canon 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 II vs 18-55 STM lens review
18-55mm 3.5-5.6 II vs 18-55 STM lens review Canon's EF-S 18-55mm kit lenses have always been small, light and cheap and the latest versions have the very useful image stabilization feature. These lenses have been and continue to be a good value when purchased as a starter lens in a DSLR kit, but they have never been a strongly desired lens otherwise. The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens is Canon USA's fifth EF-S 18-55mm lens, and some of you in other countries may have seen an additional EF-S 18-55 lens model available. While some of those lens iterations were mostly cosmetic, the "STM" version of this lens comes with some definite advantages over its predecessor, the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens, which continues to be available at review time. Here are some of the differences between the 18-55 IS II and the 18-55mm IS STM Lens: STM (Stepping Motor) AF (vs. Micro Motor) Continuous AF during video recording with compatible cameras (those with Hybrid CMOS AF) Vastly improved manual focus ring Front element does not rotate and does not extend with focusing Full time manual focusing supported during shutter release half-press Shorter minimum focus distance (9.8" vs. 11", 250mm vs. 280mm) and maximum magnification (0.36x vs. 0.28x) specs (read about reality below) New optical design with 13 lenses in 11 groups (vs. 11/9) 7 rounded aperture blades (vs. 6 rounded) Larger zoom ring New petal-style lens hood that provides up to 0.46" (11.7mm) better protection from light and damage. 50% higher price (in kit) As one would expect from a kit lens, this lens is designed for everyone's most-common focal length needs. The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens' focal length range falls squarely in the recommended general purpose zoom lens focal length range for ASP-C/1.6x FOVCF sensor format DSLRs. But it does not extend the recommended minimum on either end of the focal length range. The usefulness of this lens is limited in part by its near-slowest/narrowest-available max aperture. Though this lens is not far from the normal variable aperture crowd, few lenses have narrower max apertures than this one at comparable focal lengths. A relatively wide angle focal length range and relatively narrow aperture, along with the coinciding relatively deep DOF (Depth of Field), means that creating a strong background blur is not a strength of this lens.
18-55mm 3.5-5.6 II vs 18-55 STM lens review Canon's EF-S 18-55mm kit lenses have always been small, light and cheap and the latest versions have the very useful image stabilization feature. These lenses have been and continue to be a good value when purchased as a starter lens in a DSLR kit, but they have never been a strongly desired lens otherwise. The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens is Canon USA's fifth EF-S 18-55mm lens, and some of you in other countries may have seen an additional EF-S 18-55 lens model available. While some of those lens iterations were mostly cosmetic, the "STM" version of this lens comes with some definite advantages over its predecessor, the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens, which continues to be available at review time. Here are some of the differences between the 18-55 IS II and the 18-55mm IS STM Lens: STM (Stepping Motor) AF (vs. Micro Motor) Continuous AF during video recording with compatible cameras (those with Hybrid CMOS AF) Vastly improved manual focus ring Front element does not rotate and does not extend with focusing Full time manual focusing supported during shutter release half-press Shorter minimum focus distance (9.8" vs. 11", 250mm vs. 280mm) and maximum magnification (0.36x vs. 0.28x) specs (read about reality below) New optical design with 13 lenses in 11 groups (vs. 11/9) 7 rounded aperture blades (vs. 6 rounded) Larger zoom ring New petal-style lens hood that provides up to 0.46" (11.7mm) better protection from light and damage. 50% higher price (in kit) As one would expect from a kit lens, this lens is designed for everyone's most-common focal length needs. The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens' focal length range falls squarely in the recommended general purpose zoom lens focal length range for ASP-C/1.6x FOVCF sensor format DSLRs. But it does not extend the recommended minimum on either end of the focal length range. The usefulness of this lens is limited in part by its near-slowest/narrowest-available max aperture. Though this lens is not far from the normal variable aperture crowd, few lenses have narrower max apertures than this one at comparable focal lengths. A relatively wide angle focal length range and relatively narrow aperture, along with the coinciding relatively deep DOF (Depth of Field), means that creating a strong background blur is not a strength of this lens.