Fast, ultra-compact mid-range zoom for digital and film SLRs

This ground-breaking high-speed mid-range zoom is prized by pros and serious shooters for its fast F/2.8 constant aperture, evenness of illumination, and its outstanding imaging performance, and by all photographers for its compact size and reasonable weight that make it feel like an ordinary standard zoom. These admirable characteristics have been achieved by the use of special XR and LD glass, the efficient use of aspherical elements, and non-rotating internal-focus (IF) design. This remarkable zoom lens also focuses down to 0.33m(13in) (1:3.9 magnification) at all focal lengths for satisfying close-up performance and is compatible with APS-C and full-frame-format SLRs. Not surprisingly it is widely acclaimed as a classic.