It’s been a few weeks since I acquired the Canon 17-40mm f/4, so I’ve had a few opportunities to head out and try the lens. As I had previously mentioned, investing in high quality glass is a must in order to maximize the performance of any DSLR camera. With that being said, I have nothing but positive things to say about the 17-40. While for some it may be a hefty price to pay for a lens, it definitely has a lot of bang for your buck. For being one of the most inexpensive Canon “L” lenses it has a lot to offer: superb optical performance, durability (it’s weather sealed, making it a great lens for outdoor use), and costs and weighs about half as much compared to the 16-35mm. Compare this lens to any kit lens and you’ll be instantly convinced to invest in high quality lenses.
One of my first opportunities to flex the 17-40 was at DODOlogic’s Fallout car show. Having a wide angle lens at car shows is a must as you often don’t have the room to shoot without having people walk into the frame of your picture. Here are just a few images I took while I was checking out all of the cars. I’m definitely impressed with the car scene here in Regina.
Additionally, having a wide angle lens allows you to capture the entire scene or frame in rooms or buildings where you’re limited by the physical space and can’t just take a few steps backs and snap the picture. In the image below, I was able to shoot the entire half of the garage while being only about 7 feet away from my car. The only disadvantage being the resulting distortion which is typical of ultra wide angle lenses.
Lastly, wide angle lenses can add another dimension to your photography by enabling you to capture the entire environment of events and locations. Below are a couple shots I took from the stands at the Huskies vs Bisons football game. 
