Image Quality:
The picture quality is really again a lot better than the kit lens. I have of course not carried out laboratory measurements, but I have to say that the subjective impression but is pretty good. The colors look a lot more natural and stronger than the 18-55mm. The sharpness is pretty good. I have as yet not noticed any weaknesses in this area.
The often mentioned vignetting is to eliminate the internal correction without any problems and I had not noticed on my EOS 500d. If the camera has an internal vignetting correction, but the 15-85mm is not listed there, you can see the latest version of EOS Utility to download the Canon website and then receives the correction data for this lens and can then play comfortably on the camera this ,
Image Stabilization:
The Image Stabilization done his work reliably, but for 18-55 no difference should be noted except that the image stabilizer of 15-85mm seems a little louder, but this is really disturbing in any case, it can be heard as a faint clicking noise.
Feel:
The 15-85mm feels much better than the 18-55mm. The zoom ring is the same size as the 18-55mm, but it can be at 15-85 a little turn severe, but this is very pleasant and makes a higher quality impression. The focus ring is mounted in a Canon-untypical order. He is now, not like for example the 18-55mm, between the camera and zoom ring.
The rumors that the tube enters by itself, I can not confirm this remains in place as you push the set.
Weight:
The 15-85mm is about 3 times as hard as the only 200g heavy with 18-55mm 575g. In my opinion, it is not a disadvantage because you can hold the camera much better calm with more weight. But it is quite conceivable that this lens one is too heavy then, you have to try in the business, but I have to say that it forwards with the weight and obesity not as bad as the EF 75-300mm or 70-300mm IS USM is because they are quite a bit longer.
Autofocus:
The 15-85mm has an ultrasonic motor, the much quieter and faster to focus, as the "normal" autofocus motor of 18-55mm. However, I find that the 18-55mm unfocused slowly. The 15-85mm focused but even faster. And the noise is really a lot more pleasant than with the normal autofocus.
The need to also have the option, at any time to manually intervene in the focus, without anxiety about the technology is really pleasant.
For manual focusing is a distance index in ft. And m. on the lens.
Bayonet:
The 15-85mm has a metal bayonet, unlike the 18-55mm which has only a plastic bayonet. The metal bayonet makes a much better and more stable impression than the plastic bayonet. Also the lens is fastened securely to the camera body and wiggles no whit, which was with the 18-55mm and the plastic bayonet otherwise, this had always been a little game and made no reliable impression.
Focal length:
18mm to 15mm compared like after not much listen, but this is quite a lot, nearly 20%, this I can recommend the English test the lens in [...] very, there is a picture to see how much more 15mm are.
I think it's clear to everyone that 85mm is significantly more than 55mm.
Conclusion:
The 15-85mm IS USM is a major advance. I would buy this lens again. It has almost nothing but advantages:
+ Image quality
+ Haptic
+ Focal length
+ Autofocus
but also disadvantages:
-Lichtstärke
- (Weight)
-PRICE
But it is really worth to invest in this objective and to use it as a Always-top lens.
