Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS SLR Lens by Canon
|
List Price: Our Price: $125.85 You Save: $154.15 (55%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $90.00 (click here) Category: Digital Camera See more digital camera details and other models |
|---|
Digital camera reviews of Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS SLR Lens
Digital camera Review: A must have range for a beginning photographer with a cropped sensor SLR (EF-S)
Summary: 5 Stars
The 18-55mm is the most important range for everyday photography with a cropped sensor SLR (EF-S). This lens provides that range with fair image quality with image stabilization for a low price. Value for money nearly as good as Canon's EF 50mm 1.8 II.Digital camera Review: Amazing Lens
Summary: 5 Stars
This lens had such good reviews I had to try it, but was skeptical because it was so cheap. I can assure you this is a top quality lens, much better on my Digital Rebel xti than any other I have tried for pure image quality. Wish they had a top quality superzoom priced this reasonable.Digital camera Review: Amazing for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
I decided to buy this lens just because I didn't have an IS lens in this focal length. I already owned the Canon EF-S 55-250 IS lens, and have been pleasantly surprised at how well the IS works, and the sharpness of the pictures it produces. My hope was that this lens would match the same quality. It didn't disappoint! The image quality it produces isn't that far below my favorite lens, which is an L series lens.
The lens arrived just in time to test it out by taking shots of some beautiful fall colors. The results were good enough to impress a friend of mine, who is a professional photographer. The color was fantastic, the images were sharp, CA was negligible to non-existent in most cases.
I still have a hard time reconciling the price of this lens with the outstanding picture quality I get out of it. I am beyond pleased with it. the best comparison I can think of is that it's like a zoom equivalent of the "plastic fantastic" EF 50mm f/1.8 lens -- if you own that wonderful-but-dirt-cheap lens you know what I mean by that. (If you don't own that lens, to yourself a favor and buy one of those as well!) I absolutely recommend this lens.
Digital camera Review: An OK lens, not a great lens
Summary: 3 Stars
The AF is slow compared to Canon USM lens, is slow even compared with Pentax screw-driven lens.
The image quality is improved significantly over previous non-IS versions. The image quality is good for its price. But don't expect too much, it is nowhere near other higher grade lens from Canon. Even Canon 50/1.8 and 50/2.5 Macro lens beat the 18-55/IS easily.
Digital camera Review: Awesome Camera for Me
Summary: 5 Stars
After months of research and wondering if I should make the move from a nice Canon PowerShot to a DSLR, I took the plunge and am absolutely delighted that I did so.
I purchased a Canon T1i in August, in hopes of learning to use it by mid-November in time for a trip to Istanbul. I found the Amazon and the dpreview.com reviews extremely valuable. Amazon reviews because these are real people with their personal experiences, and dpreview because of what seemed to me excellent technical information and comparisons. Since these reviews have covered a lot of technical material I will talk mostly about the softer side describing my decisions and experience.
My work takes me to interesting places in the world with potential for great people, culture, and architecture photography. The first big question for me was whether or not a DSLR would make a substantial quality difference over the Power Shot I've enjoyed using for several years. The answer, after 9 days shooting in Istanbul, is that this upgrade was absolutely worth it.
The relative smallish and light physical characteristics of the T1i are perfect for a guy who travels with carry-on only luggage for weeks at a time (example me). I chose the Canon EFS 17-85 over the kit lens, intending it to be my day-to-day walk around lens. In reading reviews I saw a recurring theme that a Canon 50mm 1.8, for around $100 was a must buy. So I purchased the 50mm.
I took around 500 images over the nine days in Istanbul. I took many excellent images at night and in a conference room of a hotel. Here was the big surprise on the Istanbul trip - I used the 50mm almost exclusively and I never used a flash. This was not intentional or predetermined. In side the hotel the 1.8 lens made since because of limited light. At night walking the streets of Istanbul I made that same choice for the same reason. In the morning when I was not working I'd strike out early...not much light, usually overcast... so for better or worse, this camera, and the Canon 50mm 1.8 lens, did an outstanding job for me. While I can't apply technical quantification to the images I took, let me just say many of the images from the T1i were tack sharp and simply beautiful. Some were duds but that speaks more about the photographer, in this case anyway, than the T1i.
Again after considerable reading and some experience I've chosen the following accessories so far. I have two 16 Gig Transcendent SDHC cards that have served me well. I purchased the Opteka Professional Battery Grip but found the extra weight and size, for my purposes, to be excessive. The two batteries that came with it make great back ups for me. I put lens shades on all lens and use them all the time. I purchased the book "CANON EOS REBGEL T1i/500D" by David Busch. This book was an excellent investment and I highly recommend it to help get the most from this camera.
Perhaps of interest to some readers, if not to the very fine company of Canon, Inc., are certain measures I have taken to increase security. I purchased this very fine camera in the hope of taking excellent images, not to impress people by carrying around a flashy camera or to promote this outstanding company. I neatly put black electric tape over the name Canon on the front, top of the camera. I removed the bright Canon neck strap, replacing it with a generic black Targus strap, and removed the lens caps with the Canon name in bold print, replacing them with generic black lens caps. My "camera bag" is a generic canvas messenger bag with custom foam inserts (cost $5 and 35 minutes to cut the foam). While not iron clad, many potential thieves will presumably pass me by while looking for the Nikon or Canon logos on cameras carried by "rich westerners."