Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Canon
86 Overall Score
vs
7Artisans 3556
7Artisans
38 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
78 out of 100 high confidence 98 reviews
The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens is widely praised as a versatile all-in-one walk-around lens for APS-C cameras. Users consistently highlight its silent and smooth STM autofocus, effective image stabilization, and useful zoom range that covers wide-angle to short telephoto. While image quality is considered very good for a kit-level zoom, some reviewers note softness at extreme focal lengths, barrel distortion at 18mm, and a variable aperture that limits low-light performance. Build quality is described as mostly plastic but adequate, though the focus-by-wire manual ring and occasional stiff zoom ring draw criticism.
Pros
- Silent and smooth STM autofocus
- Effective image stabilization
- Versatile 18-135mm zoom range
- Good image quality for a kit lens
- Lightweight and compact design
Cons
- Softness at extreme focal lengths
- Barrel distortion at 18mm
- Variable aperture limits low-light use
- Focus-by-wire manual ring
- Plastic build feels cheap
Autofocus performance 25
Image quality 30
Image stabilization 12
Build quality 15
Zoom range versatility 22
Low light performance 10
7Artisans 3556
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Portrait
Budget
Video Cinema
Street
Travel
Landscape
Wildlife Sports
Professional
Macro
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM | 7Artisans 3556 | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 35 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 135 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 16 | 5 |
| Groups | 12 | 4 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| Coating | Super Spectra Coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/5.6 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-5.6 | f/5.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7★ | — |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF-S | L-Mount |
| Format | APS-C | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.52 kg | 0.14 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | — |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM★ | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 390 mm | 300 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.28x★ | — |
Pros & Cons
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
- Strong versatility (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong aperture (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
- Below average user sentiment (32nd percentile)
7Artisans 3556
- Strong build (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong macro (69th percentile)
- Below average optical (4th percentile)4th %ile
- Below average social proof (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Verdict
Winner: Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Scores 86 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.