I'm looking into what upgrade options exist for the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens. For me, this is a superb general purpose lens with a great walk-about focal range, which is why it's my default, go-to lens - it lives on my camera pretty much full time as part of the default trio I carry (with an EF-S 10-22mm and EF 70-300mm).
However, whilst I'm quite happy with this lens, recently I've been thinking that it would be nice to have something faster for use in lower-light scenarios (indoors, late evening), especially at the long end. I'm aware of the excellently regarded Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8, but would ideally prefer a bit more reach. I already have a couple of primes which I would use when I know in advance that such a situation will occur (or if I can carry more of my gear), so I'm only interested in the general purpose scenario.
My camera is a Canon 700D which I've had for just over two years and have no plans to upgrade in the near future. If I were to upgrade, it would not be to full frame (most likely it would be a 760D/77D).
I have seen this question, but a lot has changed in the 4 years since it was asked, plus the only recommendation was the 17-55mm (probably because there wasn't anything else at the time).
Summary of basic criteria:
- Broadly similar focal length range. The wide end is more important to me than the long end, so it needs to be at least 18mm (sacrificing length is OK)
- Faster than f/3.5-5.6 (variable aperture is fine)
- Similar or better image quality (sharpness/distortion)
- 3rd-party lens are fine
I'm not going to put a price limit in place, because I'm OK with buying second-hand and/or waiting for a price drop. Plus, it's good to dream…