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For the provided Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, many thanks to Dmitry Mikhailov.

Review of Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM

The Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM is a pretty versatile 7,5X zoom lens for cropped cameras that support Canon EF-S lenses. Canon 18-135mm STM belongs to the new line of Canon STM lenses. STM — STepper Motor is a stepper focusing motor that enables smooth, quiet and fast focusing. STM technology is very important when shooting video where its positive qualities are required. STM lenses will work as efficiently as possible only on new modern cameras with hybrid focusing systems starting from Canon 650D. Although on my old Canon 350D and Canon 40D the lens functions remarkably.

One of the features of the Canon 18-135mm STM, and other similar lenses, is the electronic focus ring, which is not directly related to the mechanical focusing system. Personally, I am not a big fan of the electronic ring, the shortcomings of which are described in detail by me in the review. Canon Lens EF 40mm 1: 2.8 STM... However, the electronic focus ring on the Canon 18-135mm STM gives smooth focusing, which is important when shooting video. The focusing ring, in contrast to the zoom ring, is non-rubberized.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM with the most extended trunk (135 mm)

Focusing is fast, although, of course, you should not expect an instant response from the Canon 18-135mm STM. The lens focuses silently with an 'AF / MF' focus mode switch on the barrel. The closest focusing distance at 135mm focal length is only 39cm, which allows macro shooting at 1: 3.6 magnification. This is not the best performance for a zoom lens like this, but the Canon 18-135mm STM nevertheless allows for close-up photography of small objects.

What I don't like about STM lenses is the lack of full-time constant manual focus control (the so-called FTM mode  - Full Time Manual Focusing). FTM is only available when using the 'One shot' and 'AI Focus' focusing method and only when the focus button is pressed. FTM is also available in Live View (including when shooting video) with any selected focus method. FTM does not work when using 'AI Servo' method.

Focusing is internal; the front lens does not rotate when zooming. The lens trunk consists of just one section. It's just a pity that when the focal length is changed, the rear lens of the lens moves like a pump and drives air in the middle of the lens (the so-called 'vacuum cleaner effect'). The zoom ring rotates smoothly. The lens trunk on the sample from this review does not spontaneously fall out. Just in case, you can find a 'Lock' focal length on the case at 18mm.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM

The built-in stabilizer is very quiet and performs its function just fine. The stabilizer is switched on and off with the 'Stabilizer ON / OFF' switch. Considering the quiet autofocus and the quiet gimbal, the Canon 18-135mm STM shouldn't create unnecessary sounds in movies. It's a good thing that each new technology creates quieter, more compact and faster lenses.

Of course, it is a pity that the Canon 18-135mm STM has a mediocre aperture with a maximum value of F/3.5@18mm and F/5.6@135mm. Aperture closes to F / 36 @ 135mm and F / 22 @ 18mm. The diaphragm consists of 7 rounded petals.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM

EGF The Canon 18-135mm STM is 29-216mm, which should be enough for a wide variety of photography tasks.

The lens is assembled in Taiwan, and assembled well - nothing backlash and I did not find anything to complain about. The mount is metal, the diameter of the front filter is 67 mm. The lens comes with a small plastic Canon EW-73B hood. The hood can be attached to the lens backwards and the focus ring is not easily accessible. Canon 18-135mm STM weighs almost 500 g, the camera with it turns out to be weighty, and on the camera the lens looks much nicer than the standard one Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS II.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM

The image quality did not bribe me personally. Canon 18-135mm STM - creates pleasant images with good sharpness, which is sometimes noticeably lacking, but nothing else, from a modern universal lens with a small apertureand not to be expected. Also - there is distortion, vignetting and chromatic aberration (especially around the edges of the image). The image quality of the older version - Canon EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS (not STM) is said to be noticeably inferior to the newer version of 'STM'.

Here link to the archive with the originals - 570 MB, 47 photos. When shooting was used protective filter Hoya Pro1 Digital 67mm MC UV [0] Made in Japan. You can find more sample photos on this lens in Canon 70D Review.

More examples of photos (with processing) for this lens for Radozhiva kindly provided Alexander Frolov.

Enlightenment of the front lens Canon EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM

Lens prices in popular stores can look at this link, or in the price block below:

An accurate and complete list of all original Canon EF-S lenses is available see here.

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View of the lens on the camera Canon 100D

Сonclusion

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM for its money is a good standard universal lens, it is much better in certain tasks'whale'lenses of class 18-55 / 3,5-5,6. Such a lens is suitable as one and only lens for many not very difficult photo tasks :)

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram