Canon Kit Lens 18 - 55mm - Any good?

pullandbang · 24-11-2009 12:45PM #1

I recently got a 40D with the 28-135mm lens but would like to get my hands on something wider. I see lots of the 18-55mm IS lenses on ebay / adverts.ie etc and they can be had fairly reasonable - less than €100 brand new.

What is the general opinion on them?

Are they good, bad or indifferent?

docentore · 24-11-2009 12:48PM

excuse my language but they are sh*te. Even for me, amateur.

I would deffinetely stay with your one.

Blazer · 24-11-2009 12:51PM

I swapped mine for the EF-S 17-85 IS USM one to give me that big of a wider shot..
I have a Canon 70-200 L F4 so I didn't lose out really.

Sleepy · 24-11-2009 12:59PM

While it's not a great lens I actually think it's somewhat under-rated.

It's a little soft at the wide end, non-usm so a bit slow to focus at times but certainly focuses faster than the 50mm 1.8, doesn't have a very wide aperature (the 3.5 ends to become 4 at about 19/20mm).

BUT: when you can get it for fifty euro or less on ebay, it's not a bad buy if you're not going to pixel-peep and won't be printing above A4.

Freddie59 · 24-11-2009 09:30PM

Sleepy wrote: »

While it's not a great lens I actually think it's somewhat under-rated.

It's a little soft at the wide end, non-usm so a bit slow to focus at times but certainly focuses faster than the 50mm 1.8, doesn't have a very wide aperature (the 3.5 ends to become 4 at about 19/20mm).

BUT: when you can get it for fifty euro or less on ebay, it's not a bad buy if you're not going to pixel-peep and won't be printing above A4.

I got it as the kit lens with a 450D. As I was only starting out it seemed OK, but when you look back now you can see the difference between that lens an the f/2.8 17-55 which I now have on a 40D. But, as has already been said, how wrong can you go for sub-€100?:)

dazftw · 24-11-2009 10:07PM

Ever wonder why there is so many for sale at cheap prices?

Canon 17 - 40mm is great!

Sleepy · 24-11-2009 10:39PM

Freddie59 wrote: »

I got it as the kit lens with a 450D. As I was only starting out it seemed OK, but when you look back now you can see the difference between that lens an the f/2.8 17-55 which I now have on a 40D. But, as has already been said, how wrong can you go for sub-€100?:)

Got it the same way myself and can't afford to upgrade to the f/2.8 17-55, don't get me wrong, I'd much prefer that lens to it but if you're on a budget, it's not the worst lens... certainly a big improvement on the original 18-55 (the non IS version).

pullandbang · 24-11-2009 11:16PM

Yet a chap I know who also shoots a 40D thinks the 17-55 is crap - he hates it. Hard to know what to do. I'm kinda constrained with having nothing less than 28mm but maybe I'll hold out and see will Santa be kind.

Canon Kit Lens 18 - 55mm - Any good?

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