Ef S 18 55mm F 4 56 Is Stm Review
Not many photographers volition buy the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/iv-5.6 IS STM ($249.99) at full price. Most volition get information technology bundled with a Canon SLR, typically for almost $150 more than the body-only price. In that calorie-free, it'southward a pretty decent value. But if yous want a improve zoom lens, consider spending a bit more. Nosotros like ii options from Sigma, the 17-70mm F2.8-4 Contemporary and the 18-35mm F1.8 Art. Both are pricier, merely volition cyberspace better quality images.
Pattern
The 18-55mm f/4-five.6 ($219.95 at Amazon Canada) is the latest in many versions of the starter zoom lens. It has an f/4-5.6 maximum aperture (it collects less calorie-free as you zoom in), as opposed to a more typical f/iii.5-5.vi. Information technology makes the lens a bit smaller (2.4 by 2.6 inches, HD) than the previous version, the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM (3.0 by ii.7 inches).
Information technology achieves the smaller class factor without having to resort to a retractable design, then you don't accept to deal with a twist-and-lock extension method earlier taking a photo. And while information technology does have an advantage in size over the previous version of the lens, it doesn't in weight—it's a footling heavier (7.half-dozen ounces) than the f/iii.5-five.6 IS STM ($219.95 at Amazon Canada) iteration (7.two ounces).
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This is a no-frills lens with a plastic mount and no included hood. The front end element supports 58mm filters, and doesn't rotate, so you lot can use a circular polarizer without issue. There is epitome stabilization built in, y'all tin can turn information technology off with a toggle switch on the barrel. In that location's a second toggle to switch between manual and autofocus operation.
The transmission focus ring sits at the front of the barrel and is very narrow. The manual focus system is electronic, so turning the ring activates the internal focus motor to adjust focus. Because of this y'all demand to have the switch set to MF in gild to manually focus, and transmission focus will only work if the photographic camera is turned on—this is in contrast to lenses with mechanical focus rings that can arrange focus even when the camera is powered downwardly.
The focus motor is STM, the same type every bit the previous iteration (which is still bachelor for sale, likewise at $249). This blazon of focus motor pairs well with modern Canon SLRs with Dual Pixel AF support. It delivers shine, tranquillity focus when recording video.
The zoom band is wider, occupying almost of the barrel. It's covered in textured rubber and twists easily to accommodate zoom. The lens does telescope out every bit you zoom in, and focal length settings are marked at 18, 24, 35, and 55mm. The lens can focus equally close as 9.eight inches, a expert working distance for a lens of this type.
Paradigm Quality
I tested the 18-55mm with the 24MP SL2. Despite its budget price, the Imatest sharpness numbers are expert. At 18mm f/iv it scores 2,219 lines per picture peak on a heart-weighted sharpness exam, better than the i,800 lines we look for at a minimum. It'south very skillful, but not excellent. Edge performance is weak (1,666 lines), but that's to be expected from an 18-55mm zoom.
Narrowing the aperture to f/v.6 improves the overall resolution to 2,350 lines, and edges are better as well (i,947 lines). There's no noticeable improvement at f/viii (2,301 lines) or f/11 (2,213 lines). Shooting at smaller f-stops isn't recommended—image quality suffers at f/16 (ii,020 lines) and f/22 (i,545 lines).
See How We Examination Digital Cameras
Zooming to 35mm narrows the maximum aperture to f/5. The lens delivers solid performance here, 2,174 lines, with edges that arroyo 2,000 lines. The average score doesn't motility at f/eight (2,194 lines), only edges improve, delivering results that are just as practiced every bit the average. At f/11 yous get two,196 lines, and there'southward a slight drop at f/16 (2,039 lines) and a more noticeable one at f/22 (ane,535 lines), as expected.
At 55mm the f-terminate has narrowed down to f/5.vi at its widest and the average score is 2,289 lines, with potent results right up to the edge of the frame (ii,130 lines). At that place's a very small-scale improvement in the average score at f/eight (2,344 lines) and f/11 (2,343 lines) before quality starts to driblet at f/16 (2,132 lines) and f/22 (one,600 lines).
Distortion is a fact of life with a zoom of this type. You lot tin enable in-camera correction when shooting JPGs to remove it, but call back that the prototype yous see volition exist slightly unlike than what you lot run across through the viewfinder due to the distortion correction. Nosotros see noticeable barrel baloney at 18mm—3.3 percent—which draws straight lines with a noticeable outward curve. It gives style to pincushion distortion at 35mm (1.1 pct) and 55mm (1.7 percent), an issue that causes those same lines to bow inward toward the middle of the frame. If you opt to skip in-camera correction, or shoot in Raw format, you can correct distortion using third-party software, like the popular Adobe Lightroom Classic CC photo management suite.
In-photographic camera corrections can also reduce the strength of vignette shown in images. When it's turned off you'll notice dimmed corners in images. The force of the vignette varies based on the zoom setting and discontinuity. It's worst at 18mm f/4 (-two.8EV), but is less at f/five.half-dozen (-ane.7EV). At f/viii and narrower it'due south a negligible -1EV—that means the extreme corners are about half a brilliant as the center of the prototype.
At 35mm f/5 the deficit is -ane.5EV, only it'due south not noticeable in most images at f/viii and narrower. At 55mm f/5.vi the corners lag behind the heart by -1EV, again, not an result in near shots. Enabling the in-camera correction eliminates corner dimness when shooting in JPG format. If you shoot in Raw you can apply a correction using Lightroom, using the same lens profile that removes distortion from images.
Conclusions
The Canon EF-Southward 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM isn't a lens that will excite anyone. Only Catechism sells a lot of SLRs, and a lot of them transport with an xviii-55mm zoom. If you're buying an SLR and have the option of adding it for $150, you'll exist happy to know that it's a good starter lens. If you're on a upkeep and don't accept the coin to offset with a improve zoom, it'll go the job done until you upgrade—although beware that the narrow maximum f-stop means you'll be pushing the photographic camera ISO further or relying on the flash when shooting in dim light.
The Sigma 17-70mm is more than expensive, $500, but has an f/two.viii-4 design, capturing twice equally much light every bit the 18-55mm at comparable zoom settings. There's also the premium Sigma 18-35mm F1.viii, which has a shorter zoom range, but captures four times as much calorie-free as the 18-55mm at its wide-angle setting and eight times equally much at its maximum zoom. The 18-35mm F1.eight is our Editors' Choice, but it'due south a high-end lens meant for serious photographers, and is priced accordingly, at $800.
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/4-five.half dozen IS STM
Cons
The Bottom Line
The Canon EF-Due south xviii-55mm f/4-v.vi IS STM is a solid starter lens, but not ane that you should buy at full price.
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Source: https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/canon-ef-s-18-55mm-f4-56-is-stm
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