Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II SLR Lens

PROS * Very sharp across the image, even wide open. * Low Chroma. I read a test ([...]) that found higher than normal amounts of CA in this lens at some apertures, but I don't see it. My standard test is to shoot bare tree limbs on bright sunny days & look for purple fringing, especially at the edges. I'm not seeing anywhere near the level of fringing shown in some of their test shots.If anything, I'd call it "low" I read elsewhere that one of Canon's goals in adding the aspherical element to this lens was to reduce CA, so I'm thinking maybe the lens tested in photozon.de was just a bad apple. * Image Shake control works. I can't attest to how often it provides a full 4 stops worth of shake reduction, but I can see a very clear result when using it. * Fast accurate focusing. One of the reasons I purchased this lens was because I was dissatisfied with the performance of my (more expensive) Sigma 17-35 EX (the newer model), which while sharp, is just too slow and inaccurate a focuser for close work in action sports. The new Canon solved that problem. * Compact, light weight & unobtrusive. Not much bigger than a normal lens. CONS * Barrel Distortion at 18mm (28mm) While not exsessive for an inexpensive lens, this is one area where you will see benefit from spending hundreds of dollars for a much more expensive Canon "IS" or "L," or buying a fixed focal length lens. In most real world situations, it wasn't all that noticeable. I could usually correct for it in Photoshop, but this is not a lens for critical architectural work etc. I have taken hundreds of photos with this lens and barrel distortion has only called attention to itself a few times. I suspect this is one price paid for the very compact design. * Not very fast. Another area where an "L" has an edge. At F3.5 28mm equivalent and F5.6 85mm this lens is relatively slow compared to a pro lens. This effects stopping the action in low light. OTH, you will have to spend hundreds more to get a usable top speed of F 2.8 and that is *only* one stop faster at 28mm equiv. I think both this lens' sharpness and the IS system mitigate this "Con." It took me a while to learn that I could shoot wide open at all focal lengths without having the outer third of the image turn to mush.That's pretty amazing for a zoom at this price. You don't have a stop or two you almost never use because it is too soft. And the IS system works well in low light, though that doesn't figure in in stopping the action. * Does not have that red stripe. Sad to say, some will never buy this sharp, handy little lens because in is not an "L" and/or doesn't cost $[...]. Yes, it does does look a little "plasticy," probably doesn't have the build quality for heavy, everyday use by a real working pro, and does not look massive mounted on your camera body, like a "fast" pro lens that's squeezing out that last F stop. But IMO, it looks very similar to Canon's newer IS lenses, so there is no scarlet letter immediately identifying you as "cheap." In other words, "Get over it." So, why did Canon produce such a good lens at such a bargain price? I'd say that it's because Nikon announced their intention to do the same a little while ago. Also, Canon's old non IS 18-55mm lens had the rep of being something of a dog. Finally, several competing cameras now have IS built into the body. Canon had to respond with a sharp IS lens that they could put on the Rebels & the 40D. In terms of sales, the low end of the DSLR market is both hot and very competitive. We're the beneficiaries.

The lens reminds me of the canon 50mm f1.8 cheap prime, a great lens as long as you have good lighting as proved by my usage of it. Best bang for the buck in zooms I'm sure, for the 18mm end is worth more then what it cost easy. The colors are not the greatest but very usable with good lighting, a sky filter should warm them up very nicely I'm sure. The IS is good but still not the answer to a faster lens, when it comes to low lighting or inside house lighting. The glass acts much like the 50mm prime, in the it's pretty good glass but not L glass for sure. The built is pretty good, again not L built but it good and should last a while I'm sure. One needs to remember what the lens is for, being a kit lens it's meant as a good all around lens. And as a good cheap all around lens it's great and a best buy, it can take some great shots and has a very useful wide angle end. If I had to put a price tag on it with out knowing the cost, I would say a good $300 to $400 lens. So it's worth getting and using as a all around lens, for the times you want a good all around lens. That you can easy carry around and not have to worry, if it gets broke or some thing you can easy replace it. You can try new things with it and not have to worry, I would class it as a fun lens that can take some great shots. I have canon L lenses and they are the best, but I'm very careful with them because they cost so much, the new canon 18-55mm IS I can play with and have fun with. And the new kit lens is miles ahead of the old kit lens, sharper and the glass and built is a few steps up. And the IS is a no brainer for sure if you wondering, is it worth the price the answer is a easy yes. Even for pro's and artists, it's one you can take anyplace and very usable, and you can have fun with it when not, on a must have highest IQ shoot.

While Canon produces many fantastic lenses, they do offer a lower-quality line at a much cheaper price. Mind you, Canon does this to broaded their market-share and to potentially create loyal customers from this group. I have been looking for a simple small lens to attach to my camera when I am not doing work for money. I read about the size and weight of this lens and was pleased by the many good ratings, so I decided to get it. I was not disappointed. After a month now, the lens performs as it was stated, smooth zooming, the USM is heard, but it's nothing bad, and the IS works flawlessly. I have had no problems whatsoever mounting or dismounting the lens from my EOS 30D body, which stores beautifully amongst my other gear due to its small size. My professional lenses are twice the size and not having to carry the extra weight is a godsend. I do wish the lens was made from more robust plastics, but if they did, the lens' price would be higher. I will merely try to baby the lens every step of the way so it will last the longest possible. All in all, this lens is worth the money you spend on it, which is why I rated 5 stars.

I've been doing videography for 5 years but I'm finishing up college, so I'm always looking for the most bang for my buck when buying camera/video equipment. Let me first start off by saying that this lens saved my life during an indoor event shoot. I was in a tight place and couldn't use my 50mm f1.8 (which I would have preferred given it's wider aperture which would have been better given the poor lighting conditions). I snapped this lens on, lowered my shutter speed a bit, turned up my ISO and captured everything in the small room that I needed to with the wide 18mm length. It is difficult to use this lens indoors, however given it's limited aperture of 3.5-5.6. If you're not sure what that means, simply put, it's that your lens has to be within an aperture range that will require more light. This means that you'll have to slow your shutter speed (not as desirable for anything with any amount of action), or raise your ISO (potentially sacrificing your image quality to the nasty noise monster). Using this lens with lights seems to yield pretty nice results. The other reason I bought this lens was to use it on my steadicam (flycam nano-a great budget steadicam that yields good results when used correctly). This lens is only a fraction of the weight of comparable lenses and when shooting at 18mm and stopping down your aperture much of what the camera catches will be in focus, which is great for steadicams. With the light weight I find that I can use my steadicam for an hour or more at a time before my arm gets too exhausted. This camera has IS (Image Stabilization). You won't realize just how nice that is until you use a non-IS camera while shooting handheld (video or photography). I avoid auto-focus like the plague, but I did test it out on this lens for the sake of this review and I found that it is quite slow compared to other lenses. For the casual photographer, or a photographer who is patient and has clients that are patient, this wouldn't be a bad option (because you'd find that it would slow you down if you were constantly taking pictures at a wedding for instance for hours on end). I bought the cheapo set of 3 zeikos filters for the lens to protect the end and get a more artistic flavor. They work really well on this lens and I now can't live without a polarizing and UV filter, although I would not put those filters on a fancier lens (see that review with my other reviews). This lens will NOT work on bigger cameras like the 5D mark II. LIKE: 1. Price (I wouldn't cry if it got run over by a car). 2. Image Stabilization. 3. Wide angle with little bokeh (background blur) for tight shoots and steadicam. 4. Light weight. 5. Nice thick, quality zoom ring. DON'T LIKE: 1. Minor image distortion at low lengths (like 18mm). 2. Constraining aperture. 3. Good but not great image quality (see Canon's MTF charts on their website for more info). 4. Cheep focusing ring. I like this lens and it's saved my work more than once and it'll do it again I'm sure, but given the choice I would much rather use my Canon 50mm f1.8 (check out that review with my other reviews if interested). So what am I looking at now? I am planning on replacing my 18-55mm with the Canon 24-105mm f4L lens, but for 1/10 of the price, this is a good lens. When I do, I'll write a review and let you know how it compares. If you would like to see this equipment in action to better make a decision, you can find my youtube channel by searching jbhphotovideo in the youtube search box and going to that channel. I hope that helps!

The 18-55mm has been my go-to since I picked it up and it's earned that spot. The zoom range covers a surprising amount of ground — wide enough for landscapes and interiors at 18mm, comfortable for portraits and everyday shooting in the middle, and a decent reach at 55mm. For a single lens to stay on the camera for most situations, it handles the job well without having to constantly swap glass. The image stabilization is genuinely useful, especially in lower light where you'd otherwise be bumping up ISO or slowing your shutter more than you'd like. It's not a fast lens — the variable aperture is the obvious tradeoff — but the IS helps compensate in a lot of real-world shooting situations. It's light and compact, which sounds like a small thing until you've been carrying a heavier setup around all day. The autofocus gets the job done for general use, though if you're shooting fast-moving subjects regularly you might find yourself wanting something snappier. It's not going to replace a prime or an L-series lens for specialized work, and the plastic build isn't going to wow anyone, but for versatility and everyday reliability it's hard to argue with. A solid lens that just keeps showing up.

I love the pictures I get out of this lens. It's not especially long at the 35mm equivalent of 88mm, but it's enough for a good walk-around lens. The wide-angle is effective and even if in some situations there is some barrel distortion the lens is recognized in Canon DPP which can remove it quickly and effectively. The image stabilizer is very valuable letting you take pictures without flash even in relatively dim room lighting. Of course for a slow shutter speed you will have movement blur if the subject moves, but for the most part the shutter speeds don't have to be 'too long' to get a decent picture. I've even taken pictures at faster shutter speeds without flash than the 'P'rogram mode will give you (i.e. manually select 1/60th instead of 1/15th) and they come out well, can be brightened up if needed and are fast enough to get an effective snapshot. The zoom ring is fast and effective. It has little resistance but I've not noticed any zoom-creep since the lens is very light, yet another reason I like having it on the camera. I pair this lens with the Canon 55-250 IS and it's a great combo since both have the 4-stop Image Stablization. Anyone with a Canon DSLR that isn't a full-frame equivalent would be well advised to get this lens. It's not expensive but it is very effective.

I got this lens as a "walk around" lens to go along with my 17-40L, 24-105L IS and 70-300IS for a d40. I knew it wasn't an "L" lens but it did get decent enough reviews. I will say the lens is light and easy to operate, even the build quality is decent for a plastic lens. Image quality is acceptable for images that aren't going to be cropped or printed over 8x10. However the optics are definitely not up to the 40d and I find I still prefer the 24-105L for nearly all situations. It's OK as a starter lens, but you might be disappointed if you're getting it for a 20d or better body. PROS light weight small IS works well not much flare problem CONS slow aperture (not great for low light) low and high f-stops not particularly sharp noticeable chromatic aberration color and contrast are not as good as other Canon lenses can't resolve as much detail as the 40d sensor

So far, I really dig it. I was actually thinking of skipping this lens and buying the next best thing, which would be the 17-40L, but I didn't have the $700, so I'd be saving up for a few months, and I didn't want to take another photo with my kit lens. I had just picked up the 50 f/1.8 and realized how horrible the kit lens was at reproducing color, and it was blurry as hell. So far I'm very pleased with the image stabilization, and I've heard that the optics are better, but I haven't played around with it enough to notice (any improvements might just be because it's a new lens, my kit lens is 3 years old and dusty due to it's cheap design). But I know that the IS alone will improve my snapshots. Now that I have this lens, I'm not as anxious to take the plunge on an L series lens. I know I will eventually, but I'm not as quick to upgrade now. And if I do, I'm going for the 17-55 f/2.8 which runs for over $1000. But like I said, this lens is keeping me happy for now.

Very nice lens

Paquet reçu en très bon état, l'article correspond bien à ce que j'ai commandé et fonctionne très bien

Me ha gustado todo bien de precio y lo usamos para la cámara de fotos

Excelente producto y magnifica atención del vendedor

the Len’s arrived on time and packed stable. It is a nice lens works great. My