With Image Stablisation, UD elements and an Ultrasonic Motor, is this feature-filled objective the perfect kit-lens replacement?

Excellent handling and IS system

Drop-off in MTF curves

The Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is a general-purpose lens designed for Canon's range of cropped-frame DSLRs, which means all bodies apart from those belonging to the 5D or 1D series.

Flexible range including 24mm coverage; Sharp details into the corners; Quick and quiet USM AF with non-rotating barrel; Smooth manual focusing ring and distance window

Poor vignetting with visible darkening in corners; Modest image stabilisation in our tests; Some creep between 24 and 50mm (actual); As usual for a non-L lens; no hood supplied

Lens oracle, Gary Wolstenholme examines the new 15-85mm IS USM lens from Canon. Canons' 15-85mm lens costs around ￡639 and is the natural replacement for their popular EF-S 17-85mm IS USM lens which can be had for around ￡380, due in part to this new lens becoming available.

Useful zoom range; Excellent sharpness at most apertures and focal lengths; Image Stabiliser; Good build quality

Distortion; Vignetting at 15mm; Flare and ghosting performance (no lens hood supplied

The Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens delivers top-tier image quality over an excellent general purpose focal length range in a nicely-sized/weighted/built body with great AF and an excellent implementation of Image Stabilization at a for-what-you-get great price . I'm impressed.

Introduced last year, this extrawide zoom built for Canons with APS-C-sized sensors makes an attractive utility lens for the new EOS 60D or can serve as a wider, longer alternative to the Rebel kit lens.

A 5.6x standard zoom for Canon EF-S compatible cameras, which provides an angle of view equivalent to a 24-136mm lens on a 35mm camera, plus a 4-stop image stabiliser.

Distortion; Vignetting at 15mm; Flare and ghosting performance (no lens hood supplied

A dream as a walk-around lens. The difference between 15mm and 18mm is very noticable and opens a whole new world of possibilities. The only real downside for me is the lack of weather sealing, because this lens will often be used for landscapes or seascapes in rather unwelcoming conditions.

1) unparalleled focal length 2) extremely effective image stabilisation 3) excellent center sharpness throughout; very good corner sharpness wide open; excellent overall stopped down to f/5.6.

1) Not weather sealed 2) Zoom creep beginning from about 40mm onwards

Over the recent years we often criticized Canon regarding the rather mediocre build quality in some of their consumer lenses like e.g. the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 USM IS. Fortunately we can report that the EF-S 15-85mm IS has been improved in this respect.

Sept 1st. Canon has officially announced the much rumoured Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens. The Canon EF-S 15-85mm IS USM is designed to offer high end image quality, while providing focal length range coverage from approximately 24-136mm 35 mm equivalent terms.

The EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens is one of two lenses announced by Canon in September when details of the EOS 7D were revealed. It's offered with the 7D body in the Platinum kit and covers a wide-to-telephoto zoom range of roughly 5.6 times.