The Canon EF-S 10-18mm 1:4.5-5.6 IS STM is very affordable for a wide-angle lens at around €260. I have tested it extensively!
Contents
The camera I tested the 10-18mm on was my Canon EOS 77D. You can find more info about this camera in my Canon EOS 77D review.
Size & Weight
Right out of the box, I noticed how small and light the 10-18mm is. My first thought: this is almost like the 18-55mm IS STM kit lens. In fact, it’s only slightly larger and heavier. Of course, that’s a fine thing for longer tours and hikes. With less weight on your back, you don’t tire as quickly and photography gives you pleasure for longer.
Light intensity & image stabilizer
The lens is not particularly fast with an aperture of 4.5-5.6. However, this aspect doesn’t bother me at all because I usually want to achieve a large depth of field with a wide-angle lens anyway. I shoot landscapes from a tripod and usually with f/8 because of the image quality, so this point is not a limitation.
If I’m ever out and about in the city shooting interior architecture, for example, I don’t always want to – or can’t – use a tripod. Here I find the image stabilizer much more convenient than a higher speed. Of course, the lens could be 1-2 stops faster. But an image stabilizer catches 3-4 stops. So I can end up holding longer handheld exposure times without a tripod.
Autofocus – speed and accuracy
The Canon EF-S 10-18mm 1:4.5-5.6 IS STM brings an STM motor for autofocus. I already know this from the 18-55mm IS STM. The motor is fast and quiet. There is nothing to complain about here. During my entire test period, I didn’t take a picture where the focus didn’t hit.
Image quality
I went on several tours with the 10-18mm. Colors and contrast are good, however I am not satisfied with the sharpness. It’s fine in the center, but towards the edges the sharpness falls off. I have been shooting with the Canon EF-S 10-22mm for 10 years and I am used to its sharpness. Especially in the 10-12mm range, the 10-18mm doesn’t look very good. Below you will find a few 100% views to see for yourself.
Sample images
Here are a few images taken during the review.
Which cameras is the Canon EF-S 10-18mm suitable for?
The Canon EF-S 10-18mm 1:4.5-5.6 IS STM is suitable for all crop cameras of the Canon EOS series. So the lens fits these cameras, for example:
Canon EOS 800D
Canon EOS 750D
Canon EOS 760D
Canon EOS 700D
Canon EOS 650D
Canon EOS 600D
Canon EOS 550D
Canon EOS 500D
Canon EOS 450D
Canon EOS 200D
Canon EOS 100D
Canon EOS 1200D
Canon EOS 1300D
Canon EOS 2000D
Canon EOS 4000D
Canon EOS 40D
Canon EOS 50D
Canon EOS 60D
Canon EOS 70D
Canon EOS 77D
Canon EOS 80D
Canon EOS 7D
Canon EOS 7D Mark II
My conclusion to the Canon EF-S 10-18mm 1:4.5-5.6 IS STM review
In terms of size, weight and autofocus, the Canon EF-S 10-18mm 1:4.5-5.6 IS STM cuts a good figure. The price is very attractive, however, I did not like the sharpness, especially in the peripheral areas. It may also be that I got hold of a poor specimen, as other photographers are happy with this lens. However, I would rather spend a little more money and choose the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM instead.
You can find more lens reviews here.