Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II review
Review Date : Mon, 2 Apr 2007
Author : Jamie Harrison
- Sample Photos: See sample image gallery
Centre resolution is very good but corner sharpness is disappointing....
| Pros: | Centre resolution |
|---|---|
| Cons: | Soft, chromatic aberration |
This starter lens is from Canon’s EF-S range, designed for APS-C sensors, and offers a 35mm equivalent focal range of 28.8-88mm thanks to Canon’s 1.6x magnification factor. In our measured results, actual focal length is 18-54mm, or 28.8-86.4mm in 35mm terms.
Optically, the lens contains eleven elements in six groups, and this includes one aspherical lens. Minimum focus distance is 28cm, while minimum aperture goes to f/22 at the wide end and f/32 at the telephoto end.
The Canon lens is not exactly built to a professional spec, and its plastic construction keeps both the weight and the price down. In use, the body feels clunky, and as the zoom is rotated it’s slightly stiff as the extremities of the focal lengths are reached. This clunky aspect is heightened by the focus action. The motor is fairly loud and ‘whirry’, though focusing is relatively quick and accurate.
The lens mount is also plastic, with a rubber O-ring to maintain light tightness and to provide some protection to the mount and camera body.
Image Quality
Canon sensors tend to produce a softer, lower-contrast image than other cameras, so we need to take that into account. However, this lens is softer in terms of focus than some of the other lenses in this category. Centre resolution is very good but corner sharpness is disappointing and reduces the average, while chromatic aberration is poor. To add insult to injury, the lens also suffers from the higher distortion than some of the other lenses in this category.
Verdict
It’s a sad fact that the majority of DSLR users will stick to the kit lens for their photography, and if you persist with this lens, you’re really letting your images down. Chromatic aberration, distortion and sharpness range from average to poor.
Have your say!
Latest comments
December 18 19:22
WB89
When I fist started out in photography with my EOS 300D i didn't have the money for an L series lens like i have now on my 7D. Although this lens doesn't do anything very well, it's acceptable IMO, I won a National photography competition when all I had was this lens - it servs it purpose well - It has reasonable focal range for general use, is affordable to the entry level user, lets you make good use of the entry level camera you have and is durable in my limited experience. I evan sometimes use it on my 7D when my GF wants to use my camera as it's beginner friendly. My only problem would be I have no confodence taking this into bad weather like i do with my 17-40mm f/4L or my other higher end lenses