Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Canon
87 Overall Score
vs
Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS
Sigma
99 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
Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Landscape
Budget
Macro
Portrait
Travel
Video Cinema
Wildlife Sports
Professional
Street
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM | Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 16 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 135 mm | 300 mm |
| Elements | 16 | 20 |
| Groups | 12 | 14 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 4★ |
| ED Elements | 1 | 5★ |
| Coating | Super Spectra Coating | water- and oil-repellent coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-5.6 | 3.5-6.7 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF-S | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.52 kg★ | 0.61 kg |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | NANO USM★ | HLA |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops | 6 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 390 mm | 170 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.28x | 1:2★ |
Pros & Cons
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
- Strong versatility (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong af (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong optical (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS
- Strong versatility (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong optical (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong stabilization (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
Verdict
Winner: Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS
Scores 99 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.