Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM Lens

I'm writing this review because I'm tired of hearing self-named experts degrade something that wasn't made for them. You don't want to start with professional lenses any more than you would want to buy a race car to drive around town (though it would be fun). Professional lenses are made for specific things, which is why pros need so many of them (i.e. the soup lense, the salad lense, the butter lense, the appetizer lense, the pasta lense, you get the point). Professional NASCAR would laugh if you tried to enter a new Ford Mustang at Indy, but nobody laughs at the one in your driveway. Anyway, on with the review:

Two years ago I purchased the Digital Rebel to replace a combination of film SLR and digital point-and-shoot. My SLR was a Minolta, so when I decided to go with Canon my lenses became obsolete (Minolta just hasn't been keeping up). This was my first lense investment. Everyone, even professionals, still want photos of friends and family and that's just what this lense will do.
My next lense investment was based on my reasoning for going with SLR. I wanted to get closer to far away objects, so I started looking for telephoto.

If you are considering stepping up to digital SLR from point-and-shoot, there is little question that you should invest in this lense. This lense will allow you to take all of the photos that you were used to taking with your point-and-shoot, and it will auto-focus and zoom with similar efficiency.

You may read or hear complaints about image quality from this lense. The image quality with this lense is comparable or better than any of the high end point-and-shoot cameras and better than any of your generic alternatives.

The price is great. The professional lenses that everyone compares this lense to cost 10 times as much. If you have $500 to $1000 to blow on a lense, I recommend sending me the difference via PayPal and getting this one anyway. Hey Ebay, I was kidding!

Pros:
Cost
Weight/size
Macro performance
simplicity
Circular aperture
fairly bright as Zooms go at f/3.5
Resale value

Cons:
Lack of advanced features
Plastic mounting ring
no USM (I know it SAYS USM, but it's not really - it's a micro motor and not the faster ring-type)


This is a great lens that often times people will put down just because it is simple. The truth of the matter is that if you're a true beginner, it has the level of sophistication you want to learn on. Will you outgrow it and want more features? PROBABLY! but that's okay.

If you're considering getting your first digital SLR, I recommend getting the body only and picking up the standard kit lens (this lens) separately, you can save $100 (USD) or better total. I was always impressed with this lens, especially its close focus ability. It is quite sharp from edge to edge and superb for macro photography, landscapes and portraiture. True, it doesn't have a distance gauge, but most novices, whom this lens was designed for, don't want or need that. You don't learn how to ride a motorcycle on a chopper. once you "outgrow" this lens, which could be 6 months or 3 years depending on how much you shoot, you can either keep it as a backup, use it as a reverse-lens macro (with an adapter ring) or resell it on eBay: the fetch between $70-$100 regularly (for good condition). Bottom line: it is a great beginner to intermediate user lens that has fantastic optics for the price.

Update:
This lens has been redesigned in a new "kit" lens that now has image stabilizaton. The reviews all indicate that whatever its virtues in the older form, the new one is clearly better. So - if you are buying a kit lens, make sure you get the newer one with "IS" in the name. The price new is essentially the same and image stabilization is a real plus.

The English mag, Digital Camera Magazine, has decided this is a soft, worthless lens compared to the Nikon equivalent. Yet in the most recent issue (in the US, as of March 9. 2006) at least three of their "winning" photographs were taken with this lens. Popular Photography magazine's review of this lens (available at their website)concluded 'Excellent ... performance at all focal lengths'. Is it equivalent to a Canon 'L' lens? No, of course not, but it is surely the lightest lens available for the Canon Rebel, 20D and 30D digital cameras. It is essentially weightless, certainly by comparison to the IS lenses that would probably replace it. Its one real flaw is that the front lens element rotates making polarizing filter use problematical. After a year, I bought a better Canon lens, but I'm keeping this one for the times when I want an small, light outfit to just carry around. At the wide angle end, f3.5 is not too bad even for available light, given the Canon ability to capture decent images up to ISO 1600 and even 3200. I've done a fair amount of hand-held interior work with this little gem.

I'm not a pro, but I got this lens, and it is well worth it's price. The quality is not really that good (for my standards). However, the price is the only good thing. It comes standard with the Rebel XT(i), and is HORRIBLE match if that's what you're getting.

If you have a Rebel XT(i), then this lens will terribly degrade the quality of your pictures.

This Canon lens, also known as a "kit lens", because it is commonly included with many Canon Digital Camera Kits, is specifically designed for digital cameras that have the x1.6 image sensor, such as all of the Canon Digital Rebel models, the 20D, and the 30D. It can not be used with the 5D or 1D models with has a full frame image sensor.

This lens is inexpensive yet performs like an expensive lens. It is a must for every camera bag. Even if you can afford the more expensive versions of this lens, you will want this lens for everyday shooting. It is sometimes better to take a risk with a $100 lens than a $1000 lens.

You can read all the technical specs on this lens on the Canon website if you want. What I know is that the 18-55mm zoom lens is perfect for 90% of your general picturing taking. The wide angle is necessary for shooting group shots inside where you may not be able to get back far enough to get everyone in the shot with other lenses. The zoom range of 55mm is actually like a 90mm lens on a film camera, which is adequate. Team this lens with the Canon 75-300mm f4-5.6 Tele-Zoom lens (generally under $200 on ebay) and you have the entire shooting range covered for a fairly small investment.

This lens is basically a USM version of the lens that has been shipping with Canon's EF-S DSLR line. It uses (in my observations) a higher quality glass.

I recently bough a Rebel XTi body, and liked the versatility of the 18-55mm lens I had with my old XT. I picked up this lens, and it produces some great shots.

I will grant you that most professionals won't care much for this lense, as most have bashed it. But, then again most of us aren't professionals. I moved from Minolta to Cannon and this was the kit lense with the Rebel XT I purchased. This lenses does as well, or better, then most people will ever ask of it. It takes great close up shots, and provides you with a little distance as well. The photos are sharp and clear and focus is right on every time. The focusing is also fast and quiet, as well. I have purcahsed two additional lenses for the camera, one a Canon and the other a third party lense (filled the gap between my two Canon lenses), and this one out produces both the others, in my opinion. I read the reviews before purchasing the camera, but as I had no Canon lenses I went ahead and paid the extra ($50) for the kit lenses, and I could not be more then happier with it. Where else are you going to find a quality lense at this price?

I am currently a Assistant Scout Leader for the local Boy Scout troop and we recently had a Court of Honor for the boys awards and I used this lense to shoot it. The photos came out remarkably better then I had hoped for (wished it had a little more length for the further away shots - as I was behing the parents and didn't want to get in their way).

So yes most of the reviews on this lense are not that great, and I can see not purchasing it if you already have Canon lenses. But for someone like myself making a switch from another system to Canon, or someone moving from a point and shoot to an SLR, the I highly recommend spending the little extra and getting this in the kit, you will be glad you did.

I am rating it as good, but if it was a little longer (say a 18mm to maybe a 70mm) then it would have had an Excellent.

You can't compare this lens quality with "L" type lens and say image quality is bad. Well, the lens is cheap, so you can't expect everything to be perfect. Per price point, I think it delivers its money's worth. You can get this lens for about $70 here in ebay and it's very light compare to other lens. And since it's so cheap, you don't have to worry about losing it or breaking especially when you travel. It covers wide angle to midium telephoto. Since it is EF-S type, you can only use this in Canon Digital Rebel, Canon Digital rebel XT, Canon 20D and future cameras with EF-S support. I think it's good lens for its price. If you need absolute best quality pictures out of your digital camera, try "L" type lens but be ready to spend $600+

This is the standard kit lens that comes with the Rebel and 20D. This lens is most definitely built to a budget. And does it ever show! Completely inexcusable is the lack of numbering of ANY kind on the focusing ring. This is VERY frustrating when it comes to taking pictures of distant objects, since you cannot simply set it to infinity. Also, because it goes into macro mode beyond infinity, you cannot simply crank it all the way to one side! Of course, you can always use the autofocus if you wish. But this doesn't work for night photography. In fact, you might as well forget about doing ANY night photography with this lens due to the inability to focus it based on estimation of distance (and the fact that the autofocus doesn't work in the dark).

Next Rewiew: . . http://www.redopinion.com/?s=Canon+EF-S+18-55mm+f%2F3.5-5.6&searchbutton=go%21

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This lens is light, and very sharp for the price. The close-focus ability is exceptional and allows you to take macro-like photos without carrying an extra lens. It would not be considered an excellent lens for professional photographers, but for the money, it's the best bang for your buck in a true Canon zoom.

I love that this lens is wide angle. Before I only had a zoom. There are so many things you can do with this lens. It is light and take good quality photos. I suggest this lens to any photographer.

I bought on ebay about 1 month ago. I use it on a Canon 40D, it's a quite good lens, not expensive, light and useful in everyday walkabout situation.
Not strong in construction term, but it works well and you can take good pictures even if it's not a fast lens.
If you want a faster and crisper lens, the best in this zoom range, you have to spend around 5-6 times for Canon 17-55 IS 2.8.

Great lens for everyday use on any EOS camera. You will still need to purchase 58mm filters for UV, better clarity and to protect the lens. I haven't noticed an improvement in the quality of picture with the IS of the lens.

This lens is ok to start out with if it came with your camera but you'll outgrow it very fast, the people that say its a good lens are crazy and the people that buy this lens used off ebay for anything over $50 are even more crazy. Theres better for the money do yourself a favor and don't buy this.

use the lens for shooting real estate.. GREAT TOOL, perfect.. VERY little distortion, VERY flexable lens, lenses with this array of features and tools are generally $1500 and up.. GREAT lens for the price ... BEYOND COMPARE

The kit lens comes with Rebel XT, 20D, 30D. --- Non-USM
The USM version.

It is a good lens for traveling and take scenic view photo.
In photo.net review, it is similar sharp compare to 17-40mm L, which is $700.
The lens feel plastic, but the picture quality is impressive.

The bottom line. Good value!
Great lens for the money.
Make sure you don't pay over $150.

This is a great lens. Inexpensive price and fast quiet operation make it a top pick for me. Good for the beginner or a good back-up lens for a cheap price. I have taken great pictures with it on my Rebel XT.

Just as described. Great performance. Large improvement from Canon's standard lense for camera I purchased at a much lower price

Captures beautifuly clear photos and the image stabilizer function is great for longer exposures and for those times when I don't have a steady hand.

I love this lens!! Works in any situation indoor or outdoor. The image stabilizer is very handy especiialy if your not to steady. Very good buy.

I am not giving this lens an excellent rating, not because the lens is a bad lens. We got this lens to go with our son's new Canon 40D, and both of us prefer a longer zoom, if that is the right way to phrase it. We were told this was the perfect lens to get, to go with the camera, and while he uses it occasionally, he really prefers to use his other lens, the Canon 55-250mm for most of his shots.

As to lens quality, this is well built, and does take nice photos. We were told that if you get this lens, the better version is the USM, and that has not disappointed.

All in all, this is a great little lens, if you don't need much in the way of zoom.

This is a hot item, I wanted to try the image stabilizer without breaking the bank. The results are very impresive, now I know it works and will buy again . This item is excellent for tryout.

canon lens was in perfect condition like a new.
they came in time \, give me excelent quality of pics,
i'm really exciting about them
thank you very much