Best Digital SLR Cameras

A compact and lightweight zoom lens with built-in image stabilizer for greater sharpness Advanced optics and aspherical lens element help preserve sharpness and color clarity from edge to edge Accepts 72mm lens filters (optional)

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars There are better lenses out there – avoid this one
This lens looks on the surface to be a great all-purpose lens, and at first the pictures looked a step up from my Canon PowerShot A720IS 8MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom. It has image stabilization, and a good range, I thought it would be a good general purpose lens. I quickly became disillusioned with the results, many pictures where out of focus, so I thought I would compare it against my other lenses. What I discovered surprised me. I took the cost effective 50mm lens, the 100mm macro lens, the 70-300mm IS lens, the kit 18-55mm and the 28-105mm and took the same pictures at focal lengths of 50mm and 100mm of a batik (where possible). I made sure I had adequate lighting to avoid camera shake (1300 watts total, plus all pictures were above 1/50th second), which I thought might be the culprit, and took a series of photos with each lens at f4.5. The worst lenses by far were the 28-105 and the 18-55 which gave about the same results. Whilst the 100mm macro lens (from the same distance) and the 70-300mm IS, and often the 50mm showed the grain of the canvas on which the art was imprinted, the 28-105mm and the 18-55 were not sharp at all, and sometimes downright blurry. This was at a distance of about 2 meters (12 feet). There were 5 test pictures, in every single one, the 100mm macro lens gave the best result (just ahead of the surprisingly good 70-300IS). The 28-105 was very disappointing. I think the sample was wide enough to eliminate operator error. I wondered if my camera was failing to auto-focus properly, but the results with the 100mm are perfect 9 times out of 10, often even when working at macro ranges with autofocus on, and bad 10/10 with the 28-105mm.

In short: Avoid this lens if you want crisp pictures. Get instead the Canon – Lens – 50 mm – f/1.8 II – Canon EF (though some say the f1.4 is better, I might agree, but it’s over 4 times the price, and this is definitely a step up from the 28-105), and also the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras. It won’t set you back that much more, and you’ll get much better pictures and be able to do macro work! You might argue that the 28mm end would be missing, but the kit lens takes as good photos as this lens, so you’re not missing much except perhaps better manual focus, but I would imagine few are using manual focus with this lens.

Other problems you may find are that the zoom barrel will extend of it’s own accord if you point the camera downward. I also found that I had to take two or three pictures at a time to get one that was anywhere near in focus and correctly exposed. Lens certainly won’t just ‘snap’ the moment first time, I dread to think what it would be like on action shots.

3 Stars good walk around lens for a budget
This lens takes nice pictures. The fact that the lens adjust the zoom if its on an angle drives me nuts. The lens also slides open in my camera bag. I’m waiting for a 24-70 with IS to come out.

2 Stars Very Dull and Lifeless Images
I bought this lens in hopes that it would be an upgrade from what I had been using. I have had the lens for about 6 months and have yet to be impressed.

The images are very blurry and always need sharpening in photoshop or other program. Then you have to buy a lens hood seperate??? crazy!!!

If you can hold out and save a few hundred more for an L lens, then do so. Choosing to settle for this lens will only dissapoint you!

4 Stars Great Everyday Lens… for Pro’s or Enthusiasts
This lens is worth the money, or buying as a kit option. I would give it 5 stars, but there are couple of minor issues that bring it down.

Pros: USM. Quick focus. Great images. Pretty good range between wide field and moderate zoom at a great price point. My favorite single travel lens if I don’t feel like switching lens all day long or carrying multiples.

Cons: LENS CREEP. After a while it happens to a lot of these. There are ways to fix it if you are knowledgeable. Dust gets in pretty easy but not enough to degrade your images or even notice.

Overall, I think it is the best single carry lens on the market.

3 Stars Not bad for a kit lens!
This lens came with my 40D and is probably one of the better kit lenses. It features “IS” which is very useful for low light situations. One of the things I don’t like about this lens is the fact that it doesn’t have a fixed aperture. The aperture increases as you zoom out, which is a real bummer. Another weakness is the image quality. Images are not very sharp in my opinion and saturation/contrast is so-so. If your looking for a starter lens, then this is a lens you might consider. It’s light and pretty reasonably priced for a lens having “IS”!!

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