Sudeep Mukherjee wrote:
 
> Dear list members
> I have been a member of the mailing list for almost a
> year but have never particpated out of sheer fear. You
> guys posses L series lenses and EOS 3, 1, etc. which
> leave alone possessing I have not seen in my city,
> Calcutta, India. Calcutta, for that matter, India is
> more of a Nikon fan. I have a EOS 500N (Rebel G) with
> a 28-80 zoom. Camera equipment is very expensive in
> India and on my slalary I can not even dream about L
> series lenses. I want to buy the EF 22-55 which is
> amazingly cheap. I only take pictures when I am
> travelling and will never publish. 
> 
> Is this lens as good (or bad) as the 28-80? If it is
> of the same quality then I do not mind buying the
> 22-55. Then 28-80 is really bad but if used within its
> limitation is not bad for me at the present. If rarely
> use it wider than f/8. I hane seen photographs taken
> by Ken Durling with an EF 75-300mm and I am impressed.
> This is the only telephoto zoom readily available here
> in India. The latest Tamron 70-300 macro is also
> available. I am now torn between the EF 75-300 and the
> Tamron 70-300. Buying the Tamron will give me basic
> macro abilities. I think attaching a close up
> attachment to the EF 75-300 will also give good
> results.
> 
> Anyways, could you guys help me decide:
> 
> 1. EF 22-55
> 2. EF 75-300 or the Tamron 70-300 macro (the latest
> one is available in India)
...
> Sudeep Mukherjee
> Calcutta, India

Sudeep,

Please note that I do not own the 22-55, nor have I ever seen one
in person. I collected the following old examples of photos on the web
taken with the EF 22-55 to answer questions like yours, because I never saw
a review of this lens.

Pasted answer from someone's earlier question about this lens:

Marc Erik Herant wrote:
> 
> Any opinions, bad or good, on the above lens?

A couple of photos with this lens at Allan Engelhardt's site:

http://cybaea.com/photo/lens-quality.html

If I remember correctly, photodo.com gave it a 2.8 rating (not
great), though I've liked the very few photos I've seen taken
with it.

It's one of the few Canon EF lenses I don't recall ever seeing a
review of. I haven't used it (I've got the EF 24-85).

[and later]

Ran into this site yesterday. Bunches of not very good photos
with the 22-55, but if you check the other lens reviews, the
photographer seems incapable of taking many good photos with any lens:

http://www.camera.canon.com.my/photography/nut/99issue/11topic/index.htm

Please note that I do not own the 22-55, nor have I ever seen one
in person.


Subject: Re: Canon EF 22-55mm f/4,0-5,6 USM
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2001 11:03:49 -0700
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Godfrey DiGiorgi)
 Organization: Col. Kendrick's Home For Retired Starship Troopers
 Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.35mm
> Can anyone offer an opinion on the image quality achieved by
> the EF 22-55mm f/4.0-5.6 USM?

I've recently acquired a Canon EOS IX body and this was the first lens I
bought, very inexpensively ($40 used). I shot two rolls of film with it,
one B&W and one color, and examined the negatives afterwards.  
With APS format, it produces a satisfactory snapshot quality photo, perhaps
a little better than that, suitable for enlargement in the 8x range at most
(about a 6x10" print, full frame) and has a handy zoom range (equivalent to
28-70mm in 35mm format). I noted significant flare and degraded off-axis
definition/contrast. Pincushion and barrel distortion varies by focal
length and grows more acute at the zoom limits. It's slow speed makes for a
light and compact lens, but compromises available light shooting, makes for
a lower quality print as you must shoot with faster films. Stopping it down
does improve resolution in the corners. The rotating front element would
make working with a polarizing filter a headache. I added the lens hood (at
$20+ dollars!) which helped reduce flare to a small extent. 
It's unfortunate that it was an APS kit lens, as it is not as sharp as many
other 35mm Canon lenses and sub-35mm formats need *better* lenses than 35mm
to achieve satisfactory. A friend of mine uses one with his Canon EOS Rebel
and gets good results with it, he can make 8x12" prints that are very nice
and his snapshot-size prints look great.  
If your needs are in line with the capabilities of this lens, it is a good
buy at the price, the size and weight are very appealing for travel. Just
be aware of its deficiencies and limitations. 
Godfrey

22-55 shot compared to a 100mm macro shot of same subject:

http://www.bayarea.net/~ramarren/photostuff/lenscomparo/comparo.htm

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Bill Jameson
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