So Im not too keen on camera gear seeing as I just started to film my youtube videos with a canon 70d. I bought this lens separate and used for about 73 bucks. I'm aware this is a kit lens but am amazed on how clear these lenses really are. My experience so far has been an interesting one to say the least.
The design is straight forward, its about the size of a mini soda can and has ridges towards the middle of the body; this is for twisting and using the manual focus. The upper rim of the lens towards the wider opening moves as well and I'm not sure why. There's IS (image stabilization) that probably should be on at all times (its said you don't really need it when on a tripod but I cant see it hurting; professionals my say otherwise). There is another switch that's along side the stabilizer and that's the AF/MF (Auto Foucs / Manual Focus); use this according to what your camera and situation requires. I mostly use the AF because my camera has amazing auto focus. Lastly, you have the markings that display the millimeters to where the lens is set. Twist right to focus in and left to focus out. In essence the lens seems well built.
The functionality that really stands out to me is the STM ability. This stands for Stepper Motor which allows your camera to auto focus without any auditory noise while recording video. Its very smooth and becoming a staple on most setups from what I can see. Obviously, you don't need this if you're just shooting stills or landscapes but I say,"why not have it for the heck of it". Keep in mind this is an EF-S lens which means its compatible with full from cameras as well.
All in all I found this lens to be a great first buy for a beginner on a budget. The fact that I bought it used also speaks volumes and the reason for my 4 stars. When using the lens, and I don't know if this is indicative of the camera or lens, I receive and error stating the camera or lens are not reading correctly; error 1. I'm not sure if its the camera or if its the lens so I give responsibility to both. Great lens. Very affordable, but make sure it works correctly. As of this moment I can still clean both the camera and lens and get them to work together but the question is how long. Time will tell.
Hope this helps someone, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.
Thank you for your time,
Axiom Brevity
I wanted a really cheap decent lens to put on an old Rebel XT, and wanted a step up with STM and IS. The IS is really good, and will allow shutter speeds down to 1/15 sec or so verses the traditional 1/60 (or faster depending on focal length). Yes, the IS and the STM are very quiet when operating. The lens came double wrapped in plastic wrap, with English and Chinese labels on the inner bubble wrap packaging. The manual focus ring is really loose and rattles slightly--but does not spin freely. I get the impression that this lens maybe a 2nd quality (I'm not sure what Canon would put on a new retail camera and what they would sell off as aftermarket). Yes, the manual focus ring does work, just fine. See my attached photos--which I enjoyed taking. Note, this lens has plastic bayonette mount vs. metal. Yes, a lens cap and mount cap are included, but nothing else. A basic purchase and a win-win for my 15 year old Rebel XT.
This lens is grossly underestimated for quality landscape photos. The old models do not have Internal Focus (IF).. Circular polarizers/ Graduated ND filters can now be easily used with this version. A low cost alternative to take nice landscape photos due to the small (58mm) filters required.. 58mm vs 77/82 filters will knock off 50% or more in price. I notice a nice improvement in focus locking in w/o hunting compared to the older version. I ofton find myself using this lens due to being lightweight, compact & less expensive to replace. Don't let canon marketing mislead you..this is a lens which is very usable and performs much closer to more expensive models than given credit for
This product is exactly what I expected, it was completely silent, great image quality, and great quality build. The manual focusing has trumps that of its predecessor the (non-STM model), the focus ring is rubber. If you leave the lens in auto focus (AF) mode it will not break the lens if you turn the focus ring at the same time. Although the focus speed is the same as its predecessor on my Canon T3i, it will go faster on a newer camera such as the Canon 70D. The seller was also awesome, he/she ship this item which seem to be a brand new white box (White Box, meaning it was part of a camera bundle but was taken out because the seller probably already had a lens or for other reasons.) shipped it in a box with appropriate packaging so that the product would be safe during its journey.
I'm certainly no photography expert, but this lens is now the main lens I use with my Canon D-40. Supposedly it doesn't compare with an "L" lens, and I wouldn't know - I've never had an "L" because they're crazy expensive. But compared to the 2 lenses that came with my D-40 (28-135mm zoom and 50mm fixed), this thing is more flexible, smaller and lighter than my other zoom, and still gives great shots. You can get a much wider view than you can with the other lenses I mentioned, and still get pretty good zoom. It will probably become your main lens unless your a pro.
Feature Product
- 18-55mm focal length, f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens
- 28.8-88mm equivalent focal length on Canon APS-C cameras
- F3.5-5.6 maximum aperture, F22-38 minimum
- Micromotor-type AF motor without full-time manual focusing
- Optical Image Stabilizer system, offering the equivalent of four stops of compensation
Description
EF-S 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM
Designed for high-quality still image and video capture while being compact and lightweight, the new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens features the optics, AF and image stabilization necessary for shooting in any number of situations. For brilliant image quality it has one high-precision aspheric lens to reduce chromatic aberration throughout the zoom range. It features optimized lens coatings to ensure exceptional color balance while minimizing ghosting and flare and a 7-blade circular aperture to ensure beautiful, soft backgrounds. For outstanding performance, the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens perfectly complements the Movie Servo AF feature found on select EOS Cameras with a compact six-group zoom system and a new stepping motor and focus mechanism to deliver smooth and quiet continuous AF during movie shooting. Still photography benefits from a high-speed CPU and an optimized AF algorithm. Full-time manual focus is available in AF mode and the front element does not rotate during focus, perfect for use with polarizing filters. Handheld photography is enhanced by the lens' Optical Image Stabilizer system, offering the equivalent of four stops of compensation. Compact and highly versatile, it is the ideal lens to carry anywhere.
Specifications
- Focal Length & Maximum Aperture: 18–55mm 1:3.5–5.6
- Lens Construction: 13 elements in 11 groups
- Diagonal Angle of View: 74°20' – 27°50'
- Focus Adjustment: Inner focusing system
- Closest Focusing Distance: 0.82 ft. / 0.25m
- Filter Size: 58mm
- Max Diameter x Length, Weight: 2.7 x 3.0 inches, approx. 7.2 oz. / 69.0 x 75.2mm, approx. 205g
Sample Image
MTF Charts
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Five stars for its value and features. Much better than I expected. Considerably improved over previous versions. Internal focus(front element doesn't turn), practically silent focusing(even quieter than my 40mm STM), manual focus without flipping a switch(with shutter button pressed halfway), very good image quality for a budget general purpose lens. Haven't had it very long yet but plan on using it a lot. It's so small and light it's easy to carry around all day on my Canon 60D. The best is still the 17-55 2.8IS but it weighs a ton in comparison. I'm very happy with it.
I purchased this as a lens for my old Canon T2i camera which had been in a drawer for a couple years since I moved up to the full frame 5D mark III. Keep in mind this lens will work only for APC / cropped cameras and will not work on a full frame camera such as a 5D or 6D. Of course, if you have a 5D or 6D you are likely already "addicted" to the L-glass which works so well with them.
I am delighted that my daughter is getting into photography and she could not do much with just the T2i body! Anyway, this deal seemed too good to be true and it is in one way. Item is a white box / gray market item and does not come with warranty card. That said, at less than 1/2 the usual price for this lens if we have to replace it and buy another one we'll still be ahead!
The lens itself is typical kit lens, works well and is super silent with the "STM" designation, good for video. Mount is plastic which is not optimal but this is the type of lens which is left on the camera anyway. I would not recommend it if you intend to swap out to a telephoto or super wide angle lens frequently. Basically this is a good starter lens for a great price.
Great little lens for everyday photography. My previous "everyday" lens was an old EF-S 18-55mm kit lens with NO image stabilization, and it has seen a LOT of action over the years...so let's just say this Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS STM lens is a big upgrade for me over that. The new focus system of the STM takes a little getting used to since it's a ring that spins infinitely in either direction - but it was a quick and painless process, and I highly prefer the new focus system over the old. The focus ring is nice and "creamy" when you're operating it. It's excellent for shooting video with, too, since the autofocus motor is pretty much totally silent.
Seems to be perfect. I was a little worried at first, they are used and the manual focus did NOT work at first. Then I read up on them. The manual focus is not what they call fully locked on. You must flip the Auto Focus off for the manual focus to work. When I did then the manual focus worked just like I am used too.
It ss made of plastic and so it is a cheap one, but it seems to be very good for the money, and since I bought it used it was even cheaper.
So far it has worked good. And I bought it because even though it is made of plastic it has received many excellent reviews.
One of the best of the line of lenses for the EF series. If you only have one lens, get this one. Very clear and auto focus, on the T6i was impeccable.
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