Quote Originally Posted by peety3


Quote Originally Posted by Jon Ruyle


And if you're worried about keeping ISO down in low light, the IS of the
17-55 will be a big bonus, especially at the long end.


Yes, IF your shutter speeds are in the range of 1/10th to 1/50th. If you're trying to stop-action with people, you need higher shutter speeds anyway.


Of course IS wont help you stop action. But the OP wants to do night photography with no flash. Probably won't be stopping much fast action


Quote Originally Posted by neuroanatomist
have a handheld shot with that lens with
barely perceptible motion blur (can't see it on the 8x10" print, but
it's there if I zoom to 100%) - I wanted to get nice water blur of a lit
fountain at night, and the exposure was 1.6 seconds.

You have steady hands, dude. My best with the 24-105 (similar effective fl, though perhaps with inferior IS) is about 1/2 second.