Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mm

Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mm

Canon
85 Overall Score
vs
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Sony
91 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mm

78 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

This lens is widely praised for its excellent optics, lightweight design, and quiet STM autofocus, making it a great everyday and travel lens. Users note it rivals Canon's L-series in image quality while being much more affordable, though some mention the plastic mount and lack of weather sealing as drawbacks. Verified buyers highlight its sharpness, effective image stabilization, and value for money, especially when purchased as a kit lens. However, a few users report limitations with autofocus points on certain camera bodies and note it is not a true macro lens.

Pros
  • Excellent image quality rivaling L-series
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Quiet and smooth STM autofocus
  • Effective image stabilization
  • Great value for money
Cons
  • Plastic mount instead of metal
  • No weather sealing
  • Limited autofocus points on some bodies
  • Not a true macro lens
  • Inferior image quality to 18-135mm
👍 Image quality 6
🤔 Build quality 4
👍 Value for money 5
👍 Autofocus performance 4
👍 Image stabilization 3
👍 Weight and portability 4

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

82 out of 100 high confidence 117 reviews

The Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens is widely praised as an excellent all-in-one travel and walkaround lens for APS-C E-mount cameras. Users consistently highlight its sharpness, compact size, light weight, and versatile 27-200mm equivalent zoom range. While many note it is not ideal for low light and some report significant vignetting at the wide end, the overall sentiment is very positive, with most considering it a great value kit lens upgrade.

Pros
  • Sharp image quality
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Versatile 27-200mm equivalent zoom range
  • Effective optical image stabilization
  • Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
  • Significant vignetting at 18mm wide end
  • Not ideal for low light photography
  • Variable aperture limits brightness at telephoto
  • Some copies may have quality control issues
  • Slight autofocus lag compared to premium lenses
👍 Image quality 35
👍 Build quality 12
👍 Value for money 18
👎 Vignetting 6
👎 Low light performance 10
👍 Zoom range 25

Scores

Budget
Canon
86
Sony
100
Macro
Canon
89
Sony
68
Street
Canon
86
Sony
88
Portrait
Canon
75
Sony
87
Travel
Canon
80
Sony
85
Wildlife Sports
Canon
70
Sony
84
Video Cinema
Canon
75
Sony
83
Landscape
Canon
70
Sony
76
Professional
Canon
69
Sony
74

Specifications

Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mmSony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min18 mm18 mm
Focal Length Max55 mm135 mm
Elements1216
Groups1012
Aspherical Elements11
ED Elements—2★
CoatingSuper Spectra coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/3.5
Min Aperture4-5.63.5-5.6
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountCanon EF-SSony E
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed—✗
Weight0.20 kg★0.33 kg
Filter Thread58 mm55 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTMLinear motor★
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance66 mm★450 mm
Max Magnification1:4★0.29x

Pros & Cons

Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mm

  • Strong macro (95th percentile)95th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong build (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

  • Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong versatility (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong stabilization (80th percentile)80th %ile

Pricing

Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mm is $671 cheaper (6.3x less).

Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mm0.672score per dollar
vs
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS0.114score per dollar

Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mm offers 5.9x better value for money

Verdict

★ Winner: Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Scores 91 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 22 specs.

Canon EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM 18-55mm Better at:

Macro

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Better at:

BudgetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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