Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens

Canon EF-S 10-18mm f4.5-5.6 IS STM (used with T2i body) I had long wished to purchase the Canon 10-22mm wide angle lens, but had hesitated due to its price. When the 10-18mm was introduced at less than half the price, I was curious and when lens tests showed it to be of comparable image quality, my interest was piqued. Yes, the 10-18mm has a smaller aperture, but the addition of image stabilization, which the 10-22 does not have, should be more than enough compensation. The reduced zoom range may result in somewhat more frequent lens changes, but for $350 savings, I can live with that. The metal lens mount of the 10-22 is surely stronger and more rugged, but the 10-18 is so lightweight and compact that I suspect the plastic mount is more than adequate, particularly for amateur use. The one area of optical performance where tests show the 10-18 to be at a disadvantage is light falloff (vignetting) at corners and edges at large apertures. I reasoned that in practice, I will use the lens mostly outdoors at an aperture of f8 or more where the performance of the two lenses is reported as similar. On initial examination, the lens feels of higher quality than Canon's "kit" lenses, as befits its higher price. Specifically, the zoom and focus adjustments are much smoother and there is no looseness in the front element, as there is in the EF-S 18-55, for example. The lens is considerably smaller and lighter weight than the 10-22 and is close in size and weight to the 18-55, albeit with a larger diameter front element. I find that my small sling bag (Case Logic SLRC-205) easily accommodates the addition of the EF-S 10-18 with the hoods mounted on all three lenses (reversed on the EF-S 55-250). The EF-S 10-18 ships with a nice center pinch lens cap which affords easy removal and replacement with the hood in place. My first opportunity to use the lens was probably a worst case scenario: indoors without flash and wide open at ISO 1600. The results were predictable from the optical tests: strong vigneting at shorter focal lengths and when the "peripheral illumination correction" is applied in DPP, detail at corners and edges is marred by noise. This is not too severe a problem if your exposures are spot on, but it leaves little room for correction. There is modest barrel distortion at the wide end that is easily corrected in DPP. Speaking of DPP, I was pleased to find that lens data for the 10-18mm is now available on the Canon site, since it was not before I ordered the lens, so be sure to update DPP to the current version and then update the lens data in the DLO module. DPP's DLO does an admirable job of correcting CA and sharpness issues and, along with DPP's other lens tools, virtually banishes all lens shortcomings. For me, DPP's lens corrections are reason enough to buy Canon lenses. Now, having used the lens for about 16 months, I've found that it easily meets my original expectations. The vignetting is its only real shortcoming but is quite manageable and correctable in most situations. Maximum aperture is not an issue since I am usually shooting at f8-f11 to maximize depth of field while avoiding diffraction softness (a function of the APS format, not the lens.) "Focus by wire" is somewhat less easy to use than a mechanical link, but its more of a change in paradigm than a handicap. The lack of zoom range overlap with my "kit" lens is occasionally inconvenient, but not $350 worth. When using a polarizer (Hoya HRT), the corners of the image will be clipped at focal lengths less than about 12mm, but this is eliminated when distortion correction is applied in DPP, even at 10mm. A polarizer is of limited value at short focal lengths anyway due to the wide variation in sky luminance. As noted above, it is quite sharp when DPP's DLO corrections are applied. Its small size and light weight assure that I have it with me, in fact, I probably carry it mounted more than any other lens. In summary, I'm pleased with the EFS-10-18mm lens and thrilled with the savings in cost and bulk as compared to the 10-22mm, not to mention the benefit of IS. I highly recommend this lens!

Il est assez impressionnant de proposer à un tel prix un ultra grand angle de marque. + Hyper léger + Très compact + Autofocus excellent que ce soit en photo ou en vidéo, un bon autofocus devient très important quand on se colle à moins d'un mètre du sujet et que l'on doit conserver des sujets nets à quelques mètres ce qui est le cas si l'on veut remplir le cadre en dessous de 14mm + IS très utile en intérieur pour compenser la faible ouverture + Qualité d'image très correcte vu les focales et le range + Un complément idéal aux 18-55 et 55-250 qui sont elles aussi de bonnes optiques qui doivent participer au succès commercial. + Pas de réel concurrent que ce soit chez Canon ou ailleurs + Jusqu'à 14mm on a des angles de champ larges classiques, en dessous plus on s'approche des 10mm on vire vers le psychédélique avec des perspectives dilatées à l'extrême - Ouvertures faibles, mais le /4 /5,6 est de rigueur dans cette gamme de prix - Les qualités optiques ne sont pas sans défauts, mais ses concurrents non plus, quant aux focales fixes et zooms pro. les prix deviennent stratosphériques - Sous les 14mm composer une bonne image devient sportif Bref une bonne optique à un prix étonnant pour découvrir les joies et les peines du super grand angle.

Since I bought it I never used the 18-55mm kit lens. It's sharper, has great wide perspective, faster focus, the wide angle and IS make it possible to shoot 1sec exposures handheld and get a sharp image.

I found this lens as value for money. Here is the list of pros n cons Pros: It's the cheapest wide angle zoom you can find for Canon EFS. Picture quality is very good, rather excellent in compare to its price. Distortion level is almost same with compare to other wide lenses. Image Stabilizer is definitely a plus. Focus motor works great. Very light weight for excellent handling. Cons: A little bit lack of sharpness to the edges only, however center sharpness is excellent. Slight vignetting can be observed. Max 4.5 aperture you can have.(in this cost i think its good) It is having plastic body, but overall build quality is ok. Focus ring is in the front, so I found it a bit annoying for manual focus. I would recommend this lens because this the maximum you can with a budget of 20k for a wide angle zoom lens.

Qualità discreta con un ottimo prezzo.