EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Chromatic Aberration

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Chromatic Aberration / Linear Distortion

The Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens with the EOS 20D shows mild chromatic aberration in the outer 39% of the image field that is comparable to the chromatic aberration produced by the highly rated EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM with full frame sensors or film.

Methods used to determine chromatic aberration are here. Mild chromatic aberration was observed in the outer 39% area of the image field. Moderate chromatic aberration was observed in the outer 61% area of the image field at 55mm with the EF-S 18-55mm lens. To see chromatic aberration in download examples, download the files, open them in Photoshop and display edges of images at 200%. The examples are crops of full-size, large fine jpg's out of the 20D or EOS-1D. Linear distortion was also reported from the images. (Note: Uncropped examples were originally posted. Cropped sections had to be substituted because of high band width demands on the site.)

Focal length for EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and EOS-1Ds (full frame)	Focal length for EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 and 20D (APS-C)	EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS @ f/8 20D Chromatic aberration (CA) and linear distortion	EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS @ f/8 EOS-1Ds Chromatic aberration (CA) and linear distortion	EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 @ f/8 20D Chromatic aberration (CA) and linear distortion
28mm	17 or 18mm	mild CA moderate barrel dist.	mild CA moderate barrel dist.	no CA moderate barrel dist.
33mm	22mm	mild CA (example) minimal pin cushion dist.	mild CA (example) mild barrel dist.	no CA minimal barrel dist.
50mm	33mm	mild CA mild pin cushion dist.	mild CA mild pin cushion dist.	no CA negligible dist.
85mm	53 or 55mm	negligible CA mild pin cushion dist.	negligible CA mild pin cushion dist.	moderate CA (example) minimal pin cushion dist.
135mm	85mm	no CA mild pin cushion dist.	no CA moderate pin cushion dist.

20D / EF-S Lens Report Index Page