The thing about IS, is that it isn't normally needed on the shorter zoom ranges. And on longer zoom ranges, the 24-85 is between .5 and 1.0 stops faster than the 28-135-IS -- so having the IS just cancels out the slower lens speed, giving the same net effect in a lower quality lens. And IS is tough on batteries.. one can shoot all weekend (500+ shots) on a single battery without IS, but with it one might easily go through two batteries per day.

But IS has that coolness factor, I suppose..

Figure it this way: you'll probably buy a longer zoom next year, so the tiny amount you give up (85mm vs. 135mm) is only going to be a short term thing.

Don't worry much about the wide angle for now -- 24mm is good enough, but 28mm is NOT wide enough (another black mark on the 28-135).

But if you really desperately want one anyway, I'll sell you mine!

Quite the sales job, eh?