The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM is one of the better starter lenses out there, but it has the same flaws that are common in similar lenses.

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  Sharp. STM focus motor. Optical stabilization.

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  Plastic lens mount. Noticeable distortion. Some color fringing and fall-off. Narrow aperture. Hood not included.

Canon's EF-S 18-55mm kit lenses have always been small, light and cheap and the latest versions have the very useful image stabilization feature. These lenses have been and continue to be a good value when purchased as a starter lens in a DSLR kit, but they have never been a strongly desired lens...

The third version of Canon’s image-stabilized 18–55mm APS-C-format kit zoom, the new EF-S 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM ($249, street) is the first with an STM focusing motor that complements the Movie Servo mode in newer Canon DSLRs.

The lens is decently sharp when stopped down and there is a nice sweet spot around the 35mm point where you will get sharp, undistorted photographs. The four stops of image stabilization live up to the manufacturer's claims at 55mm: it shows a bit more chromatic aberration than we would like, but of...

Handling and features This is the latest incarnation of Canon's 18-55mm image stabilised kit lens for EF-S compatible EOS cameras sporting their new STM stepping motor technology, which promises to provide smooth, silent autofocus, especially well-suited for shooting video.

Gone are the days where the kit lens supplied with your entry-level DSLR is a substandard piece of junk, only fit to tide you over until you save up for an upgrade. Although this lens may be made mostly of plastic, optically it performs well enough to satisfy the needs of most photographers.

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  Good sharpness throughout the zoom range, Lightweight, Fast focusing, Effective stabiliser, Close focusing

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  High CA levels, Plastic lens mount, A touch expensive when bought on its own

Canon's new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens is offered as a cheaper alternative to the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens which was developed to match the EOS 650D (and which we reviewed in July 2012) .

Many users will probably think that photozone went gaga considering the resolution results of the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 STM IS. Honestly, we'd prefer it to be worse so we wouldn't need to argue.

I didn't expect much from this lens, being so small and light plus very cheap! Used it around Central Park to take pictures on a beautiful sunny day. Boy was I surprised when I uploaded my pics to my MacBook! The colors are stunning too when you have your exposure right. Very very pleased .

This lens was an excellent deal for the cost. I've been taking beautiful photos with this lens since the second it arrived, which was less than 24 hours after I ordered it, even though I wasn't expecting it for several days. I love surprises like that. It is a great quality lens.

Got this lens with my SL1. Having used the previous versions of this lens I must say this is vastly superior. It is so quiet! At 35mm it is tack sharp. This is the only 18-55 you should purchase. It is solidly built and CA is at a minimum. It's a very "good" lens

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  Extremely sharp at 35mm, Really quiet, Superior to previous models

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  not as sharp as the 55-250stm at 55mm

I have been using this lens for about one year and it is an average lens. I use this lens on my Canon EOS T5i DSLR. When I was a beginner, I used the servo auto-focus and sometimes it would not focus properly. Also, the lens is close to the manual focus area, and it is hard not to touch the lens.

I use this lens on the road with my 2 Canon C-100 video cameras. Perhaps it's not the most expensive or optically correct lens in the world but it's endlessly useful. As I have two 24-105 zooms that came with the C-100's I needed something that was not only wider but also small and light so that all...

J ai acquis l'objectif avec l appareil photo eos 100d, conforme à mes attentes.

good product, meets my needs

This is the kit lens that I got with my 700D. The STM focus motor and non-rotating fron element, together with internal focusing, is a great step-up from the previous models. The only thing that could be better is the focusing ring, which could be a bit more tight (it rattles a tiny bit).

No complaints here. Lightweight and great video/photos. Worth it.

Main lens exactly as described. Some of the accessories were not designed to fit my camera as is and require an adaptor. These items are still sitting in the box.