, people, streets in general. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@HowardWimshurst]

super helpful review - thank you so much!

[@minbuichai4512]

Very helpful and I got one myself for my new EOS 200D Mk 2. Picture quality is superbly sharp!

[@tombergman4506]

Great review! Is this lens sharper than the Sigma 17-55 2.8 EX OS?

[@christopherfrost]

Probably about the same

[@alanbirchenough7263]

tom bergman x

[@Steve2Q]

Excellent review! My 17-85 just died, and I wanted another "all around" lens. I am putting in an order today. Thanks. Subscribed!

[@randelabratique2978]

Quick question: Canon 15-85 (this one), Tamron 17-50 2.8 vc, or Sigma 24-70 2.8? Needed for video shooting,15-85 is the most versatile in range but I don't think it would do good on low light situations, but if you were to choose.. ?

[@KL-gv9jw]

Thanks Chris. Today I follow you and made a decision to get a copy for my travel plan. It works great in focusing and image stablisation. The image quality is really good for walk around.

[@LukeZalvino]

Cannot decide between this and sigma 15-50! Sigma is faster but smaller length. I primarily want it for landscape photography but fast for portraits is nice too. Also the IS seems better on Canon. I use T7i. What do you guys think

[@gregpatchan5626]

Like the reviews but Mr. Frost doesn't seem to run into issues with decentering (tilted optics) or AF issues (front/back). I had both issues with my copies of this lens. The decentering was very noticeable at 15mm with the left side quite soft on 3 different cameras.

[@latinoamericandojapon9185]

Hello and thanks for the review. Between this lens (EFS 15-85) and the EF 24-105 with a Canon 7D for video, ¿which one recommend?

[@christopherfrost]

If you want to zoom in and out a lot then the 24-105. If you need the widest angles then the 15-85. I'd say go with the 15-85

[@lb7144]

Found this lens on eBay right after watching Christopher’s review. 👍🏾

[@donnaa2652]

I'm shooting a very small wedding in someone's home and debating between using the 15-85 which I own, or getting the 18-135 STM for more reach. I'd like to use just one lens and have a little more reach and blur. Will the image quality be as good with 18-135 STM? I'll be using a 70d and 430EXII. Which lens would you recommend I use? Your reviews are the best, thanks Christopher!

[@donnaa2652]

I forgot to mention, I also have the 55-250 STM and the 17-55 STM. But since this is a very small wedding, in the home, I think I can get by with just one lens and would prefer that if possible. The 18-135 STM is the only one I don't own, but I could buy it if you think it would be the best choice. Thanks very much!

[@paulmcgee850]

Your videos are very informative and cover all of the relevant information in reviewing lenses. Subscribed!

[@laranitasantana]

Have it on my T2I all the time. love it

[@avarmadillo]

Excellent review, Christopher. I use this lens on the Blackmagic 6k pocket camera (with aps-c senosor) and I find it to be every thing you say it is and more. It and the 50-200mm are the two I take with me. The in-lens stabilization is excellent---better than the vast number of cameras with sensor stabilization. Alas, Canon is right---in-lens stabilization is not fraught with so many of the problems you find with sensor stabilized images. Thanks for such a great review.

[@ahmedadambd1939]

I'm interested on your comment. So you recommend this lens to be used with a BMPCC4K (without Metabones T Speed Booster ULTRA 0.71x)? Thank you

[@doiphods]

Hi, I am planning to buy a good lens for my canon 500d. I have narrowed my options down to this one (15-85mm) and the Tamron 16-300mm. Which one should I go for? Thanks

[@Arubapower13]

Great review! Would you recommend this lens for landscape photography?

[@christopherfrost]

Sure, why not :-)

[@HeriSuranegara]

oh yes, this will be my new lens for my 60d

[@edwin_ac]

Hi Christopher, as always, I do appreciate your review. Just want to ask, which lens is sharper, this lens, or the Canon EOS M 18-150mm lens?

[@schm147]

This one.

[@roelp9427]

I mostly shoot at 18mm till 23mm with my kitlens. sometimes a miss a little bit more range for landscape , but not much. is it worth to upgrade to this 15/85mm. i can buy one for 150 dollars second hand .

[@yadryo]

How do you compare image quality and performance of canon 15-85mm to new canon 18-135mm STM ? & which one should work better on canon 70D ??

[@christopherfrost]

The 18-135 STM is meant to be pretty good, so similar picture quality. The 15-85mm has a wider widest angle, and the 18-135 can zoom in much more

[@larslindemann3526]

Hey Chris, thanks for this review. Would you rather take the 15-85 or the new 18-135 Nano USM as walkaround lens? Is one of them better in picture quality? And can you please tell me if i should upgrade my "old" 70-300 IS USM to the new Nano USM version? My Camera is the Canon 80D. I'd also love to get the Sigma 50-100 as well... Is it possible to take sharp shots handheld? Thank you very much! Best regards, Lars

[@christopherfrost]

The 15-85. I like wide angles

[@johnpilling1366]

Just new to your reviews, excellent, best I've seen.

[@isaacsj1000]

Fantastic lense bought it second hand from ebay.

[@ahmedadambd1939]

Thank you for every useful video. Kindly do you recommend this lens to be used (+ Metabones T Speed Booster ULTRA 0.71x) with a BMPCC4K?

[@carmas54]

I have seen your reviews on both 15-85mm and the 24-105mmL Lens, bottom line which one do you feel gives you sharper images?

[@carmas54]

the 15-85 for stills (great lens) and if you're going to take videos the 24-105 is smoother and quieter ..less searching... hope that helps

[@gbh2000uk]

hi chris. Have you tried this on the R7. can it reslove the high mp of this camera?

[@arunnatrajbanavar4445]

Thank you Chris, Will this be a good option for EOS M6 Markii to upgrade from it's kit lens i.e. 15-45mm considering the high resolution sensor.

[@maorbencine]

Hello friend, your reviews are really good and well detailed, but im missing some information. I own canon 700D and Im looking for landscaping street and portrait pictures.. What are your recomendations? I have in mind the 24-105mm 4fL or the 15-85mm 3.5-5.6f.. Im not sure what is the difference between them in the image quality please add your opinion. Which lens would you go with? Are there any other lenses you would choose for my needs? Thanks a lot Ben

[@christopherfrost]

You'll probably want the 15-85 because it will give you far wider angles

[@wpp234]

Hi Chris. Great review! I am looking at the canon 15-85 for a crop sensor, but, just saw the release notes for the canon 18-135 usm, it is speculation- but what were your thoughts on whether the optical quality of the newer 18-135 usm would be a big step up that will rival the 15-85?! Or perhaps the major improvement will be the focusing system only? Thanks!

[@christopherfrost]

+Will B The image quality should rival the 15-85 so it's really more about what focal length you prefer

[@FrostMonolith]

Coming from the future, I can truly say the new nano USM is significantly better on autofocus technology, but the 15mm is the decisive factor for me personally to pick 15-85 instead.

[@veljkovidakovic3050]

Hi, witch lens is sharper, this one or Sigma 17-70mm macro?

[@duncandrake]

Thank you for your reviews. You are very informative and detailed. I think i'll go for one of these.

[@lorrainekerr9273]

thanks for your great lens reviews - they really helped me make the right purchase decision

[@Rodridominguez92]

To shoot evening events you which would you recommend me more ? canon 15 85mm or Sigma 17 50mm? will be my first lens to buy and replace the 18 135 of my canon 60d . your great reviews!

[@christopherfrost]

AbismoRock Well, the Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 lets in more light, so I'd go for that one

[@steveanderson8562]

Nice review seems like a great walk around lens for cropped cameras. However as demonstrated in your review I’m concerned about the chromatic aberration at 15mm and again towards 85mm. I’m using a Canon 70d which has a built in “Lens aberration control” option. Would turning this option on this bring the CA under control?

[@christopherfrost]

Steve Anderson It should help a lot :-)

[@joeslow97vecchio]

Hi! Can u reply to my question? Is Canon 15-85 better than Sigma 17-70 2.8-4? Which would work better on a Canon 400D?

[@christopherfrost]

joeslow97 It really depends on your personal needs. Take a look at my video about the Sigma 17-70, I compare the two lenses

[@edurmissa]

In my opinion, this is the best zoom in aps-c canon, it issmaller than the 18-135 and 17-55, it might not be that long nor that fast, but is usm, it has IS too and is among the widest non fisheye cheaper lenses you could put in your aps-c camera. It works wider than the 16-35 but is far cheaper.

[@mrmoazen]

Dear Chris. I really appreciate your great efforts on reviewing various lenses. Quick question; do you think it worth to buy the canon 15-85 in 2018 considering it ages? Any recommendation on comparable lens except canon 18-135 and sigma 17-70? Thanks and looking forward for your future reviews

[@christopherfrost]

It's getting quite old now but it's still a pretty nice lens

[@mrmoazen]

Christopher Frost Photography ; I decided to buy this lens but then I saw canon 24-70 f4 L which is rather new and in terms of price is only 60€ more expensive than canon 15-85 (both new). I checked several reviews including yours, but if put focal length aside which lens would you recommend for canon 70D?

[@christopherfrost]

It's up to you, really - with the 15-85 you'll be getting a far, far better zoom range. The 24-70 will be slightly sharper (but not much) and has a wider aperture at 70mm, which is nice

[@mrmoazen]

Christopher Frost Photography ; thanks for the reply. Besides kit lens I have canon 35mm f2 which I love and use almost for every occasion. I may wait more for a new efs standard zoom release while both 17-55 and 15-85 are quite old now. Hope canon do something soon :) According to your review I bought sigma 17-50 two years ago, but the moving focus ring drove me crazy as it always stock in my hand. Otherwise it was ok, but eventually I sold it. Anyway, thanks again and looking forward for your future reviews. Ali

[@pontbwo7417]

@@mrmoazen 非全副相机，要用15-85 或者 18-135更合适。24-70广角端太窄了

[@hajerfeeta]

Hi. Please can you tell me what is best portrait canon lens and affordable. Note please my camera its canon eos 7d Thanks for any help

[@pieterdewit5335]

My friend is looking to get a camera to upgrade from her 400d and asking me for advice. I think a 18-55mm kitlens wouldn’t be anything exciting to her, compared to a camera in phones nowadays. Could you recommend this lens over the 18-135mm STM option, for the wider 15mm ? Or is that more modern 18-135mm STM just a better lens ?

[@christopherfrost]

Take a look at my review of the 18-135 STM, I talk a bit about the differences at the end of that review I think

[@RichardWraith]

Hi Christopher... Great channel, instantly subscribed...I have a question which I'm sure will make people laugh... Pictures are square/rectangular, so why are lenses round?

[@christopherfrost]

It's a lot easier than trying to design oval ones, I suppose :-)

[@ardyar9407]

Christopher, which would you recommend for an APS-C Canon camera. This or the Sigma EX 17-50mm f/2.8 DC OS HSM as a one lens traveler? I can get either for the same price. Thanks.

[@christopherfrost]

If you're going traveling then the extra zoom range of the 15-85 will be useful. For general purpose, I personally prefer to have a lens with an f/2.8 aperture

[@havivelbaz]

what lens would you choose now for the 80d, this lens or the new 18-135 usm , for all around lens ?

[@christopherfrost]

It all depends what zoom range you want. Personally I like wider angles so I would go for the 15-85

[@barebarekun161]

This lens actually mounted on my uncle's EOS 550D that he just handed down to me. I don't know man,it seemed pretty sweet the second I saw it,can't talk on anything else though,I'm really clueless around photography and cameras and especially the professional looking ones like DSLR. This lens and 550D...not bad for a guy that need a good camera in 2017.

[@katiadotto951]

Thank you for this amazing review video! Couldn't think of a better way to do it. Very, very helpful for me, a beginner amateur photographer.

[@QBDad18]

I am seeing this lens very well priced used now in excellent condition now. In terms of used if I was looking at the 18-135 Nano or this one which would be best deal for overall on a Canon 7D... I don't plan to upgrade my body just want a good quality clear lens and this one looks great in this review

[@lelandsmith2320]

5.6 is very impressive outdoors on a sunny day!

[@zhengricky5446]

Can this lens cover full frame with small vignette, Chris?

[@noname06092009]

Thanks for this helpful review. I like how you combine facts with examples! Looking forward for more of your reviews :-)

[@AriefRakhmatsyah]

Want this lens for my 70D. Thanks for the review.

[@XueNu]

no point to mention it, cause "EF-S" lenses is specially build for canon Crop Sensor DSLR Cameras such as 7d 70d 700d etc. 15-85, that is the range for all crop sensor

[@sethuramanmuralidharan3062]

hi chris..i love lanscape photography..do u recommend this lens for that? and what is the maximum aperture we can get ? what does it mean by 3.5 to 5.6 ? does it mean that i cant go beyond 5.6..sorry if its silly

[@christopherfrost]

Sure this is a good lens for landscape work. f/3.5 is the lens's maximum aperture at the widest angle, and when you zoom in it darkens to f/5.6. You can stop down the aperture further than that if you want

[@scrappynewton]

What lens would you recommend for APS-C landscape and architecture? Trying to find a wide angle zoom? Would you recommend this over a 24-105 l series

[@christopherfrost]

If you want to upgrade in the future then the 24-105 is a good option

[@gioihuynh2421]

Hello Chris, I'd really enjoy your Vlog ! I had just bought Canon T7i camera with 18-135 mm lens in October this year? The quality photos are not sharped enough. I saw your review about 15-85mm lens. Would this lens will be more sharper than 18-135 lens? Thanks Chris.

[@christopherfrost]

Very slightly sharper, I think

[@riantosoputro2747]

Hi, would you recommend this as an upgrade of the 18-55mm STM kit lens on Canon 70D, or is it better to swap the 18-55mm STM with the 18-135mm STM instead of this?

[@christopherfrost]

+Rianto Soputro It really just depends whether you want a lens with a wider angle, or more telephoto reach. Personally I'd go for the 15-85 but that's down to personal choice

[@rintaro73]

+Christopher Frost Photography thanks for your quick reply. I hardly use anything wider than 18mm on APS-c (happy with 35mm format equivalent of 28mm), and mainly shoot kids portrait around 35-50 zoom. Wondering if its sharpness / contrast quality in the middle of its zoom range really have much more advantage over the kit lens. I do find the STM focusing is superior due to silent, but I'm not a video shooter by nature.

[@christopherfrost]

+rintaro73 There isn't that much of a sharpness advantage in the 18-135 - check out my review for more info. If you do a lot of portrait shots then you might even consider a nice 30mm f/1.4 lens like the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 ART

[@FinalLugiaGuardian]

Hey its an Nintendo N64. Christopher, I have a Question, does the N64 you own use the 50 hertz refresh rate of the UK?

[@christopherfrost]

Yup. So, the games run a little slower (making them easier hehe)

[@sumitagg1]

How does this compare with the Tamron 16-300 that you've already reviewed? That's the only other lens that offers a wide focal length

[@christopherfrost]

Take a look at my review of the 16-300 and you'll see :-)

[@pedrovieira3655]

For roughly the same price what do you think it's better 18-135mm stm or this one? (I already own a 55-250 is stm)

[@christopherfrost]

The 18-135 STM is a bit more modern, but personally I really like this 15-85 for its wide angle of 15mm is great :-)

[@mirkoxtreme]

Christopher Frost Photography , i trust you completely when i go shopping for lenses! :)

[@andrelousada]

This one vs the new 18-135mm? for video work?

[@ReflectinGod96]

great review of an excellent lens! i have this lens as well on my 60D and its the perfect walkaround lens! i recommend it to everyone.

[@NonoFlanders]

AAAAAhhhhh !!! Due to your videos (so nice and precise by the way), I m torn between the 15-85 and the 18-135 STM for my first lens!!! I intend to do more videos than photos with a 700D and here are the facts : I have a go pro. I don t zoom that much when i film. Noise of autofocus is not important. I travel a lot. Which one should i get ? (question 1) please tell me... I m desperate, i ve probably whatched thoses videos 10 times each.. ^^ Many people tell the 18-135 STM is now as good as the 15-85 in terms of picture quality (according to some MTF charts i did not really understand). is that true ? (question 2) Thanks a lot for what you do !! cheers

[@christopherfrost]

It's up to you, really. I compare them in my video of the 18-135 STM so all the info I can give you is there. Personally, I slightly prefer the 15-85 for its wide angles

[@mhstagg]

Fantastic review, very helpful in the decision process. Thanks!

[@leshayward480]

How would you rate this lens against the ef-s 55-250?

[@charass1]

very good lens. I have been using it few years, but now its time for me to let it go. I upgraded to FF body. If someone from Czech Rep or around is interested I can make a good price.

[@doros9.2]

A pretty weird question from me. Do you believe it could replace the Ultra-wide 10-18mm Canon lens, by beginning at 15mm?

[@christopherfrost]

Not really, as 10mm is much wider than 15mm (obviously). However if you could only have one lens then the 15-85 is a good choice

[@doros9.2]

I've made an image comparison of 10mm and 15mm with my 10-18mm and the difference is huge, especially comparing landscape images! The 10-18mm is staying right here!

[@card-joker5301]

how good is this usm vs the newest stm 18-55/135?

[@enrique8292]

It's my main lens right now for shooting events. Almost never use my other lens which is a 50mm 1.8. This is a sharp lens w/ fast af and the wide to short telephoto zoom range pretty much covers all my needs.