I got a 17-70mm f2.8-4 macro lens last year to replace the (mostly crappy) standard kit lens that comes with DSLRs... and am ashamed to admit that I haven't really used it much. It's obviously great outdoors when I need to zoom in on something, or close-quarter situations where I need a wide angle to fit everything in. I just always reached for my 50mm macro lens when shooting jewellery or other small objects because I was used to that setup, and it's really the most reliable where sharpness is concerned.

So I used the 17-70mm on these shots of a commissioned necklace today... actually they're not too bad. I can't go all the way up to f2.8, but f4 is decent enough:


Can't tell the difference, can you? I think this lens is going to be a great travel companion - can't wait to take it with me :D